Here Are All the New Cruise Ships Debuting in 2027

While 2027 won’t be the cruise industry’s busiest year, it will, nevertheless, see at least 14 ocean-going cruise ships join the global fleet, adding some 27,100 additional lower berths for a 4% increase in capacity overall.

The ships will range in size from 94 passengers on Amangati, Aman’s first ever entry in the cruise industry, to more than 7,500 guests on Royal Caribbean’s fourth Icon Class ship Hero of the Seas.

Other standout debuts in 2027 will include two more Explora Journeys ships, a first-in-class ship from Oceania Cruises that’s meant to push the cruise line firmly into the luxury space, and Carnival Festivale, the first Excel class ship from Carnival that’s significantly different from its classmates.

Travel Market Report has compiled a list of all the new ocean ships coming out in 2027, along with highlights of each, their capacity, and maiden season itineraries, to help you keep it all straight.

EXPLORA IV (Explora Journeys), April 2027

As its name suggests, EXPLORA IV will be the fourth cruise ship in the Explora Journeys fleet, pushing the line past the halfway mark in its journey to a six-ship fleet.

The ship will be nearly identical to EXPLORA III. Both are slightly larger than the first two ships in the fleet (926 passengers at double occupancy versus 922 on EXPLORA I and II), have a higher percentage of Ocean Penthouse and Ocean Residences, and both are powered by liquified natural gas (LNG).

Guest capacity (double occupancy): 926
Inaugural sailing: April 23, seven-night Lisbon to Southampton
Maiden season: Northern Europe, New England & Canada, Caribbean

Carnival Festivale (Carnival Cruise Line), May 2027

Carnival Festivale will be the fourth Excel Class ship in the Carnival fleet but will feature some significant differences from the first three.

For one, it will not have the family-friendly, keycard-entry-only Family Harbor with family lounge. Instead, it will feature about 1,000 interconnecting staterooms – a 70% increase from the current Excel-class ships. It will also have a new dedicated space for kids 2 years of age and younger, a direct result of travel advisors telling Carnival this is something their clients are asking for.

Replacing the top-deck BOLT roller coaster, Carnival Festivale will have a massive outdoor family space called Sunsation Point, the highlight of which will be a six-slide WaterWorks Ultra. Other Sunsation Point features will be a reimagined miniature golf, a ropes course, themed arcade spaces, and more.

When it comes to food and drink, Festivale will feature an expanded Alchemy Bar with room for live music in the evenings. While it will have some as-yet-unannounced new dining concepts, it will offer signature eateries such as Shaq’s Big Chicken, Emeril’s Bistro 1397, Guy’s Pig & Anchor, Rudi’s Seagrill, and ChiBang.

Guest capacity (double occupancy): 6,400
Inaugural sailing: May 2, 2027; 15-day transatlantic (Southampton, England to Port Canaveral)
Maiden season: six- and eight-day Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries

Orient Express Olympian (Orient Express), Spring 2027

Orient Express Olympian, the second mega cruise yacht from Orient Express Sailing Yachts, will share the title of world’s largest sailing yacht with its fleetmate, Orient Express Corinthian, when it sets sail in May 2027. But while the two vessels will be the same size and feature all the same staterooms categories (54 suites ranging from 485 square feet to 2,476 square feet) and public spaces (five complimentary restaurants), Olympian will not be a carbon copy of Corinthian.

For instance, Orient Express Olympian will feature a family pool on Deck 7, in place of the swimming corridor found on Orient Express Corinthian. Olympian will also feature a lap pool that can be converted into a dance floor.

Guest capacity (double capacity): 108
Inaugural sailing: Spring 2027
Maiden season: Europe, Mediterranean

Amangati (Aman at Sea), May 2027

When the 600-foot, nine-deck Amangati moto yacht debuts in May 2027, it will represent the launch of yet another hotel company into the cruise space. Designed to reflect Aman’s signature principles of space, privacy, and tranquility, Amangati will have room for just 94 guests in staterooms that range from 731 square feet to 3,811 square feet.

