Cruise lines continued to release details on their latest upcoming ships this week, with a special focus on new amenities and entertainment.
Royal Caribbean International announced the entertainment lineup for Harmony of the Seas, the line's new Oasis-class ship that is set to offer Western Mediterranean itineraries in Europe starting May 2016.
As we learned during November's CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. Conference, the ship will host a new, full-blown Broadway production of the musical "Grease." Additional entertainment options range from ice shows in Studio B and immersive performances at the oceanfront AquaTheater to, for the first time, Puzzle Break, an interactive, problem-solving group activity in a dedicated, fully-produced space.
MSC Cruises announced a partnership with Samsung in which the technology company would supply all of MSC's new Seaside generation of ships, starting with MSC Meraviglia and MSC Seaside, with digital solutions and devices. The new ships are set to debut in June and December 2017.
Under the new agreement, Samsung will equip all of MSC's next-generation ships with devices ranging from cabin TVs and public screens to specialized equipment in the ships’ medical centers.
In luxury news, Oceania Cruises announced that it will include new Ultra Tranquility Beds on its latest ship, Sirena, when it launches this April.
The new beds are fitted with air suspension and a new spring structure of 3,000 coil springs. The micro-springs are designed to offer comfort and minimize noise on movement through an individually pocketed structure joined by connecting thermally-fused points.
Also this April, Holland America Line will be debuting the Koningsdam. The cruise line has announced a new partnership with Koppert Cress to grow microgreens in the ship's Culinary Arts Center.
The ingredients will be on display in a glass-enclosed growing area in the reimagined Culinary Arts Center, which also will serve as a dinner venue on Koningsdam. Dinner in the Culinary Arts Center restaurant will provide an immersive farm-to-table experience where chefs prepare simple, artisanal dishes in the show kitchen. Each course will be enjoyed as it’s freshly prepared, with some ingredients harvested by the ship’s chefs from the Koppert Cress growing area just before being served.
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