Cruise lines may have\u00a0canceled most of their sailings<\/u>\u00a0this year due to the\u00a0coronavirus pandemic<\/a>. But, so far, they haven\u2019t canceled orders for new ships.<\/p>\n More than 20 new oceangoing vessels still are scheduled to debut in 2021, including at least a dozen from lines that market to North Americans.<\/p>\n In some cases, the ships will be\u00a0arriving months behind schedule<\/a>\u00a0due to pandemic-related construction delays at the shipyards that are building them. Thanks to such delays, the arrival of a few ships that had been scheduled for delivery in 2021\u00a0will be pushed to 2022<\/a>.<\/p>\n But it\u2019ll be a big year for new cruise ships nevertheless.<\/p>\n Among the most notable newcomers will be\u00a0Mardi Gras<\/a>, the biggest ship ever for\u00a0Carnival Cruise Line<\/a>. Originally due to debut this year, it\u2019s now\u00a0scheduled to begin sailing in April<\/a>.<\/p>\n There also will be major new ships coming from\u00a0Royal Caribbean<\/a>, Holland America, MSC Cruises and start-up line Virgin Voyages.<\/p>\n The precise dates when some of these ships will begin sailing still is up in the air. It\u2019ll depend, in part, on when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u00a0clears cruise ships to begin sailing again<\/a>\u00a0in U.S. waters. But, in all cases, these vessels already are available for booking.<\/p>\n Here is a list of the 9 most notable new cruise ships arriving in 2021.<\/p>\n Maiden voyage:<\/strong>\u00a0April 24<\/p>\n Cruise giant Carnival finally is hitting the supersize button. At 180,000 tons,\u00a0Mardi Gras<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 the line\u2019s new flagship \u2014 will be nearly 35% bigger than the biggest ship currently in its fleet, the one-year-old\u00a0Carnival Panorama<\/a>. It will also be one of the 10 biggest cruise ships ever from any line.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a big deal, as Carnival until now has resisted the trend among major lines to build ever-bigger vessels (Carnival Panorama doesn\u2019t even crack the top 40 list of biggest ships).<\/p>\n Carnival will be entering the Big Ship Wars with a splash, adorning Mardi Gras with the\u00a0first roller coaster at sea<\/a>\u00a0(no, this is not a joke), Carnival\u2019s largest waterpark ever, a\u00a0far broader array of suites<\/a>\u00a0than earlier Carnival ships and new dining venues \u2014 including the first Emeril Lagasse restaurant at sea. It\u2019ll be able to hold up to 6,630 passengers per sailing with every berth filled.<\/p>\n The details:\u00a0<\/strong>Mardi Gras will sail seven-night voyages to the Bahamas and Caribbean out of Port Canaveral, Florida. Fares start at $509 per person, not including taxes and fees. Get more information at 800-764-7419 or\u00a0carnival.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Maiden voyage:<\/strong>\u00a0April<\/p>\n Like Mardi Gras, MSC Virtuosa will be one of the 10 biggest cruise ships in the world when it debuts in April \u2014 a new giant of the seas full of eateries, bars, lounges and deck-top attractions.<\/p>\n Nineteen decks high and 1,086 feet long, the ship will be a sister to the one-year-old MSC Grandiosa, the current MSC Cruises flagship, and it will have many of the same features. That includes a\u00a0grand interior promenade that\u2019s home to restaurants, bars and shops. The promenade is covered in an innovative \u201cdigital sky\u201d made with LED screens.<\/p>\n Like Grandiosa, Virtuosa also will have a giant pool deck, a water park and a sprawling amusement area with race car simulators, a flight simulator and an XD cinema.<\/p>\n Other major attractions will include shows created in partnership with Canada\u2019s famed Cirque du Soleil that will take place in purpose-built dining and entertainment venues.<\/p>\n Virtuosa will be the second of three ships in a series known as the Meraviglia Plus class. The third vessel in the series is due in 2023.<\/p>\n The details:<\/strong>\u00a0Virtuosa initially will sail in Europe before repositioning to the Persian Gulf for the winter. Fares for Mediterranean sailings start at $239 per person, not including taxes and fees. Fares for Northern Europe sailings start at $459 per person, not including taxes and fees. For more information, call 877-665-4655 or visit\u00a0msccruisesusa.