There is plenty to be excited about with new ships coming out as there are eleven ocean-going cruise ships debuting in 2024. Here is a quick look at each of them.
Icon of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International), January 2024
Icon of the Sea will be the first in an all-new class of ship for Royal Caribbean and will feature a number of new innovations including the largest waterpark at sea and a new neighborhood dedicated to kids younger than 6 years old.
Guest capacity (double occupancy): 5,610
Inaugural sailing: January 28; 7-day round trip from Miami (St. Kitts, St. Thomas, Perfect Day at CocoCay their private beach)
Maiden season: Caribbean
# of cabin categories: 39 (including 14 that are new to Royal Caribbean)
Sun Princess (Princess Cruises), February 2024
Sun Princess will be the first in an all-new class of ship for Princess Cruises. While it will have most of the line’s popular signature spaces, it will also debut The Dome, a stunning geodesic dome that boasts an indoor pool by day and an entertainment stage by night. It will also be the first Princess ship with a suites-only complex.
Guest capacity (double occupancy): 4,300
Inaugural sailing: February 8; 10-day Grand Mediterranean (Barcelona, Mallorca, Sicily, Athens, Kusadasi, Santorini, Naples, Rome)
Maiden season: Mediterranean, followed by Western and Eastern Caribbean out of Port Everglades in the fall
# of cabin categories: 32 (including at least one that is new to Princess)
Queen Anne (Cunard), May 2024
Cunard’s fourth Queen will be the line’s first new ship in 12 years and will have a completely redesigned interior that blends Cunard’s traditional feel with a contemporary aesthetic. The ship will also be the first in the Cunard fleet to have a two-deck theater and 15 restaurants.
Guest capacity (double occupancy): 2,996
Inaugural sailing: May 3; 7-night round trip from Southampton (La Coruna, Lisbon)
Maiden season: European cruises out of Southampton (Mediterranean, Scandinavia, the Canary Islands, Norwegian Fjords)
# of cabin categories: 28
Silver Ray (Silversea Cruises), June 2024
Silver Ray will be the second in an all-new class of ship for Silversea. Like Silver Nova, it will feature the line’s largest selection of restaurants, bars and suite categories, and will boast a crew-to-guest ratio of 1 to 1.3.
Guest capacity (double occupancy): 728
Inaugural sailing: June 3; 12-day Western Europe (Southampton, Hornfleur, Cherbourg, St. Peter Port, Bordeaux, Bilbao, Oporto, Lisbon)
Maiden season: Mediterranean (through December 2024)/South America (through early March 2025)
# of cabin categories: 13
American Liberty (American Cruise Lines), June 2024 + American Legend (late 2024)
Liberty
Legend
American Liberty and Legend will be American Cruise Lines third and fourth catamaran-style cruise vessels designed for coastal sailing. The all-balcony ship will have lots of outdoor space for scenic cruising, as well as a swim and activity platform at the back equipped with kayaks.
Guest capacity (full occupancy): 100
Inaugural sailing: American Liberty — June 17; 8-day Chesapeake Bay round trip from Baltimore (Annapolis, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Cambridge, Oxford, St. Michaels) | American Legend — November 25, 8-day Florida Gulf Coast & Keys round trip from St. Petersburg (Punta Gorda, Marco Island, Key West)
Maiden season: American Liberty — Chesapeake Bay, New England, Historic South | American Legend — Florida Gulf & Keys, Mid-Atlantic, New England
# of cabin categories: 5
Utopia of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International), July 2024
Utopia of the Seas will be the sixth ship in the line’s popular Oasis class, but it will be the first in the class to be powered by the more environmentally friendly LNG fuel. It will feature a mix of popular Royal Caribbean amenities and a few new attractions, including an immersive dining experience, Royal Promenade-based tiki bar, and an all-new Solarium Suite stateroom category.
Guest capacity (double occupancy): Approx. 5,668
Inaugural sailing: July 22; four-day Bahamas (Nassau, Perfect Day at CocoCay)
Maiden season: Three- and four-day Bahamas cruises
# of cabin categories: 38
Explora II (Explora Journeys), August 2024
The second ship for brand-new cruise line Explora Journeys (owned by MSC), Explora II will be a virtual carbon copy of Explora I boasting six restaurants, 27,000 square feet of outdoor space, and all-suite all-balcony accommodations.
Guest capacity (double occupancy): 922
Inaugural sailing: August 12; 11-night Mediterranean (Barcelona, Menorca, Civitavecchia, Rome, Palermo, Corfu, Mykonos, Athens)
Maiden season: The Mediterranean, Middle East, India, the Indian Ocean and Africa
# of cabin categories: 14
Ilma (The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection), September 2024
Though The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s second yacht will not be a carbon copy of its first (Evrima), it will share a number of features including a marina for direct access to non-motorized water play, two pools including an aft infinity pool, five restaurants, a spa, and more.
Guest capacity (double occupancy): 448
Inaugural sailing: September 19; 7-night Mediterranean (Athens, Mykonos, Alanya, Limassol, Haifa)
Maiden season: Mediterranean
# of cabin categories: 7
Disney Treasure (Disney Cruise Line), December 2024
Disney Treasure, the second in the line’s new Triton Class, will feature two of the rotational main dining rooms also found on Disney Wish: Worlds of Marvel and 1923. It will also have the Walt Disney Theatre, Palo Steakhouse, The Rose Lounge, Mickey and Minnie’s Festival of Foods, Toy Story Splash Zone, dual cinemas, Senses Spa, and more.
New to Disney Treasure will be the “Plaza De Coco” dining venue, inspired by the Disney and Pixar film “Coco.” Its menu will include “modern twists on traditional Mexican fare,” as well as a lineup of live entertainment with a storyline that picks up right where “Coco” leaves off.
Guest capacity (full occupancy): approx. 4,000
Inaugural sailing: Dec. 21; seven-night Eastern Caribbean
Maiden season: Seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings.
# of cabin categories: 26
Viking Vela (Viking), December 2024
Viking Vela is due for delivery at the end of the year. The ship will be larger than other Viking ocean ships (able to hold about 34 more passengers in 17 additional cabins), but otherwise nearly identical to the rest of the fleet,
Guest capacity (double occupancy): 998
Inaugural sailing: Dec. 12; eight-night Iconic Western Mediterranean (Rome to Barcelona)
Maiden season: Mediterranean, British Isles, Iceland, Northern Europe,
# of cabin categories: 18
So which of these ships do you want to set sail on first? Contact me at vacationiseasy@gmail.com to get a stateroom secured.