Five new cruise ships set for debuts by year-end
Upcoming vessels from Viking, MSC Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises include new propulsion, design and class milestones.
Five new cruise ships are making their debuts, with one having entered service in July and the remaining vessels expected to arrive before the end of the year.
Viking Libra is planned as the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship, with technology intended to enable zero-emission operation and visits to environmentally sensitive destinations. The 998-passenger vessel is expected to retain Viking’s Scandinavian-style fleet layout while measuring about 40 feet longer and seven feet wider than its fleetmates.
MSC Cruises plans to introduce MSC World Asia, its third World Class vessel, in December 2026. The ship is set to begin sailing in the Mediterranean before moving to Asian waters. Planned features include a 12-meter dragon sculpture illuminated by thousands of LED lights in the World Promenade.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Prestige will be the company’s first entirely new ship class in a decade. Its scheduled December debut is a transatlantic voyage from Barcelona to Miami.