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Like Viking\u2019s first six ocean ships, Venus will be a relatively small, elegant vessel designed to appeal to an older crowd looking to explore the world in style and comfort.<\/p>\n Notably, Venus will be less than a third the size of the giant ships operated by such well-known cruise brands as Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line, and it\u2019ll sail itineraries that feature more time in ports than is common at many other lines. Like the earlier Viking ships, it\u2019ll also be adults-only, with no passengers under the age of 18 allowed.<\/p>\n Viking has been sticking to a single design for all its ocean ships, with little variation from vessel to vessel. Like Viking\u2019s six existing ocean vessels, Venus will boast a modern, Scandinavian-influenced decor that is soothing and upscale. Onboard activities will revolve around enrichment programs and classy entertainment, and there will be elegant meals in multiple eateries. Cabins will be relatively spacious, with the smallest of five cabin categories having 270 square feet of space. Every cabin will have a balcony.<\/p>\n As is typical for Viking, a shore excursion at every port that Venus visits will be included in the fare. Also included will be WiFi along with wine and beer with lunch and dinner \u2014 all part of Viking\u2019s \u201cno-nickel-and-diming\u201d philosophy.<\/p>\n The details:<\/strong>\u00a0Venus will sail a range of seven- to 14-night sailings during its first year in Europe. Fares start at $2,599 for a seven-night sailing. For additional information, call 866-984-5464 or visit\u00a0viking.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Maiden voyage:<\/strong>\u00a0April<\/p>\n Royal Caribbean fans in North America had reason to grumble in 2019 when the line sent its very first\u00a0Quantum Ultra Class vessel<\/a>\u00a0to Shanghai to serve the growing Chinese market. But now they\u2019re finally getting one of the snazzy new\u00a0megaships<\/a>\u00a0to call their own. The 4,198-passenger Odyssey of the Seas will spend its winters sailing to the Bahamas and Caribbean out of Fort Lauderdale. It\u2019ll spend summers in the Mediterranean, becoming the first Quantum Ultra Class vessel there, too.<\/p>\n While not quite as big as Royal Caribbean\u2019s record-breaking\u00a0Symphony of the Seas<\/a>\u00a0(the\u00a0world\u2019s largest cruise ship<\/a>), Odyssey of the Seas will have all the trappings of a\u00a0major megaresort<\/a>, including multiple pool areas, a kiddie aqua park and such amusements as a sky-diving simulator, a surfing simulator and a bumper car pavilion. A something-for-everyone array of cabin classes will range from tiny, 166-square-foot\u00a0\u201cinterior\u201d cabins<\/a>\u00a0without a window to massive, two-deck-high Royal Loft Suites that are nearly 10 times that size.<\/p>\n The details:\u00a0<\/strong>Odyssey of the Seas will sail six- to nine-night voyages out of Fort Lauderdale. Fares start at $712 per person for six nights, not including taxes and fees. Call 866-562-7625 or visit\u00a0royalcaribbean.com<\/a>\u00a0for more information.<\/p>\n Maiden voyage:<\/strong>\u00a0Nov. 14<\/p>\n The first ship from Richard Branson-backed Virgin Voyages, Scarlet Lady, hasn\u2019t even begun sailing yet, and already there\u2019s a second vessel from the line on the way.<\/p>\n Initially scheduled to debut in May but now due in November, the 2,770-passenger Valiant Lady will be a sister to Scarlet Lady, which was in the process of starting up service earlier this year when the coronavirus\u00a0brought the cruise industry to a halt<\/a>. Scarlet Lady now isn\u2019t scheduled to begin regular sailings until May.<\/p>\n Like Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady will be designed to\u00a0shake up the cruise industry<\/a>\u00a0with a new, hipper style of cruising. The ship will have everything from\u00a0a tattoo parlor<\/a>\u00a0to drag-queen brunches and a\u00a0colorful karaoke lounge<\/a>\u00a0where you can get your Lizzo on. To ensure a proper party vibe, it also will be a\u00a0kid-free travel zone<\/a>, with a minimum age to sail of 18.