Carnival Corp. last week placed its first cruise ship order since the beginning of the pandemic: It will add 180,000-gross-ton ship to Carnival Cruise Line that will be the fourth in its Excel class. The very next day, Royal Caribbean International also announced an order, for another Oasis-class ship. Both clock in the 6,000-passenger-plus size, on par with other new ships coming into the industry. 

This week host Rebecca Tobin talks the era of megaships with cruise editor Andrea Zelinski and Geoff Cox, the vice president of sales and marketing for Power List agency KHM Travel Group. Among our topics: What these ship orders mean for Carnival and Royal in terms of corporate direction and passenger demands, the prevailing love for big ships, competition with theme parks and resorts, and how far the cruise industry has come since its Sovereign days.

Episode sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by Windstar Cruises: https://www.windstarcruises.com

Related reports:

Carnival Cruise Line will get a fourth Excel-class ship https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Carnival-orders-fourth-Excel-ship?ct=cruise

Royal Caribbean orders a seventh Oasis-class ship https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Royal-Caribbean-orders-seventh-Oasis-class-ship?ct=cruise

Royal Caribbean sets a new benchmark with Icon of the Seas https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Royal-Caribbean-sets-new-benchmark-with-Icon

Sun Princess' maiden voyage scheduled https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Sun-Princess-maiden-cruise-rescheduled-February-28?ct=cruise

KHM Travel Group https://khmtravel.com/