Andrea Zelinski
Neighborhoods. Districts. Portals.
Regardless of what cruise lines call them, carving megaships into distinct themed areas is a growing trend.
MSC Cruises became the latest line to organize a new ship with areas that promise specific vibes. Its second World class ship, the 215,863-gross-ton MSC World America, will offer seven "districts" ranging from what sounds like a relaxing area at the Zen district with quiet space to swim and sunbathe, to the kid-friendly Family Aventura district with bumper cars, a roller rink, a water park with virtual-reality water slide experiences and a ropes course.
Making sense of where to spend time on a megaship can be hard work. The vessels are huge and feature multiple restaurants and entertainment venues; I find them difficult to keep straight when I'm looking for a space that's right for the moment. Having cruised on two megaships in the last three months, I'm thankful for the themed zones to keep my ship-wandering organized.
Valarie Scope, owner and travel advisor at Sea Our Style Travel in the West Palm Beach area, said the zones serve another purpose: To let guests know where they can escape from children.
"Not that I don't love kids, but not all kids are good," she said. "So sometimes I look for places in areas where I'm away from kids and noise and I want to relax." Conversely, she said, neighborhoods help families find places with a specific appeal to them.
Cruise ship zones have long been in existence (Disney Cruise Line's nightlife district - literally, the District - comes to mind). But the trend towards whole-ship zoning began in earnest with the introduction of the now well-known "neighborhood" concept in Royal Caribbean International's Oasis class. The neighborhoods included the Royal Promenade with shops; restaurants and bars in the ships' interior; and Central Park, an outdoor park that cut through the middle of the ship with live plants.
The line's much-anticipated Icon of the Seas continues the neighborhood trend. Surfside, for example, is the place to feed and entertain families with young children all day. It includes a carousel, water attractions, an arcade and a mommy-and-me bar with kid and adult menus. Thrill Island, meanwhile, is laced with fast waterslides in an atmosphere meant to resemble a deserted island, aimed at both kids and adults. Royal also introduced The Hideaway, a kid-free zone with an infinity pool, two hot tubs and a bar.
Carnival Cruise Line rolled out its take on neighborhoods when it debuted six distinct zones on the Mardi Gras in 2021. It included Grand Central, its atrium area with a stage, and the Ultimate Playground for kids and adults with a roller coaster, water slides and sports court. It also included a zone with a theme that changes with each ship. On the Mardi Gras it is the New Orleans-styled French Quarter; on the Carnival Celebration it is the Gateway, with an international vibe; and on the Carnival Jubilee it is Currents, featuring moving images of underwater scenes. The Jubilee also introduced the Shores, home to a bar and quick bites like pizza and sandwiches.
The zones don't just exist on ships. Carnival is segmenting Celebration Cay, its new private destination in the Bahamas, into "portals." An adult-only portal will have a pool with a swim-up bar and DJ. A family-friendly portal will have beach access, a splash pad and a pair of racing waterslides.
As the market continues trending toward bigger ships, I expect we'll see this concept of neighborhoods, zones and districts continue to evolve.