Isles sail into new era of cruise ships
| • | Biggest U.S.-built cruise ship in works |
By Michele Kayal
Advertiser Staff Writer
The 91,000-ton Celebrity Infinity sailed into Honolulu yesterday, the largest cruise ship ever to visit Hawai'i, and the first of a new class of state-of-the-art vessels destined for the Islands this year.
Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser
The Hawai'i voyage of the month-old ship marked Celebrity Cruises' first foray into the Islands, and proponents say a new era in cruising is here.
A grand staircase leads to the Trellis restaurant aboard the Celebrity Infinity. Amanda Reid, the ship's social hostess, gave a tour.
"This is going to be the standard of ships in Hawai'i," said Bill Thayer, president of Waldron Steamship Co. Ltd., the ship's agent.
The 965-foot Infinity, which takes 2,950 passengers and crew, will be followed in October by Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas and Carnival Cruise Lines' Spirit, and in December by Norwegian Cruise Line's Star.
All of the new "Panamax" ships — the largest vessels that can make it through the Panama Canal — measure more than 960 feet and carry more than 2,100 passengers.
They will be about 6 months old when they arrive in Hawai'i, except for the $400 million Star, which will be new, and will become the first foreign vessel home ported in Hawai'i.
But the new ships could be a mixed bag, some experts said.
"These Panamax ships bring up the question of will people want to get off them and will they want to do local attractions, or will they be tempted to stay on the ship?" said Andy Vladimir, co-author of "Selling the Sea: An Inside Look at the Cruise Industry."
