The biggest of the big is Royal Caribbean's 5,400-passenger Oasis of the Seas to be joined in December by the equally large Allure of the Seas.
Norwegian Cruise Line just launched Epic, a 4,200-passenger ship, and Holland America Line, known for its classy smaller ships, is out with Nieuw Amsterdam for 2,100 passengers.
Celebrity Cruises added Eclipse for 2,850 passengers in April and Cunard Line's Queen Elizabeth, holding 2,092 passengers, sails in October.
Even so, there remains an attraction for the intimacy of small ships -- those for fewer than 500 passengers -- far from the madding crowd.
These ships provide an opportunity to "go where larger vessels cannot, including some of the most picturesque and otherwise exclusive ports in the world inaccessible to larger ships," said Lanie Fagan of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
There is an "extraordinarily diverse menu" of small-ship cruises serving up adventure, luxury, fine dining and worldwide itineraries.
How about sailing the grand rivers of Europe, along the coast of the Mediterranean, Canada and New England, through the islands of the South Pacific or the Caribbean, or even sailing around the world?
A river runs through it
River cruising is one of the most-popular voyages on custom-designed luxury vessels in Europe and elsewhere, including Asia and the Galapagos.
Amawaterways, Avalon Waterways and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises are among the leading lines offering these trips.
The ships are able to go right up to the dock in major cities as river cruising offers an immersion into the historical and cultural life of the destination.
Passengers can walk or cycle to the major landmarks, heritage sites, museums, restaurants and cathedrals without the delays of tendering from anchorages farther away.
European itineraries include the grand rivers from the Danube and the Volga to the Rhine, Rhone, Saone, Seine and Douro.
Seasonally, many itineraries include visits to the famous Christmas markets.
Next year, it will be possible to cruise essentially across Europe on an itinerary offered between Amsterdam and Istanbul.
Another option is cruising along the rivers of Asia, including the Mekong in Vietnam.
Coasting along
Coastal cruising is especially popular during the fall to see the colours of the changing season along the St. Lawrence River through the Maritimes and into New England.
American Cruise Lines' ships, including the new 104-passenger Independence, visit towns and villages tucked along the east coast that are inaccessible to larger ships. It sails inland waterways and rivers from Penobscot Bay, Maine, and the islands of New England to the rivers of Florida.
Seasonally, there are also repositioning cruises between Alaska, British Columbia and California.
In Europe, Hurtigruten has 11 ships offering Norwegian coastal voyages year-round to 34 ports of call, some only accessible by sea.
Going in luxury Luxury cruising includes the all-suite Yachts of Seabourn sailing to many out-of-the-way Mediterranean ports.
These include Zadar, Croatia; Koper, Slovenia; Le Lavandou on the French Riviera; and Bandol in France.
Among the smallest ships are the upscale SeaDream Yacht Club's Sea Dream I and Sea Dream II for 112 passengers.
They offer European itineraries that include the French Riviera in the summer and Caribbean sailings in the winter.
These include harbours in the British Virgin Islands and the Windward and Leeward islands and some lesser-travelled isles in Greece, such as Naousa, on Paros, and the unspoiled island of Sifnos.
Silversea Cruises offers numerous sailings, including world cruises of more than 100 days and its largest ship is the Silver Spirit carrying 500 passengers.
Its 132-passenger Prince Albert II travels from Europe and Scandinavia to Central and South America, Antarctica and South Africa.
Adventurous spirits
Exotic and adventure cruises include the French Polynesia on the 332-passenger Paul Gauguin.
The refurbished ship has cruises of seven to 15 nights to Tahiti, the Society Islands, Tuamotus, Cook Islands, Marquesas, Tonga, Fiji and New Zealand.
Hurtigruten's 301-passenger Fram cruises to Antarctica, Greenland and Spitsbergen in the Arctic.
Celebrity Xpedition, a 92-passenger mega-yacht, sails year-round in the Galapagos Islands with naturalist-led expeditions.
Windstar Cruises' high-tech Wind Spirit and Wind Star, each for 148 passengers, and Wild Surf, for 312 passengers, visit such exotic Caribbean spots as Iles des Saintes, Bequia and Virgin Gorda.
They also sail to Costa Rica's Quepos, Playas del Coco, Bahia Drake and Tortuga Island. In the Mediterranean, they visit Portovenere, Sanary sur Mer and Port Vendres.
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If you sail
To learn about the small-ship voyages, check out Cruise Lines International Association’s website: www.cruising.org
Jim and Barb Fox can be reached at outtosea50@hotmail.com
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