On the Waterfront: The Bigger the Boat, the Bigger the Splash

A new fleet of cruise ships hits the water this year, the likes of which have never been seen. When Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas launches in June, it will surpass the Queen Mary 2 as the world's largest passenger ship. A month later, the Costa Concordia will jump to the top of the list in terms of capacity, with 3,780 passengers. But it's not just the size that's impressive. The new boats are loaded to the gills with diversions: Freedom of the Seas has an ice rink, a wave pool, and a regulation-size boxing ring. -Lisa Milbrand

Costa Cruises: Costa Concordia

Launch date: July

Passengers: 3,780

Itineraries: 7-, 9-, or 11-night cruises out of Rome with stops in Istanbul, Venice, Barcelona, Alexandria, and Santorini

Cool Features: Samsara, a two-level, 20,000-square-foot spa-the largest at sea-with a thalassotherapy pool, in which seawater ...