Author: Gene Sloan, USA TODAY

Fireworks lit up the Miami sky on Friday as Royal Caribbean’s new Symphony of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, kicked off its maiden voyage from the city.

New Orleans is getting its biggest cruise ship ever on Sunday with the arrival of Norwegian Cruise Line’s giant Norwegian Breakaway.

At 228,081 tons, Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas is a slightly larger version of the previous size leader in the cruise world.

At 228,081 tons, Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas is a slightly larger version of the previous size leader in the cruise world.

At 228,081 gross tons, Royal Caribbean’s new Symphony of the Seas is the world’s largest cruise ship. It’ll be christened in Miami on Nov. 15, 2018.

USA TODAY’s latest Cruise Ship Tour looks at one of two vessels sailing two-day trips to the Bahamas from Florida: Bahamas Paradise’s Grand Celebration.

Start-up cruise line Virgin Voyages on Thursday announced its soon-to-debut first vessel, Scarlet Lady, would have a tattoo parlor.

Cruise lines have rolled out a wide array of new gee-whiz attractions atop ships in recent years, from skydiving simulators to zip lines.

USA TODAY offers a deck-by-deck look at Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America, an icon of Hawaii cruising. It sails to Maui, Hawaii and Kauai.