2018 has been, without a doubt, one of the best years the cruising industry has seen in a long while. In 2018 alone, 15 ocean going cruise ships - ranging in capacity from 100 to 5,400 passengers - were launched with new onboard attractions like electric Go-Kart courses, multi-slide water parks, laser tag arenas and floating deck space. And it clearly looks like the momentum of 2018 is carrying into 2019 with cruiseliners announcing new ship launches as well as committing billion dollar investments for building new ships. This blog will help you get a glimpse of the best new ships that will be launched in 2019 and you can plan your summer vacation onboard one of the newest ships with the latest technologies and 'never seen before' amenities.

Celebrity Edge: Touted as the 'Ship designed to leave the future behind' Celebrity Cruises' latest offering is the one thousand feet long, uber-luxurious Celebrity Edge. Embarking on its maiden cruise to the Caribbean in December 2018, Celebrity Edge is already the crowning jewel in the premium cruising industry. Its most distinguishing and hence most attractive feature is the 'Magic Carpet', a multi deck, multipurpose cantilevered deck that reaches the heights of 13 feet above the sea that is to serve as a gangway throughout the cruise. Perhaps taking the experience of premium cruising one step ahead, Edge houses 2-story Edge Villas with their own private plunge pools, your own sapphire blue ocean within the Caribbean. Celebrity Edge promises an assortment of 29 unique food and beverage experiences, including main and specialty dining, as well as the largest collection of wines at sea. Also, Celebrity Cruises has now achieved the Autism Friendly Cruise Line Status, along with having accessible staterooms for passengers with any form of disability as well as for ones who cannot and will not travel without their pets. It truly has an Edge over them all, doesn't it (pun intended)?

MSC Bellissima: If you are too used to Siri and Alexa being at your beck and call round the clock, fear not, because MSC Bellissima is introducing the world's first digital cruise assistant, Zoe, a voice-enabled AI device fitted in every cabin. The Galleria Bellissima is a ninety meter central promenade filled to the brim with a range of boutiques, shopping and rest and relaxation options that transforms into an ideal party arena come sundown. The entire inside ceiling of the promenade is covered with a 480 sq. mt. LED Screen, the largest LED Dome on sea. The ship has been designed in order to maximize personal space to guests, with almost 10 sq. mt. of public space per guest. It oozes the feeling of travelling together while giving each guest their own personal space. The Horizon pool, MSC Yacht Club (a ship within a ship), the world renowned theatrical circus show 'Cirque de Soleil' and an exclusive spa are some of the other amazing facts onboard. MSC Belissima will embark on her maiden voyage from March 2019!

Royal Caribbean's Spectrum of the Seas: After last year's spellbinding Symphony of the Seas, the Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class of ships has a new, high tech addition sailing from April 2019, the Spectrum of the Seas. And a spectrum it is, with a range of Far-East cruises to Hong Kong, Malaysia and Japan. A brilliant construction on board is the North Star, an isolated 300-ft high observation pod that can give one a once in a lifetime view of the sky above and the ocean beneath, coming as close to heavenly scenery as possible. The Sky Pad is another grand experience for those who seek ample adventure, taking the bungee trampoline to a whole another level. It should suffice to say, the Sky Pad is the nearest us non-astronauts might come to the feeling of being launched into space.

MSC Grandiosa: Like the name suggests, MSC Cruises has left no stone unturned to ensure the cruise is truly grandeur personified. At its launch in October 2019, MSC Grandiosa will be the 7th largest ship in the world, with a massive capacity of 6,300 passengers. And it has more than numerous options and amenities to keep those six thousand guests entertained and enthralled. Cirque Du Soleil at Sea has exclusively created two new shows for the MSC Grandiosa. The ship also houses a two-deck amusement park, a design so thorough and advanced it will make you forget that you are in the middle of an ocean. For entertainment, the ship has multiple venues like the Carousel lounge, a multi-purpose Karaoke bar, water parks, and an attic club for all the night owls on board. Another brilliant attraction here is the heart racing F1 Stimulator and for the first time at sea, a full size bowling alley. It is an un-missable opportunity to explore Europe in a way that is entertaining, sumptuous and of course, Grand.

Norwegian Encore: Sail the Eastern Caribbean next autumn on the fourth and latest addition to the Breakaway Plus-class NCL vessel, the Norwegian Encore. The ship has a total of 2206 staterooms in 42 categories (47 wheelchair accessible rooms), the Haven Deluxe Owner's Suites, as well as 82 single cabin rooms and specifically designed family cabins. While guests can choose from a range of eleven complementary dining options, there is seemingly no end to the number of dining options available on-board. A Texas steakhouse with live country music, Teppanyaki, an authentic Japanese Hibachi specialty restaurant, the Italian eat-house La Cucina and the French Le Bistro, you can let the inner foodie in you go wild. The Encore is the world's third cruise ship to be fitted with its own 2-level Ferrari racetrack that spans over two decks at the incredible height of 200 feet. Also aboard is an Aqua park for the kids, an open-air laser tag course, and 800 seater Encore Theatre and a skyline bar.

Sky Princess: Have you ever had the fantasy of watching a movie under a canopy of twinkling stars? That can entirely come true, only now the same will happen in the middle of the glittering ocean with over 3,500 guests, on Princess Cruises' darling the Sky Princess. Feel like royalty aboard the Sky Princess, with a stunning view from the largest balcony at sea, and get your own pizza delivery to your accommodation as well! For passengers looking for more than your usual cheesy pizza, fear not, the Sky Princess will more than cater to your culinary needs. With a range of professional chefs ready with their spread and restaurants from fine dining to any time eating to Ocean terraces, you can have your pick. The highlight of the Sky Princess is the Piazza- the three deck Atrium and central hub of activity, which is also an architectural wonder that looks like it has been pulled straight out of Renaissance Europe. There is also a Vegas style casino, the famed Princess Theatre, and of course the erstwhile mentioned Movies Under the Stars as well a number of other original musical and entertainment performances. The Sky Princess will begin her fairytale in November 2019, and what a fairytale it will be!

Carnival Panorama: Carnival Panorama is Carnival Cruise Line's latest magnum opus after the Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon with a capacity of 4,000 passengers. Built in Italy, the ship will begin cruising from November 2019 and will primarily travel the Mexican Riviera from Long Beach, California. Promising 'Fun so Wide', the ship has fifteen decks, each distinct from the other. The accommodations are especially appealing to passengers, with Staterooms and Suites (Havana Staterooms) situated right next to the Havana Bar & Pool that give you the feel of being on your own private island resort. Other major attractions are the Sky Zone with its gravity defying dodgeball sessions and indoor trampoline park, the SportSquare featuring its Sky Ride, and every child's favourite, the Carnival Waterworks. There is also Serenity, an adult only retreat, that can be a leisurely escape for couples while the tots are off having a ball in the water park. There are also multiple eating joints, fine dining and luxury dining places to make your experience on the Carnival Panorama no less than unforgettable and extremely satiating.

Every cruise mentioned above has amenities, attractions and entertainment options that are impossible to explore in one go. Every minute of every day of your cruise trip could be devoted and yet there might be places left to devour. This shows the sheer scale of the offerings cruise liners are providing. Amusement parks, Broadway shows, resort islands, spas, your own digital assistants, two deck Ferrari race tracks and the list goes on. The destinations might pale in comparison to what waits for you back at the ship. The coming year is sure to be a glorious one, at least on the seas! So hurry, and Choose to Cruise.