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Set Sail in Style on These 10 New Cruise Ships

The launch of Ritz-Carlton’s line, the first roller coaster at sea, the world's biggest ship and more

spinner image The new Celebrity cruises ship Celebrity Apex is pictured at Les Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyards, in Saint-Nazaire, western France, on March 19, 2020, on the third day of a strict lockdown in France to stop the spread of COVID-19, caused by the novel coronavirus. - 1300 crew members are confined for 14 days in the ship, in order to avoid the spread of COVID-19 (Photo by Sebastien SALOM-GOMIS / AFP) (Photo by SEBASTIEN SALOM-GOMIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Celebrity Apex Cruise
Celebrity Cruises

We describe 10 of the new ships below. Some are already plying the oceans; others are launching throughout 2022. A few are very high-end, including the first ship from the new Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, but many are more affordable — fun for a cruise with kids or a grownup getaway.

Before booking

Be sure to stay updated on the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance for cruising. Most cruise lines also are requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

Note: The prices listed below are starting rates for one of each ship's less-expensive cruises, which tend to be to the Caribbean. ​ 

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Nice for Grownups

Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Cruises

Maiden voyage: June 2021

On the 2,910-passenger Celebrity Apex, a cartoon chef and his family dance in 3D across your plate as you dine on filet mignon during a Le Petit Chef experience. At a new show, Rockumentary, you not only rock out to hits from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, but use the Celebrity app on your smartphone to choose the show’s ending. Debuted last summer in Europe, the Celebrity Apex, like its sister ship Celebrity Edge, targets couples seeking a stunning and cushy contemporary environment heavy on tech advances. In lieu of step-out balconies, “Infinite Veranda” staterooms become open-air spaces with the simple push of a button (that opens the upper half of a windowed wall). An open-air platform called the Magic Carpet rides a track up and down one side of the ship, serving on alternate levels as cocktail and dining venues, and a no-stress way to board tenders to head ashore — you simply walk off the platform’s dock onto the small boats. Even with kids welcome, a sense of romance prevails.

Insider tip: No matter where in the world you’re cruising, you won’t miss the big game at the Craft Social Bar. Along with big-screen TVs, it has more than 40 beers and ciders on the menu and upscale comfort foods, such as Kobe beef sliders and truffle fries.

What you’ll pay: From $1,648 per person (double occupancy) for a seven-night Norwegian Fjords cruise in June 2022 from Amsterdam.

Launching next: Sister ship Celebrity Beyond debuts this month. Onboard, dine at a globally focused restaurant created by world-renowned chef Daniel Boulud.

spinner image Virgin cruise
Virgin Voyages

Scarlet Lady, Virgin Voyages

Maiden voyage: October 2021

Hip, flashy and certainly innovative — think tattoo parlor and late-night pool parties — best describes the first ship in the new Virgin Voyages fleet, the 2,770-passenger Scarlet Lady. With only those 18 and older allowed onboard, adults-only gets interpreted in interesting ways, such as naughty signage. Cleverly designed standard cabins come with beds that turn into sofas by day, and those with balconies feature a swinging hammock chair. The ship shines most on the dining front, with top-flight restaurants (no extra fees involved) replacing the standard dining rooms on other ships. The most extravagant option: The Test Kitchen, with a five-course tasting menu featuring various palate pleasers (eggs and caviar served in a smoking orb, for example) that come with a detailed description of ingredients and how chefs created the dishes. Entertainment goes way beyond typical show productions, such as a loud video- and dance-driven dance party that keeps everyone on their feet.

Insider tip: Don’t miss the circus show Duel Reality, says Nirmal Saviermuttu, Virgin’s chief operations officer. “The audience is quite literally on the edge of their seats as our incredible cast members contort their bodies, slide down towering poles, and leap across the air on a seesaw.”

What you’ll pay: From $1,200 for two passengers for a four-night sailing from Miami to the Bahamas in June 2022.

Launching next: Sister ship Valiant Lady debuted in Europe in March and Resilient Lady debuts in Europe in August 2022.

spinner image Enchanted Princess cruise in sunlight
Princess Cruises

Enchanted Princess, Princess Cruises

Maiden voyage: November 2021

On this Princess ship, you’ll easily find space to turn to mush (or completely veg out) when looking at the sea. The 3,560-passenger Enchanted Princess has 10 hot tubs, more than on any other Princess ship. The redesigned pool deck also encourages time in the sunny outdoors, or in the shade, in a top-deck bar and in two deep-tank pools linked by sunken seating. At the ship’s aft end, take in spectacular views of the horizon at another swimming spot, the Wakeview Pool. In the elegant three-deck Piazza atrium, sip a latte, enjoy a gelato or savor a glass of wine while people-watching and catching performances by street performers — just as you might in Italy. For a special dinner, check out Bistro Sur La Mer, created by acclaimed French chef Emmanuel Renaut, for pâté or escargot followed by coquilles St. Jacques (scallops) or seared duck. After dinner, extend your evening of fun by heading to the Take Five lounge for live jazz.