Wellness will be a highlight on the ship, with a massive 12,817-square-foot Aman Spa spread across two decks and featuring a hammam (Turkish bath) and banya (East Slavic bathhouse), as well as multiple treatment rooms with private outdoor terraces, showers, and open-air whirlpool baths.

Guest capacity (total): 94
Inaugural sailing: May 7, 2027; six nights Mediterranean (Palma de Mallorca to Nice)
Maiden season: Caribbean

Norwegian Aura (Norwegian Cruise Line), May 2027

The 3,840-passenger Norwegian Aura will be the brand’s longest and largest vessel in its fleet, measuring in at 1,130 feet long – 22 meters longer than Norwegian Aqua and Norwegian Luna (which are both 22 meters longer than Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva).

An evolution of the Prima Plus Class, Norwegian Aura will feature an all-new attraction, the three-deck, open-air Ocean Heights complex that will have the most waterslides of any NCL ship. These include Eclipse Racers, the brand’s first dueling mat racer waterslides; the Aura Free Fall drop, a drop-in body waterslide where the floor opens up below and plunges guests down 250 feet of twists and turns; the Wave pendulum-style raft ride that accommodates groups of up to four riders; and The Drop, the Prima Class’ signature dry slide that shoots guests down 10 decks.

Norwegian Aura will also feature many NCL signatures including Ocean Boulevard, which wraps around the entirety of the ship. Aboard Norwegian Aura, the area has been extended by 11% compared to Norwegian Aqua and Norwegian Luna, offering new hot tubs and a brand-new bar.

Guest capacity (double occupancy): approx. 3,880
Inaugural sailing: May 21, 2027; seven-day Mediterranean (Trieste to Barcelona)
Maiden season: Mediterranean, Caribbean

Viking Astrea (Viking), June 2027

We say it every year. No year is complete without the debut of at least one new Viking ship. In 2027, that’s Viking Astrea, a sister ship to Viking Libra, the first hydrogen-powered cruise ship, capable of operating with zero emissions. Other than its power system, the ship is identical to the rest of the Viking ocean fleet.

Guest capacity (full occupancy): 998
Inaugural sailing: June 1, 2027; seven-night Mediterranean (Venice to Civitavecchia)
Maiden season: Mediterranean, Northern Europe

American Mariner and American Navigator (American Cruise Lines), June/July 2027

The fourth and fifth Patriot Class ships for American Cruise Lines, both American Mariner and American Navigator will feature generously-sized single rooms (280 square feet), plus doubles and suites – all with private balconies. Ship amenities include multiple guest lounges, a top-deck walking track, a fitness center, grand dining hall, a cafe, and complimentary laundry.

Guest capacity (full occupancy): 130
Inaugural sailing: Mariner – June 1, 2027, seven-night Maine Coast & Harbors (RT Portland, Maine) | Navigator – July 30, 2027, seven-night Cape Codder (RT Boston)
Maiden season: Mariner – East Coast Coastal Cruising | Navigator – East Coast Coastal Cruising

Emerald Raiya (Emerald Cruises), June 2027

Following the debut of Emerald Kaia in 2026, Emerald Cruises will welcome sister ship Emerald Raiya to its fleet in 2027. Like Kaia, it is all-suite – with 88% of suites offering a private balcony – and has capacity for 129 guests (versus Emerald’s first two cruise yachts, which both hold 100).

Onboard spaces include the 5,500-square-foot indoor/outdoor Sky Deck with a spa pool, private cabanas, and a dedicated outdoor bar; Marina Deck providing direct sea access and complimentary water toys; three dining venues (La Cucina, Night Market Grill, and Aqua Café); and expanded spa and wellness spaces.

