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If a cruise ship doesn't have a bowling alley or a full-size professional boxing ring, what's the point?
As competition between cruise lines stiffens and passengers become savvier, cruise lines have been falling all over each other to offer cool gimmicks and unique amenities to attract more business.
"While there's much more to cruising than the physical features of a ship, it's clear the features are a driver of differentiation in the public's mind," says Royal Caribbean International President Adam M. Goldstein, pointing out that the line's recently debuted Freedom of the Seas is not only the largest cruise ship in the world, but one outfitted with novelties like a surfing machine.
See our slideshow of the hottest new cruise ships.
Truth be told, the latest megaships are a homogenous lot. They all carry thousands of passengers in Vegas-style interiors filled with multiple restaurants and entertainment outlets, plus huge spas and childrens' facilities. Features like giant movie screens on deck, sushi bars and giant gyms have become standard.
Not only are ships similar across the industry, but to take advantage of economies of scale, cruise lines build ships in classes. Typically three to six virtually identical vessels are built from one set of blueprints, thus the term "sister ships." Only soft furnishings and names of public rooms vary.
It's this sea of sameness that drives the lines to split hairs and try mightily to stand apart from the crowd.
In the spirit of upping the ante, creative cruise line gimmickry includes a high-tech Grand Prix driving simulator on Costa Cruises' new CostaConcordia, with virtual speeds of 200 miles per hour.
"It's all about delivering the big wow factor," says Holland America President and CEO Stein Kruse, adding that their demographic has responded well to amenities on the new Noordam like a Barnes & Noble-style Internet cafe and a slick demonstration kitchen.
Riding the coattails of the continuing spa craze, CostaConcordia has not only a gigantic spa that's billed as the largest at sea, but a group of special cabins and suites that have direct access to the spa area along with special perks like free treatments.
If all things new and exciting drive the average cruiser, is there any room for brand loyalty?
"With well over 10 million people cruising per year on a global basis, there's a wide range of cruise customers," says Goldstein. "A small percentage of cruisers are fixated on the latest new ship, while most are more focused on brand, ship features, destination, cruise length, timing of vacation, price and other factors."
A tall order. In an attempt to keep things fresh, lines keep reinventing the wheel one widget at a time as each new ship floats off the assembly line. In 2006, seven brand new megaships were launched, the smallest at 85,000 tons and the largest nearly twice that size at 160,000 tons.
So when is a ship considered over the hill and bound for the scrap yard?
"We're looking for a ship to be a vital part of our brand for 20-plus years," says Goldstein, though the focus clearly remains on what's new. Of Royal Caribbean's 20 vessels, half are less than six years old, and three more new builds are in the pipeline. It's a similar story at the other major lines.
At the end of the day, though, youth and trendy accessories can only get you so far.
"Onboard service and experiences are at least as important if not more important than the physical ship," says Kruse. "Excellent, gracious service is something Holland America Line is known for as a brand. It comes with our newest ship and with our oldest ship."
See our slideshow of the hottest new cruise ships.