Insider tip: Catch a blockbuster movie outdoors on a giant poolside screen with Movies Under the Stars, the cruise equivalent of a drive-in. See family-friendly blockbusters such as Avatar and Black Widow. Use Princess’ OceanMedallion app on your smartphone to order a pizza, delivered right to your lounge chair.

See more Health & Wellness offers >

What you’ll pay: From $1,109 per person (double occupancy) for a 12-night British Isles cruise in June 2022 from London (Southampton).

Also new: Sister ship Discovery Princess debuted in March 2022.

spinner image Bolt Rollercoaster
Carnival Cruises

Ships Fun for Kids

Mardi Gras, Carnival Cruise Line

Maiden voyage: July 2021

The 5,282-passenger Mardi Gras is packed with family-friendly attractions divided into six zones to disperse crowds. The headliner: the BOLT, the world’s first at-sea roller coaster, which whips around the bravehearted on an 800-foot track with twists and turns at speeds of up to 40 mph. Five water slides, including Orange Thunder — you drop 229 feet into a splash zone — join the coaster in the Ultimate Playground. In another zone, a jazz club livens up the New Orleans-inspired French District, where celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse’s first shipboard bistro serves up jambalaya, po’boys and other Cajun favorites.

Insider tip: When you want to shift into slow gear and get some quiet on this action-packed ship, escape to either of the two infinity pools located aft on decks 8 and 16 around 6 p.m., when most others aboard are getting ready for dinner.

What you’ll pay: From $799 per person for a seven-night eastern Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral (near Orlando) in June 2022. When booking any cruise, check to see whether taxes, fees and port charges are included. If they aren’t, expect to pay up to $200 extra for a one-week sailing.

Launching next: Sister ship Carnival Celebration debuts in November 2022. 

MSC Seashore, MSC Cruises

Maiden voyage: November 2021

This 5,632-passenger ship set sail in the Caribbean last fall with the promise to bring its all-ages North American and international guests closer to the sea via more outdoor space, including six pools. While the kids play in the pirate-themed water park, walk the long promenade that wraps around the 1,100-foot ship, meant to feel like a stroll through a seaside town. Its New York-inspired design includes a 9 1/2-foot replica of the Statue of Liberty in the casino, as well as a three-story Times Square, an entertainment and shopping area, with a 28-foot-high projection of the Manhattan skyline.

Insider tip: If you aren’t afraid of heights, make your way up to the Bridge of Sighs on Deck 16, 72 feet above the ship and hundreds of feet above the sea, and look down through the glass floor. It’s like being on a helicopter hovering over the ship.

What you’ll pay: From $589 per person (double occupancy) for a seven-night western Caribbean and Bahamas itinerary in August 2022 from Miami.

Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean

Maiden voyage: March 2022

The family-friendly, 6,988- passenger Wonder of the Seas debuted this year as the world’s largest cruise ship. While its slightly smaller Oasis-class sister ships are divided into seven neighborhoods, this one adds an eighth, a spacious area complete with its own sun deck (including a plunge pool, cushy loungers and a restaurant and bar) for the big-spending suite set. Away from this fancy neighborhood, you can take the grandkids to play in the outdoor Wonder Playscape playground, featuring climbing walls, slides and an interactive mural you touch to see sea creatures, or for a ride on a classic carousel in the Boardwalk area. If you’ve got teens in tow, they can fly over the Boardwalk on a zip line and shoot down the Ultimate Abyss, a slide that winds down 10 decks. For alone time, escape to the ship’s Central Park and meander through a forest of trees.

Insider tip: Catch striking sea views from the top-deck pool bar, the Vue, which stretches off the side of the ship and is the best place to watch the sunset.

What you’ll pay: From $839 per person (double occupancy) for a seven-night cruise from Barcelona to France and Italy in June 2022.

spinner image waterslide on Disney Wish cruise ship
Disney

Disney Wish, Disney Cruise Line

Maiden voyage: June 2022

Disney’s first new ship in a decade, the much-anticipated 4,000-passenger Disney Wish, will launch with the line’s first Disney attraction: the Mickey- and Minnie-themed AquaMouse. As you travel along a 760-foot track in a two-seat vehicle, you follow the mouse duo on animated adventures (spoiler alert: you’ll get wet). Throughout the ship, Avenger, Disney, Pixar and Star Wars characters drive experiences, whether in costumed appearances or in themed spaces, like a water playground with a Toy Story theme.

