CLIA: Cruise Fleet Growth Continues

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) -- the organization tasked with helping the world's cruise lines promote their ships -- reported cruise shipping fleet growth in 2002/03. In a year-end report the organization noted that 14 new vessels -- as well as three re-launched ships and several others introduced in late 2002 but having their inaugural sailing seasons in the new year -- will make 2003 another record year in the cruise industry.

The following CLIA-member cruise lines have ships slated to join the fleet in 2003:

Bora Bora Cruises: The 226-foot, 2,677-ton, Tia Moana and Tu Moana are scheduled to begin sailing in the South Pacific in June. The ships are designed to sail to the heart of the Tahitian lagoons.

Carnival Cruise Lines: The 110,000-ton, 2,974-passenger Carnival Glory launches year-round seven-day Caribbean service from Port Canaveral July 19.

Costa Cruises: The line's new flagship, CostaMediterranea, is set to launch in June. The 85,000-ton ship carries 2,114 passengers. The 2,720-passenger CostaFortuna is due to debut in late 2003.

Crystal Cruises: The 1,080-passenger Crystal Serenity sets sail in July.

Cunard: The Queen Mary 2, which is scheduled to be delivered in 2003, is both the longest and tallest passenger ship in the world. The line's new flagship will carry 2,620.

Canyon Ranch; the first planetarium at sea; children's facility complete with British nannies; indoor and outdoor swimming pools; hot tubs and a pet kennel. It begins a series of transatlantic crossings in 2004.

Holland America Line: The 1,848-passenger, 85,000-ton Oosterdam departs July 10 from Southampton on its maiden cruise, the first of a series of 12-day summer and fall Baltic and western Mediterranean cruises. Eighty percent of the staterooms feature private verandahs and suites. The Zuiderdam and Prinsendam entered service in late 2002. Zuiderdam (sister ship to Oosterdam) is the line's year-round Caribbean vessel, sailing from Fort Lauderdale on seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises. The Prinsendam begins 14-day Golden Gateway Alaska cruises from San Francisco.

MSC Italian Cruises: The 1,600-passenger MSC Lirica is due to set sail in April.

Norwegian Coastal Voyage Inc./Bergen Line Services: The 674-berth, 15,000-ton Midnatsol (Midnight Sun) sails from Bergen April 15, replacing the 325-berth Midnatsol.

Norwegian Cruise Line: In its first season, the 2,224-passenger Norwegian Dawn offers regularly scheduled sailings to the Eastern and Western Caribbean from Miami through May 3, 2003, and summer seven-day sailings to the Bahamas and Florida from New York, beginning May 18.

Princess Cruises: The 88,000-ton Island Princess debuts in May, joining its sister ship, the Coral Princess, which debuts in January. The re-launched 680-passenger Tahitian Princess will sail year-round in Tahiti and the South Pacific.

Radisson Seven Seas Cruises: The all-balcony, all-suite 700-guest Seven Seas Voyager sails April 1 on a 12-night voyage from Monte Carlo to Venice.

Royal Caribbean International: Two new ships join the fleet in 2003: Radiance-class Serenade of the Sea; The 3,114-passenger Voyager-class Mariner of the Seas; Swan Hellenic: The 694-passenger Minerva II, which had previously sailed as a Renaissance Cruises' ship.