What's next from the world's largest cruise lines? Below is our annual list of ocean-going ships on order for major brands such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean, updated to include new vessels recently announced by Princess, Disney and Regent Seven Seas.
As in the past, we include only ships from lines that market to North Americans, leaving out such operators as Germany-based Aida Cruises, which caters to the German-speaking market. We also have left off river cruise ships on order (stay tuned for a separate update on the topic).
For the coming year, the big story in cruise-ship building is the development of a new vessel for Regent Seven Seas that's being billed as the most luxurious ever. Also notable are bigger ships for Holland America and Carnival (click through the carousel above for artist drawings of the vessels as well as others on order).
Among the most complex traveling machines built by man, ocean-going cruise ships take years to construct, so any new orders placed in the coming months likely won't be filled until 2020 at the earliest. We'll continue to update this page as new orders are announced.
2016
Koningsdam (Holland America)
Passengers: 2,650
Maiden voyage: April 8
Notable: First new ship for line since 2010
See also: Holland America orders new ship for 2015
Ovation of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
Passengers: 4,180
Maiden voyage: April 17
Notable: Third in new Quantum class series; to be deployed to China market
See also: Royal Caribbean orders another Quantum class ship
Carnival Vista (Carnival Cruise Line)
Passengers: 3,954
Maiden voyage: May 1
Notable: First new ship for line since 2012
See also: Carnival orders new ships for 2016
Harmony of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
Passengers: 5,400
Maiden voyage: May 22
Notable: Third in the hugely successful Oasis class series
See also: New world's largest cruise ship to be called Harmony
Seven Seas Explorer (Regent Seven Seas Cruises)
Passengers: 750
Maiden voyage: July 20
Notable: First new ship for luxury line since 2003
See also: New details emerge about Regent's next luxury ship
Seabourn Encore (Seabourn Cruise Line)
Passengers: 604
Maiden voyage: Dec. 4
Notable: Seabourn's largest ship ever
See also: New Seabourn ship to be line's biggest ever
2017
Viking Sky (Viking Cruises)
Passengers: 930
Maiden voyage: March 25
Notable: Third ocean-going ship for river cruise giant Viking
See also: Fast-growing Viking orders two more ships
Norwegian Joy (Norwegian Cruise Line)
Passengers: 4,200
Maiden voyage: Spring
Notable: Second in line's new Breakaway Plus series; to be deployed to China market
See also: Norwegian Cruise Line orders another new ship
Silver Muse (Silversea Cruises)
Passengers: 596
Maiden voyage: April
Notable: Largest Silversea ship ever
See also: Silversea Cruises orders new ship
Unnamed (American Cruise Lines)
Passengers: 170
Maiden voyage: Spring
Notable: USA-focused line's latest coastal cruiser
Unnamed (Lindblad Expeditions)
Passengers: 100
Maiden voyage: second quarter
Notable: First of two new ships on order for the adventure line
Majestic Princess (Princess Cruises)
Passengers: 3,560
Maiden voyage: April
Notable: Third in line's new Royal series; to be deployed to China market
See also: New Princess cruise ship in the works for 2017
MSC Meraviglia (MSC Cruises)
Passengers: 4,500
Maiden voyage: June
Notable: First in the new Meraviglia class of ship at MSC
See also: MSC Cruises to expand with new, larger ships
Flying Clipper (Star Clippers)
Passengers: 300
Maiden voyage: second half of 2017
Notable: World's largest square rigger
See also: Star Clippers to build world's largest square rigger
MSC Seaside (MSC Cruises)
Passengers: 4,140
Maiden voyage: November
Notable: First in the new Seaside class of ship for MSC
See also: MSC Cruises orders two 'revolutionary' new vessels
Viking Sun (Viking Cruises)
Passengers: 930
Maiden voyage: November
Notable: Fourth ocean-going ship for river cruise giant Viking
See also: Fast-growing Viking to have six ocean ships by 2020
2018
Unnamed (Royal Caribbean)
Passengers: 5,400
Maiden voyage: 2018
Notable: Fourth in the Oasis class series
See also: Royal Caribbean plans another giant cruise ship
Unnamed (Carnival Cruise Line)
Passengers: 3,954
Maiden voyage: March
Notable: Sister ship to Carnival Vista
See also: Carnival orders new ships for 2018
Norwegian Bliss (Norwegian Cruise Line)
Passengers: 4,200
Maiden voyage: Spring
Notable: Third in line's new Breakaway Plus series
See also: Norwegian orders two more ships
Unnamed (MSC Cruises)
