Fifteen new ships will be launched in 2025 , a good number that will rise to sixteen in 2026. However, there is a significant difference: while ten of the fifteen ships in 2025 will exceed 100,000 tons, in 2026 only five will surpass that size.
Article from CruisesNews magazine no. 71 – December 2024
Norwegian Aqua (Norwegian Cruise Line)
The first ship, the Norwegian Aqua, will arrive in mid-March. This Prima-Plus class vessel, with a gross tonnage of 156,000 (approximately 14,000 tons more than the Prima class), will sail from Lisbon to Southampton for press and invited guests. From there, carrying passengers, it will cross the Atlantic to Boston. The ship will be christened in Miami on April 13, 2025, with actor Eric Stonestreet, best known for his role as Cameron Tucker on Modern Family, serving as godfather.
One of the most notable new features on the Norwegian Aqua is the replacement of the go-kart track found on previous NCL ships with a water coaster, the Aqua Slidecoaster, which promises thrills. It will also have a new Thai restaurant, a digital sports complex, and an enhanced version of immersive games, along with new three-bedroom duplex suites in the exclusive Haven resort.
The Norwegian Aqua will be based in Port Canaveral, making weekly cruises to Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Great Stirrup Cay, NCL's private island in the Bahamas, which will have a new pier by the end of 2025. In the summer, it will be cruising to Bermuda from New York and then will return to Miami from October to April 2026.
15 new ships in 2025.
Mein Schiff Relax (TUI Cruises)
Also in mid-March, the Mein Schiff Relax will begin operations, the first of two InTUItion class cruise ships powered by dual fuel (Liquefied Natural Gas and Marine Diesel) that Fincantieri is building for the German shipping company in whose shareholders Royal Caribbean Group participates.
On April 9, 2025, two ships will be christened, one of which will be the Mein Schiff Relax. Spain will play a leading role in this event, as the ship will be christened in Málaga with two other ships from the company in port, and music star Robbie Williams as godfather.
The Mein Schiff Relax will be based in Palma de Mallorca until the end of October and will be sailing various routes around the Mediterranean, many of them with stops in Valencia and Barcelona. It will then reposition to Gran Canaria, from where it will begin offering cruises around the Canary Islands throughout the autumn and winter. The Mein Schiff Relax is, therefore, a very important ship for Spanish ports.
MSC World America (MSC Cruises)
As we mentioned, two ships will be christened on April 9, 2025, and the MSC World America will be the other. The second ship in the World Class fleet, although a sister ship to the MSC World Europa, it will feature several new additions, such as the only Eataly restaurant at sea, a new Greek restaurant called Paxos, and MSC Cruises' first comedy club. Furthermore, one of the biggest innovations on the MSC World America will be The Harbour, part of the Family Adventure district, a new open-air space for families to gather and relax together. There, you'll find the impressive Cliffhanger swing, 50 meters above the sea, an experience for the most daring.
The MSC World America will be based at MSC's new cruise terminal in Miami and will be making weekly cruises to the Caribbean throughout 2025 and 2026.
Asuka III (NYK)
In April, a very special ship will also arrive, the Asuka III, of 51,950 gross tons, with capacity for 744 passengers in double occupancy, and built by Meyer Werft for the Japanese company NYK.
NYK is a century-old Japanese company, founded in 1885, that is dedicated to maritime transport with more than 800 ships, but has always had a foot in luxury cruises, since it founded Crystal Cruises in 1989 for the international market, and a year later, in 1990, it began to operate luxury cruises under its own brand for the Japanese market with the Asuka I.
Now comes the Asuka III, a luxurious mid-sized ship that will offer cruises from Yokohama.
Allura (Oceania Cruises)
This June, we'll kick off summer with the second Vista-class ship from Oceania Cruises. It's a 67,000-ton vessel for just 1,200 passengers, boasting a wide array of themed restaurants included in the fare, including a new creperie, and a redesigned, larger bookstore in a new location. The cruise line claims there will be one chef for every 10 passengers, which speaks volumes about its dedication to fine dining.
He will spend the summer taking cruises of varying lengths and routes around the Mediterranean, before crossing the Atlantic to New York in September.
From the Big Apple, starting in October, it will offer several cruises to Canada and then reposition itself in Miami where it will spend the winter of 2025/26 making cruises around the Caribbean.
Viking Vesta (Viking Ocean)
Since 2015, Viking Cruises has launched a new ocean-going ship every year. The Swiss company grew in the river cruise market, where it has 74 ships, and is now replicating its success in ocean cruising. It has built 10 identical ships of 47,842 tons (and two smaller expedition vessels), and took delivery of its eleventh, the Viking Vela, at the end of 2024, as we write this. This is a slightly larger version, at 54,300 tons, which can accommodate more passengers—998—and can be fitted with hydrogen refueling systems for the future.
The Viking Vesta will therefore be a twin of the Vela, arriving in July 2025, and the saga will continue with at least 8 more ships on order until 2030.
