Meet Royal Caribbean's Next Great Ship

Think cruise ships can't get any bigger?  Think again.   A sister to Royal Caribbean's giant Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas (the current record holders), Harmony of the Seas will eclipse its siblings by more than 1700 tons and hold nearly 100 more passengers at double occupancy.  Like the two earlier ships, which made waves in the  cruise industry when they debuted in 2009 and 2010, respectively.  Harmony will be a floating mega resort, (when she debuts in Europe for the summer), to rival the most spectacular properties on land with dozens of eateries, bars, showrooms and deck-top fun zones.

New on board will be giant, multi-deck water slides - a first for Royal Caribbean, Harmony also will be the first Oasis class ship with a Bionic Bar where the drinks are served by robot bartenders - a concept that first debuted in 2014 on Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas.  In addition, the ship will have larger cabins than Oasis and Allure in some categories, and windowless "inside" cabins will be outfitted with Royal Caribbean's exclusive Virtual Balconies, which offer a real-time view of the outdoors - a concept that debuted in 2014 on the line's Navigator of the Seas.

Suite passengers also will have exclusive new areas to enjoy including a suite lounge, a private suites-only restaurant called Coastal Kitchen and a full service Suite Sun Zone sun deck.  New restaurants will include the whimsical Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine eatery that first debuted on the Quantum.  Also planned is Sabor, the modern Mexican restaurant that Royal Caribbean recently started adding to their ships.

After spending the Spring and Summer cruising the Mediterranean from Barcelona, Harmony will re-position to Fort Lauderdale, Fl., to offer alternating seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages.

Preview of Carnival's Newest Ship: The Carnival Vista

Carnival Cruise Line is adding  and new ship in 2016, the Carnival Vista.  I have to say, the ship looks awesome!

Carnival sometimes gets a bad wrap but really it is a good line - especially for weeklong cruises.  I'm not a big fan of Carnival for short cruises; likely where Carnival got the "party ship" reputation.

Back to the Vista.  With this ship Carnival is really planning  to up its game.  Want an IMAX Theatre at at sea?  Yes please; Vista has one.  Stateroom specifically for families?  Why not!  Family Harbor staterooms and suites and the Family Harbor Lounge - where kids and parents can hang out, play games and help themselves to the cookie and snack bar.  Of course there is also an adult only area to escape to when the kids are entertained at the kid's clubs.  A record size 455-foot-long water tube ride, the largest water park at sea, and even an 800-foot-long sky ride will keep the entire family entertained for the entire cruise.  throw in on board sites like a pub with a working brewery on site, and it all sounds awesome!

 Check out the preview pictures of the Vista.  I am really excited about the launch of this ship.  The Vista is schedule to enter service in March of 2016 in Europe.  She will then come to New York for her US inaugural cruise, and then she will travel to Miami where she will launch year round Caribbean service.