Cruise lines are scrambling to find new ways to top each other in the innovation stakes. Bigger ships and never-before-seen features are the shape of things to come on the high seas in 2010.

Ship class of 2010

Fifteen new ships will be ready for their close-ups next year, with one being the second largest cruise ship ever launched. Here’s a summary for the Class of 2010, in order of the month they debut.

January– Costa Cruises 92,700-ton Costa Deliziosa will carry 2,828 guests and will homeport in Dubai for the winter with sailings around the Middle East. The ship will transition back Europe in May to cruise the Baltics during the summer and the Mediterranean for the rest of the year.

February - AIDA Cruises, Germany’s largest cruise line, (owned by Carnival Corporation) will launch its seventh ship in 2010, the 68,500-ton, 2,050-passenger AIDAblu. The vessel is the sister ship to AIDAdiva, AIDAbella and AIDAluna and will cruise European waters year round.

March - The MSC Magnifica will be MSC Cruises’ 11th ship. The 93,330-ton ship will carry 2,518 passengers. The ship will feature its MSC Yacht Club, exclusively for suite guests. The ship will be based in Venice where it will sail year-round seven-night cruises.

March - Avalon Waterways is the fastest growing river boat cruise line in the world. The company will launch two new vessels this year bringing the fleet size to 10 riverboats. Carrying just 138 passengers Avalon Felicity will ply the waters of the Rhine until the winter season.

April -The Celebrity Eclipse will be Celebrity Cruises’ third ship in the Solstice-class. For summer 2010, Eclipse will cruise from Southampton, England – the first time a Celebrity ship will based in that port. The ship will be 122,000-tons and carry 2,850 passengers. In November the ship will transition to the Caribbean.

P&O Cruises’ 116,000-ton Azura will carry 3,100 passengers. The ship will sail alternating 7- and 14-day European itineraries from Southampton, England.

May – Compagnie du Ponant Yacht Cruises will launch its first new vessel in a decade, the 264-passenger Le Boréal. The luxury French line’s new vessel will sail various European itineraries year round.

California-based AMAWATERWAYS is an upscale European river cruise company that was launched in 2002. The company will launch the MS Amabella bringing its fleet to 11 boats. The Amabella is sister ship of the MS Amacello and carries just 148 passengers. Itineraries for the new vessel have not been disclosed.

June – The Seabourn Sojourn is the second of three new ships for the Yachts of Seabourn. The ultra-luxury 32,000-ton Seabourn Sojourn will accommodate 450 lucky guests. The yacht’s itineraries will begin with sailings around Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and Caribbean before it embarks on its 111-day world cruise from Los Angeles.

The most anticipated ship launch of 2010 is Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) Norwegian Epic. It will be NCL’s largest and most innovative ship to date, featuring an Aqua Park, an ice bar, wavy staterooms, and the largest private villa complex at sea. The 153,000-ton ship will carry 4,200 guests and sail alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries.

July - Holland America Line’s 86,000-ton Nieuw Amsterdam is the second of the line’s “Signature Class” vessels. The ship, which will carry 2,104 passengers, will sail 12-day sailings around the Mediterranean. In mid-October, Nieuw Amsterdam will head to Fort Lauderdale for the winter season sailing seven-day Eastern Caribbean sailings.

August – Avalon Waterways will launch Felicity’s sister ship Avalon Luminary in May. Like Felicity, Avalon Luminary will carry just 138 passengers; however, it will cruise year-round on the Rhine River.

October – Cunard Line launches the new 90,400-ton, 2,092-passenger Queen Elizabeth, sister ship to Queen Victoria. The ship will sail round-trip from Southampton on various Mediterranean itineraries. In January, the ship will begin its 103-day world cruise.

November – When Sea Cloud Cruises launches the Sea Cloud Hussar it will be the largest three-mast passenger ship ever built. The 69 exterior cabins offer space for 136 passengers, who are looked after by a crew of 90. The ship will sail routes in the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf. And, like its sister ships it will be sailed in the traditional way – by hand.

