Umdlalo we-ante-upping kade waba yiwona ogcine imboni yezokuvakasha iqhubeka. Futhi nangezikhathi zokuwohloka komnotho emhlabeni wonke, imikhumbi emisha yomhlaba ezokwethulwa ngo-2009 iyaqhudelana ngamanani nezinsiza kunanini ngaphambili.
Impela, imishini yokugibela amagagasi, amapaki amanzi namakilasi okufutha izingilazi aqhubeka netimu yokuzijabulisa ekhuphuka kakhulu unyaka ngamunye. Ngokuhambisana nokuwohloka komkhumbi, i-Oasis of the Seas entsha yaseRoyal Caribbean izokhipha ulayini wokuqala womhlaba wokungena ebhodini kanye nechibi elijulile elintantayo, i-AquaTheater (ezosetshenziselwa izibuko zokutshuza eziphakeme).
Kodwa lapho imikhumbi emisha engcono kakhulu yango-2009 yenza umbono omkhulu kunawo wonke usayizi nje.
Imikhumbi emihlanu kweyishumi esohlwini lwethu kulo nyaka izikebhe ezinkulu kakhulu ezifundweni zayo. Ngisho nemikhumbi yasemfuleni, ejwayele ukuthobela imikhawulo yosayizi, ikhahlela usayizi phezulu. Lapho i-Viking Legend ifika ngo-Ephreli, izohlinzeka ngezindawo zokuvakasha ezinkulu kunazo zonke zaseYurophu kubagibeli abahlola izindawo ezifana ne-Slovakia ne-Netherlands.
Noma kunjalo, izindaba ezinkulu ukukhululwa kwekwindla sekwephuzile kwe-Oasis of the Seas. Njengoba kunesikhala sabagibeli abangu-5,400, lesi sikali esihamba ngesivinini esikhulu (amathani angu-220,000) sizoba umkhumbi omkhulu kunawo wonke emhlabeni ngokudubula okude. Lapho ugibele, umkhumbi uhlukaniswe 'izindawo ezingomakhelwane' eziyisikhombisa ukwenza ukuzulazula okuyidolobha elintantayo kube lula kancane.
“Lo mkhumbi uzoba yisimanga,” kusho uSteven Hattem, iPhini Likamongameli Wezokumaketha kwa-CruiseOne & Cruises Inc. amahhotela amahle kunawo wonke eLas Vegas noma eNew York.”
I-Oasis of the Seas 'lofts yizindlu zokuqala ezinezitezi eziningi ezintantayo - futhi ziyizindawo zokuhlala ezinde kakhulu olwandle. Amafasitela asezingeni eliphansi angu-28, afakwe ngobuciko besimanje kanye nazo zonke izinto ongazicabanga, anamafasitela asuka phansi kuya ophahleni enza ukubuka okungakaze kubonwe ngaphambili. Sesikushilo lokho, umzila womkhumbi uzothatha kancane: Uzinze e-Fort Lauderdale, Fla., I-Oasis of the Seas' izonamathela ohambweni olujwayelekile lwase-Caribbean.
I-Yachts of Seabourn izokwethula okungeziwe kwakamuva kwemikhumbi yayo maphakathi noJuni - i-Seabourn Odyssey eyizigidi ezingama- $250. Ukwethulwa kuphawula ukwethulwa kokuqala kokwakhiwa okusha emakethe yezokuvakasha esezingeni eliphezulu eminyakeni eyisithupha. I-Odyssey izoba enkulu kunazo zonke emkhunjini, cishe ngokuphindwe kathathu kunomunye umkhumbi wase-Seabourn.
Lonke lelo gumbi elengeziwe, nokho, lihlalisa abagibeli abacishe babe kabili kuphela, okugcizelela kakhulu ama-staterooms amakhulu kanye nezinsiza ezengeziwe. I-Odyssey izoziqhayisa nge-spa enkulu kunazo zonke emkhunjini, egcwele izindlu ezizimele ze-spa ezinamathala azo okushisa ilanga.
Kodwa imigqa yokunethezeka ephezulu iye yaphuza ukwandisa izinombolo zabo.
“Naphezu kokukhula okumangalisayo kwemboni yezokuvakasha kule minyaka eyishumi edlule, izinhlobo zikanokusho - iSeabourn, Silversea, Regent, Crystal - azikhulanga neze,” kusho uTom Coiro, ongumsunguli we-Direct Line Cruises.
Mhlawumbe ngokumangazayo, u-Coiro uthi ukuntengantenga kwemakethe kanokusho akuhlangene kangako nomnotho.
“Kungenxa yokuthi amanye amabhrendi angewona awokunethezeka - amabhrendi aphambili - empeleni abambe ingxenye ebalulekile yemakethe kanokusho ngomqondo womkhumbi ongaphakathi komkhumbi," kusho uCoiro.
Sesikushilo lokho, iSilversea Cruises izokwethula ukwakhiwa kwayo okusha kusukela ngo-2001 ngasekupheleni kwalo nyaka. I-Silver Spirit iletha ama-stateroom amakhulu kunawo wonke emkhunjini, kanye nomqondo omusha we-Asian restaurant kanye ne-supper club. Okunye okulungele ukwethulwa ngo-2009 yi-Celebrity Cruise's Equinox, umkhumbi ongudadewabo weSolstice ehlonishwa kakhulu, eyaqala ukusebenza ngasekupheleni kuka-2008.
“Ama-penthouse suite (kwi-Equinox) anegumbi lokudlela elihlukile kanye negumbi lokuphumula elinopiyano olukhulu lomntwana, amakhabethe angena endlini, umsindo ozungezile,” kusho uCoiro. "Kunamaveranda angasese anama-whirlpools kulawa ma-suites, angama-400-square-feet, amakhulu kune-stateroom evamile kulokho okubizwa ngokuthi imikhumbi yokunethezeka," usho kanje. “Sikhuluma ngefulethi elisolwandle.”
