2025's 16 new oceangoing cruise ships2025's 16 new oceangoing cruise ships

Sixteen oceangoing cruise ships for 15 lines are scheduled for 2025 delivery, adding 40,000 lower berths at a total investment of more than $12b.

This is according to Seatrade's orderbook, which does not include coastal ships or river vessels.

Double the new berths of 2024

2025's is a marked capacity increase from the nine oceangoing newbuilds delivered in 2024 that added just over 21,000 lower berths at a total investment of $7b. (Figures adjusted to remove Brilliant Lady, which had been expected in 2024.)

Star of the Seas was floated out at Meyer Turku in October PHOTO: ROYAL CARIBBEAN

The 16 are Disney Destiny and Disney Adventure (Disney Cruise Line), Norwegian Aqua (Norwegian Cruise Line), Allura (Oceania Cruises), Star of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International), MSC World America (MSC Cruises), Viking Vesta (Viking), Luminara (The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection), Douglas Mawson (Sunstone Maritime Group for Aurora Expeditions), Star Princess (Princess Cruises), Asuka III (NYK Cruises), Celebrity Xcel (Celebrity Cruises), Mein Schiff Relax (TUI Cruises), Four Seasons I (Four Seasons Yachts), Brilliant Lady (Virgin Voyages) and Star Seeker (Windstar Cruises).

Four Seasons I promises the most spacious suites at sea RENDERING: FOUR SEASONS YACHTS

First Four Seasons yacht

Among these are the first Four Seasons yacht, promising the most spacious suites at sea and ones that connect horizontally and vertically; the first of TUI Cruises' new InTUItion class from Fincantieri; and the first time Disney Cruise Line is introducing two ships in a year, one of them a new, very large design (originally Global Dream for Genting Hong Kong's Dream Cruises, heavily modified for Disney). Disney Adventure also makes the first DCL ship tailored for Asians.

Asuka III, another new design, sees NYK Cruises building for the first time in many years; its 2021 order at Meyer Werft stood out for coming in the middle of the pandemic.

MSC World America's Sweet Temptations for gelato and frozen yogurt, at left. At top right, the multipurpose, adults-only Loft, and bottom right, All-Star Sports Bar RENDERINGS: MSC CRUISES

MSC Cruises is introducing its first ship directly into the US market with MSC World America.

Windstar Cruises' first newbuild in decades, Star Seeker, was originally the fifth expedition ship in a series for Mystic Invest and intended for Atlas Ocean Voyages. (It is not planned to operate expedition-style for Windstar.)

Sole expedition newbuild

2025's only newbuild for expedition service is Douglas Mawson, the seventh and final in the SunStone Maritime Group's China-built Infinity class. It is going on long-term charter to Aurora Expeditions, which also charters the Infinity vessels Sylvia Earle and Greg Mortimer.

Douglas Mawson is shown after its float-out from China Merchant Heavy Industry PHOTO: SUNSTONE MARITIME GROUP

Other ships capping a series include Celebrity Xcel, the fifth and final of the Edge class; Brilliant Lady, the fourth for Virgin Voyages; and Allura, with Oceania Cruises moving to a larger design going forward.

Luminara, the sister of 2024's Ilma, may complete that design for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection as the company considers its next generation. Star Princess follows sister Sun Princess and Princess Cruises hasn't revealed if the series will continue.

Notably, Star Princess is the only Carnival Corp. & plc newbuild of 2025.

Further encores

Ships in ongoing series include the second of four planned Icons, Star of the Seas; NCL's third in its six-strong Prima class and the first of a larger Prima-Plus design, Norwegian Aqua; DCL's third Wish-class ship, Disney Destiny; and MSC World America as the second of four planned big World-class ships.

Viking Vesta makes a dozen PHOTO: VIKING

Longest-running series

Viking Vesta is the 12th in an ocean series begun in 2015 and, like 2025's Viking Vela, is slightly larger than the first 10 due to new IMO stability regulations. 

Largest and smallest

The year's largest cruise newbuild will be the 250,800gt Star of the Seas, followed by MSC World America at 215,863gt and Disney Adventure at 208,000gt.

The smallest is Douglas Mawson (8,000gt), followed by Star Seeker (9,300gt).

Half are LNG-powered

Eight of the ships can run on LNG: Disney Destiny, Star of the Seas, MSC World America, Luminara, Star Princess, Asuka III, Mein Schiff Relax and Four Seasons I.

Celebrity Xcel RENDERING: CELEBRITY CRUISES

Methanol-ready

Celebrity Xcel is equipped with a Wärtsilä flex fuel engine that's methanol-ready. And upon taking over the unfinished Global Dream, Disney said that the renamed Disney Adventure would be methanol-enabled.

Seven shipbuilders

2025's newbuilds come from seven shipbuilders across six countries: Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, Finland and China.

Fincantieri yards are constructing seven, Chantiers de l'Atlantique three, Meyer Werft two, and one each is coming from Meyer Turku; the former MV Werften, with completion by a Meyer Werft team; WestSea Viana and China Merchants Heavy Industry.