5 Reasons Why 2015 Will be the Most Exciting Year for Cruising

There’s rarely a bad time to go on a cruise – the sun’s always shining in the Caribbean, the beauty of the fjords remain all year round, and Japan’s cherry blossoms arrive on time every year, just like their trains – but despite how cruising can be done all year every year, 2015 just might be the most exciting year for cruising we’ve seen in a long time. A whole host of brand new ships to sail upon, each promising to revolutionise the industry in their own way. Needless to say, 2015 has plenty of reasons to get excited, so here’s five of them!

1 P&O Britannia

In March 2015 British is back! P&O’s Britannia is the latest in their fleet, guaranteeing the best P&O experience money can buy. Bringing British pride back in style with a 94 metre Union Jack livery on the bow, Britannia boasts an impressive 13 bars as well as 13 restaurants and cafés.

If having a tipple isn’t your cup of tea, then perhaps a spot of cooking will whet your appetite? TV chef James Martin will be in attendance to develop The Cookery Club, while Eric Lanlard will have his own patisserie. Atul Kocchar and Marco Pierre White will also both have their own restaurants aboard the vessel. Hungry for more? Well you’ll have to wait at least an hour, but there’s also four swimming pools with one dedicated for teens – meaning you won’t get distracted by the kids whilst trying to do laps!

2 Anthem of the Seas

The second in Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Class fleet – following on from Quantum of the Seas herself – the Anthem of the Seas will be one of the most impressive vessels to sail the Atlantic. It boasts all of the amenities and facilities that we see aboard Quantum, including the iFLY skydiving simulator, the NorthStar observation tower which can lift you 300 feet above the sea, and the Royal Caribbean staple Flowrider.

Of course there’s much more to see aboard Anthem, with this just scratching the surface. There’s the Broadway-style Royal Theatre, Solarium, H2O Zone waterpark for the kids, a multitude of restaurants all serving their own specialities… Honestly, getting lost aboard this ship would be bliss.

3 Norwegian Escape

The first in NCL’s Breakaway Plus-class, the Norwegian Escape will set out on its inaugural sailing in 2015. NCL are proud to announce that the Breakaway Plus-class of ships will include all the revolutionary features you can find aboard Breakaway and Getaway, “plus a number of new spaces and interactive experiences meant to excite and inspire”.

Sailing year-round from sunny Miami, the Escape includes the mesmerising Illusionarium, devoted to magic and illusion performances intended to astound and impress. Other facilities include The Waterfront, decking specially built so that many of Escape’s legendary Freestyle Dining restaurants can offer outdoor dining, so you can eat your meals under the light of the sun whilst overlooking the water – or perhaps even one of the wonderful ports on your itinerary!

4 Viking Star

Viking are an experienced cruise line, but until now it’s been river cruises all the way. So we shouldn’t expect much from the line’s very first ocean liner, right? Well actually, you would be wrong… Being river cruise specialists, Viking are experts when it comes to luxurious cruising, and Viking Star looks to be no different. Everything aboard, such as the Aquavit Terrace and The Atrium feels modern, minimalist and yet somehow grandiose.

With only 930 guests, each voyage will have plenty of space to stretch your legs for those who dislike being around too many people while on holiday. It also ensures top level service, with crew having less passengers to serve, and therefore can provide more efficient service. This all comes with the amenities aboard Viking Star, with swimming pools, a spa, a fitness centre, restaurants, lounges and so much more. That’s all without mentioning the Star Theatre and World Café.

5 Royal Princess in Southampton

To finish – not necessarily a new ship, per se, but it’s always nice when things are closer to home.  Yes, the Royal Princess will be calling Southampton home for 2015. We assume the ship’s Godmother – the Duchess of Cambridge herself, Kate Middleton – will be a bit too busy, seeing as she’s expecting the fourth in line for the throne…

The Royal Princess boasts an incredible set of features, including a new expanded Royal Princess Atrium, more varied casual dining options, entertainment including live music, choreography and more. Not to mention some great facilities for younger members of the family!

So there we have it – five fabulous reasons to get feverishly fired-up about the year ahead of us. It’s looking to be an amazing year for dedicated cruisers – and this is only the beginning! Who knows what wondrous announcements and adventures await in 2015…