New Cruise Ships 2025: What To Expect From Luxury Cruising

A new year is coming and with it exciting news from the best cruise lines out there. Come along with us as we review the new cruise ships 2025 offers. From cutting-edge design to innovative amenities, renewed classics, more overnights, and special entertainment, it sounds like 2025 will be another great year for luxury cruise enthusiasts.

Celebrity Cruises – Celebrity Xcel

Celebrity Cruises is set to expand its Edge series with the introduction of Celebrity Xcel in November 2025. Set to debut with an inaugural season across the Caribbean, brand favorites are to be expected onboard, along with new innovations we are still waiting to hear more of. 

What we do know is the brand has been particularly focused on raising the bar on entertainment even higher, adding new productions and activities onboard, such as main theater shows featuring kinetic lighting, lasers, and IMAG to display real-time live performances on a large LED screen. 

Coming in big, with even a brand new logo, the Celebrity Xcel will offer fine dining experiences designed by Celebrity’s Global Culinary Ambassador Daniel Boulud, updated accommodations onboard The Retreat, a Rooftop Garden, and even the return of the Magic Carpet onboard!

With 7-night itineraries departing from Fort Lauderdale, the Xcel will explore the Bahamas, Mexico, Cayman Islands, Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. 

As usual, we recommend upgrading to The Retreat for the ultimate suite experience, including access to private areas around the ship, plus the very precious help of a dedicated concierge, and your Personal Retreat Host. Enjoy premium amenities onboard, priority check-in, and dinner at Luminae, privileges only granted to guests of the suite category.

Oceania Cruises – Allura

Oceania Cruises will introduce the Allura in 2025, a sister ship to the already fabulous Oceania Vista. This elegant vessel will offer guests the signature Oceania experience of fine dining, luxurious accommodations, and enriching itineraries.

1,200 passengers will be lucky enough to set sail on its maiden voyage from Trieste to Athens, featuring stopovers in Croatia, Italy, and Montenegro. With two crew members per every three passengers onboard, this is bound to be a 5-star experience at sea. 

The Oceania Allura deck plans will feature new dining venues and cabin categories, including solo cabins for single travelers, and balconies all around. 

For the best views, make sure to book a Vista Suite, offering 180-degree panoramics, and ranging in size from 1,450 to 1,850 square feet. Enough space to fit a dining room and bar area that opens to a teak veranda! 

The Allura’s Owner Suites have all been styled by Ralph Lauren Home, and continue to be the largest ones onboard, with an impressive up to 2,389 square feet of space, spa-style bathroom, and cocktail bar. Of course, 24-hour butler service is included in all Vista level and above suites. 

As usual with Oceania, the cuisine is something to be excited about. Oceania Allura will feature 12 different dining experiences, including the upscale Ember, offering reworked American classic dishes, and Aquamar Kitchen, with a focus on healthy eating. 

Viking Cruises – Viking Tonle and Viking Vesta 

For 2025 Viking Cruises is not releasing one, but two spectacular new ships! The Viking Tonle, specifically designed to navigate the Mekong River, and the Viking Vesta, an adult-only ocean vessel meant to sail the Mediterranean and Scandinavian coasts. 

Maintaining the brand’s classic Scandinavian design, both new vessels are meant to provide the sense of familiarity Viking guests have become accustomed to.

The first one to set sail will be the Viking Vesta, departing during the Summer, followed by the Viking Tonle, scheduled to sail in October 2025. Both purpose-built ships offer a variety of suites to choose from, while still maintaining the small ship experience.

The Viking Tonle fits only 80 passengers onboard, distributed along 40-river-facing staterooms: Expect French Balcony cabins with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass windows, Veranda Suites with walk-out balconies, and of course, the 735-square-feet Explorer Suites featuring premium amenities. 

A new feature we are excited about in the Viking Tonle is a small fitness center, unusual for Viking river ships, that comes to join their classic public areas. 

Viking Vesta, on the other hand, fits 998 passengers onboard, with not many changes in terms of other Viking ships, except for the added 40 feet of space to accommodate new marine technology. Relax in either of two pools, the gym, and a Scandinavian-inspired spa with its fabulous thermal suite, sauna, and ice grotto. 

Ponant – Paspaley Pearl

Ponant is stepping up the game on new cruise ships for 2025. In partnership with the South Sea pearling company Paspaley, the Paspaley Pearl will be sailing from East Timor to Bali in January 2025.

The boutique expedition motor yacht, fitting no more than 30 exclusive guests and a crew of 21 – including four naturalist guides – will sail the coasts of East Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Far North Kimberley Region of Australia.

What an opportunity to experience the Asia Pacific region in style! Altogether, both brands combine experience of more than 85 years in the area. The guarantee is an expert-led voyage, and onboard such an intimate ship, you can expect to be highly personalized.

Following some of the routes pioneered by Nicholas Paspaley and his crew in the 1970s, the Paspaley Pearl will give guests a glimpse of local cultural traditions and biodiversity. Excursions include visiting a Sepik River community in the village of Kopar, participating in the traditional buffalo races of Sumbawa Besar, and remote fishing or pearl cultivation along the Kimberley Coast.

The suites look spectacular, and so does the ship! Each stateroom comes with a private balcony, floor-to-ceiling glass doors, luxury amenities, and as much space as you need to feel the lux of the yachting lifestyle.

