A rendered image of Storm Surge on Star of the Seas. Image / Royal Caribbean
With plenty of big-name lines and boutique cruise companies launching new ships in 2025, Tiana Templeman has rounded up the best choices for every budget to make choosing next year’s holiday even easier.
This isn’t your average expedition cruise. Rainforest Cruises’ new 20-passenger mega-catamaran will cosset you in the lap of luxury when it begins sailing around the Galapagos Islands in April 2025. Named after the Greek god and protector of travellers, Hermes, each super-sized suite has a private jacuzzi and a butler available 24/7. An Ecuadorian chef showcases the local culinary scene in the onboard restaurant and conducts cocktail-making and cooking demonstrations. At the end of the day, you can relax with a drink or soothe your body and mind in the spa, which features a hammam.
Priced from $10,130 per person twin share. rainforestcruises.com
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Youngsters and the young-at-heart will love the 6762-passenger MSC World America, especially the Wonka-worthy Sweet Temptations parlour with its colourful crazy shakes and make-your-own ice cream bars. There are plenty of thrills, too, with attractions like a giant swing ride, a high ropes course and an 11-storey dry slide. Adults-only venues like The Loft and 18 bars and lounges offer a respite from all the crazy family fun. MSC World America will also have an upsized MSC Yacht Club, the line’s largest and most luxurious ship-within-a-ship yet, when it launches in April 2025.
Priced from $1335 per person twin share. msccruises.co.nz
You’ll be able to dine with Mickey and Minnie at the Hollywood Spotlight Club, ride the longest rollercoaster at sea and hang out with Marvel superheroes onboard Disney Adventure when the ship launches in December 2025. Seven themed areas, including the Disney Imagination Garden, Toy Story Place, Disney Discovery Reef and Marvel Landing, based on some of Disney’s best-loved movies, are just a few of the highlights available on this 6700-passenger ship, which will be the largest in the fleet. Disney Adventure is also the only place to see Remember’, a brand new musical commissioned especially for the ship, which will be permanently based in Singapore.
Priced from US$958 ($1633) for a three-night cruise. disneycruise.disney.go.com
Luminara will be powered by LNG, offering a greener cruise alternative for luxury lovers and fans of the Ritz-Carlton hotel brand. There is plenty to do onboard, from swimming and paddleboarding off the ship’s Marina Terrace water sports deck to relaxing at the Ritz-Carlton Spa. You’ll also be able to make the most of the six bars, as drinks are included in your fare (pretty much everything else is as well, aside from shore excursions and spa treatments). Luminara will carry a maximum of 452 passengers, including families, when it launches in late 2025.
Priced from $10,920 per person twin share. ritzcarltonyachtcollection.com
Joining the Cruise Croatia fleet in June of next year, the 36-passenger MV Aretis is rumoured to be one of the most luxurious ships ever built in Croatia. Offering cruises from Dubrovnik to Split (and vice versa), you’ll be able to explore the surrounding waters on a sea kayak or stand-up paddle board, or soak up the sun on a lounger or in the jacuzzi on the back deck. With the ability to reach destinations that larger cruise ships can’t visit, this intimate cruise ship showcases the best of Croatia without the crowds.
Priced from $3395 per person twin share. cruisecroatia.com
When Pure Amazon starts exploring the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve in mid-2025, it will cater to a maximum of 22 guests and focus on sustainability. Nature-based tours and community engagement programmes will connect guests with the natural beauty, wildlife and people of the Amazon. Even the ship’s staterooms have been decorated in collaboration with local artists. Spa treatments inspired by traditional healing practices and dishes showcasing local ingredients and culinary traditions will also be available onboard. Register your interest on the Sanctuary Retreats website to find out more about sailing dates and prices when these are released. sanctuaryretreats.com
Viking Tonle has been specially designed to sail on the Mekong River and will cater to 80 passengers when it debuts in October 2025. Staterooms have a private veranda or a French balcony, so you can make the most of the Mekong’s scenery on this all-inclusive, 14-night, river-based tour of Vietnam and Cambodia. The pool on the upper deck offers another way to take in the scenery and cool down, or you could grab a drink and relax in the open-air Sky Bar lounge. Despite the luxurious feel of the ship, the dress standard is smart casual, which makes for a more relaxing holiday.
Priced from $10,715 per person twin share. vikingrivercruises.com.au
Sailing round-trip from Orlando, Star of the Seas will have the world’s largest waterpark at sea, a timed rock climbing wall for racing against the clock, six slides and an aerial adventure course that will have your heart racing (and your knees knocking if you aren’t fond of heights). The 5610-passenger ship will also feature a brand new show, Back to the Future: The Musical’ With more than 40 places to eat and drink, you won’t go hungry when this ship debuts in August 2025.
Priced from $2710 per person twin share. royalcaribbean.com