Guests capacity: 128
Inaugural sailing: June 19, 2027; eight-day Greek Islands & Turkish Coastline (RT Athens)
Maiden season: Seychelles, Eastern Mediterranean

Oceania Sonata (Oceania Cruises), August 2027

When it debuts next summer, Oceania Sonata will be the first in an all-new class of ship for Oceania Cruises. The ship is so anticipated by past and prospective guests that it broke Oceania’s record for best opening day of reservations, with bookings surpassing the launch-day bookings of Oceania’s previous newest ship (Allura) by 45%.

The first of four 1,390-guest ships, Sonata is being designed to elevate the brand firmly into the luxury category. One-third of all guest accommodations will be suites – including two entirely new categories of suites: Horizon Suites and Penthouse Deluxe Suites.

Also, brand-new will be two new culinary experiences: La Table par Maîtres Cuisiniers de France and Nikkei Kitchen, which will specialize in the fusion of Peruvian flavors and Japanese culinary techniques and tastes.

Guest capacity (double occupancy): 1,390
Inaugural sailing: August 7, 2027; 14-day Mediterranean (Rome to Trieste)
Maiden season: Mediterranean, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America

Hero of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International), August 2027

Royal Caribbean’s fourth Icon Class ship, Hero of the Seas, is as hotly anticipated as its classmates have been. Like the other three Icon Class ships, Hero of the Seas will feature eight neighborhoods, 28 dining options, and lots of entertainment.

It will also have the most pools in Royal Caribbean fleet including an all-new Caribbean-inspired pool offering in-water loungers, three adults-only pools, and the largest swim-up bar at sea.

New to the brand will be a family raft slide and new accommodations for multigenerational families – including the three-story Ultimate Family Treehouse.

Guest capacity (double occupancy): 5,610
Inaugural sailing: Aug. 11, 2027; three nights Perfect Day Getaway (Miami RT)
Maiden season: Western and Eastern Caribbean

MSC World Atlantic (MSC Cruises), November 2027

MSC Cruises’ fourth World Class Ship, MSC World Atlantic, will be a mix of signature MSC venues and a few new-to-brand spaces – to the tune of more than 30 bars, restaurants, and lounges.

Highlights will include Viva La Musica, a new Latin culture-themed bar with live music and salsa dancing; The Harbour, a returning outdoor activity park with water park, ropes course, and more; and a retro-inspired “Clubhouse” that evolves throughout the day.

Like its sister ship MSC World America, MSC World Atlantic will also feature  theCliffhanger, the adrenaline-pumping over-water swing that lifts guests 160 feet above the ocean.

Guest capacity (total): 6,774
Inaugural sailing: Nov. 13, 2027
Maiden season: Eastern & Western Caribbean

EXPLORA V (Explora Journeys), December 2027

Explora’s progress towards its six-ship fleet plans takes a second giant step in 2027 with the arrival of EXPLORA V, some eight months after the debut of EXPLORA IV.

Not much has been said about EXPLORA V, but we do know that like EXPLORA III and IV it will be slightly larger than the first two ships in the fleet and will be powered by LNG.

Guest capacity (double occupancy): 926
Inaugural sailing: December 4, 2027; seven nights (Civitavecchia to Istanbul)
Maiden season: Mediterranean, Middle East, Northern Europe

Disney Believe (Disney Cruise Line), Q4 2027

With the launch of Disney’s fourth Wish Class ship around a year and a half away (Disney hasn’t released sail dates yet), we still don’t know a lot about Disney Believe.

It will likely feature many of the same venues and attractions as its classmates Disney Wish, Disney Treasure, and Disney Destiny, but is also likely to have only-on-Disney Believe amenities at well.

What we do know is who some of the star characters will be onboard the ship. For instance, Tinker Bell will adorn the ship’s bow, flanked by the silhouettes of Peter, Wendy, and Captain Hook, while Moana will fill the role of Grand Hall icon. Other movies that will take center stage on Believe include “Encanto,” “Frozen,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” and “The Little Mermaid.” At the back of the ship Woody and Buzz will “work together” to etch the ship’s name into the hull.

Guest capacity (full occupancy): 4,000
Inaugural sailing: Not yet revealed
Maiden season: Not yet revealed