2025 to Witness a Surge in New Cruise Ships as Experts Anticipate a Travel Boom

2025 to Witness a Surge in New Cruise Ships as Experts Anticipate a Travel Boom

As the cruise industry prepares for a remarkable transformation in 2025, Sean Hornbeck of The Connected Traveler, is eager to share insights into the exciting developments. With a lineup of groundbreaking ships set to debut, including Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas, MSC’s World America, Celebrity’s Xcel, Oceania’s Allura and Princess Cruise’s Star Princess, travelers can look forward to an enhanced cruising experience.

These new vessels promise to redefine luxury and adventure at sea, making 2025 a year to remember for cruise enthusiasts. Cruise travel has become a top choice for many vacationers as the world continues to emerge from the pandemic’s sailing hiatus.

According to Hornbeck, cruise lines are continuously evolving, offering passengers more opportunities to customize their experiences with new onboard activities, dining options, and appealing destinations. Many travelers are now viewing cruises as a cost-effective way to explore places like Europe. Indeed, many found Greek cruise pricing cheaper than a Greek hotel stay.

 Hornbeck notes that travelers are increasingly frustrated with the inflated hotel prices that have emerged since the pandemic, leading more people to opt for cruises, which provide better value for their travel experiences.

 The Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) estimates that 35.7 million people will sail on cruises in 2024. "A lot of first-timers who never thought they’d go on a cruise are doing it … and there are also those who want to cruise as often as possible. The key takeaway is that future bookings have never been stronger,” said Hornbeck.

Moreover, new ships are entering virtually every market of the cruise industry.  Some 2025 highlights on which Hornbeck has group sailings are listed below.

Oceania Allura

Oceania Cruises is set to launch the Allura, with its inaugural sailing departing from Trieste, Italy, on July 18, 2025. This six-day cruise will take passengers to stunning destinations, including Athens, Greece; Rijeka, Croatia; Ravenna, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; and Kotor, Montenegro, as detailed on Oceania Cruises’ website.

The vessel can accommodate 1,200 guests, supported by an impressive crew of 800, ensuring a ratio of two crew members for every three guests. Food enthusiasts will be delighted by the culinary offerings, featuring one chef for every ten guests, along with a new onboard crêperie serving made-to-order crêpes and waffles.

Rates for this exceptional experience currently start at $2,999 per guest.

MSC Cruises World America

MSC Cruises, a Swiss-Italian cruise line, is set to launch its largest ship in the U.S. market, the World America, with its inaugural public sailing from Miami on April 12, 2025. The itineraries will alternate weekly, featuring stops in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Cozumel, Mexico; Isla de Roatan, Honduras; and MSC’s private island in the Bahamas, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.

The ship is thoughtfully divided into seven distinct districts, each catering to different types of travelers, ranging from Family Aventura to the serene Zen Area. It also boasts a brand-new outdoor deck for families called The Harbour, which includes a rope course and playground, as highlighted on MSC Cruises’ website.

Rates for our experience currently start at $689 per person.

Princess Cruises Star Princess

In addition, Princess Cruises is set to debut the Star Princess in October 2025. This vessel will offer a variety of itineraries, including nine- to 21-day cruises to the Greek islands, Turkey, France, and Italy, as well as five- to 14-day cruises to the eastern and western Caribbean, and a seven-day cruise through the Alaska Inside Passage.

Passengers can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views from a glass sphere, providing ocean vistas from every angle, as noted on Princess Cruises’ website. The ship features a three-level dining room where guests can indulge in exquisite multicourse Meals.

The Connected Traveler loved the sister ship, the Sun Princess, and cannot wait to get folks on this one.  It is going to be doing Alaskan sailings and the Panama Canal.  Their will be groups on both ships.

Rates for the seven-day Inside Passage cruise currently start at $1,188, while rates for the western Mediterranean journey begins at $2,047. Additionally, the 14-day eastern/western Caribbean cruise starts at $1,547.

Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages is set to debut its fourth cruise ship, the Brilliant Lady, which will embark on its maiden voyage in September 2025, sailing out of New York City. This inaugural journey, referred as a “mermaiden voyage” will be followed by three additional mermaiden voyages from Miami, Los Angeles, and Alaska. The Connected Traveler has groups on both the New York and LA Mermaidens, with an extra special MerMan takeover planned for While the Alaska voyages are not scheduled until 2026 and details have yet to be announced, travelers can expect an unforgettable experience aboard this brand-new cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas

Constructed by Meyer Turku in Finland, the Star of the Seas is the second ship in the Icon-class, powered by LNG. It is anticipated to share many features with the innovative Icon of the Seas, including a wide array of dining options, eight distinct neighborhoods, and the largest waterpark at sea.

The ship will feature over 2,800 staterooms across 14 categories. Upon its launch, it will offer sailings to the western Caribbean from Port Canaveral and is expected to become the largest cruise ship in the world.

Celebrity Xcel

Constructed at Chantiers de l'Atlantique in St. Nazaire, France, the Celebrity Xcel is an Edge-class ship that boasts two-story villas, exquisite dining options, an expanded Rooftop Garden, the innovative Celebrity Magic Carpet, and a VIP area known as The Retreat.

The Celebrity Xcel features a number of new elements including a multi-level, multi-terraced Sunset Bar, an industry-first tri-fuel engine for increased sustainability, expanded Retreat areas with exclusive amenities for suite guests, and a design that builds upon the popular features of the Edge Series ships with further refinements to the overall experience; essentially offering a "next level" of luxury cruising compared to previous Celebrity ships. Celebrity anticipates that the ship will “excel” beyond the offerings of its sister ships Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Ascent, and Celebrity Edge. Upon its inaugural voyage, the ship will set sail for the Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

In short, the future of cruising in 2025 looks incredibly promising with exciting new ships all set to redefine the cruising experience in the coming years. With unique itineraries and innovative features, these vessels are sure to captivate travelers. For more information on these upcoming adventures and to stay updated on the latest in the cruise industry, be sure to check out www.theconnectedtraveler.com.

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