World's newest cruise ship has go-karts and laser tag
All aboard the Norwegian Bliss
Those are just three of the dozen or so entertainment options on the ship, which cost $1 billion to build and will ply Alaskan waters this summer and the Caribbean in the winter. Prices for a one-week Alaska trip in mid-July range from $2,800 per couple for an inside cabin to more than $11,000 for the company’s exclusive Haven suites.
Reuters
Little more elaborate
Carnival's newest vessel, the 3,960-passenger Horizon, has a Dr. Seuss water park, a Havana-themed night club and an Imax theater. In March, Royal Caribbean christened the industry’s largest ship, the 5,518-guest Symphony of the Seas, featuring an outdoor aquatics arena with acrobats, a zip line and wave machine for onboard surfing.
Reuters
Pay for play
Since then, the line has tweaked that model by adding 'specialty' restaurants that charge a little extra for guests who want say a rib-eye steak ($20) and truffle oil mashed potatoes ($3) instead of the fare in the main dining room. It’s also begun offering well-heeled travelers a pricey-enclave within its ships called the Haven, with separate pools, spas and places to dine.
Other cruise lines, though usually not the highest-end ones, have copied the Norwegian model of offering restaurant options with additional charges for meals. Now Norwegian, which like its main rivals is based in Miami, is asking guests to pay a bit more for entertainment.
AP
Big Spenders
Norwegian Bliss
The free stuff
Many entertainment options on the Bliss are free, including two water slides, the Beatles show and a couple of big musical revues including “Jersey Boys,” an almost full-length version of the Broadway hit. Some nights the comedy club turns into a silent disco, where patrons wear headphones and can dance and sing along to different songs than the person next to them.
Reuters
The strategy is paying off
AP