December - Allure of the Seas is the sister ship to the Oasis of the Seas, and thus is the second of two of the world biggest ships. At 222,000-tons it will carry 5,400 guests (6,300 max) and 1,650 crew members. Like Oasis, Allure will offer distinct neighborhoods, unique interior staterooms, and a zip-line. Allure will sail year-round from Fort Lauderdale offering 7-day alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries.

Booze cruises

German cruise line AIDA Cruises’ new AIDAblu will have a microbrewery – a first for the cruise industry. The microbrewery, staffed by renowned brewers from Bavaria, will serve the beer it brews for free, while also offering specialty beers for a fee.

Inspired by the original ice bars and ice hotels in Scandinavia and one of only 14 ice bars in the world, Ice Bar on Norwegian Epic will be the ultimate chill. This frozen chamber of iced vodka is set in changing hues of blue, green and purple LED lighting that simulates the Northern Lights and creates a distinctive arctic atmosphere. The centerpiece is a giant ice cube that glows and changes colors to the beat of the music. The venue will accommodate 25 guests who will be given fur coats, gloves and hats to keep them warm, since the room’s temperature will not rise above 17 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dinner in a circus

Norwegian Epic will offer the only “big top” at sea in an intimate 265-seat theater-in-the-round. Dubbed “Cirque Dreams and Dinner”, this one of a kind interactive theatrical dining experience will be performed in the air, while juggling dinner courses, with music, mayhem and acrobatic imagination. During the two-hour show, guests will marvel in amazement and become part of a celebration of spectacle and fantasy. The entire experience will be unlike anything else at sea.

Stylish staterooms

Norwegian Epic incorporates several new types of accommodations – the curved New Wave staterooms; the largest ship-within-a-ship suite complex at sea, comprising 60 suites and villas on two private decks at the top of the ship; a new category of inside staterooms for the value-conscious traveler – The Studios and Living Room; and spa and family-friendly accommodations.

More kids invade Europe

Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and thousands of American kids are headed back to Europe. In April, the Disney Magic will return to Europe, where it first sailed in 2007, only this time with a few new itineraries. The Magic will offer its first-ever 10,11, and-12-day cruises to Scandinavia, Germany and Russia, in addition to a lineup of Mediterranean itineraries that include calls at three new ports. And in each port Disney will add its magic touch to enhance the family touring experience.

Less Alaska

Alaska’s 2007 imposition of a head tax on cruise passengers has caused a tsunami of cruise ship defections from the state’s waters. Carnival, Princess, Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line have reduced capacity in Alaska significantly for 2010 and more are scheduled to leave in 2011.

Rick Meadows, executive vice president of marketing, sales and guest programs, for Holland America says the change reflects the rising demand for Europe itineraries. “Our guests are finding a cruise to be the best value for their money in Europe, and interest in Mediterranean and Northern European itineraries continues to grow,” he said. With fewer ships sailing Alaska’s waters cruise fares are bound to go up, which means less bargains for cruise travelers.

Given the bounty of new ships, changing destinations, and wacky amenities, 2010 is shaping up to be a very interesting year for cruise travel.

Like the mighty glaciers, Alaska’s cruise industry is melting away. Today, two more cruise lines announced that they are pulling ships from Alaska’s waters. Both Princess Cruises and Holland America Line stated they would each pull a ship from Alaska in 2011. Both Princess Cruises and Holland America are owned by Carnival Corporation.

Princess, the largest cruise operator in Alaska, said it would pull the 710-passenger Royal Princess in early 2011. Princess had previously said it would reduce its Alaska-bound fleet by one in 2010.

Holland America announced that it is transferring the 1,270-passenger m/s Ryndam to Europe for 2011. Rick Meadows, executive vice president of marketing, sales and guest programs, for Holland America says the change reflects the rising demand for Europe itineraries. “‘Our guests are finding a cruise to be the best value for their money in Europe, and interest in Mediterranean and Northern European itineraries continues to grow,” he said.

So far cruise lines have pulled seven ships once bound for Alaska for new ports of call in either 2010 or 2011. So, much for cruising the USA.

Friends of the Earth issued its first-ever Cruise Ship Environmental Report Card, an assessment of the environmental and human health footprint of cruise lines and ships operating in the United States.

Millions of Americans take cruise vacations every year. Travelers may not realize that taking a cruise is more harmful to the environment and human health than many other forms of travel.

