Bumper cars, skydiving, walkways over the sea – and magic

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Three new cruise ships will launch this year boasting such innovative features as bumper cars, skydiving, a metal arm that lifts you 300ft above the ocean – and a threatre dedicated to magic and supernatural effects.

Arriving in Southampton next week will be Norwegian Getaway, following in the wake of her sister ship Breakaway last year, which visited the port on the way from its European shipyard to its homeport of New York.

Regal Princess, being launched in June, is another sister ship – to Royal Princess christened by the Duchess of Cambridge last year. The most anticipated new arrival will be of Quantum of the Seas, which will continue Royal Caribbean’s ground-breaking work in introducing fun new features to cruise ships.

 

Norwegian Getaway

Tonnage: 144,000

Cost: £520million

Passengers: 4,000

Launch: Inaugural celebrations in Southampton on January 15 with formal naming in Miami on February 7

Special features: Sister ship to Norwegian Cruise Line’s Breakaway launched last year, but this time with a Miami homeport theme rather than New York. It will include a Grammy museum, an ‘Illusionarium’ featuring magic, illusions and supernatural effects, and Hollywood musical Legally Blonde.

On top of that, there will be fireworks at sea on every voyage. For active passengers, there is a three-storey sports complex and aqua park with five waterslides, two swimming pools and a ropes course with 40 elements, including a zip wire.

Like Breakaway, it will feature the Plank, which extends 2.5m (8ft) over the sea. Children will be able to meet Nickelodeon stars such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. There are 27 dining options and an ice bar with art deco-style décor like Miami Beach’s Ocean Drive.

 

 

Regal Princess

Tonnage: 141,000

Cost: £460million

Passengers: 3,560

Launch: To be announced, but expected to be May/June in Venice

Special features: As sister ship to Royal Princess, launched by the Duchess of Cambridge last year, Regal Princess has the same features, including the glass-bottomed SeaWalk that extends for 8.5m (28ft) over the edge of the ship. New features include an aft pool and passenger promenade on deck 7. There is also a large atrium, private poolside cabanas, TV studios and a Chef’s Table Lumiere where diners are surrounded by a curtain of light.

Stay Tuned we are sure there is more to come in 2014