Thanks to plenty of ship orders made in advance of the pandemic,
there are more than a dozen ocean newbuilds on the horizon. In fact, not
including smaller coastal and expedition cruise operators and ship
transfers from other brands (such as Costa Cruises to Carnival Cruise
Line), there are a total of 14 maiden mainstream vessels scheduled to
set sail in 2023.
1. Carnival Jubilee, Carnival Cruise Line
Following Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, a third Excel-class
ship will join Carnival Cruise Line — the historically named Carnival
Jubilee. Currently under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in
Papenburg, Germany, the LNG- (liquefied natural gas) powered vessel will
homeport from Galveston, Texas, beginning in December.
2. Celebrity Ascent, Celebrity Cruises
Another sister ship to arrive in December will be Celebrity Cruises’
Celebrity Ascent. The fourth Edge-class ship will repeat the size and
arrangement of the slightly larger and latest Celebrity Beyond, with its
own Magic Carpet and all. Its inaugural voyage will sail to the Eastern
Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
3. Emerald Sakara, Emerald Cruises
Like Viking, Emerald Cruises is another line to recently expand from
river cruising into ocean voyaging, and it is ready to launch its second
yacht — Emerald Sakara — in August. The intimate 100-guest vessel will
start off on its “Ionian Sea Adventure” from Athens to Rome.
4. Explora I, Explora Journeys
As an entirely new brand spun from MSC Cruises, Explora Journeys will
be an all-inclusive luxury line taking cues from its famed MSC Yacht
Club experience and making it ship-wide. The 922-guest Explora I will be
the first of six planned ships when it comes out in July, first sailing
from Southampton in the United Kingdom.
5. MSC Euribia, MSC Cruises
Meanwhile, MSC Cruises will have its own new MSC Euribia debuting in
June 2023. The line’s third Meraviglia Plus-class ship will be its
second LNG-powered vessel and first from the company to display hull
art. Euribia will be introduced in Northern Europe, departing from Kiel,
Germany, and heading to the Norwegian Fjords.
6. Norwegian Viva, Norwegian Cruise Line
On the heels of its latest Norwegian Prima, the second in the
namesake class — Norwegian Viva — will be unveiled in August. Viva will
repeat Prima’s latest take on The Haven ship-within-a-ship complex, and
feature a massive array of culinary offerings, a go-kart racetrack and
more when it arrives in Miami.
7. Resilient Lady, Virgin Voyages
Virgin Voyages third ship, Resilient Lady, is scheduled to launch in
May, initially from Athens, Greece, and farther expanding to Australia.
The brand’s “adult by design” casual atmosphere is expected to continue
in full force.
8. Scenic Eclipse II, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours
Similar to corporate cousin Emerald Cruises, a second ship will also
join the Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours fleet in April. Scenic II
will debut with another pair of helicopters, and an upgraded deck pool
experience, to luxuriously travel from pole to pole. Its inaugural
“Incredible Iberian Discovery” voyage will travel from Lisbon to
Barcelona.
9. Seabourn Pursuit, Seabourn Cruise Line
Seabourn Cruise Line will be another in 2023 to double up on its
adventure yachts when Seabourn Pursuit sets sail in September. Mirroring
the design of Seabourn Venture, the luxury ship will embark on
expeditions from the Arctic to Antarctica and remote destinations in
between.
10. Seven Seas Grandeur, Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Yet another luxury line preparing to launch a new ship is Regent
Seven Seas Cruises. Its latest Seven Seas Grandeur will be a third
sister to Seven Seas Explorer and Seven Seas Splendor when it embarks in
November. The ship’s maiden voyage will be a weeklong journey from
Venice to Barcelona.
11. Silver Nova, Silversea Cruises
If there was any remaining doubt that 2023 is shaping up to be a year
full of luxury cruising, Silversea Cruises is scheduled to unveil its
all-new Silver Nova in August. The entirely new class of ship will
feature a unique asymmetrical layout with more scenic venues than ever
before from the line. Nova will first launch in the Mediterranean Sea,
roundtrip from Venice.
12. Viking Neptune and Viking Saturn, Viking
Not slowing down in the slightest, Viking has not one, but two, ocean
ships for 2023. Viking Neptune, the line’s eighth ocean ship, was just
christened this month, and its ninth, Viking Saturn, is on the calendar
for April.
13. Vista, Oceania Cruises
Last, but certainly not least, is Oceania Cruises’ latest design and
class of ships beginning with Vista in May, which will be the line’s
first new ship in a decade. Building on the brand’s upscale reputation,
Vista will be somewhat larger than its preceding Marina and Riviera. Its
maiden voyage season will begin in the Mediterranean.