The motto of 2026 might be “and now for something completely different.”
Hotel brands are launching cruise ships. Cruise lines are building hotels and branded destinations. Always-popular Alaska is welcoming an influx of new cruise lines and returning brands that haven’t ventured north in years. And this year’s new luxury ships are a little bigger, a little more sustainable and a little bit fancier than their predecessors.
Here’s what we’re most excited about for the next 12 months.
Luxury Hotel Yachts
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection started the trend of high-end hotel brands launching cruise lines, but as of 2026, it won’t be the only game in town.
Four Seasons Yachts is next to woo hotel loyalists when Four Seasons I debuts in March in the Mediterranean. The 95-suite yacht will carry about half the guests of Ritz-Carlton’s Luminara, which debuted in 2025, in all-suite, all-balcony accommodations. Highlights include menus by a rotating roster of Four Seasons chefs, an iconic four-deck Funnel Suite and a bridge team led by social media darling Captain Kate McCue.
We can’t wait to try the Japanese omakase experience and the ship’s transverse (rather than aft) marina, which allows for water play on both sides of the ship. What we’re less excited about: Cruise fares that don’t cover alcohol, lunch or dinner.
(Orient Express Sailing Yachts)
Hot on Four Seasons’ heels, Orient Express Sailing Yachts will bring French style and Golden Age glamour to the high seas when its 54-suite Orient Express Corinthian launches in June. The three-masted ship promises to be a showstopper, with modern glass-paneled sails and sleek, contemporary design. Powered by a sustainable mix of LNG and wind, Corinthian will sail to the Mediterranean and Caribbean, with included private events and soirées in select ports.
Onboard, guests can dine on menus created by Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno, sip cocktails at a post-Prohibition-style speakeasy or fully embrace vacation mode at the 5,000-square-foot spa, adults-only game room and Flybridge outdoor lounge beneath the masts.
World’s Southernmost Hotel
Hotels aren’t the only ones branching out. In 2026, one cruise line is stepping firmly into the hotel business.
Silversea will unveil not only its first hotel property but also the world’s southernmost hotel when The Cormorant at 55 South opens in October. The luxury lodge is being built in Puerto Williams, Chile — the gateway for Silversea’s traditional and fly-cruise voyages to Antarctica.
The property will feature 150 guest rooms, along with a restaurant, lounge, fitness center and gift shop. The goal is to create a seamless pre- and post-cruise experience, beginning with an overnight stay before guests head south, and providing a comfortable place to wait should Antarctic weather delay flights to the ship.
(Silversea)
Debuts and Grand Returns in Alaska
Alaska will be firmly in the spotlight in 2026, thanks to an influx of new cruise lines and ships, along with several prodigal children returning after years away.
True first-timers include The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, making its Alaska debut with Luminara, and adults-only favorite Virgin Voyages, which brings Brilliant Lady north after launching in 2025. MSC Cruises is also headed to Alaska for the first time, retrofitting MSC Poesia with a new Yacht Club enclave. Luxury clients will enjoy 63 new suites, along with a private restaurant, lounge and sun deck.
Disney devotees will be thrilled that Disney Cruise Line is adding Disney Magic to join longtime Alaska stalwart Disney Wonder, marking the brand’s first two-ship season in the region.
We’re equally excited to see some familiar luxury names return. Windstar Cruises last sailed Alaska in 2023 but makes a splashy comeback in 2026 with its first-ever Star Class newbuild, Star Seeker. Crystal and Azamara haven’t been seen here since 2019, but both are recommitting to the region, with Crystal Symphony and Azamara Pursuit returning to check in on glaciers and bald eagles alike.
(Regent Seven Seas Cruises)
More Luxe Ships
Of course, no cruise year would be complete without a fresh slate of new ships, and 2026 delivers plenty of eye candy.
The biggest debut arrives at the very end of the year, when Regent Seven Seas Cruises launches Seven Seas Prestige in December. The first ship in a new class for the all-inclusive luxury line, Prestige will carry 822 guests — Regent’s largest ship to date — while still boasting one of the highest space-to-guest ratios at sea. Its showpiece is the two-story, nearly 9,000-square-foot Skyview Regent Suite, priced at around $25,000 per night.
Windstar also has a busy year ahead with Star Seeker and Star Explorer, debuting in December 2025 and 2026, respectively. These will be the first ships in the fleet designed and built in this century. Star Seeker is a true newbuild (originally designed for Atlas Ocean Voyages), while the 2019-built Star Explorer will receive a Windstar-style glow-up after its charter with Quark Expeditions ends. We’re especially excited about the new Basil + Bamboo restaurant and the line’s first-ever infinite window cabins.
(Windstar Cruises )
The rest of 2026’s new ocean ships are largely evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Viking will debut two sister ships, Viking Mira and Viking Libra, with the latter earning bragging rights as the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship.
Emerald Cruises’ Emerald Kaia ups capacity to 128 guests (from its sisters’ 100) and introduces more spacious cabins, an expanded spa, redesigned Sun and Sky Decks and an inflatable waterslide as part of its aft marina. Explora Journeys will launch Explora III, featuring slightly higher capacity, more premium suites, enhanced kids’ spaces and the fleet’s first LNG-powered ship.
Different ships, different strategies — and a very different cruise year ahead.
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