“For the first time, vacationers can decide which cruise to take based on a ship’s environmental and human health impacts,” said Marcie Keever, Clean Vessels Campaign Director at Friends of the Earth. “Typically, cruise ship passengers are attracted to cruise vacations with pictures of pristine waters and promises of unspoiled scenery and abundant wildlife, but these passengers are never told that their vacation could leave a dirty mark on the places they visit. This is something travelers should pay close attention to: half of the cruise lines we evaluated earned grades of C- or below.”

Cruise ships carrying up to 7,000 passengers and crew are like floating cities that release substantial amounts of pollution into the air and water. Cruise ships have the potential to despoil the very areas they visit and passengers often ask whether there are any cruise lines or ships that are environmentally friendly.

Friends of the Earth’s report card ranks 10 major lines—Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Cunard Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean Int’l, and Silversea Cruises—according to three environmental criteria: sewage treatment technology, air pollution reduction, and water quality compliance in Alaskan waters. Holland America, Norwegian and Princess come out on top, and Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Disney are rated the worst.

An explanation of Friends of the Earth’s grading system, information about the environmental impact of individual cruise ships, and actions people can take to pressure cruise lines to clean up their act can be found at http://www.foe.org/cruisereportcard.

A PDF of the report can be found at http://www.foe.org/sites/default/files/CruiseReportCard.pdf.

Why are some cruise travelers smarter than others? Simply put, they’ve been there, done that, and through trial and error have concocted strategies that avoid travel mishaps. Here are some tips that guarantee smooth sailing from cruisers in the know.

1. Loyalty=perks
Los Angeles area resident Janice Williams loves to reap the sweet rewards of being a repeat cruiser. On her last repeat cruise, she saved more than $1,000 from a single coupon. That coupon was from Princess Cruises’ “Captain’s Circle,” the line’s program for past guests. Williams is loyal to Princess because she feels the line offers the best past passenger perks in the business.

Most cruise lines confer membership in a loyalty program as soon as passengers complete their first cruise. Members then receive mailings urging them to book another cruise at a special discount. On board, members also receive special treatment; perks can include gifts, upgrades, credits, cocktail parties, in-room bar set up, complimentary laundry service, free Internet, dinner with the captain and free shore excursions.

2. Plot for the perfect stateroom
One thing smart cruisers know is that picking the right stateroom is essential to truly enjoying the cruise. Laney Adams of Ocala, Fla., always studies the ship’s deck plan before booking a stateroom. “It’s the only way to prevent problems with noise along with finding a stateroom with easy accessibility around the ship,” says Adams.

Passengers with disabilities might want to book near elevators. Watch out for staterooms with obstructed views – usually the lifeboat deck and those with close proximity to noisy areas like lounges, discos, theaters, pool areas, room service and steward service areas. Staterooms midship on lower decks are best for those prone to seasickness.

3. Keep watching your fare
The cruise line will never call you if they have lowered the price of your cruise. Therefore, it can really pay off to keep tabs on the price of your cruise after you book. Just ask Scott Larsen of Fairfax, Va.

Last year, Larsen booked a September cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas. He went for the least expensive option: an inside cabin. In July, Larsen was thinking about upgrading his cabin, so he checked the Internet for the current cabin rates. He discovered that the prices had dropped quite a bit. In fact, an outside cabin was now going for $1 less than the price he booked for his inside cabin.

Larsen called Royal Caribbean to see if he could upgrade to the outside cabin. The cruise line told him the upgrade was possible, but he would need to make arrangements through the travel agency that handled his booking: Travelocity. Larsen then contacted Travelocity and the changes were made. Larsen notes that had he chosen to keep the inside cabin, Royal Caribbean would have refunded him $200. He says, “I really prefer the upgrade and I am really happy with the outcome.”

4. Book shore excursions, spa services before you sail
Shore excursions often fill up quickly, and services like spa appointments can be overbooked in the blink of an eye. Savvy cruisers surf the Web long before they sail. When cruising to Alaska last summer Gerry Altmire booked his family’s shore excursions on Holland America’s Web site prior to sailing. “We avoided a lot of disappointment by booking early because the popular flightseeing tours sell out quickly,” said Altmire.