Dining experiences are themed, as well. At the Avengers: Quantum Encounter restaurant, you and the kids are part of an Avengers story involving Ant Man and the Wasp and “Super Hero technology.” The menu plays with fact and fiction, with global foods and made-up recipes from the Marvel Universe’s fictional Sokovia and Wakanda.

Insider tip: Take the youngsters in your party to the Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge during the day (only adults are allowed at night) for Star Wars-inspired mocktails while movie clips from the popular space series play on multiple screens.

What you’ll pay: From $1,068 per person (double occupancy) for a three-night Bahamas cruise from Port Canaveral in September 2022.

spinner image Norewegian Prima cruise
Norwegian Cruise

Norwegian Pr1ma, Norwegian Cruise Line

Maiden voyage: August 2022

The 3,215-passenger Norwegian Primalaunching in Europe this summer before heading to the Caribbean in November 2022, will get your adrenaline flowing. It includes a three-story, 1,378-foot electric go-kart racing track (the fleet’s largest), high-speed dueling racing water slides, and a 10-story free-fall slide (you don’t get wet on this one) that starts with a floor that opens, and then you fall and fall. A new-design theater will host the Tony-nominated Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, then morph into a Vegas-style, technology-driven dance club that will also host audience-participation game shows — such as an oceangoing version of The Price Is Right — on real show sets and with prizes.

Insider tip: Enjoy classic games in exciting new ways, thanks to high-tech wizardry — and win prizes. On a mini-golf course, scorekeeping is automated, with technology knowing which ball belongs to whom. On hole No. 4, answering a trivia question correctly earns you an advantage (the length to the hole shrinks). While adults will be asked an adult question, kids might be quizzed about a TikTok star, or something else the younger set will know. Smart darts automatically keep score in a game of darts.

What you’ll pay: From $949 per person (double occupancy) for a seven-night western Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral in January 2023.

spinner image Terrace of the Panorama Lounge, Silver Moon.
Silversea

For a Splurge

Silver Moon, Silversea

Maiden voyage: August 2021

On the ultra-luxurious, 596-passenger Silver Moon, everyone settles into suites (most with balconies), ranging in size from 334 to nearly 2,000 square feet. Your butler will shine your shoes, draw a bath and bring caviar or whatever else your heart desires. The ship also pampers with extraordinary dining experiences and drinks on the house. It was built to travel the world, as reflected in a new culinary experience called S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste), designed to both titillate the taste buds with ingredients gathered on shore and educate guests on local food culture. Throughout the ship, lounge amidst modern Italian décor and impressive contemporary art.

What you’ll pay: Suites from $7,900 for two passengers for a seven-night cruise from Copenhagen in July 2022.

Also new: Sister ship Silver Dawn set sail in March 2022, pampering with a wellness program more about indulgence than deprivation. Roman baths inspired the concept, so you’ll be treated like an emperor or empress; if you want to sip champagne and munch caviar in the hot tub, so be it.

spinner image The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection - marina terrace
Ritz Carlton

Evrima, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Maiden voyage: May 2022

Come summer, if you have deep pockets, expect the same level of luxury at sea that you get at a Ritz-Carlton hotel on land when the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection debuts its first ship, the 298-passenger Evrima, after several delays. Spoil yourself with an open-air massage at the spa, complimentary champagne at the infinity pool and hand-rolled stogies in the Humidor cigar lounge. And splurge At S.E.A., with a tasting menu designed by chef Sven Elverfeld of the three-Michelin-starred Aqua at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Wolfsburg, Germany. All guests settle into spacious suites (starting at 312 square feet) with “terraces” (balconies). Some are 700-square-foot, two-level lofts with the bedroom downstairs and living room area upstairs. Whichever type of suite you choose, a personal assistant will be at your beck and call.

Insider tip: Bring along the kids and grandkids — unusual for a luxury ship, the Evrima welcomes children aboard. Those ages 4 to 12 may learn a thing or two in programming (from $45 for three hours) that combines play with environmental responsibility. They might do experiments to learn what’s in seawater or make art from recycled materials.

What you’ll pay: Fares from $6,800 per person (double occupancy) for a seven-night cruise from Barcelona to Nice, France, in October 2022.

Cleveland-based freelancer Fran Golden has written several books about Alaska, including 100 Things to Do in Alaska Before You Die and Frommer’s travel guides.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on December 13, 2021. It's been updated to reflect new information. 

AARP Travel Center

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