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CRUISE LOG
Royal Caribbean International

Our guide to the hottest new cruise ships on order

Gene Sloan
USA TODAY

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 Royal Caribbean and Norwegian, updated to include two new vessels recently announced by industry giant Carnival.

As in the past, we only include 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.

For the coming year, the big story in cruise-ship building is the development of new Princess and Norwegian vessels aimed at the Chinese market. Also notable is the arrival of the largest ships ever for MSC Cruises, Seabourn and Silversea (click through the carousel above for artist drawings of the vessels as well as others on order).

First look: Inside Norwegian Cruise Line's giant new ship

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

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

Silver Muse (Silversea Cruises)
Passengers: 596
Maiden voyage: April 20 
Notable: Largest Silversea ship ever
See also: Silversea Cruises orders new ship

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

Norwegian Joy (Norwegian Cruise Line)
Passengers: 4,200
Maiden voyage: May
Notable: Second in line's new Breakaway Plus series; to be deployed to China market
See also: Norwegian Cruise Line orders another new ship

American Constellation (American Cruise Lines)
Passengers: 170
Maiden voyage: May 6 
Notable: USA-focused line's latest coastal cruiser

National Geographic Quest (Lindblad Expeditions)
Passengers: 100
Maiden voyage: June 26
Notable: First of two new ships on order for the adventure line

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

Carnival Horizon (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

Viking Spirit (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 31 
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

Bellissima (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

Unnamed (Carnival Cruise Line)
Passengers: 5,200
Maiden voyage: 2020
Notable: Biggest Carnival ship ever
See also: Two giant new ships on the way for Carnival

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 (Celebrity Cruises)
Passengers: 2,900
Maiden voyage: Fall 2021
Notable: Third in a new class of ship for Celebrity

Unnamed (Royal Caribbean)
Passengers: 5,400
Maiden voyage: 2021
Notable: Fifth in the Oasis class series
See also: Royal Caribbean plans another giant cruise ship

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

Unnamed (Celebrity Cruises)
Passengers: 2,900
Maiden voyage: 2022
Notable: Fourth in a new class of ship for Celebrity

Unnamed (MSC Cruises)
Passengers: 5,400
Maiden voyage: 2022
Notable: First of new World class of ship at MSC
See also: European line plans giant new cruise ships

Unnamed (Carnival Cruise Line)
Passengers: 5,200
Maiden voyage: 2022
Notable: Second in a new class of larger Carnival ships
See also: Two giant new ships on the way for Carnival

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

2024

Unnamed (MSC Cruises)
Passengers: 5,400
Maiden voyage: 2024
Notable: Second of new World class of ship at MSC
See also: European line plans giant new cruise ships

Major lines with no ships on order: Azamara Club Cruises, Cunard Line, Oceania Cruises, Windstar Cruises.

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