Cruise Lines Order 74 New Ships Through 2036, Adding 205,000 Berths

Cruise Industry News’ latest Global Cruise Ship Orderbook lists 74 cruise ships currently on order worldwide, with deliveries scheduled through 2036. The dataset totals more than $76.5 billion in shipbuilding investment and is expected to add over 205,250 berths to the global cruise fleet.

What the current orderbook says about scale, cost and capacity

Beyond the topline ship count, the orderbook points to continued growth in both vessel size and passenger capacity across more than a dozen cruise brands. Cruise Industry News calculates that the ships on order average nearly 120,000 gross tons and are designed for about 2,770 passengers on average.

• Ships on order: The orderbook lists 74 vessels on order with deliveries extending through 2036.
• Total investment: Cruise Industry News’ calculations put total newbuild cost at over $76.5 billion.
• New capacity: The pipeline is expected to add over 205,250 berths to the global fleet through 2036.
• Average ship size and capacity: Ships on order average nearly 120,000 gross tons and about 2,770 passengers.
• Unit economics: The orderbook lists an average price per berth of $372,778 and an average ship cost of $1,033,959,459.

While the orderbook includes vessels across multiple market segments, the headline numbers reflect an industry still committing to long-term capacity growth well beyond the second half of this decade.

Who is building the most ships

In the current pipeline, MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) sit at the top of the orderbook totals, while other major groups are also set for substantial fleet growth. Cruise Industry News’ orderbook summaries note that no official statements from cruise line executives or shipyards were included in the available overview material.

• MSC Cruises and NCLH: The orderbook overview lists both MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings with 14 ships on order, the highest totals cited in the current snapshot.
• Royal Caribbean Group: The orderbook data points to over 37,000 berths expected from eight ships entering service for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and TUI by 2032.
• Carnival Corporation: Carnival Corporation is listed with seven ships on order through 2033 for Carnival Cruise Line and AIDA Cruises, while separate coverage also highlights five Carnival Cruise Line ships on order.
• Viking and Disney Cruise Line: Viking is listed with ten new ships scheduled to join the fleet by 2031, while Disney Cruise Line is listed with five ships on order.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings: a 14-ship program built at Fincantieri

NCLH’s orderbook spans three brands and extends to 2036, with Cruise Industry News valuing the program at over $19 billion. The orderbook dataset also notes that all 14 ships are slated to be built at Fincantieri.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises: Prestige-class ships from 2026 to 2033

Regent Seven Seas Cruises is set to introduce three Prestige-class ships between 2026 and 2033. Seven Seas Prestige is scheduled to enter service in December 2026, followed by two additional 822-guest ships in 2029 and 2033.

Oceania Cruises: Sonata and Arietta, with more sister ships into the mid-2030s

Oceania Cruises has four ships on order, starting with Oceania Sonata due for delivery in 2027, followed by Oceania Arietta in 2029. Two additional sister ships, each listed with capacity for 1,390 passengers, are planned for delivery between 2032 and 2035.

Norwegian Cruise Line: Norwegian Luna and a larger new prototype class

Norwegian Cruise Line is slated to bring seven new ships into service over the next decade. Norwegian Luna, listed at 3,571 guests, is scheduled to debut in March 2026 and is described in industry reporting as part of the Prima Plus class.

Two additional ships (currently unnamed) are scheduled for delivery in 2027 and 2028. The orderbook then lists a new class debuting in 2030 at 225,000 tons, designed for 5,100 guests in double occupancy, followed by three sister ships between 2032 and 2036.

MSC Cruises: World Class growth and a new Frontier Class series

MSC’s order pipeline features additional World Class ships as well as a four-ship Frontier Class series, with the orderbook describing upcoming newbuilds as LNG-fueled. The orderbook overview lists MSC Cruises with 14 ships on order, while separate industry reporting has also described a ten-vessel MSC newbuild program through 2033.

World Class deliveries begin in 2026

Among the named World Class ships, MSC World Asia is scheduled for December 2026 at 216,638 gross tons, with capacity listed at 6,758 passengers in double occupancy. MSC World Atlantic is listed for 2027 at 216,638 gross tons and 6,774 passengers in double occupancy; both are to be built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique.

The World Class program then continues with additional hulls listed across 2028 through 2031, also at 216,638 gross tons and built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique.

Frontier Class begins in 2030

MSC’s four-ship Frontier Class series is listed to begin in 2030. Each ship is listed at 180,000 gross tons with a 5,400-passenger capacity, and all are scheduled to be built by Meyer Werft, with deliveries spanning 2030 through 2033.

Mega-ship expansion continues, alongside investments in destinations

Large newbuilds remain a defining feature of the pipeline, including multiple ships exceeding 200,000 gross tons across major brands. Royal Caribbean continues to expand around its biggest ship classes, with Legend of the Seas (an Icon class ship) scheduled to debut in 2026 at 250,800 gross tons and a capacity for 5,610 passengers; two additional Icon class ships and another Oasis class vessel are slated to follow by 2028.

On the Carnival side, separate industry coverage highlights five Carnival Cruise Line ships on order, including Carnival Festivale (an Excel class ship scheduled for 2027) and a 230,000-gross-ton vessel under Project Ace for 2029.

At the itinerary and product level, major brands are also investing in private and exclusive destinations. Royal Caribbean is developing over eight proprietary destinations, while Carnival has cited projects including Celebration Key and a revamped Mahogany Bay that is set to be renamed Isla Tropicale.

Fuel choices, future-ready designs and shore power

Across the orderbook, alternative fuels remain a central theme for near-term deliveries. Cruise Industry News reports that 65 percent of the ships entering service in 2026 are expected to be powered by alternative fuels such as LNG, with forward-looking coverage also pointing to methanol-ready designs and the introduction of hydrogen-powered ships in the future.

The same coverage also points to port-side infrastructure developments, including expanded shore power capability in Europe and other regions.

How Cruise Industry News compiles the orderbook

Alongside the topline orderbook totals, Cruise Industry News also publishes an Orderbook Data Report that compiles the newbuild pipeline year by year, covering orders from 1988 through 2036. The report format described includes ship-by-ship profiles with fields such as shipyard, gross tonnage, capacity, cost and scheduled delivery timing, enabling side-by-side comparisons of ordering trends before and after the pandemic period.

With deliveries extending into the mid-2030s, the orderbook lays out a long runway for fleet growth, while the next wave of deliveries beginning in 2026 will start translating those orders into added capacity in the market.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the largest ship currently under construction?

The largest ship cited in the available coverage is Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas, an Icon class vessel listed at 250,800 gross tons with capacity for 5,610 passengers. It is scheduled to debut in 2026.

How many cruise ships are currently on order worldwide?

Cruise Industry News’ latest Global Cruise Ship Orderbook lists 74 vessels currently on order, with deliveries scheduled through 2036.

How much capacity will these new ships add?

Across the full pipeline, the ships on order are expected to add over 205,250 berths to the global cruise fleet through 2036.

Which cruise companies have the largest number of ships on order?

In the current orderbook overview, MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings are listed with 14 ships on order each, the highest totals cited in the dataset summary.

Why are most new cruise ships being powered by LNG?

The orderbook coverage describes many upcoming newbuilds as LNG-fueled as part of a broader shift toward alternative fuels. Separate industry reporting links LNG adoption to emissions reductions compared with traditional marine fuels, alongside cruise lines’ stated sustainability goals and evolving environmental standards.