Shipping industry only a few weeks away from delivering the 2010 Caribbean season. If the picture-perfect tropical island, sun-drenched beaches and unlimited shopping opportunities float your boat, a Caribbean cruise in one of the following mass-market line may be right for you.

Carnival

Carnival’s largest ship ever built, the 3646 passenger Carnival Dream launched year-round Caribbean service from Port Canaveral in December. Carnival also enhance the capacity of Mobile, AL by 42 percent with a spread of Carnival Fantasy in November (which will be replaced with Happy Carnival May 2010) and by 34 percent of New Orleans when the Carnival Triumph from the new Eastern and Western Caribbean cruise in November. And, starting in May 2010, Carnival Fantasy will launch the first year-round cruise schedule from Charleston.

Costa Cruises

With Sailings from Fort Lauderdale, Costa Atlantica back to the Caribbean with new, exclusive spa accommodations feature personalized health consultation, free spa treatments, fitness or meditation classes, free access to the Wellness Restaurant, and more. Guests on the Costa Atlantica and Costa Fortuna can also take advantage of “Italy in the Tropics” with “Free Upgrade” promotion and the popular “Kids Sail Free”
program.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Next year marks the arrival of Epic Norway, Norway’s largest and most innovative ship, which will begin its first Caribbean season in July with alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean trips are available as individual Sailings seven days or 14 days combined Sailings and offered through April 2011. Norway will also seasonal homeport passengers in 1936 Norway Port Canaveral early Sunday in October 2010 during the seven-day eastern and western Caribbean trip.

Princess Cruises

Princess will sail six ships on 13 Caribbean trips ranging from seven to 14 days this winter, with 129 departures visiting more than 25 ports. Ruby Princess will take over the line for 10-day eastern and southern Caribbean trip, offer some of the less-visited ports in the region. Western Caribbean Crown Princess will feature travel Roatan, Honduras. Grand Princess returned to the area 14-day Caribbean Collection route and Sea Princess will again sail on 14-day trip from Barbados.

Royal Caribbean

Line will welcome the world’s largest ship, Oasis of the Sea 5400 passengers, to Fort Lauderdale in November when the ship began year-round Caribbean cruises. Looking ahead, another ship Allure joined the company in the Caribbean Sea fleet to the Caribbean 2010-11 season, which will display all year long journey from the port in Port Everglades, Port of Miami, Port Canaveral and San Juan, Puerto Rico; seasonal journey from the port started from Cape Liberty to Galveston, and more than 20 short trips to 15 ports in the Caribbean.

Next week, we’ll see what the premium and luxury cruise lines have in store for the passengers as they also head to the tropics.