Cruising is always adapting. Every year, cruisers expect more and more from their favourite vessels, and, usually, cruise lines don’t disappoint. But, sometimes there are ground-breaking inventions that aren’t directly linked to cruisers but will help operators to make additional changes to their vessel, thus creating a better experience for their guests. So, with that in mind, here are some amazing ground-breaking firsts for cruising in 2019.

HURTIGRUTEN – FIRST BATTERY POWERED VESSEL

As Hurtigruten’s latest expedition vessel, the 1,000+ passenger MS Roald Amundsen has taken the cruising world by storm to become the first vessel to sail with battery power only (for parts of its journey). The brand-new hybrid ship will not be powered entirely by traditional fuels such as diesel or gas and, instead, will use alternative propulsion technology for the first time. The overall cut to fuel consumption and CO2 emissions is 20% and, while that might not sound like a lot, this is a large step towards a more sustainable future for cruising.

One of the additional benefits of having a battery powered ship is being able to cruise in complete silence. This new-to-cruising feature is sure to enhance your experience, especially for expeditions that involve spotting wildlife and scenic cruising. However, the ship is by no means stripped of any modern features; Hurtigruten has included all of the luxuries you expect of a modern vessel while adding unique quirks such as the Amundsen Science Centre. As with all their vessels, there will be a handpicked expedition team, experts in their field, prepared to answer any questions that you might have.

CARNIVAL VISTA’S – MOBILE DRY DOCK

Yes, a mobile dry-dock. Carnival Cruise Line, with the help of Boskalis (a marine solutions company), has managed to build a one-of-a-kind mobile dry-dock. The two came up with Boka Vanguard, the world’s largest heavy lift vessel, at a colossal 275m in length, 70m in width and 117,000 tons lifting capacity. The procedure of getting Carnival Vista onto the docking station includes filling the ballast tanks with water so the deck submerges, allowing the ship to (with the help of a few tug boats) glide onto the station, before the water is then released and repairs can begin.

Boka Vanguard had arrived in Bahamian waters on the 7th July 2019, in preparation for Carnival Vista’s arrival on July 12th. The repairs will take approximately two weeks, before she resumes cruising from Galveston, taking guests around the Caribbean on seven-day itineraries.

With every cruise line competing to bring out the latest and greatest cruise innovations for their guests, you can expect there will be plenty more firsts at sea that we can anticipate throughout the rest of 2019 and 2020.