The Cruise Class of 2015

PHOTO: The Norwegian Escape will feature the popular 678 OceanPlace, a three-deck entertaining and dining area.

When it comes to quantity of ships, 2015 will not be as big of a year as 2014, but what it lacks in numbers it will gain in innovation with revolutionary new features on the way. These new vessels will deliver even more luxurious accommodations, great dining options and innovative public areas that are sure to please your customers.

Just four new ships are scheduled to enter service this year compared to the building frenzy of years past. Of the four, three are sisters or newer versions of ships already in the market. But the fourth is the highly anticipated first ship from a brand-new cruise line, the Viking Star of Viking Ocean Cruises. Torstein Hagen, who founded Viking River Cruises but in years past led the beloved Royal Viking Line, is starting up the new cruise line, which will offer all-inclusive fares with practically everything bundled into the price. So without further ado, here are the new ships of the Cruise Class of 2015.

Anthem of the Seas

PHOTO: Like its sister, Anthem of the Seas will have the cherry-picker gondola ride called North Star.

The third biggest ship in Royal Caribbean International’s fleet, and the largest vessel to be introduced this year, Anthem of the Seas is a sister to Quantum of the Seas, which debuted to a deluge of positive publicity in November. But Quantum is scheduled to move from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, N.J., to begin sailings out of China in May.

The 4,180-passenger, 167,800-ton Anthem will enter service in April and will operate through the summer from Southampton, England. Its trans-Atlantic crossing is scheduled to depart Oct. 27. Replacing Quantum in Bayonne, Anthem will operate seven- to 12-night round-trips to ports in the Bahamas and Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean.

Anthem will feature the same eye-popping features as Quantum, such as bumper cars, a sky-diving simulator, robotic bartenders, 372 inside staterooms with virtual balconies, the North Star gondola rising to 300 feet above sea level, and 18 restaurants, including five complimentary main dining rooms.

Le Lyrial

PHOTO: Ponant’s Le Lyrial will have a sleek design in the restaurant.

French cruise line Ponant, which shortened its name from Compagnie du Ponant in September, will welcome the new Le Lyrial in April. The 240-passenger vessel is a sister ship to Le Boréal (2010), L’Austral (2011) and Le Soléal (2013). Le Lyrial will join them in operating yacht-style expedition cruises and boasts a 1C ice rating for polar waters.

The ship will depart from Venice on its maiden voyage May 9 and will spend its inaugural season in the Mediterranean sailing to ports in Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Greece and Turkey, before heading to Antarctica in the winter. Le Lyrial will have 122 staterooms and suites, all with ocean views and 95 percent with private balconies. In this sense, the new ship differs from its sister ships, which have 132 staterooms and suites in all. Le Lyrial will have redesigned Deck 6 to accommodate larger suites of up to 600 square feet, which will have 24-hour butler service. The interior design is described as “cozy yet contemporary” with a yachting feel and unmistakable French flair. The blue color palette is meant to mimic the delicate grey-blue of the Polar ice and the vivid turquoise blue found in Mediterranean coves.

Le Lyrial will have two restaurants offering casual to fine dining, bar and lounge, and 24-hour room service. The full-service spa is operated with the French salon SOTHYS and has a hamman, hair salon, tea room and fitness center. The ship also has an outdoor pool, a 250-seat theater, a panoramic terrace adjoining the indoor lounge, a library with Internet stations, medical center, Wi-Fi access and in-room flat-screen satellite TVs with complimentary on-demand movies. As befitting an expedition ship, Le Lyrial will carry a fleet of Zodiac boats with satellite tracking. And in case you were wondering, Le Lyrial is named for the Lyra constellation in the northern hemisphere.

Norwegian Escape

Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, the 4,200-passenger, 164,600-ton Norwegian Escape, is scheduled to enter service in November. The first of two Breakaway-Plus ships, Escape will be the largest in the fleet and the biggest to homeport year-round in Miami.

The Norwegian Escape will begin weekly seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruises on Nov. 14 to St. Thomas, Tortola, and Nassau. The ship is eye-catching for its signature hull artwork designed by Guy Harvey, a well-known marine wildlife artist and champion of ocean conservation. Norwegian says the ship is Harvey’s largest canvas to date, at 1,065 feet in length. The artwork will feature marine life found in South Florida and the Caribbean, including sailfish, turtles, stingrays, frigate birds, whale sharks and coral reefs.

Like other new ships in Norwegian’s fleet, Norwegian Escape will feature The Haven luxury suite complex. It will have 95 suites in a two-deck private area accessible only by key card. The Haven also features a private restaurant with outdoor terrace and a lounge. The private courtyard area is covered by a retractable roof and has a pool, two whirlpools, a sauna, spa treatment rooms and a sun deck.

The new ship also will boast 82 studio staterooms designed for solo travelers. Measuring about 100 square feet, the studios have enough room for a full-size bed, a window to the corridor, and a separate toilet, sink and shower. All studio guests have access to the private Studio Lounge, which allows solo travelers to mingle. Other accommodations include 308 mini-suites, 20 spa mini-suites, 1,168 balcony staterooms, 114 oceanview staterooms, 407 inside staterooms and 47 wheelchair-accessible staterooms.

Norwegian Escape will also incorporate The Waterfront and 678 Ocean Place, the oceanfront entertainment and food area found on the Norwegian Breakaway and Getaway. This concept includes an oceanfront boardwalk for outdoor dining and drinking, combined with three decks of eateries, bars, entertainment and gaming.

Viking Star

PHOTO: The Viking Star will serve afternoon tea amid harp music in the Wintergarden.

The 47,800-ton, 930-passenger Viking Star, scheduled for a May 17 christening in Norway as the first ship in the Viking Ocean Cruises fleet, will have nothing but veranda staterooms, the smallest a roomy 270 square feet. The 14 two-room Explorer Suites range in size from 757 to 1,163 square feet and have wraparound private verandas.

The ship’s interior will be light-filled with an “understated elegance” and modern Scandinavian design. Among the public areas is a serene Wintergarden, which will serve afternoon tea. The two-deck Explorers’ Lounge at the bow of each ship will feature double-height windows and a bar with “an extensive craft beer library.”

The Theater will feature “soft and spacious sofa seating” from which to watch live performances and guest speakers. The line promises to offer an extensive enrichment program that will include port talks on the destinations as well as lectures on history, art and culture. The ship also will show first-run films and destination-driven movies.

Viking Star will have two swimming pools, one a stunning infinity pool cantilevered off the ship’s stern. In the evening, the deck space around the infinity pool will transform into the Aquavit Terrace for dining al fresco. The Main Pool has a retractable roof and also is the spot for watching movies on pleasant evenings.

In keeping with Viking’s Nordic heritage, The Spa will feature the centuries-old tradition of the sauna. The ship will have a “snow grotto” with snowflakes gently falling through chilled air. Guests follow that up with warming time in the sauna.

The Viking Star will have multiple restaurants in addition to the main dining room. The World Café will serve dishes from around the globe as well as regional specialties. Other options include more-intimate dining at The Chef’s Table, Italian grill and The Kitchen Table. What’s more, the ship will have an onboard cooking school.

Cruise fares include shore excursions, beer and wine with lunch and dinner, Wi-Fi access, self-service laundry, 24-hour room service and more. The Viking Star will sail in the Western and Eastern Mediterranean, the Baltic and Scandinavia. Two sister ships are on order — Viking Sea and Viking Sky are scheduled for delivery in 2016.