<\/p>\n Virgin is going after travelers who might think themselves\u00a0too cool to cruise<\/a>. To that end, Valiant\u00a0 Lady will have no buffets, no dress codes and no big Broadway-style theater shows. For entertainment, expect interactive dance parties, DJ sets and \u201cmicroplays\u201d instead, plus late-night games of dodgeball. Suites will have a\u00a0rock-star theme<\/a>.<\/p>\n The details:<\/strong>\u00a0Valiant Lady initially will sail out of Miami, offering a series of six- to eight-night Caribbean voyages. Fares start at $1,175 per person, not including taxes and fees. For additional information, call 954-488-2955 or visit\u00a0virginvoyages.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Maiden voyage:<\/strong>\u00a0July<\/p>\n MSC Cruises is rolling out not one but two giant new vessels in 2021. In addition to MSC Virtuosa, mentioned above, the line is bringing out the first of a new Seaside EVO class of ship.<\/p>\n Dubbed MSC Seashore and scheduled for completion in the summer, the new vessel will be a stretched version of the line\u2019s recently unveiled MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview.<\/p>\n Like the two earlier ships, it\u2019ll feature a layout specifically designed to be open to the sea. It\u2019ll have an unusually broad, uncovered promenade on Deck 8 that offers close contact with the ocean, and a Miami Beach-like pool area at the back of the same deck that\u2019s surrounded by loungers. Another pool and lounge area at the top of the ship will be connected to the lower pool area by glass-enclosed elevators.<\/p>\n In addition, Seashore\u2019s extra size will being extended public spaces, more cabins and what the line says is the highest ratio of outdoor space per passenger of any MSC Cruises ship.<\/p>\n Seashore will offer a new double-decker show lounge below its aft pool; an extended indoor main pool allowing for more outdoor space; and new specialty dining restaurants, with an area connected to the ship\u2019s outdoor promenade for an al fresco dining option.<\/p>\n The details:<\/strong>\u00a0MSC Seashore in initially will sail in Europe before moving to Miami in November to operate seven-night Caribbean sailings, including stops at the line\u2019s\u00a0new private island in the Bahamas<\/a>. Fares for the Caribbean voyages start at $449 per person, not including taxes and fees. For more information, call 877-665-4655 or visit\u00a0msccruisesusa.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Maiden voyage:<\/strong>\u00a0July<\/p>\n Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection isn\u2019t the only new cruise company debuting in 2021. Also on the way is Atlas Ocean Voyages, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based brand that will begin operations in July with a single ship.<\/p>\n Like Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Atlas Ocean Voyages will focus on small, upscale vessels. But Atlas Ocean Voyages is targeting a very specific type of traveler interested in \u201cluxe-adventure.\u201d<\/p>\n Designed for just 196 passengers, World Navigator will be a high-end, expedition vessel with a polar-class rating that will allow it to go anywhere in the world from the Arctic to Antarctica. It\u2019ll carry Zodiac boats for landings in remote places, and other adventure toys.<\/p>\n But the company also is promising the ultimate in pampering and all-inclusiveness. Its base fares include round-trip airfare from select U.S. and Canadian gateways; drinks, including spirits and fine wines; shipboard WiFi; prepaid gratuities; and shore excursions in every port.<\/p>\n In addition, Atlas will offer one very unusual inclusion as part of what it is calling All Inclusive All the Way pricing: Emergency medical evacuation insurance for every passenger.<\/p>\n Atlas plans to add four more ships that are similar to World Navigator in 2022 and 2023.<\/p>\n The details:<\/strong>\u00a0 World Navigator initially will sail in the Mediterranean and Black Sea before heading to Antarctica for the winter of 2021\/2022. Fares start at $4,999 per person, not including taxes and fees. For additional information, call 844-442-8527 or visit\u00a0atlasoceanvoyages.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Maiden voyage<\/strong>: August<\/p>\n For Holland America fans, the excitement over this ship starts with the name.