After a 20 month hiatus on ordering new cruise ships due to the economic downturn, the cruise industry is once again pulling out checkbooks for new megaships.

Carnival Corp & Plc, which owns five cruise lines, today announced  that it has ordered a third 130,000-ton ship for Carnival Cruise Lines which will cost around $785 million.   The unnamed vessel, scheduled to enter service in the spring of 2012, is a sister ship to the 3690-passenger Carnival Dream which joined the fleet this year.  Dream’s second sister ship, Carnival Magic, is also under construction in Italy and will begin Europe sailings in May, 2011.

In 2010 new ships will continue to enter service, including Royal Caribbean’s second 255,000 ton, $1.4 billion vessel, Allure of the Seas scheduled to debut next August.  Norwegian Cruise Line is also introducing a new type of ship, the 150-ton, 4200 passenger Norwegian Epic which will enter service in May.   Celebrity Cruises’ Equinox, a 122,000 ton cruise ship carrying 2850 passengers has scheduled her inaugural voyage in April.

Small & Mid-Sized Ships to Enter Service

While it may seem that all new ships fall into the mega-ship category, they don’t:  several cruise lines are keeping a lid on the size of new ships joining their fleet.

Holland America’s Niew Amsterdam is 86,000 tons and will carry 2100 passengers; she will enter service next July.   Cunard Line’s Queen Elizabeth, her inaugural voyage scheduled in October, 2010, is 92000 tons, and will hold 2082 passengers.  In January, the new Costa Deliziosa will debut in Italy; a 92,700 ton ship carrying 2260 guests.

Two small ships will commence cruising in 2010, including American Cruise Lines’ 3000 ton Independence in May; the vessel holds only 104 passengers.  And, super luxury cruise line Seabourn Cruises will introduce a second 450-passenger ship, the Seabourn Sojourn, in June carrying 450 well pampered guests.