2 new massive cruise ships start sailing from Florida
Video: Owl boards Royal Caribbean cruise ship in Florida, takes 2-week Caribbean vacation
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Two of the newest cruise ships are now sailing from Florida.
Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Ascent started its inaugural Caribbean season from Fort Lauderdale on Sunday, Dec. 3. The ship will visit popular destinations like St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and the Dominican Republic during its seven-night voyage.
“With each new ship, our ambition is to debut the ultimate vacation experience and Celebrity Ascent achieves this by raising the bar for premium travel,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. “Her elevated design and new onboard experiences set her apart from competitors and serve as a new benchmark for the travel industry.”
The Celebrity Accent comes in at 140,600 tons and can hold 3,260 guests and 1400 crew members.
The ship features a Rooftop Garden, a Resort Deck with cantilevered float pools, a brand-new restaurant called Blu and the return of the Magic Carpet, the world’s first cantilevered, floating platform that soars over the open ocean.
The Celebrity Ascent will offer a variety of alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean vacations through late April. After those voyages, the ship will head to the Mediterranean for sailings from Barcelona and Rome.
The Norwegian Cruise Line welcomed the Norwegian Viva back to Miami following a celebratory voyage.
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The ship started sailing from Miami in late August but was officially christened last week.
“To christen Norwegian Viva in Miami is incredibly special to many of us at NCL, not only because Miami is our hometown, but also because we can share this moment with our local family and friends,” said David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Launching a ship is no solo endeavor. I am overwhelmed with gratitude towards the entire NCL team, our partners and especially our amazing crew who have contributed to bringing Norwegian Viva to life and who care for and deliver exceptional vacation experiences for our guests.”
The Norwegian Viva comes in at 142,500 tons and can hold 3,099 guests and 1,506 crew members. It features the three-story Viva Speedway and the Indulge Food Hall, an open-air food market featuring 11 unique eateries.
The ship will set sail on select voyages from Miami and will later reposition to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Norwegian Viva offers seven-day Caribbean vacations to Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. John’s, Antigua; Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St. Lucia; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands with no sea days.
In April, the ship will sail to Mediterranean and Greek Isles itineraries.
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