<\/p>\n Rotterdam will be the seventh vessel in Holland America\u2019s nearly 150-year history to sail under the historic moniker, which has a special place at the brand. It\u2019ll also be Holland America\u2019s new flagship.<\/p>\n Measuring 99,500 tons with room for 2,668 passengers at double occupancy, the new Rotterdam is replacing a smaller, 23-year-old vessel of the same name that left Holland America\u2019s fleet earlier this year as part of a\u00a0significant downsizing of the brand<\/a>\u00a0in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n A sister to two earlier Holland America ships, Nieuw Statendam and Koningsdam, Rotterdam will feature many of the same venues that are found on those vessels including a \u201cmusic walk\u201d with a\u00a0 B.B. King\u2019s Blues Club and two other music venues: Lincoln Center Stage and Billboard Onboard.<\/p>\n It\u2019ll also have a French brassiere created by Holland America executive chef Rudi Sodamin called Rudi\u2019s Sel de Mer and an innovative wine-mixing venue called Blend. The ship\u2019s main stage, called the World Stage, will feature a wraparound screen that help create a 360-degree experience. Its stage will protrude far into the audience.<\/p>\n The details:<\/strong>\u00a0Rotterdam will spend its first months exploring Northern Europe and the Baltic on round-trip cruises from Amsterdam. It will reposition to Fort Lauderdale in the winter for Caribbean and Bahamas sailings of varying lengths. Fares start at $349 for a three-night Bahamas voyage. For additional information, call 855-932-1711 or visit\u00a0hollandamerica.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Maiden voyage:<\/strong>\u00a0April<\/p>\n After\u00a0more than a year of construction delays<\/a>, the very first ship from start-up line\u00a0Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection<\/a>, the new luxury cruise division of\u00a0Ritz-Carlton<\/a>, is finally coming in 2021.<\/p>\n Holding just 298 passengers, Evrima will be a small, yacht-like vessel with\u00a0an elegant, residential look<\/a>\u00a0(as you might expect for Ritz-Carlton). Standout features will include spacious cabins, a stylish spa and lots of deck-top lounge space for sunning, plus five separate eateries. The dining venues, notably, will include an \u00e1 la carte restaurant designed by Sven Elverfeld of the three Michelin-starred\u00a0Aqua in the Ritz-Carlton Wolfsburg, Germany<\/a>.<\/p>\n Initially scheduled to debut in February 2020, Evrima has been delayed multiple times due to problems at the shipyard in Spain where it\u2019s under construction. But the company is adamant that its new due date will hold. That is, unless ongoing cruise cancellations due to the coronavirus pandemic begin to affect Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, too.<\/p>\n Ritz-Carlton fans, for sure, are excited about the new vessel.<\/p>\n The details:\u00a0<\/strong>Evrima is scheduled to spend its inaugural summer in Europe before repositioning to the Caribbean for the winter. Fares start at $4,900 per person, not including taxes and fees, for a seven-night voyage in the Caribbean. For more information, call 833-999-7292 or visit\u00a0ritzcarltonyachtcollection.com<\/a>.<\/a><\/p>\n Courtesy of Madeline Bilis<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n The United States just added a new national park to its roster of incredible public lands:\u00a0New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.<\/a><\/u>\u00a0This West Virginia park runs along 53 miles of the New River and encompasses over 70,000 acres of the beautiful wooded gorge. \u00a0Plus, it offers plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking, climbing, and whitewater rafting.<\/p>\n Its addition to the long list of U.S.\u00a0national parks<\/a><\/u>\u00a0made us wonder \u2014 just how many national parks are there?<\/p>\n The U.S. National Park Service was founded in 1916, but the country\u2019s first national park predates it \u2014 Yellowstone National Park debuted in 1872 when President Ulysses S. Grant signed it into law. In the years since, America has amassed a total of 63\u00a0national parks<\/a><\/u>, from the northern reaches of Alaska to the waters of the Florida Keys. (To see them all, you\u2019d need to visit 30 states and two U.S. territories.)