Cruise lines are in the middle of an unusually busy launch cycle, with everything from 6,000-passenger megaships to 36-guest Adriatic vessels hitting the water between now and 2028. If you've been putting off a first cruise, or fancy trying a different style of sailing, there's a lot of fresh choice coming.
The big hitters first. Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas, the third Icon-class ship and the biggest afloat at roughly 248,663 gross tonnes, spent its debut summer running seven-night Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona and Rome. It carries 5,610 passengers and packs in the largest waterpark at sea, a skywalk, a zipline, 40 bars and restaurants, plus a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical and a Royal Railway immersive dining experience. MSC counters in December 2026 with MSC World Asia, sailing round-trips from Barcelona with a 12-deck dry slide, seven pools and F1 simulators. And Disney's largest ship ever, the 208,000-tonne Disney Adventure, is now based in Singapore on three to five-night Asian itineraries — complete with the line's first-ever rollercoaster, a Marvel-themed Ironcycle Test Run.
Luxury has its own wave coming. Regent Seven Seas launches its first new ship class in a decade, Seven Seas Prestige, in December 2026 with a maiden voyage from Barcelona to Miami. Just 822 guests, butler service throughout, and a 9,000-square-foot Skyview Regent Suite that runs £20,000 a night. Four Seasons has entered cruising too: its yacht Four Seasons I is alternating the Greek islands, Croatia and the French Riviera in summer with the Caribbean and Bahamas in winter. Oceania Sonata follows in August 2027 with one chef for every eight guests and a Nikkei-inspired Japanese-Peruvian restaurant. Windstar's Star Explorer, with just 224 guests, starts year-round European sailing from Barcelona in December 2026.
River cruising is arguably where the most action is. Tui Aria now sails the Moselle and Rhine with Europe's first retractable-roof indoor pool on a river ship, which converts into an Italian restaurant at night. Viking Mira launched in June for Mediterranean and northern Europe routes. Riviera Travel's MS Riviera Resplendence debuted on the Rhine in July, while Travelmarvel's adult-only TM Rigel carries 178 guests on the Rhine, Main and Danube. Celebrity is entering the river game in 2027 with ten ships on order — Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker will sail the Rhine and Danube, and 2027 cabins have already sold out. Scenic Group has three vessels coming too, including the 68-passenger Scenic Spirit II on the Mekong through Vietnam and Cambodia in early 2028.
Smaller-scale options? Sail Croatia's My Way takes just 36 passengers on seven-night Split-to-Dubrovnik runs from June 2027, with swim stops in Adriatic coves.
Who should care: families heading for Legend or Disney Adventure; couples wanting small-ship luxury from Regent, Four Seasons or Windstar; and river-cruise newcomers who should book Celebrity's 2028 sailings early, given how fast 2027 went.