Cruise ships are constantly getting bigger and more lavish. Today, the biggest ships are twice as big as they were in 2000. The world’s largest ship, the Icon of the Seas , is five times bigger than the Titanic and can carry more than 5,000 guests and 2,300 crew.
To keep them at the highest standard, all ships undergo periodic maintenance and safety inspections every five years, during which time the refurbishing of existing components typically also occurs. It is very much a case of out with the old and in with the new, as space is limited, even on these mega-ships. Those decisions can be tough because many cruisers like things to stay the same even if they no longer use parts of the ship as much as they once did.
Royal Caribbean , for example, decided to remove libraries from some ships as many people now choose to read books on their phones or other devices, so the small selection of books for passengers to borrow no longer fills a need. Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line no longer offer internet lounges, where you can borrow a computer and buy internet by the minute or hour. Those spaces may have been converted into business centres or been repurposed entirely.
Cigar lounges on cruise ships are also long gone, while escape rooms, which barely existed 10 years ago, have become common. However, these changes are not always welcome. However, Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald recently responded to an angry passenger about one area that has quietly been removed from.