November has been a busy and exciting month for the cruise industry, with new ships sailing into their homeports and more on the horizon. Five new cruise ships have selected  Ft. Lauderdale as their South Florida winter home and will be sailing to the Eastern or Western Caribbean:

MSC Poesia: The 2,550-passenger Italian cruise ship is appointed with a spectacular waterfall with bridges in the foyer, a Zen garden in the sushi bar, and the latest eco-technology to safeguard the environment. Suites and staterooms are spacious and elegant, most with private balconies. Guests can enjoy a wine tasting bar or casual outdoor Mojito bar and movies under the stars on an immense screen by the pool. Kids sail free – great ship for family programs!

Seabourn Odyssey is the smallest cruise vessel launched this year. The elegant vessel accommodates 450 guests in 225 luxury suites, 90% with verandas, offering one of the highest space-per-guest ratios in the industry with highly personalized service. Odyssey features the largest spa on any luxury vessel, four restaurants, and a host of luxury amenities.

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, with a capacity of 5,400 passengers, is the largest and most revolutionary cruise ship in the world. Oasis of the Seas introduces unique sea-going firsts including seven themed neighborhood areas with the first park at sea, a thrilling zip line that races diagonally nine-decks above an open-air atrium,  and 28 multilevel urban-style loft suites with floor-to-ceiling windows. Plenty of dedicated conference space for meetings at sea!

Celebrity Equinox: Celebrity Cruises’ newest Solstice-class ship, the 2,850-guest Celebrity Equinox, features AquaClass staterooms with spa-focused ambiance, as well as several indulgent new offerings in the onboard spa. Eco-friendly Celebrity Equinox  features a half-acre Lawn Club with real, growing grass; a glassblowing show and studio developed and presented in collaboration with The Corning Museum of Glass; 10 unrivaled dining venues; and widely varied entertainment, including shows with breathtaking aerial acts.

Silver Spirit –  The 540-guest luxury cruise ship arrives at Port Everglades in January 2010 and will feature a choice of six dining venues, an 8,300-square-foot spa, a resort-style pool, four whirlpools, and the largest suites in the fleet — 95% with private verandas. On board she will offer the same exclusive Silversea cruise experience the line is known for – Italian hospitality, highly personalized service, fine dining and all-inclusive amenities. Perfect size for a full-ship charter!

Meeting and incentive planners: Stay tuned for exclusive reports, photos and videos of these and other new ships as our Seasite and L&K staff return from inaugurals and ship inspections.

Filed under: Destination Focus