With a range of new ships set to join fleets around the world, and themed itineraries attracting new and returning passengers, the cruise industry remains buoyant.
Here we look at some of the biggest trends emerging in the cruise travel sector in 2026 and 2027.
New cruise ships
According to the 2026 Cruise Industry News Annual Report, the global fleet of cruise ships will increase from 459 at the start of this year to around 540 ships by 2037. This also means that passenger capacity will reach nearly 50 million in the next decade.
In 2026, 13 new cruise ships will enter service, Cruise Industry News reported. In terms of market segment, 22,841 of the new berths are for the contemporary market, 4,166 in the luxury segment, and 100 in the expedition market.
Highlights include Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas, which made its debut in July. It is the largest cruise ship in the world, a title shared with its sister ships, the Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas. Legend of the Seas features 28 dining venues, seven pools, the Crown’s Edge aerial obstacle course, a waterpark, surf simulator, rock climbing wall and mini golf, alongside entertainment including Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and America’s Got Talent LIVE.
Also in July, Explora Journeys took delivery of its third ship, the EXPLORA III, at Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard in Genoa, Italy. The most spacious vessel in the Explora fleet, it features three dining concepts – The Cellar, The Chef’s Table and Shore Club on 11 – a collection of penthouses and residences, plus a spa and fitness facilities.
Earlier this year, the Viking Libra, the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship, hit a major construction milestone. Floated out on 19 March at Fincantieri’s Ancona Shipyard, it marked a significant step forward for the cruise ship, which is designed to operate with near-zero emissions when powered by hydrogen, with entry into service scheduled for November 2026.
Viking River Cruises has also taken delivery of the Viking Dagur, the company’s newest longship. Built at Meyer’s Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock-Warnemünde, Germany, the 190-passenger vessel will sail Viking’s river cruise itineraries on the Rhine, Main and Danube.
‘Chocolate lab’ on the MSC World Asia
Another new ship launching in 2026 will be the MSC World Asia. Setting sail on seven-night Mediterranean itineraries from December 2026, the MSC Cruises vessel will visit destinations such as Barcelona, Marseille, Messina, Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples and Valletta.
With new entertainment, dining and family experiences on offer, guests travelling onboard the MSC World Asia can explore more than 40 bars, lounges, cafés and restaurants. They can also enjoy the largest Venchi chocolate experience at sea – a 300 square metre destination combining a chocolate boutique, café and gelateria.
Located in the Galleria district on the sixth deck, the Venchi facility offers a live chocolate-making experience, where guests can watch experts at work and step into the “chocolate lab” to create their own custom bars. As part of the collaboration, Venchi and MSC Cruises have also created a new gelato flavour, “Crunchy Waves”, which will be available at selected Venchi stores worldwide from 1-31 August.
The LNG-powered MSC World Asia, one of MSC’s flagship World Class vessels, will carry up to 6,762 passengers and feature more than 2,600 cabins. Other entertainment offerings include the Family Aventura District, The Clubhouse, and MSC Luna Park Arena.
Younger passengers embrace cruise travel
Europe’s cruise sector is attracting a younger demographic. They are embracing cruises as a flexible and experience-led way to travel, with the Mediterranean a key part of that story.
Data from MSC Cruises shows that 34% of bookings for 18- to 35-year-olds are for the Mediterranean. This aligns with data from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), which found that the Med is the leading cruise region for the industry overall.
There is also growing interest in the Caribbean among younger travellers, according to MSC. Currently, around 40% of 18 to 35 bookings for 2026 are for Caribbean itineraries, up from 28% in 2024 and 33% in 2025.
“This upward trend suggests that younger travellers are increasingly using cruise holidays to access a broader range of destinations, including those traditionally perceived as more luxury-led,” MSC said.
Themed cruises: True crime, golf and music
True crime has been a massive hit in literature, podcasts, TV and film, but now it’s also a popular cruise trend.
Described as a must-do for all “amateur sleuths”, Virgin Voyages has recently announced that its adults-only true crime voyage is “back by popular demand”.
It will sail from Miami on 20 March 2027 on a five-night adventure in the Caribbean. Onboard attractions include live podcast recordings, behind-the-scenes sessions for aspiring creators, meet-and-greets with true crime hosts, and crime-themed trivia and events to test passengers’ “detective skills”.
Wellness and active sailings are another growing trend that has been embraced by a number of cruise lines, including Silversea, which recently announced a new collection of golf-focused voyages. Launching in 2027 in partnership with international golf travel provider PerryGolf, the new voyages will give passengers the chance to play some of the world’s most iconic golf courses.
Meanwhile, river cruise line VIVA Cruises has confirmed that its “Winter Magic with André Rieu” voyages will be held in December 2026. Departing on 9 and 15 December from Düsseldorf and calling at Venlo, Roermond, Maastricht and Nijmegen, the six-night cruises on the VIVA RUBY will include the chance to attend a Christmas concert by the acclaimed violinist and conductor.