Six Cruise Ships Remain on Track for 2026 Delivery

Six cruise ships remain scheduled for delivery in 2026, with Explora Journeys’ Explora III next in line from Fincantieri in Italy in the coming weeks. The remaining handovers would complete a 13-ship newbuild year after seven vessels already joined the world fleet in 2026.

The latest Cruise Industry News global cruise ship orderbook puts the 2026 class at roughly 27,000 berths, with an average ship size of 94,715 gross tons, average capacity of 2,085 guests and a combined estimated value of $9.5 billion. Cruise Industry News data also projects a 9% increase in global cruise passenger capacity this year, the largest annual gain in the current orderbook cycle.

Explora III leads the remaining 2026 deliveries

Explora III is in final construction at Fincantieri and is scheduled to enter the Explora Journeys fleet this summer. The 72,810-gross-ton ship is the first LNG-powered vessel in the Explora fleet and carries 463 all-suite, oceanfront accommodations, with standard capacity listed at about 922 guests.

“With Explora III, we are thrilled to reach the halfway point in the launch of our fleet of six luxury ships,” said Anna Nash, president of Explora Journeys. The rollout includes a Genoa-to-Civitavecchia first guest voyage, a Barcelona naming event and a subsequent voyage to Lisbon before itineraries in Northern Europe, Iceland and Greenland.

Large contemporary ships are clustered late in the year

Two of the remaining deliveries are large contemporary ships. MSC Cruises is scheduled to take MSC World Asia from Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France in the fourth quarter; the 6,700-plus-passenger ship is due to debut in the Mediterranean before moving to Asian waters and includes an Asia-themed design program with a 12-meter LED dragon in the World Promenade.

Adora Cruises’ Adora Flora City is under construction in China at CSSC. The ship is China’s second domestically built large cruise ship, listed at 141,900 gross tons, 341 meters in length, 2,130 staterooms and capacity for up to 5,232 passengers; it floated out in March and began sea trials in May ahead of expected delivery by the end of 2026.

Luxury, expedition and hydrogen entries complete the lineup

Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Prestige is also scheduled for Fincantieri delivery in the fourth quarter. At 76,550 gross tons, 822 guests and 630 crew, the 411-suite ship introduces Regent’s first new ship class in a decade; the vessel is 40% larger than Regent’s next-largest ship while carrying 10% more passengers.

Antarctica21’s Magellan Discoverer is the only expedition vessel in the 2026 delivery group. Built at ASENAV in Chile, the 94-meter PC6 ice-strengthened ship has 40 cabins and is listed for 76 guests on Antarctic air-cruises and 96 on sea voyages, with 67 crew and staff.

Fincantieri’s fourth-quarter schedule also includes Viking Libra for Viking. The 998-guest ship is billed as the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship; its disclosed hybrid system uses liquefied hydrogen and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells producing up to 6 MW, while tank volume and refueling-frequency details have not been publicly released.

Seven ships already entered service

Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas was delivered by Meyer Turku in June, while Norwegian Cruise Line received Norwegian Luna from Fincantieri earlier in the year. Fincantieri also completed Four Seasons I, Mein Schiff Flow and Viking Mira.

Chantiers de l’Atlantique delivered OE Corinthian, launching the Orient Express Sailing Yachts brand, and Emerald Kaia was delivered by the Halong shipyard in the first quarter.

The orderbook also lists 15 cruise ships scheduled to enter service in 2027.