Luminara (The Ritz-Carlton YC)
Luminara will be the third ship in The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. It is a sister ship to the Ilma, with a gross tonnage of 46,750, and was also built at Chantiers de l'Atlantique (France). Only 452 passengers will travel on board, enjoying five restaurants, a wine bar, and a marina aft.
This ultra-luxury cruise ship will be offering 7-night Mediterranean cruises until the end of October.
Star of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
Royal Caribbean's second Icon-class ship will be launched at the end of August, with Caribbean cruises departing from Port Canaveral throughout 2025 and 2026.
It remains to be seen whether Royal Caribbean will add a few more gross tons to declare it the world's largest new cruise ship, but it is clear that, at 250,800 tons, the Icon-class ships will remain unrivaled in size for many years to come.
Packed with attractions such as six radical water slides, a surf simulator, an over-the-board zip line, an adults-only suspended infinity pool, an indoor Aquatheater, and much more, one of the new features will be the new Lincoln Park Supper Club restaurant – a dining experience inspired by 1930s Chicago with multiple courses accompanied by live entertainment.
Brilliant Lady (Virgin Voyages)
Virgin Voyages' highly anticipated fourth ship will enter service in September 2025. Although it is a sister ship to the previous ones, it will have some new features such as a new restaurant, new design elements, shore power connection, and two sun loungers on each balcony instead of one.
The most surprising thing will be the routes it will offer, as for the first two months it will be making cruises from New York, then from October to March it will be departing from Miami and then it will reposition itself to Seattle from where it will offer cruises through Alaska in the summer of 2026.
Star Princess (Princess Cruises)
This October we'll see the Star Princess, the second ship in the Sphere class, enter service after the highly successful debut of the Sun Princess in 2024. It will make two cruises from Barcelona before crossing the Atlantic to Fort Lauderdale, from where it will operate cruises until April 2026. It will then spend the summer cruising Alaska from Seattle before returning to Fort Lauderdale in the fall.
These ships are distinguished by the two glass spheres that form part of their structure. One, in the center of the hull, provides plenty of natural light to the atrium and its surrounding facilities; the other, at the top of the bow, creates a climate-controlled space perfect for enjoying the views and where shows and activities are also held.
Celebrity XCel (Celebrity Cruises)
The fifth Edge-class ship will arrive in November 2025, but with an engine capable of running on three fuels, one of which is methanol. The successful Edge class, with its distinctive orange floating platform on one side, is thus coming to an end, and Celebrity Cruises has not yet announced the construction of any new ships.
The Celebrity Xcel will begin sailing the Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale and in May 2026 will reposition itself in Barcelona to offer Mediterranean cruises, many of which will have Athens as their final or initial destination.
Disney Destiny (Disney Cruise Line)
Also arriving in November is the Disney Destiny, the third ship in the Wish class. These 140,000-ton LNG-powered ships represent a significant evolution of Disney's cruise concept. The company is currently undergoing an unprecedented expansion, as it will receive a fourth ship of this class and then begin construction on four more ships of a new, slightly larger class.
The Disney Destiny will be making short 4 and 5 night cruises from Fort Lauderdale until March 2026.
Four Seasons Yachts
Four Seasons, the iconic luxury hotel chain, is entering the cruise industry with a uniquely designed, 20,000-gross-ton megayacht. It will arrive in December, but its maiden voyage won't begin until January 2026. It will start in the Caribbean and then travel to Europe in March for Mediterranean cruises.
This stunning yacht will feature 11 dining options, a spa, a marina at the stern, and a large swimming pool measuring 19 meters long and 5 meters wide, but its most extraordinary feature will be its suites. The most spectacular suite will be located in the chimney structure, behind an enormous glass wall offering 280º views across four floors spread over 470 square meters, plus a 457-square-meter terrace.
Star Seeker (Windstar)
Windstar began a renewal and expansion process in 2023 that will have a very important milestone in the launch of the Star Seeker in December 2025. This 9,300-ton ship was one of six sister ships that Mystic Invest is building at the West Sea shipyards in Portugal, but Windstar saw an opportunity to acquire a new ship in a short period of time and purchased this unit, in addition to another already built that will become part of its fleet at the end of 2026.
With 112 suites and polar capabilities, the Star Seeker will debut on December 28, 2025 with a transatlantic cruise from Malaga to Miami, and will be cruising the Caribbean until the end of March 2026, when it will be repositioned in Alaska.
Disney Adventure (Disney Cruise Line)
A month after receiving the Disney Destiny, the American multinational will take delivery of the 208,000-ton Disney Adventure, which has a long history. This ship began construction as the Global Dream in 2018, a new giant design for Dream Cruises intended to offer cruises to the Chinese market. Following the bankruptcy of Dream Cruises and the MV Werften shipyard in 2022, Disney acquired the ship later that year for just €40 million of its €1.8 billion valuation. Despite this, Disney will invest over €1 billion to customize it to its specifications.
The original design envisioned 9,000 passengers in 2,450 cabins, almost all of them quadruple occupancy. Disney has reduced that number to 6,000 passengers and will dedicate the ship to the Asian market, based in Singapore for at least five years. The major innovation is that the ship will be powered by green methanol, which undoubtedly represents a huge leap forward for the industry.
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