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Forbes
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Innovations In Cruising: The Rise Of The "Ship Within A Ship" Concept
Since the mega cruise ships started to evolve with water parks and celebrity dining, you could be forgiven for thinking that there was little innovation left in the world of cruising. However, new trends in luxury travel, particularly for those who want the best of both worlds, are emerging. This involves combining the intimate feel of a small ship with the benefits of a large ship's facilities. The sheer size of today's mega ships can put some people off, but they are constantly evolving to cater to all types of cruisers. The latest vessels are floating resorts, packed with cutting-edge technology, unique experiences, and a focus on personalized hospitality, even with several thousand passengers. A key driver of this evolution is the constant push for innovation, with cruise lines like Celebrity Cruises leading the charge, particularly with the development of the "ship within a ship" concept, which offers a private, exclusive experience for suite guests. Celebrity Cruises has a long history of introducing groundbreaking features to the industry. The cruise brand has always positioned itself towards more sophisticated cruisers who want an elevated experience but don't want the formality of a cruise line like Cunard or the price tag of an ultra-luxury line. The introduction of the Edge series ships—including Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Apex, and Celebrity Beyond marked a significant leap forward in cruise ship design. These vessels are known for their "outward-facing" design, which blurs the lines between the ship and the sea. Rather than traditional balconies, Celebrity Ascent features its Edge Stateroom with Infinite Veranda, which gives an extra 23% extra space versus the previous Solstice series rooms. With a touch of a button, the top part of the window slides completely down, bringing the outside in. The area can either be sectioned off to make a veranda or opened up to make a larger room if the weather is inclement. Infinite veranda on Celebrity Ascent Celebrity Cruises Other signature features, like the "Magic Carpet," are also completely new to the cruising arena. This floating platform features a lounge bar and event space that moves between decks up to as high as the 13th floor, and also serves as a tender platform, revolutionizing the process of passengers boarding and disembarking the ship with ease, including those with wheelchairs. Celebrity Ascent with the "Magic Carpet" at the centre. Celebrity Cruises Celebrity chef dining Celebrity Cruises has also gotten on board with another big cruising trend, celebrity chef 'specialty' restaurants, which come at an additional cost. On Celebrity Ascent, Daniel Boulud, known for his original New York restaurant, Daniel, and now owner of restaurants around the world, has launched his first signature restaurant at sea—Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud. Just as the name implies, travel is the inspiration for the dishes. Here, you can enjoy a tasting menu at a significantly lower price than on land and experience the same exemplary service you would in a Michelin-starred restaurant. Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud restaurant on Celebrity Ascent Celebrity Cruises Other cruise lines have also enticed world-renowned chefs to collaborate on restaurants on board or design dishes for the menu. Big names such as Thomas Keller previously on the Seabourn Cruise Line or Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, founder of Nobu, on Crystal Cruises. The Rise of the "Ship Within a Ship" A major trend in modern cruising is the "ship within a ship" concept. This innovation caters to guests who want the extensive amenities and entertainment of a large cruise ship but also crave the privacy, intimacy, and exclusivity of a small, luxury vessel. Although the exact product varies between cruise lines, in essence, certain categories of rooms, such as suites, are given access to exclusive areas of the ship, away from the general cruise population. Pool at The Retreat deck Michele Robson Celebrity Cruises' version of this concept is called The Retreat and includes a wide array of facilities and perks. The Retreat is available to all suite categories, including the cruise line's newest category, the Edge villa, which offers two-story luxury residences with one bedroom and two bathrooms and a plunge pool on its expansive terrace. Key features of Celebrity's The Retreat include: Exclusive Lounges and Sundecks: The Retreat offers dedicated, keycard-access-only spaces. This includes a private lounge, The Retreat Lounge, where guests can enjoy complimentary drinks, gourmet snacks, and a quiet place to relax. On the Edge-class ships, a private sundeck with a pool, hot tubs, and padded loungers provides a peaceful escape from the main pool deck. Revolutionised ships such as Celebrity Silhouette and Celebrity Equinox also feature a sundeck, as well as a lounge and restaurant. Others simply feature the lounge, which is known as Michael's Club.. Private Dining at Luminae: An exclusive dining venue serves unique menus designed by Celebrity's Global Culinary Ambassador, Chef Daniel Boulud, which are not available anywhere else on the ship. Dedicated Services: Guests of The Retreat are attended to by a team of dedicated staff, including a personal butler who can assist with everything from making specialty dining reservations and booking shore excursions to reserving prime seats for onboard shows. The Retreat lounge on Celebrity Ascent Michele Robson 'At The Retreat, the world really does revolve around our guests,' said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. 