Here, in a New York minute, is how much cruising has changed:
In 2003, Cunard's Queen Mary 2 sailed out of the shipyard as the longest, widest, tallest passenger ship ever built. It weighed 148,528 gross tons, was almost four football fields long (377 yards) and 45 yards wide. She carried — and still does on regular crossings from her European home (Southampton) to her North American home (New York) — 2,620 passengers.
In 2013, Norwegian's new Breakaway will sail out of the shipyard for New York, its year-round home. She'll weigh 4,528 gross tons less than the Queen Mary 2 (there's always weight watchers, Mary)…is 70 feet shorter and five feet narrower. She will carry 1,380 more passengers, with a full load of 4,000.
In that New York decade, a smaller new ship that carries more people.
The QM2 sails out of Brooklyn, while the Breakaway's home will be Manhattan, where the Queen Mary made some port calls before moving across town. New York is a traditional home for Cunard, dating back to 1845, when the Hibernia was based in Manhattan, and The Big Apple is becoming Norwegian's traditional home.
Like other lines, Norwegian sails out of many ports but the fact that the newest, biggest ship is making New York its home is a statement. It will join little sister Gem and replace the Jewel in Manhattan and that means two of Norwegian's three newest ships will be New Yorkers — only the Epic is missing (Barcelona/Miami).
And then, in 2023…
Carnival Sunshine
7 nights
December 8, 2013
New Orleans (return): Key West, Freeport, Nassau
Inside: $419
Cost per day: $59
www.carnival.com