More Than 70 New Cruise Ships Are Coming — Here’s the Complete Worldwide List

The global cruise industry is in the middle of its largest expansion cycle in history. According to the current worldwide orderbook, dozens of new cruise ships are already under contract, with deliveries stretching from 2026 all the way through 2036. These orders span everything from ultra-luxury yachts carrying fewer than 200 guests to megaships topping 250,000 gross tons.

While four major brands — Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line — still dominate the headline numbers, the full picture shows a diverse mix of luxury, expedition, coastal, and mainstream vessels reshaping the industry.

Below is a rewritten, complete overview of every cruise ship currently on order worldwide, organized by delivery year and key trends rather than raw tables.

2026

The 2026 cruise calendar is one of the busiest on record, blending headline-grabbing megaships with ultra-luxury yachts and expedition vessels. This year alone shows how wide the cruise market has become.

On the megaship side, Royal Caribbean introduces Legend of the Seas, the third Icon-class ship and one of the largest cruise ships ever built. Norwegian Cruise Line follows with Norwegian Luna, continuing its Prima Plus expansion.

Luxury cruising also takes a major step forward. Four Seasons Yachts launches Four Seasons I, while Viking Ocean Cruises adds Viking Mira and Viking Libra. New brands like Explora Journeys and Orient Express Cruises also expand their fleets.

Confirmed named ships delivering in 2026 include:

• Magellan Discoverer (Antarctica21)
• Legend of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
• Norwegian Luna (Norwegian Cruise Line)
• Four Seasons I
• Viking Mira
• Viking Libra
• Mein Schiff Flow (TUI Cruises)
• Seven Seas Prestige (Regent)
• MSC World Asia
• Explora III
• Adora Flora City

2027

In 2027, cruise lines lean hard into expansion, adding ships across mass-market, premium, and luxury categories.

Carnival Cruise Line launches Carnival Festivale, a massive LNG-powered Excel-class ship. MSC Cruises continues its World Class rollout with MSC World Atlantic.

Luxury brands remain just as active. Four Seasons follows up with Four Seasons II, while Explora Journeys delivers Explora IV and Explora V. Oceania Cruises introduces Oceania Sonata, and Aman enters ocean cruising with Amangati.

Disney Cruise Line also has a large LNG ship scheduled for 2027, though the name has not yet been announced.

Confirmed named ships delivering in 2027 include:

• Raiya (Emerald Cruises)
• Carnival Festivale
• MSC World Atlantic
• Four Seasons II
• Explora IV
• Explora V
• Oceania Sonata
• Amangati
• Viking Astrea
• Aranoa (Aranui)

2028

By 2028, the orderbook clearly shows the industry betting on bigger ships and premium experiences, though several vessels remain officially unnamed.

Carnival Cruise Line adds Carnival Tropicale, the second Excel-class ship in its next generation fleet.

Royal Caribbean has two ships delivering in 2028, but neither has an official name yet:

• One unnamed Icon-class ship (250,800 gross tons)
• One unnamed Oasis-class ship, which will be the seventh Oasis-class vessel

Norwegian Cruise Line delivers another unnamed Prima Plus-class ship, following Norwegian Luna.

On the premium and luxury side:

• Celebrity Xcite debuts for Celebrity Cruises
• Viking Lyra arrives for Viking Ocean Cruises
• Crystal Grace marks Crystal’s continued relaunch
• Scenic Ikon expands Scenic’s ocean fleet
• Explora VI joins Explora Journeys

Named ships delivering in 2028 include:

• Explora VI
• Carnival Tropicale
• Celebrity Xcite
• Viking Lyra
• Crystal Grace
• Scenic Ikon

2029

By 2029, cruise lines shift from incremental growth to entirely new ship classes.

Carnival launches the first Project Ace ship, its largest ever, carrying more than 6,200 passengers. Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises also have large unnamed LNG ships scheduled, signaling the start of a new megaship era.

Luxury growth continues with:

• Oceania Arietta
• A new Viking ocean ship
• Additional Disney expansion

Most 2029 ships are confirmed but unnamed, reflecting how far ahead these orders are placed.

2030

The 2030 orderbook shows cruise lines planning a full decade ahead.

Norwegian Cruise Line introduces its first 225,000-gross-ton megaship, the largest in the company’s history. MSC Cruises has three separate ships scheduled, including both World Class and Frontier Class designs.

Luxury brands including Regent, Crystal, and Viking also have new ships on order, though names remain unannounced.

2031–2036: Long-Term Confidence in Cruising

Orders stretching into the mid-2030s confirm that cruise lines expect sustained demand well into the future.

Highlights include:

• Additional Project Ace ships for Carnival (2031 and 2033)
• Continued Frontier Class expansion for MSC
• Ongoing megaship deliveries for Norwegian through 2036
• New luxury ships for Regent, Oceania, Viking, and Crystal
• LNG expansion for AIDA Cruises and TUI Cruises

These later ships are almost entirely unnamed — normal for builds this far out — but their size, shipyard, and propulsion systems are already locked in.

Coastal & Domestic Ships

Outside the global ocean market, American Cruise Lines continues investing in small coastal ships built in the United States. Between 2026 and 2028, the company will add multiple 5,000–6,000-ton vessels designed for U.S. coastal and river itineraries.

While these ships don’t make headlines, they play a key role in expanding domestic cruising options.

The Big Picture

Across all segments, the cruise industry has over $100 billion in ships already under construction or on order. LNG propulsion, larger onboard spaces, and capacity growth dominate the design philosophy — but luxury and expedition cruising continue expanding alongside megaships.

From 100-passenger yachts to floating cities carrying more than 6,000 guests, the next decade will reshape what cruising looks like — and who it’s designed for.