Between 2024 and 2028, over 25 new ships are expected to enter service across the globe. From the Disney Adventure for the Asian market to two more Icon Class ships for Royal Caribbean by 2026, there's a lot to look forward to in the cruise industry!
Here's a list of cruise ships making their debut this year and beyond.
Note that these dates are subject to change as a result of construction delays; we've seen numerous inaugural sailings get pushed back, including the Disney Wish in 2022. Most recently, Princess Cruises announced the delay of their second Sphere Class ship, Star Princess.
Utopia of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International (July 2024)
Royal Caribbean's sixth Oasis Class ship, Utopia of the Seas, is scheduled to set sail on her maiden voyage on July 19. She will be the first in the class powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
While she'll have all the basic characteristics of an Oasis Class ship, she'll be different from all other vessels. Onboard, you'll find unique venues, such as an immersive train car dining experience (called Royal Railway - Utopia Station) and the Pesky Parrot Bar that will replace the Bionic Bar. There will also be a new poolside food truck-inspired venue for quick bites, as well as the longest dry slide at sea.
Additionally, she'll be the first brand-new vessel specifically designed for short voyages. Utopia of the Seas will sail from Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida on 3- and 4-night cruises to The Bahamas, including their private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
The gross tonnage is expected to be around 236,860, with the ship's length near 1,188 feet long. At double occupancy, Utopia will be able to hold close to 5,630 passengers.
Upon completion, Utopia will be the 15th vessel delivered to Royal Caribbean by Chantiers de l'Atlantique and the 29th ship in their fleet.
Explora II, Explora Journeys (August 2024)
The second ship in Explora Journeys' fleet is set to make her introduction in August 2024. Explora I and Explora II will be nearly identical. The ship will measure 64,000 gross tons and host 922 passengers per sailing.
On September 6, 2023, Explora II completed her float out when she touched water for the first time. The maiden voyage will begin on August 11, 2024, when Explora II departs from Barcelona en route to Rome on an 8-night cruise.
Viking Vela, Viking (December 2024)
Viking Vela will hold only 998 guests and measure less than 800 feet long. As a small ship, she'll be able to take passengers on cruises to more unique destinations, such as Narvik, Norway; Montpellier (Sète), France; and Nafplio, Greece.
Her maiden voyage is slated for December 12, 2024, sailing from Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy to Barcelona, Spain. She'll then embark on a 15-day roundtrip cruise visiting countries like Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco.
Disney Treasure (December 2024)
Disney Treasure will be the second ship in the line's Wish/Triton Class and is planned to be "adventure-themed."
The inspiration for the three-story hails from Asia and Africa and will be home to Jasmine and Aladdin statues. Unlike the bright and inviting Grand Hall onboard the Disney Wish, the Grand Hall will be outfitted with shades of dark blue and gold trimmings. She'll be the first ship in the fleet to feature a Haunted Mansion-inspired bar, a Coco-themed theatrical dining experience, and a theater show that brings the journey of Moana to the stage for the first time.
Disney Treasure will embark on her maiden voyage on December 21, 2024 and sail to the Eastern Caribbean.
MSC World America, MSC Cruises (April 2025)
MSC World America will be the second in MSC Cruises' World Class family, following the launch of MSC World Europa.
She will be 215,863 gross tons and 1,060 feet long with a maximum capacity of 6,762 guests. There will be some differences compared to MSC World Europa, as MSC World America is being built with a North American market in mind, versus European.
When released, she will sail round trip itineraries from Florida to the Caribbean.
Read more: MSC Cruises opens bookings for new cruise ship to launch in 2025
Norwegian Aqua, Norwegian Cruise Line (March 2025)
The third ship in Norwegian's Prima Class, Norwegian Aqua, will set sail in April 2025. At 1,056 feet long and 156,300 gross registered tons, she will be about 10% larger than Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, which both come in around 965 feet long and 142,500 gross registered tons.
Plus, she'll be the first ship in the fleet to feature a hybrid rollercoaster. This, however, means that there won't be a racetrack onboard.
The vibrant hull art was designed by NCL's first-ever female hull artist, Allison Hueman.
Norwegian Aqua's first sailing is slated to depart from Southampton (London), England. The 7-night Transatlantic voyage will end in Boston before moving to Florida.
Read more: Norwegian Cruise Line's newest ship to feature a hybrid rollercoaster
Allura, Oceania Cruises (August 2025)
On Oceania's website, the first scheduled cruise for Allura, the second Allura Class ship following Vista, is on August 5, 2025.
Onboard Allura, you'll find all-verandah cabins and suites that radiate elegance throughout. Plus, like Vista, Allura will have concierge-level verandah Staterooms for solo travelers.
Star of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International (August 2025)
Star of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's second Icon Class vessel, will sail from Port Canaveral when she launches in 2025. The ship is currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.
Overall, she'll be similar to Icon of the Seas, the namesake ship of the revolutionary Icon Class; however, guests will notice minor changes. Empire Supper Club, for instance, won't be themed after New York. On Star of the Seas, the upscale specialty restaurant will be redesigned to pay homage to Chicago. Moreover, another hot tub will be added.
Star of the Seas will set sail on August 31, 2025.
Star Princess, Princess Cruises (October 2025)
Star Princess will be the second Sphere Class ship launched by Princess Cruises. She's set to have similar measurements to Sun Princess, coming in at 175,500 gross registered tons and a guest capacity of 4,300.
Additionally, she'll be the third ship in Princess' fleet to bear the name "Star Princess."
Her inaugural season will be in Europe.