'To ensure they never have to lift a finger while on vacation, all suites come with a dedicated butler who is easily contactable with Butler Chat as well as a Destination Experience Specialist to help guests make the most of their time ashore. In addition to premium accommodations, guests of The Retreat will enjoy fine dining at Luminae at The Retreat, an exclusive restaurant serving signature dishes by Chef Daniel Boulud, as well as access to The Retreat Lounge and The Retreat Sundeck. We continue to exceed vacation expectations by delivering amenities and experiences we know our guests value most.' The "ship within a ship" concept is now available on many other cruise lines, like Norwegian's "The Haven" and MSC's "Yacht Club" showcases. The newest cruise line entrant, Virgin Voyages, was keen to include these facilities due to their popularity with cruisers. Guests of Virgin Voyages' RockStar Suites are treated to an elevated experience that begins before you even step on board, with priority boarding and a dedicated RockStar Agent available 24/7 to cater to your needs. Once on the ship, there is private access to Richard's Rooftop, a members-only sundeck located at the bow of the ship. The outdoor space provides an escape from the rest of the ship, offering panoramic ocean views, hot tubs, and a special daily "champagne happy hour" with complimentary Moët & Chandon and other curated cocktails. Wellness While spas have been a staple on cruise ships for many years, cruise lines are continually innovating to capture the latest wellness trends. While Virgin Voyages features a large spa with several water features, a quartz treatment bed, and a mud room, Celebrity has expanded the wellness theme outside the spa. The exact facilities offered for AquaClass guests vary by ship. Those travelling on Celebrity Edge Series ships enjoy a state-of-the-art infinite veranda, king-size Cashmere mattress bedding, soothing stateroom touches, and complimentary fitness classes. They also get unlimited access to the SEA Thermal Suite, complimentary exclusive dining at Blu restaurant, and a personal spa concierge. As cruise ships grow in size, they may seem on the outside to be becoming more impersonal. In fact, the opposite is true, with cruise lines eager to personalize cruisers' experiences to cater to the diverse needs of modern travelers. Hopefully, this ensures they attract a variety of guests from those in the most basic inside cabin to those in a luxurious suite who demand high levels of service and culinary experiences. These innovations successfully provide a personalized, intimate experience without sacrificing the scale, facilities, and excitement of a large ship.
CBS News
4 days ago
- Automotive
- CBS News
Philadelphia students build electric vehicle from scratch, ushering in the future of transportation
The future of transportation is getting a jump start inside a classroom at the Community College of Philadelphia. Students in the automotive technology program are gaining hands on experience by building an electric vehicle entirely from scratch. It's an ambitious project that could one day drive change. "I feel good about it," CCP student Abdoul Sokhna said. "It's challenging, and it's helping us learn new things." The car is one of only 400 vehicles like it in the world, CCP officials said. The project is giving students a rare opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology that's transforming the auto industry. "The biggest challenge, I think, is getting all the wires and learning all the schematics," CCP student Fernando Almonte said. Richard Saxton, assistant professor of automotive technology, is leading the project. He is helping students not only understand the technical aspects of electric vehicle construction, but inspiring them to think about the bigger picture. "They're doing pretty good," Saxton said. "I think we're going to make it. We have a deadline next Wednesday. I'm hoping we'll be able to drive this car out of here by next Wednesday." As the world moves toward cleaner energy and more sustainable transportation, students are getting a jump start on the future by learning how to build high voltage vehicles that are rapidly becoming the new standard. "Everything is changing now," Sokhna said. "Everything is just technology, so having technology cars is very important for the future." For Sokhna, this project isn't just an assignment. His long term goal is to use what he's learning to one day work alongside his father at the family's auto repair shop in Germantown. "My main dream is just to go through the top, as high as I can," Sokhna said. The class plans to finish the EV by next week and take it out for a test drive. After that, the instructor will disassemble the vehicle so the next group of students in the high voltage class, slated for summer 2026, can start from scratch.
