This year saw the number of newbuild orders on the cruise orderbook shoot up, as cruise lines demonstrate their faith in a rebounding market. At the recent Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo America, Trevor Young, the Vice President of New Building at MSC Cruise Lines described the newbuild market as ‘… extremely bullish. Very, very positive.’ Since that statement, several more cruise lines have placed newbuild orders with a number of shipyards, adding a total of 20 new ships to the newbuild cruise orderbook. The newbuilds on order as of August 2024 now numbers 68, not including river cruise ships. The confirmed orderbook now stretches to 2036 and features ships from the biggest cruise brands including Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and more.
Shipbuilders Fincantieri has netted most of the new orders, adding 13 newbuilds to their books. They remain the most dominant shipbuilders in the cruise industry, with around 40 ships scheduled to be built over the next decade and beyond. They are also the only shipbuilder with orders scheduled past 2028. However, shipbuilders Meyer Werft and Chantiers de l’Atlantique have plenty on their books, delivering three newbuilds apiece in 2025 alone.
Cruise lines have yet to release many new details about the forthcoming new vessels. Current trends include wellbeing, with an emphasis on spa facilities and healthy eating options, innovative materials, sustainable design and tech’s impact on guest experience. Guest desire for space and light has helped evolve cruise ship design, with more brands than ever before offering all-balcony staterooms and brands such as P&O and Princess Cruises launching new class ships with glass architectural structures crowning their top deck.
New ships added to the order book, 2024
Viking
Viking have ordered two new ocean ships from Fincantieri, their 21st and 22nd ships with the shipyard. The cruise line has upped their capacity slightly, to 499 cabins and a potential of 988 passengers. These vessels will launch in 2028 and 2029.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings
NCLH have ordered 8 ships, the largest order in their history. The ships will be delivered across all three of their brands: Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The delivery date of these vessels range between 2026 and 2036. Shipyard Fincantieri has agreed to deliver the initial 4 of 8 ships, holding a signed letter of intent to deliver the final 4 vessels.
Carnival Corporation
Carnival Corporation have announced their new strategy, with CEO Josh Weinstein commenting that they were ‘… doubling down on the growth of Carnival Cruise Line — our highest-returning brand.’ In addition to diverting several existing cruise ships from subsidiary cruise lines, Carnival Corporation placed two orders, totalling five ships, with shipyards Meyer Werft and Fincantieri in 2024. The two newbuilds to be built by Meyer Werft will be Excel-class, while there are no details yet released about the ships being built by Fincantieri.
Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean recently launched Icon of the Seas at the start of 2024, to what Jay Schneider Chief Product Innovation Officer (CXO), Royal Caribbean Group described as ‘stratospheric’ NPS scores. While Royal Caribbean continue to develop their Icon-class vessels, they’ve also proven their faith in their line of Oasis-class ships. Earlier this year Royal Caribbean placed an order for what they called their ‘lucky’ seventh Oasis-class ship.
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line has signed an agreement with Meyer Werft to produce four further cruise ships, swelling the total ships the cruise line have booked in with the shipbuilder’s cruise orderbook to eight. Thomas Mazloum, president, New Experiences Portfolio and Disney Signature Experiences commented on the cruise line’s strategy, ‘Our Disney cruise ships are the true ambassadors for our brands and beloved by families the world over. As we embark on this ambitious and unprecedented expansion for Disney Cruise Line, we are delighted to work with Meyer Werft once again.’
Ships launching in 2025
This next year is the year of yacht-like luxury, as several new small and luxury ships enter the market. Four Seasons will see the launch of their very first cruise vessel, Four Seasons I. Meanwhile Ritz-Carlton will add the Luminara to the fleet, their third yacht. Windstar will add the first of their new star-class of ships, Star Seeker, to their small-ship fleet. Expedition lovers will also enjoy their own taste of small ship sailing with SunStone’s Douglas Mawson, which will be chartered out to Aurora Expeditions.
The schedule for 2025 launches include several confident second entries into new classes; including Star Princess, Princess’ Cruises second Sphere-class ship, and Allura, Oceania Cruises’ second Allura-class ship. Given that cruise lines begin taking feedback on their designs from the moment each ship starts sailing their itineraries, it will be interesting to see where, if at all, the brands have tweaked their interior design concepts.
Here is a closer look at the some of the 15 ships joining the global cruise industry in 2025:
Star Princess, Princess Cruises
Star Princess will join her sister ship, Sun Princess, and become the second in the new Sphere-class to set sail. Eye-catching new features on Sphere-class ships will include The Dome, a glass architectural structure located on the top deck. The ships share a reimagined Sanctuary area, as Princess Cruises seeks to capitalise on the ongoing wellbeing trends. This includes elevated suite designs, an exclusive restaurant, and a lounge and pool designated solely for use by Sanctuary Club guests.
Brilliant Lady, Virgin Voyages
Brilliant Lady rounds out the new cruise line’s first slate of newbuild cruise ships. Virgin Voyages has teased all-new food and entertainment concepts for the ship, and have confirmed that she features a new frame design that allows her to navigate trickier waters, such as the Alaskan seas. The cruise line’s CEO credits the brand’s signature mix of high quality, irreverence and innovation for having one of the ‘highest repeat rates in the industry.’
MSC World America, MSC
The largest of the cruise ships debuting in 2025, MSC World America will have capacity for over 6,000 guests. She will become the cruise line’s U.S flagship, and feature exciting new developments that are not only firsts for the cruise line but firsts at sea. MSC have overhauled their family area, Family Adventura, and added plenty of mind-blowing attractions to their new park, The Harbour. Guests will experience the only over-water swing at sea, The Cliffhanger, as well as a number of new attractions including one of the longest dry slides at sea, Jaw Drop @ The Spiral.
Four Seasons I, Four Seasons
This may be the esteemed hotel brand’s first foray into cruising but Four Seasons I is in good hands. Experienced cruise ship interior design studio Tillberg Design of Sweden worked in partnership with the ship’s creative director and head of luxury publisher, Prosper Assouline. Fredrik Johannson, Partner and Executive Director of Tillberg Design of Sweden stated that the studio’s goal was to create an environment that was both ‘familiar’ and ‘extraordinary’. The cruise line promises warm hues, open spaces and more space per passenger than any other ship sailing the ocean.
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