<\/p>\n While the National Park System comprises 423 national park sites, only 63 of them have the \u201cNational Park\u201d designation in their names. The other sites fall into different National Park System categories like National Historic Sites, National Monuments, National Seashores, National Recreation Areas, and others. The NPS\u2019s website has a handy\u00a0U.S. National Parks map<\/a><\/u>, as well as a U.S. National Parks list for reference.<\/p>\n Some of the\u00a0most popular national parks<\/a><\/u>\u00a0in the country, like Glacier National Park and Yosemite National Park, bring in millions of visitors each year,\u00a0while some\u00a0underrated parks<\/a><\/u>, like Capitol Reef and Great Basin, remain not-so-hidden gems.<\/p>\n Ahead, see the full list of all 63 national parks in the U.S.<\/p>\n Acadia National Park<\/a><\/u>: Maine<\/p>\n American Samoa National Park<\/a><\/u>: American Samoa<\/p>\n Arches National Park<\/a><\/u>: Utah<\/p>\n Badlands National Park<\/a><\/u>: South Dakota<\/p>\n Big Bend National Park<\/a><\/u>: Texas<\/p>\n Biscayne National Park<\/a><\/u>: Florida<\/p>\n Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park<\/a><\/u>: Colorado<\/p>\n Bryce Canyon National Park<\/a><\/u>: Utah<\/p>\n Canyonlands National Park<\/a><\/u>: Utah<\/p>\n Capitol Reef National Park<\/a><\/u>: Utah<\/p>\n Carlsbad Caverns National Park<\/a><\/u>: New Mexico<\/p>\n Channel Islands National Park<\/a><\/u>: California<\/p>\n Congaree National Park<\/a><\/u>: South Carolina<\/p>\n Crater Lake National Park<\/a><\/u>: Oregon<\/p>\n Cuyahoga Valley National Park<\/a><\/u>: Ohio<\/p>\n Death Valley National Park<\/a><\/u>: California, Nevada<\/p>\n Denali National Park<\/a><\/u>: Alaska<\/p>\n Dry Tortugas National Park<\/a><\/u>: Florida<\/p>\n Everglades National Park<\/a><\/u>: Florida<\/p>\n Gates of the Arctic National Park<\/a><\/u>: Alaska<\/p>\n Gateway Arch National Park<\/a><\/u>: Missouri<\/p>\n Glacier Bay National Park<\/a><\/u>: Alaska<\/p>\n Glacier National Park<\/a><\/u>: Montana<\/p>\n Grand Canyon National Park<\/a><\/u>: Arizona<\/p>\n Grand Teton National Park<\/a><\/u>: Wyoming<\/p>\n Great Basin National Park<\/a><\/u>: Nevada<\/p>\n Great Sand Dunes National Park<\/a><\/u>: Colorado<\/p>\n Great Smoky Mountains National Park<\/a><\/u>: Tennessee, North Carolina<\/p>\n Guadalupe Mountains National Park<\/a><\/u>: Texas<\/p>\n Haleakal\u0101 National Park<\/a><\/u>: Hawaii<\/p>\n Hawai\u2019i Volcanoes National Park<\/a><\/u>: Hawaii<\/p>\n Hot Springs National Park<\/a><\/u>: Arkansas<\/p>\n Indiana Dunes National Park<\/a><\/u>: Indiana<\/p>\n Isle Royale National Park<\/a><\/u>: Michigan<\/p>\n Joshua Tree National Park<\/a><\/u>: California<\/p>\n Katmai National Park<\/a><\/u>: Alaska<\/p>\n Kenai Fjords National Park<\/a><\/u>: Alaska<\/p>\n Kings Canyon National Park<\/a><\/u>: California<\/p>\n Kobuk Valley National Park<\/a><\/u>: Alaska<\/p>\n Lake Clark National Park<\/a><\/u>: Alaska<\/p>\n Lassen Volcanic National Park<\/a><\/u>: California<\/p>\n Mammoth Cave National Park<\/a><\/u>: Kentucky<\/p>\n Mesa Verde National Park<\/a><\/u>: Colorado<\/p>\n Mount Rainier National Park<\/a><\/u>: Washington<\/p>\n New River Gorge National Park:<\/a><\/u>\u00a0West Virginia<\/p>\nMardi Gras (Carnival Cruise Line)<\/h5>\n
![\"Mardi](\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Mardi_Gras_Cruise_Ship.jpg\")
MSC Virtuosa (MSC Cruises)<\/h5>\n
![\"MSC](\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/MSC_Virtuosa_Saint-Nazaire.jpg\")
Viking Venus (Viking)<\/h5>\n
Odyssey of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)<\/h5>\n
Valiant Lady (Virgin Voyages)<\/h5>\n
MSC Seashore (MSC Cruises)<\/h5>\n
World Navigator (Atlas Ocean Voyages)<\/h5>\n
Rotterdam (Holland America)<\/h5>\n
Evrima (Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection)<\/h5>\n
The Complete List of All U.S. National Parks<\/h1>\n
![\"New](\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/New_River_Gorge_National_River.jpg\")
![\"geyser](\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Yellowstone-in-Winter.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"fall](\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Yosemite.jpg\")
<\/p>\n