Passengers: 4,140
Maiden voyage: May
Notable: Second in the new Seaside class of ship at MSC
See also: MSC Cruises orders two 'revolutionary' new ships
Unnamed (Lindblad Expeditions)
Passengers: 100
Maiden voyage: second quarter
Notable: Second of two new ships on order for the adventure line
Unnamed (Viking Cruises)
Passengers: 930
Maiden voyage: November
Notable: Fifth ocean-going ship for river cruise giant Viking
See also: Fast-growing Viking to have six ocean ships by 2020
Seabourn Ovation (Seabourn Cruise Line)
Passengers: 604
Maiden voyage: 2018
Notable: Second of two larger ships coming to Seabourn
See also: Seabourn orders another new ship
Scenic Eclipse (Scenic Cruises)
Passengers: 228
Maiden voyage: August
Notable: First ocean-going ship for river line Scenic
Unnamed (Celebrity Cruises)
Passengers: 2,900
Maiden voyage: Fall
Notable: First in a new class of ship for Celebrity
See also: Celebrity orders two new ships
Unnamed (Holland America)
Passengers: 2,650
Maiden voyage: November
Notable: Sister ship to Koningsdam
See also: New Holland America coming in 2018
2019
Unnamed (MSC Cruises)
Passengers: 4,500
Maiden voyage: 2019
Notable: Second in the new Meraviglia class of ship at MSC
Unnamed (Royal Caribbean)
Passengers: 4,180
Maiden voyage: Spring
Notable: Fourth in new Quantum class series
See also: Another megaship on the way for Royal Caribbean
Unnamed (Costa Cruises)
Passengers: 5,200
Maiden voyage: Spring
Notable: First in new series of larger Costa ships
Unnamed (Norwegian Cruise Line)
Passengers: 4,200
Maiden voyage: Late 2019
Notable: Fourth in the line's new Breakaway Plus series
See also: Norwegian orders two more ships
Unnamed (MSC Cruises)
Passengers: 4,888
Maiden voyage: October
Notable: First of new Meraviglia Plus class of ship at MSC
See also: MSC Cruises to expand with new, larger ships
Unnamed (Princess Cruises)
Passengers: 3,560
Maiden voyage: 2019
Notable: Fourth in line's new Royal series
See also: Another giant new ship on the way for Princess Cruises
Unnamed (Crystal Cruises)
Passengers: 1,000
Maiden voyage: Fall 2019
Notable: First new Crystal ship since 2003
See also: Crystal unveils major expansion
2020
Unnamed (Celebrity Cruises)
Passengers: 2,900
Maiden voyage: Early 2020
Notable: Second in a new class of ship for Celebrity
See also: Celebrity orders two new ships
Unnamed (Virgin Cruises)
Passengers: 2,860
Maiden voyage: Early 2020
Notable: First ship for new line from billionaire Richard Branson
See also: Virgin Cruises to debut in 2020
Unnamed (Costa Cruises)
Passengers: 5,200
Maiden voyage: Spring
Notable: Second in new series of larger Costa ships
Unnamed (Royal Caribbean)
Passengers: 4,180
Maiden voyage: Fall
Notable: Fifth in new Quantum class series
See also: Another megaship on the way for Royal Caribbean
Unnamed (Viking Cruises)
Passengers: 930
Maiden voyage: September
Notable: Sixth ocean-going ship for river cruise giant Viking
See also: Fast-growing Viking to have six ocean ships by 2020
Unnamed (MSC Cruises)
Passengers: 4,888
Maiden voyage: December
Notable: Second of new Meraviglia Plus class of ship at MSC
See also: MSC Cruises to expand with new, larger ships
Unnamed (Princess Cruises)
Passengers: 3,560
Maiden voyage: 2020
Notable: Fifth in line's new Royal series
See also: Another giant new ship on the way for Princess Cruises
Unnamed (Crystal Cruises)
Passengers: 1,000
Maiden voyage: 2020
Notable: Second in a series of three new ships for Crystal
See also: Crystal unveils major expansion
Unnamed (Regent Seven Seas Cruises)
Passengers: 750
Maiden voyage: 2020
Notable: A sister to the Seven Seas Explorer
See also: Another swanky new Regent ship on the way
2021
Unnamed (Virgin Cruises)
Passengers: 2,860
Maiden voyage: Early 2021
Notable: Second ship for new line Virgin Cruises
See also: Virgin Cruises to debut in 2020
Unnamed (Disney Cruise Line)
Passengers: 2,500
Maiden voyage: 2021
Notable: First of a new class of ship for Disney
See also: Disney to expand with two more ships
Unnamed (Crystal Cruises)
Passengers: 1,000
Maiden voyage: 2021
Notable: Third in a series of three new ships for Crystal
See also: Crystal unveils major expansion
2022
Unnamed (Virgin Cruises)
Passengers: 2,860
Maiden voyage: Early 2022
Notable: Third ship for new line Virgin Cruises
See also: Virgin Cruises to debut in 2020
2023
Unnamed (Disney Cruise Line)
Passengers: 2,500
Maiden voyage: 2021
Notable: First of a new class of ship for Disney
See also: Disney to expand with two more ships
Major lines with no ships on order: Azamara Club Cruises, Cunard Line, Oceania Cruises, Windstar Cruises.