Celebrity Xcel, Celebrity Cruises (November 2025)
Celebrity Xcel will be the fifth ship in Celebrity's award-winning Edge Class.
She'll be similar to her sister ships — Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Beyond, and Celebrity Ascent — but will also feature brand-new experiences.
Celebrity Xcel will be based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for her inaugural season beginning in November 2025.
Viking Vesta, Viking (July 2025)
Viking Vesta is expected to have a passenger capacity of 998 guests and measure just 784 feet long. The new luxury ship is scheduled to enter service in early July, embarking on her 12-night maiden voyage on July 2.
Itineraries during her inaugural season vary, ranging from a 14-night one-way cruise from Barcelona to Iceland to an open-jaw cruise from Barcelona to Venice. According to the released itineraries, Viking Vesta will remain in Europe through at least September 2026.
Disney Adventure, Disney Cruise Line (2025)
In November 2022, Disney Cruise Line acquired the cruise ship formerly known as Global Dream.
According to a press release, "The ship's previous owner filed for bankruptcy before completing the vessel, enabling Disney Cruise Line to secure it at a favorable price and within the capital expenditure guidance The Walt Disney Company provided on its recent earnings call."
At 208,000 gross tons with a passenger capacity of 6,000, she will be the largest Disney cruise ship and the first homeported outside of the United States, as Disney Adventure will sail from Singapore.
Disney Destiny, Disney Cruise Line (2026)
Little information has been revealed about this ship other than the class of ship and its expected completion year. She, too, is supposed to be able to accommodate around 4,000 passengers and have a gross registered tonnage of 144,000.
Unnamed third Icon Class cruise ship, Royal Caribbean (2026)
Little information has been revealed about this ship other than the class and expected completion year. The steel-cutting ceremony took place in January 2024.
MSC World Asia, MSC Cruises (2026)
During a press conference at the 2024 Seatrade Cruise Global conference in Miami, MSC Cruises announced the steel-cutting ceremony for the third World Class ship, which is expected to be delivered in 2026. Though specific details about the ship have yet to be revealed, MSC Cruises said that MSC World Asia will feature signature design touches, experiences, and features inspired by its continental namesake.
"We are very proud to begin construction on MSC World Asia. The third ship in the World Class series will feature cutting-edge technologies, making it one of the cleanest, most energy-efficient ships in the world. She embodies MSC Cruises’ and Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s long-term partnership and commitment toward the environment," said Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
Read more: New MSC ships on order
Unnamed Regent cruise ships, Regent Seven Seas Cruises (2026 and 2029)
Regent's largest cruise ship, measuring 77,000 GRT, will launch in 2026. She'll be joined by a sister ship in 2029. Both are capable of accommodating up to 850 passengers.
According to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings LTD., details about the ships' amenities, cabins, dining, and more will be announced in the coming months. We'll be sure to update this page as more information is released.
Unnamed fourth, fifth, and sixth Prima Class cruise ships, Norwegian Cruise Line (2026, 2027, and 2028)
Little information has been revealed about these ships other than their class and expected completion year. They will technically be part of Norwegian's Prima Plus Class. The latter two will be larger than Norwegian Aqua and the unnamed fourth ship, as their expected gross registered tonnage is supposed to be around 169,000.
Read more: New NCL ships on order
Explora III, Explora IV, Explora V, & Explora VI, Explora Journeys (2026, 2027, 2027, & 2028)
As a new cruise line, Explora Journeys' is quickly trying to expand its fleet, releasing a total of six ships between 2023 and 2028.
Other than the ship names, no information has been revealed about ship-specific details or future voyages.
Fourth World Class cruise ship, MSC Cruises (2027)
In early 2020, MSC Cruises signed a contract with Chantiers de l'Atlantique for two more World-class vessels. The first, MSC World Asia, is expected to be delivered in 2026, while the anticipated delivery date of the second is just one year later in 2027.
Little information has been revealed about any ship-specific details or maiden season sailings.
Unnamed fourth and fifth Excel Class cruise ships, Carnival Cruise Line (2027 and 2028)
Carnival isn't done building ships, as they've placed an order for two more Excel Class vessels. The order of the fourth Excel Class ship marked the first new-build order placed by Carnival Corporation in five years.
Initially debuting in 2021, these vessels proved to be unlike anything produced in the past, with the first-ever roller coaster at sea, modern accommodations, and a variety of complimentary dining options.
The two ships will join Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee in 2027 and 2028.
Two unnamed Oceania cruise ships, Oceania Cruises (2027 and 2029)
Following the launch of Allura in 2025, Oceania Cruises is scheduled to take delivery of two 86,000 GRT ships in 2027 and 2029, respectively, each of which will have a capacity of 1,450 passengers.
Seventh Oasis Class cruise ship, Royal Caribbean International (2028)
In February 2024, Royal Caribbean revealed that they had placed an order for another Oasis Class ship to be built from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France. This order is contingent upon financing, which is expected to be completed later this year.
"While we eagerly anticipate the debut of Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas this summer, we’re already dreaming up her sister ship and the next installation in the brand’s extremely popular Oasis Class," said Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty.
Four new NCL ships of an unnamed class, Norwegian Cruise Line (2030, 2032, 2034, and 2036)
Following the Prima Plus Class, NCL's newest class is set to launch in 2030. The four new massive ships are estimated to be 200,000 GRT, making them the largest they've ever constructed.
No details about the new class have been revealed other than the GRT. We'll update this page to include any new information shared by the cruise line.
Read more: Norwegian Cruise Line just ordered four massive cruise ships
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
