17 New cruise ships coming in 2024

The vessels worth getting excited about in the year ahead

The cruise industry is getting ready to welcome some epic ships in 2024, starting with the hotly anticipated Icon of the Seas by Royal Caribbean. Here are all the new ships to get excited about in 2024, bar one: Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady is due to start island‑hopping around the Caribbean from San Juan in Puerto Rico at some point, but the launch date remains to be confirmed.

January 2024

Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean 
A floating city like its sister ships, Icon has restaurants galore, a water park with six record‑breaking slides, seven pools, kids’ and teen clubs, plus an all‑new AquaDome – a bulb‑ shaped glass area on top of the ship where passengers can sip cocktails while watching the sun set, eat to their heart’s content and even watch daredevil dive shows. Soon to be the world’s largest cruise ship, it holds up to 7,600 passengers, and is the first Royal Caribbean ship to operate on LNG. royalcaribbean.ae

February

Sun Princess, Princess Cruises
The largest ship ever built for Princess, Sun Princess can carry 4,300 passengers and heralds a range of new features including cabana cabins with private deck space, an action‑packed family zone with a gentle roller‑gliding ride (the first on board a ship), a Japanese teppanyaki restaurant, The Catch fish restaurant and an Irish bar. A new Signature Collection of suites comes with exclusive access to a Signature Restaurant. www.cruisemaster-me.com

March

AmaLilia, AmaWaterways
AmaWaterways’ second Nile river ship holds 82 passengers in 41 cabins and suites with either split outside/indoor balconies or French balconies – and all with magnificent bathtubs. There’s a Chef’s Table restaurant and top-deck swimming pool, plus a stellar salon. amawaterways.co.uk

Avalon Alegria, Avalon Waterways
Avalon makes its Douro debut with Avalon Alegria, a 102-passenger river ship. The Douro rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in Soria, Spain ending in northern Portugal. Avalon Alegria's suites have floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall glass doors facing the river and beds looking out to the water to soak up the lauded views. avalonwaterways.co.uk

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May

Queen Anne, Cunard
The timelessly beautiful Queen Anne holds 3,000 passengers, has more Britannia Club cabins than other ships in the Cunard fleet, a top-deck glass dome with a retractable roof, a glitzy show bar and restaurants dedicated to each cabin category. cunard.com

Queen Anne

June

Silver Ray, Silversea Cruises
A revolutionary asymmetrical design has enabled Silversea to give Silver Ray’s pool deck a chic rooftop hotel look, open up the views from inside the ship and offer new aft-facing cabins. The vessel holds 728 passengers, has eight restaurants and runs on a hybrid battery power and dual LNG and marine oil fuel system. silversea.com

Utopia of the Seas

July

Utopia of the Seas, Royal Caribbean
Another Oasis-class behemoth, this time with new features including an immersive dining experience that promises a culinary tour through the golden age of rail travel. In total, there are 21 restaurants and an almost-overwhelming selection of 23 bars for passengers to discover (including a Caribbean tiki bar), so there’s always something new to try. royalcaribbean.ae

Porto Mirante, Riviera Travel
For the first time, Riviera is launching its own vessel on the Douro. Porto Mirante holds 118 passengers, has a sun deck with a splash pool, a bar and lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows plus a gym. rivieratravel.co.uk

Porto Mirante

August

Estrela, APT Travelmarvel
The largest swimming pool on the Douro awaits as APT Travelmarvel makes its debut on the Portuguese river next year. Estrela holds 120 passengers and has cabins with French balconies; indoor and alfresco dining; and an artificial putting green on the top deck. aptouring.co.uk

Viking Hathor, Viking
A sister to Viking’s existing Nile duo – claimed to be the “most upscale ships in Egypt” – the elegant Hathor holds 82 passengers and features the line’s trademark Scandi design, and indoor/ outdoor Aquavit Terrace. viking.com

Explora II, Explora Journeys
Explora Journeys, the upmarket arm of the MSC Group, is back with its second ship, Explora II, which like its predecessor offers all-suite accommodation, restaurants serving everything from French and Asian favourites to classy steaks, and an in-depth enrichment programme including piano concerts and curated shopping experiences. Prices for the maiden cruise, an eight-night Elegant Enclaves journey from Barcelona to Rome, departing 11 August 2024, including drinks, speciality dining and tips, costs just US$6,630. explorajourneys.com

Explora II

September

Viva Enjoy, Viva Cruises
Three, four and seven-night cruises on the Danube await on Viva Cruises’ third new-build ship. The vessel holds 190 passengers, has three restaurants, and a mix of cabins and suites – most with stylish French balconies, welcome champagne and complimentary reusable water bottles. viva-cruises.com

Ilma, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
This all-balcony luxury newcomer holds 448 passengers and has five restaurants, six bars and an aft marina that offers paddleboards, kayaks and other water toys that can be borrowed free of charge. ritzcarltonyachtcollection.com 

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October

American Legend, American Cruise Lines
This is number four in ACL’s series of Coastal Cats, which can navigate almost any US waterway. With six public areas – elegantly dressed in monochromatic shades – clients will have plenty of opportunity to meet their fellow cruisers. Rooms range from compact single cabins to the Grand Suite, which comes with a separate bedroom and living space. americancruiselines.com

November

AmaMagdalena, AmaWaterways
AmaWaterways is not only launching a new ship but also introducing a new waterway to the river cruise roster – the Magdalena River in Colombia. The AmaMagdalena holds 60 passengers, has cabins with indoor/outdoor balconies, a sun-deck pool with a whirlpool, as well as massage and fitness rooms.
amawaterways.co.uk

December

Disney Treasure, Disney Cruise Line
Mickey and Minnie are back, this time on a ship with decor inspired by the Aladdin films, a new theatrical restaurant called Plaza de Coco for families, a candy-coloured sweet shop and the Periscope Pub just for adults. The ship holds 2,512 passengers and runs on LNG. disneycruise.com

Viking Vela, Viking
Vela is slightly bigger than Viking’s other ships (998 passengers as opposed to 930) and has the same features, including all-balcony cabins and suites with woven Norwegian blankets, a Nordic spa with a snow room, and Italian and Chef’s Table restaurants. viking.com