Service is set to be impeccable, while the main dining area serves locally inspired gourmet dinners, and the Sun Deck Lounge features an eight-person jacuzzi from where to overlook your destination.

Princess Cruises – Star Princess

Princess Cruises is expanding its Sphere Class with the launch of Star Princess in October 2025.

Sailing the Mediterranean, this new vessel will be one of the largest in Princess Cruises’ fleet, and the second one to include the use of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), ensuring a cleaner navigation. 

We are excited to see the new Dome and Signature Collection Suites, and rumor has it that the ocean views at the Piazza are a true delight! A three-story dining room is set to serve multi-course meals in the most elegant fashion, while The Arena is meant to bring theater to a whole new level onboard. 

Make sure to book a suite onboard The Sanctuary Collection, which has been reimagined for the Star Princess, offering access to exclusive amenities, including gourmet meals in the Sanctuary Exclusive Restaurant, and downtime at the Suite Lounge. From all-new Cabana Mini-Suites, perfect for groups traveling together, to the expansive Sky Suite (featuring up to 1,260 square feet!), you have plenty to choose from.

Enjoy unique dining experiences such as Love by Britto, featuring world-renowned artist Romero Britto’s showcase, providing a spectacular ambiance to a boutique restaurant, with an exquisite menu crafted by chef Rudi Sodamin. 

If you love gambling, you will be excited to know that Princess is leveling up their Vegas-caliber experience with the expansion of the Princess Casino, featuring the first “Buffalo Zone” at sea. Entertainment onboard is something the brand has also made sure to level up, offering enhanced performances along with new venues. Expect musical theater of all kinds, immersive dancing experiences, and a variety of recently premiered shows. 

Norwegian Cruise Line – Norwegian Aqua

Norwegian Cruise Line is also jumping in on the new cruise ships 2025 offer with its Norwegian Aqua, the first ship in the Prima Plus Class. NCL’s ship number 20 will set sail in spring 2025, and it features the most spacious accommodations the brand is yet to offer, plus the world’s first hybrid coaster!

First, let’s talk about the suites because Norwegian is going all out on this ship! Situated in The Haven (of course), we have the first-ever three-bedroom Duplex Haven Suites. Expect two-story suites with separate living and dining areas, three bathrooms, and a tremendous balcony to soak up the views. 

Norwegian Aqua’s The Haven will actually be the largest yet, with 123 suites, each of them with butler service, plus the benefits we have already come to expect of this suite category, such as a private sun deck, private lounge, and an outdoor spa. 

Solo travelers rejoice! The ship will offer solo stateroom expanded categories as well. 

When it comes to entertainment, the Aqua features the first hybrid roller coaster and waterslide at sea, meant to satisfy thrill seekers of all ages onboard. The Aqua Slidecoaster comes with dual slides propelling you through two different courses up to three stories high! 

With itineraries focusing on the Caribbean, the Norwegian Aqua will continue the brand’s tradition of eye-catching hull art, this time featuring the work of Allison Hueman, a Filipino-American multidisciplinary artist who has previously collaborated with Nike, Google, Sony Music, and more

Royal Caribbean – Star of the Seas

The newest ship on the Icon Class, Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas is set to sail in the summer of 2025. Out of the new cruise ships 2025 brings, this is certainly going to be one for the books!

We were already impressed with the Icon of the Seas, but Star of the Seas is set to double down on Icon Class thrills. This means six new waterslides, over 40 different dining and drinking options, seven splash pools – each of them with a view more impressive than the other, in fact – and more to be revealed!

As we have come to expect from Royal Caribbean, entertainment for all families is a given, as the brand is set to offer the best value out there when it comes to Eastern and Western Caribbean adventures. 

Take your experience onboard this ship even further by booking within The Royal Suite class category, and enjoying the special amenities and over-the-top suites offered. From the multi-story extravaganza offered by the Royal Loft Suite to the flamboyant Ultimate Family Townhouse.

Enjoy ultimate entertainment experiences onboard, as the Star of the Seas promises to raise the bar even higher with superhuman stunt-filled performances at the AquaDome, Broadway-worthy spectacles, and the transformational magic offered by Absolute Zero’s digitally mapped backdrop. 

A Glimpse into the Future of Cruising

While 2025 promises to be an exciting year for the cruise industry, there are even more groundbreaking ships on the horizon. Cruise lines are continually pushing the boundaries of innovation, with future vessels likely to feature advanced technology, sustainable design, and immersive experiences.

Some of the trends to watch for include:

• Smart ships: Utilizing advanced technology to enhance the guest experience, such as facial recognition, virtual assistants, and personalized recommendations.
• Sustainable design: Incorporating eco-friendly materials and practices to minimize the environmental impact of cruising.
• Immersive experiences: Offering unique and authentic encounters with local cultures and destinations, including more overnights and time off-board
• Wellness and relaxation: Prioritizing passenger well-being with dedicated wellness areas and spa facilities.

As the cruise industry continues to evolve, we can expect even more exciting and innovative ships to emerge in the coming years.

Whether you’re a seasoned cruiser or a first-time traveler, the future of cruising holds endless possibilities. With new ships offering cutting-edge technology, luxurious accommodations, and immersive experiences, there has never been a better time to set sail on an unforgettable adventure.

Ready to book your trip on any of these? Make sure to contact me or the rest of the team at Luxury Cruise Connections. We are ready to guide you through the process, and give you all the details regarding these exciting new cruise ships 2025 is bringing!