It seemed that 2022 was year of catch-up, getting ships that were due to arrive during the lockdown finally christened and launched on their careers. So this year is the first time in three years where we can confidently board ships that are brand new and hopefully are not postponed because of restrictions or shortages.
Several of 2023’s newcomers are tweaked versions of sister ships that are already sailing, but others, like Explora 1 and Icon of the Seas, represent completely new interpretations of what designers see as the future of cruising. While big ships are still getting ever larger, a significant story is the surge in agile exploration ships and luxury ships that are actually smaller than their predecessors.
Read it all in The Cruisington Times