As an incentive travel planner, don’t you just love taking your top performers to a fabulous new resort? Well then, get ready to be bowled over with dozens of stylish new floating resorts to wow your winners. Forty new ships will be launched by the end of 2011, with 23 of them (more than half) available for your next open date in 2009-2010. If you haven’t yet discovered the sensational results and savings with a cruise program, now’s the time.

A ship buy-out is such a great setting for a meeting or incentive program that planners will be pleased to know the list of “new-builds” includes 5 excellent small vessels such as Swiss Sapphire, a 118-passenger luxury European riverboat; and Star Clipper’s new 296-passenger sailing vessel – the most expensive ever constructed.

The new Pearl Sea Cruises will launch a brand new small ship --- their first--next summer, with capacity for 330 guests. And Seabourn has announced 2 long-awaited luxurious new 450-passenger ships– the first new additions to the small-deluxe market in almost 20 years. Silversea too has ordered a luxurious new ship with 540-guests to compete in that market, and even larger groups can look forward to ships such as Oceania’s twin 1,260-passenger vessels anticipated in 2010 and 2011.

But all of those are dwarfed by the rest of the cruise industry’s new super-duper mega-ships which duplicate the glitter and glamour, the shopping, sports, entertainment and dining choices of the world’s most desirable resorts. Each of the major cruise brands has at least 1 new ship on order; some have 2, 3, or 4! With hotel rooms in limited supply, think cruises…

The largest ship ever ordered is Royal Caribbean’s “Genesis-class”, designed for 5,400 passengers, and expected to be so spectacular they’ve scheduled two (in 2009 and 2010) following the debut of their 3,600-passenger Independence of the Seas in May ’08.

After Norwegian Cruise Line launches the 2,384-passenger Norwegian Gem this month, their next generation of “Freestyle” cruise ships morphs to carry way more… 4,200 passengers on 2 ships coming into service in 2009 and 2010.

Celebrity’s developed a brand new design for their next 4 ships, their biggest to date at 2,850 passengers. Not to be outdone, MSC --  best known in European waters—also has 4 new ships on order, 2 will accommodate 2,850 guests, while the other 2 bump capacity up to 3,300.  Carnival is making plans for 3 more new ships, including their biggest ever, Carnival Dream; which will host 3,600 guests.

Holland America too will initiate a lovely new generation of ships carrying 2,044-passengers; the first arriving summer 2008, the second fall 2010.  And Cunard looks forward to 2 new-builds: Queen Victoria in December this year and Queen Elizabeth 3 which will replace the venerable QE2 in 2010.

Two is also the magic number for Disney Cruise Line’s newly designed ships scheduled to enter service in 2011 and 2012. And Princess launches 1 more 3,080-passenger vessel November 2008.

Too many ships? Not enough time? Landry & Kling can help. Give us a call to discuss feasibility of your next event on a ship. That’s what we do… from A to Z, or just A --  if that’s all you need.

Here are some of the ships you can look forward to: Cruise Ships’ Launch Schedule