5 Things To Be Excited About In 2015
As the year comes to a close, it is not only a good time to look back on the events of the past 12 months, but also look at what’s to come in the new year. With 2014 being such a huge year for cruise, can 2015 match it?
Already shaping up to be another exciting one, cruise lines have started to make us feel like next year is going to be a phenomenal year for the cruise industry.
Here are my top 5 cruise events to look forward to in 2015…
1. The launch of Britannia
It feels like we have been waiting for Britannia for ages and the excitement began back at the beginning of 2014 when P&O Cruises held a launch event to give us a sneak peek of the amenities we can expect on Britannia.
The largest ship ever built for the UK, she is set to be 'inspired by the past, but designed for the future'. Showcasing everything we love about P&O Cruises with a host of new twists, there is no doubt she will take the world by storm.
A foodies heaven, she will be home to five celebrity chefs working alongside each other including James Martin, Marco Pierre White, Eric Lanyard, Olly Smith and Atul Kochhar. There will also be the first cookery school at sea and a host of exquisite restaurants.
Her elegant staterooms, fascinating atrium and giant spa have been designed to amaze guests at every moment.
Launching in March, she will sail a range of Mediterranean and Fjord itineraries. See our Britannia Cruise Deals.
2. The arrival of Anthem of the Seas into Southampton
With the launch of Quantum of the Seas being one of the most significant cruise events in 2014, will her sister ship cause a similar stir? The second SMARTship to launch, she will have everything we loved about Quantum and more.
Ever since it was announced Anthem of the Seas will call Southampton home for the summer months, bookings for her maiden sailings have rocketed and the suspense for her arrival has been at high levels. Once again everyone is ready to see a ship that "changes everything".
With a skydiving simulator, bumper cars, robotic bar tenders and an elevating pod, Royal Caribbean once again push every industry boundary and stand ready to give guests a completely different view of cruising.
A strong emphasis on entertainment will be portrayed again with world-class Broadway musicals, the technology of 270 and a Music Hall where an array of show-stopping bands will perform.
Arriving into Southampton in April, her maiden voyages will include sailings to Paris and Bruges. See our Anthem of the Seas Cruise Deals.
3. World cruises
2015 will see an array of new destinations added to cruise itineraries and as the industry expands, so do the ports. You can cruise to almost every corner of the earth now and new ports for 2015 are starting to be announced.
As more people want to explore the world on a cruise, it made perfect sense for cruise lines to start introducing world cruises to their schedules.
New ship, Quantum of the Seas will sail a 53 night world voyage from New Jersey, USA to Hong Kong.
P&O Cruises will have ships sailing around the globe in 2015, from Asia, Australia and Dubai. Cunard will continue their unique cruises such as Hong Kong to Sydney, Cape Town to Southampton and Dubai to Sri Lanka.
2015 will see Fred Olsen Cruises explore exquisite locations such as Arctic and Antarctica.
4. Sailing from Southampton
There has been a huge rise in people wanting to cruise without flying and 2015 will see the largest choice of ships sailing from Southampton.
Two new ships Britannia and Anthem of the Seas will go head to head with summer sailings from Southampton. Making it a huge year for the port of Southampton, having two brand new ships here will see a significant increase in guests sailings from the UK next year.
Replacing the popular Independence of the Seas, Royal Caribbean is sending Explorer of the Seas to the UK for the first time. The voyager-class ship will complete a major refurbishment before arriving to Southampton and include new virtual balcony staterooms, a flowrider and revamped entertainment.
Voted best ship from Southampton in 2014, Celebrity Eclipse will return for the 2015 summer season and sail to Scandinavia, Russia, Iceland and the Fjords.
Cunard will continue to have a strong presence in Southampton and offer guests the opportunity to sail to long-haul destinations such as New York, Canada and New England without flying.
Princess Cruises, Fred Olsen and Azamara will also sail a range of new itineraries from the popular UK port.
5. Princess Cruises 50th Anniversary
Princess Cruises have an incredible story to tell as they have grown from one ship sailing to Mexico to becoming one of the best known names in cruising and have a fleet of 18 ships sailing all over the world. 2015 sees an extremely special year for them as they prepare to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
Every ship in the fleet will host celebratory parties and events throughout the year and all guests are invited to join in these celebrations. There will also be commemorative merchandise and gifts onboard.
As well as the celebratory events, the line has launched their 'Golden Deals' campaign for guests to receive special discounts and onboard credit offers for sailings from December 26th 2014 – February 28th 2015.