Advance bookings are convenient, and they make for a personalized vacation. Best of all, they save you from rushing around the ship trying to nail down reservations in the first hours of your cruise. Instead, you can actually sit back and enjoy your cruise from the minute you step on board.

5. Notify your credit card company
As credit card fraud has become more global and more sophisticated, so have efforts to ferret out illegitimate charges. Sometimes large purchases will raise a red flag, as I found out when I purchased an emerald in Cartagena, Colombia. The bank called my home to make sure I was the one using the card. Fortunately, a family member was there to let the bank know that I was indeed in Colombia, thus preventing my card from being put on hold.

A stamp of approval in advance of departure will make charging much easier overseas. If you are planning to travel to far-flung destinations, call your credit card company or the bank that issues your card and let them know your travel itinerary — both dates and destinations. Make a note of your card number and the overseas customer service number, and keep them in a safe place separate from the card. That way, if the card is stolen, you will have the necessary information to make a report.

Even with advance notification, you may not be able to spend as you please while you are abroad. Certain charge patterns will still arouse suspicion, and your card may be subject to spending limits, so you should always carry a second credit card.

6. Get to the port a day early
If you live far from the embarkation port, get there a day early. I’ve heard too many stories of people traveling on embarkation day, arriving late and literally standing at the pier, watching their ship sail off without them. That was literally the case for Dini and Tony Saponara of Toronto whose flight from Canada was delayed due to bad weather. Sadly the Carnival Sensation sailed off without them and they were unable to catch up to the ship. Padding your travel time may cost a bit more, but it pays off in the assurance of a stress-free start to your vacation.

7. Carry-on savvy
Upon boarding, you’re separated from your luggage for an indeterminate amount of time. Until then, you’re stuck wearing what you’re wearing. “I always bring a change of clothes and a swimsuit in my carry-on bag so I can change and start enjoying the ship,” says veteran cruiser Nina Lewis of Miami. A lot of first-time cruisers don’t realize it sometimes takes hours for luggage to be delivered to your stateroom. So, take Nina’s advice — bring a change of clothes so you won’t miss any ship time stuck in your traveling clothes.

8. Don’t skip travel insurance
Robert Smith and his wife were on the trip of a lifetime. The couple flew from Arizona to their destination in Europe to embark on a cruise tour of the Baltics. During the cruise Robert injured his leg and thought things would be fine – unfortunately his condition gradually worsened. Eventually Robert needed immediate medical attention. The ship had to disembark the Smiths in St.Petersburg, Russia where Robert was quickly admitted to the hospital.

His wife immediately called their travel insurance company, Travel Guard, to inquire about their coverage for the missed portions of their trip and other expenses they incurred. Upon their safe arrival home, Travel Guard reimbursed them for missed portions of their cruise, medical bills, a hotel stay for his wife while Robert in hospital, and upgraded plane tickets for the medical evacuation home so his wife could sit by him. The Smith’s were fortunate they had excellent travel insurance coverage.

Most cruise lines offer travel insurance, as do several independent third-party insurers like Travel Guard. It’s important to understand that ordinary medical insurance coverage doesn’t travel the same way aboard ship as it does within the United States. Sometimes coverage doesn’t extend to foreign travel at all. Medicare beneficiaries should always purchase travel insurance when they cruise, because they do not have Medicare coverage outside the country.

9. Affordably staying in touch
“I can send text messages from the middle of Caribbean!” marveled teen Amy Green, who was thrilled to have full coverage for the majority of her Disney Cruise Line voyage. Her cell phone looked normal and didn’t indicate it was roaming. Her, provider, it turns out, charges $2.49 a minute while roaming. When Green’s bill arrived a month later, her parents were horrified to see that she owed $225! Using the phone in your stateroom can be even worse as the service can cost between $2-$10 a minute. Internet access onboard is the lowest cost option to stay in touch from the ship; however, to reap the best savings you need to purchase in blocks of time – 60 minutes can cost $25 on up. The most economical way to stay in touch is when you get into port – phone rates are much cheaper on land.

Don’t be vexed when planning your cruise. If you do a little research on options and pricing you can board the ship without a care in the world. And that’s the only way to cruise.