16 buzz-worthy cruise happenings, from new thrills to extraordinary bargains

New ships, new destinations, unusual activities and some extraordinary bargains are part of the cruising buzz for summer and fall. Here’s a look at what’s happening:

New thrill attractions: Thrills have become a cruise ship staple, and on the world’s newest, largest ship, Royal Caribbean’s 5,500-passenger Harmony of the Seas, the rush comes courtesy of the Ultimate Abyss. Beginning later this month, daring riders can zoom on mats from the top of the ship to the Boardwalk neighborhood about 100 feet below.

Posh gets posher: Regent Seven Seas Cruises is billing its 750-passenger Seven Seas Explorer, launching in July, as the “world’s most luxurious cruise ship.� The top digs are a 3,785-square-foot suite, with a first-at-sea private spa (serviced by the ship’s Canyon Ranch SpaClub) and a price tag of $5,000 per person per night, based on double occupancy.

More craft beer choices: Cruisers have proved to be craft beer lovers, so much so that the new 3,954-passenger Carnival Vista, sailing in Europe this summer and bound for Miami this fall, has its own on-board brewery -- two copper-topped glass kettles producing an IPA, a lager and a stout (in partnership with Miami’s Concrete Beach Brewery).

Royalty makes an appearance: For the launch of its new flagship, the 2,650-passenger Koningsdam, Holland America Line has tapped Queen Máxima of the Netherlands as godmother. Her majesty will do the honors later this month in Rotterdam. Meanwhile, Chinese actress Bingbing Fan, best known to American audiences as Blink in “X-Men: Days of Future Present,� will become the first Chinese celebrity to serve as godmother for an international cruise line. She will do her Champagne-smashing duty in June for Royal Caribbean’s 4,180-passenger Ovation of the Seas in Tianjin, China.

Robots are proliferating: Pepper the robot is now part of the crew on some ships of the Italian line Costa Cruises and the German line AIDA Cruises. The multilingual, self-propelled humanoids, not quite 4 feet tall, can read some human emotions, give directions and offer tips on shipboard restaurants and shore excursions. On all the newer Royal Caribbean ships, you can have a bionic bartender pour you a drink, but not, alas, listen to your woes.

Dogs rule: Four-legged travelers (dogs, cats, even ferrets) get special attention on the Queen Mary 2, with the ocean liner increasing the number of kennels to 22 and adding an outdoor antique lamppost and fire hydrant (for canine rest stops). Dog lovers cruising on Princess Cruises ships in Alaska this summer can meet and cuddle husky puppies. The future Iditarod dogs will come on-board with their handlers in Skagway.

Kids take over river cruising: With kid-friendly activities such as a marionette show at Austria’s Schönbrunn Palace, Adventures by Disney in July steps into adult river cruise terrain, launching family-centric cruises on the Danube (on a specially configured new AmaWaterways ship). This year is all booked, but Disney is doubling the number of sailings next year to 14 and adding the Rhine, where activities will include zip-lining in the Black Forest.

Cuba is hot and getting hotter. Carnival Corp.’s do-gooder cruise line, Fathom, made history this month by sailing from Miami to Cuba, the first ship on the route in more than 50 years. But don’t expect it to have a leg up on the competition for long. Asked how close he was to announcing Cuba itineraries, Frank del Rio, the Cuban-born president and chief executive of three-brand Norwegian Cruise Lines Holding Ltd. (parent of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises) pulled a hair out of his head and said, “That close.�

Turkey is out. If you’re doing a cruise to the Greek Islands/eastern Mediterranean this summer, you probably won’t be spending much time in Istanbul and may not be visiting Turkey at all. Citing security concerns, several lines have pulled out of the country. Norwegian, Regent and Oceania won’t be back in 2017 either, Del Rio said.

Climate change opens a new destination. In August, Crystal Cruises’ 1,070-passenger Crystal Serenity embarks on a 32-day itinerary through the fabled Northwest Passage, the first luxury ship on the route. The Arctic is tricky (ice chunks are among potential hazards) so the line has hired an icebreaker, the royal research ship Ernest Shackleton, to accompany the Crystal Serenity. The Shackleton is equipped with two helicopters, oil pollution containment equipment and all kinds of other stuff for damage control.

Celebrity chefs debut at sea: Be among the first to sample Lobster Thermidor and other classic chophouse fare at the Grill by Thomas Keller, opening this month on the 450-passenger Seabourn Quest, and in December on the 604-passenger Seabourn Encore; menus by Keller (the French Laundry, Per Se), décor by designer Adam D. Tihany. Princess, meanwhile, has new Curtis Stone restaurants called Share, which opened in December on the Ruby Princess and the Emerald Princess and in April on the Sun Princess; some of his dishes will show up in some of Princess’ other main dining rooms.

There’s a new line on the Mississippi: August marks the debut of the French America Line, a new river cruise line. The vessel is the 150-passenger Louisiane (formerly the Columbia Queen), rehabbed to have what the line calls an “elegant French-inspired ambience.� Amenities include House of Ladurée Parisian-style macarons.

Europe cruising is a bargain. Lots of available space and fears stemming from geopolitical concerns have created a perfect storm for cruise bargain hunters. “Cruise ships need to sail full,� said Mike Driscoll, editor of the industry newsletter Cruise Week. “New ships in the Europe market, combined with less demand, equals lower prices.�

Mexico is back: After a few years of reluctance because of safety concerns, the Mexican Riviera is on the cruise map again, so much so that Holland America is beefing up its presence beginning this fall with a bigger ship, the 1,916-passenger Westerdam, and an increased schedule of week-long round-trip itineraries out of San Diego.

On-board Internet continues to get faster/cheaper: Good news for cruisers looking to stream videos and use Skype. Lines including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Norwegian are rolling out faster, and in some cases, cheaper access. One of the best deals: MSC Cruises’ streaming package for $66 per week.

A private isle debuts. In November, Norwegian opens Harvest Caye, its new resort-style beach destination in southern Belize. Cruisers can step off their ship to zip-line, hang out at the beach or around a sprawling pool, and observe manatees in a lagoon. They’ll also find a butterfly garden and aviary. Or you can leave the place altogether to explore the mainland.

[email protected]