Cruising is becoming more popular than ever. Whether you take a short trip to an Australian destination, go further afield in the South Pacific, or fly and cruise in Alaska, the Caribbean or Mediterranean, you're promised a great value holiday. Here are some of the cruise updates in 2024 to get excited about.
.. July 18: Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), has unveiled a new collection of sailings for the 2026 spring/summer as well as a brand new homeport.
The company will be the first to commence cruising from the SouthPort Marine Terminal Complex in Philadelphia with voyages to Bermuda, as well as Canada and New England beginning April, 16 2026. There are nearly 250 new 2026 Northern Hemisphere Spring/Summer voyages destinations including the Caribbean, Bahamas and Alaska. NCL offers a choice of three departure ports for Alaska, including Seattle, Vancouver, and Whittier, and some of the newest ships in the region Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy , so Aussie and Kiwi travellers can check Alaska off their bucket list in 2025 or 2026.
Keep reading for more cruise news...
July 8: Royal Caribbean has unveiled Grammy-winning artist Meghan Trainor as the godmother of the new Utopia of the Seas. In celebration, Trainor will perform live on a 3-night cruise just days before the new ship's official July 19 debut. The party kicks off in Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida, where Utopia will sail 3- and 4-night holidays to Royal Caribbean's private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay, and Nassau, The Bahamas.
Trainor, as godmother, will join a longstanding maritime tradition when she bestows safekeeping onto the ship, its crew and the millions who will holiday on Utopia for years to come. July 1: Seabourn Cruises has made history by appointing traditional land owners as the godparents of its new ship, Pursuit. The Wunambal Gaambera Traditional Owners of WA's Kimberley region officially named the ship, as its godparents, in a ceremony over the weekend.
The move is part of Seabourn's dedication to preserving the cultural heritage and natural beauty of the destinations its cruise ships explore. "This day marks a very special event with the christening of Seabourn Pursuit, our newest ultra-luxury purpose-built expedition ship," said Seabourn President Natalya Leahy. Catherine Goonack, chair of the Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation said: "It's good to see our people working on Country and sharing our unique culture in the right way.
"Living and working on Country is important for us. When we are living and speaking language on Country, we are healthy." The event also included a Welcome to Country, a smoking ceremony, and a a traditional story-telling song and dance carried out by the Wunambal Gaambera people.
July 1: If you're a fan of wine, then you might want to consider taking your next trip onboard a Celebrity Cruises ship. The premium cruise line set a record last week after winning 18 awards at the 2024 Wine Spectator Awards. Boasting the most-awarded wine collection at sea, this brings Celebrity Cruises' total to more than 136 awards over 12 consecutive years.
Along with a robust on-board wine offering, Celebrity also offers guests to partake in wine-focused programs while on a cruise. These include world wine tastings, food and wine pairing workshops, destination winery tours, and access to a curated selection of handpicked wines. June 21: Regent Seven Seas Cruises has unveiled its first look at the next generation of ultra-luxury ships.
The Seven Seas Prestige, which will be delivered in 2026, will boast one of the highest guest-to-space ratios in the cruise industry. The new ship class will introduce brand new accommodation categories, including a reimagination of the palatial Regent Suite, plus new dining experiences. Regent is already known for its 'Most Inclusive Luxury Experience', which will be enhanced on its new ships.
New features will include gourmet cuisine in a range of speciality restaurants and al-fresco dining venues, fine wines and spirits, entertainment, unlimited WiFi, valet laundry service, pre-paid gratuities and one-night, pre-cruise hotel packages for guests staying in Concierge-level suites and higher and more. Seven Seas Prestig e will be the first of two Prestige-Class ships, the second of which will be launched in 2029. Andrea DeMarco, President of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, says the new ships will "maintain the intimate and luxurious service our guests love, while also providing even more space throughout the ship, allowing for new suite categories and new experiences.
" June 19: Disney Cruise Line has confirmed a new season of Australia and New Zealand voyages, sailing from October 2025 to February 2026. Sailing from Sydney and Melbourne in Australia, and Auckland in New Zealand, the new season aboard the Disney Wonder will feature 3-to-10-night 'Disney Magic at Sea' cruises from 19 October 2025. The Disney Wonder embodies the Disney Cruise Line tradition of blending the elegant grace of early 20th century transatlantic ocean liners with contemporary design to create a stylish and spectacular cruise ship.
Guests will be immersed in the magic of Disney storytelling with favourite Characters, imaginative dining, Broadway-style shows and themed parties throughout the sailing. The 2025-2026 season itineraries include a new 10-night Trans-Tasman voyage sailing from Auckland to Sydney from 19 December 2025, that will visit five New Zealand destinations for the first-time including Tauranga, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, and Fiordland National Park. Bookings for this new season will open for general sale from June 28, 2024 and guests wanting to sail even sooner can book now for the anticipated upcoming 2024/2024 season of Australia and New Zealand cruises.
READ MORE: What it's like on a Disney Cruise with a family June 18: Greece looks set to limit the number of cruise ships that can visit some of its most popular islands, including Mykonos and Santorini. Greece's prime minister reportedly aims to limit cruise ships as of next year (2025), amid claims the island is "clearly suffering" and "can't afford" the impact thousands of visitors each year are having. Around 800 cruise ships carrying 1.
3 million passengers made stops in the Aegean to visit holiday hotspot Santorini last year. The whitewashed island has an estimated 15,000 permanent residents. Mykonos also received nearly 750 cruise ships in 2023 – up 23 per cent from the previous year.
Barcelona, Venice and Amsterdam all have already turned away or drastically cut the number of shops allowed. June 17: After more than two years of construction, Utopia of the Seas has officially joined the Royal Caribbean family. It was a huge celebration as the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard handed Royal Caribbean the keys to Utopia just five weekends before its July debut in Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida.
There will be plenty on offer on Utopia's pool deck. From the resort-style and sloping beach-entry pools, three Lime & Coconut bars, The Perfect Storm trio of waterslides and more than a few spots to grab a bite to refuel, including Spare Tire – the new poolside food truck. Tucked away there is also the adults-only Solarium pool and the exclusive Suite Sun Deck, both tranquil escapes to chill.
On board you'll also find The Ultimate Abyss, which is the longest dry slide at sea..
