Cruise comeback: The most exciting new ships and itineraries to check out in 2022 and 2023

After a two-year absence, cruise ships are once again heading our way.

For Kiwis who can’t wait to get back onboard, there’s a lot to look forward to – from swanky new ships, big and small, to intrepid itineraries incorporating bucket list destinations.

Whether you’re staying close to home or venturing further afield, here are some highlights of the upcoming cruise season and into 2023.

As well as plenty of returning favourites, we’ll also see several ships gracing our shores for the first time.

Among those making their debut Down Under is Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Eclipse. The 2010-built ship, which can carry 2852 passengers, will sail from Sydney, offering a series of itineraries around Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, including a 12-night Auckland to Fiji voyage departing in January.

Royal Caribbean’s giant Quantum of the Seas, which holds 4905 passengers, will also be making its first appearance in local waters. The 2014-built vessel will be based in Brisbane, and sail around Australia and the South Pacific, with a 13-night New Zealand cruise in March.

We’ll also be welcoming what was billed as the “most luxurious ship ever built” when it made its debut in 2016. Seven Seas Explorer from Regent Seven Seas – with its suite-only accommodation for its 738 passengers, crystal chandeliers, and Picassos on the wall – will do a Sydney to Auckland return sailing, arriving on January 12.

There’s a brand-new ship to look out for, too. Fresh from its May launch, Viking Cruises’ newest ocean ship Viking Mars will be heading our way as part of its inaugural season, with the 930-passenger vessel offering a series of sailings between Sydney and Auckland.

Some classic ships will also be visiting for the first time ever. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Spirit, built in 1998, will have its maiden Australia and New Zealand season, and will get to show off its recent US$100 million (NZ$162 million) makeover which saw the 2018-passenger ship get 14 new venues, updated staterooms, and an expanded spa.

The ship will debut in Sydney on December 22, and in Auckland on January 3.

Holland America Line’s Westerdam will visit the region for the first time since it was built in 2004. The 1964-passenger ship, which had a spruce up in 2017, will arrive in Sydney on November 8 and sail Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific itineraries.

If you’re prepared to hop on a plane to meet your cruise, the world is your oyster, with some big-name new ships to plan a trip around.

One of the most anticipated new ships this year, Norwegian Prima from Norwegian Cruise Line, launched at the end of August. The 3100-passenger ship boasts plenty of flashy features, including a go-kart racetrack spread over three levels, a 10-storey free fall dry slide, and a three-storey theatre that transforms into a Vegas-style nightclub.

The ship’s inaugural voyages will take place in Northern Europe, before it makes its way to the US and spends the season cruising around the Caribbean.

December will see the launch of MSC Cruises’ MSC World Europa – a whopper of a ship with 22 decks, able to accommodate 6762 passengers. The megaship will have 13 dining venues, seven swimming pools, and loads of entertainment offerings, including bumper cars and a roller disco.

The ship will spend its inaugural season in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, before relocating to the Mediterranean for summer 2023.

For those who prefer something smaller, Oceania Cruises’ Vista will sail her maiden voyage from Rome to Barcelona in April. The ship will accommodate 1200 passengers – and foodies are particularly well catered for, with a dozen dining options contributing to the cruise line’s reputation for having “the finest cuisine at sea”. It will also be a good option for solo cruisers, with special suites dedicated to single travellers.

If you’re seeking an ultra-luxurious experience, book yourself a spot on Silversea’s newest ship, Silver Nova, which will embark on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England to Lisbon, Portugal in July. You’ll be one of just 728 guests aboard the ship, which has a unique asymmetrical design that offers more outdoor space, and all suites have their own balcony and butler service.

The ship will be powered by a combination of dual fuel engines that use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the main fuel, battery technology, and fuel cells which will allow it to operate emissions-free while in port – said to be an industry first.

If you’re after a more intrepid itinerary, check out these exciting new expedition cruises coming up.

Kiwi cruise company Heritage Expeditions is launching the Heritage Adventurer in October, a 140-passenger expedition vessel which is currently being refurbished. The ship, which was purpose-built for adventure in 1991, is known as the “Grande Dame of Expedition Cruising”.

The ship can be experienced on a range of new voyages being offered in 2022 and 2023, including an 11-day cruise around New Zealand’s coast, a 15-day itinerary exploring the remote islands of the Philippines and Indonesia, and a 29-day voyage from New Zealand to Japan.

Australia-based adventure travel company Aurora Expeditions is launching its new purpose-built expedition ship, the Sylvia Earle. Named after the renowned marine biologist, oceanographer and explorer, the vessel is set to be a “floating ambassador for the conservation of the planet”.

After a maiden voyage to the Subantarctic Islands in November, the ship’s inaugural season will include voyages to Antarctica, Costa Rica, the Canadian Arctic, Norway, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland and Scotland.

Keen explorers will want to check out Viking’s two new state-of-the-art expedition vessels, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris. Hosting 378 guests, both ships feature the company’s signature Scandinavian design, with an abundance of indoor and outdoor viewing areas to get you as close as possible to the scenery. The ships can be experienced on Viking’s new 19-day Antarctica and South Georgia Island voyage, sailing from October 2023.

Ponant also has a new range of voyages for the Antarctic season, including two new itineraries to and from New Zealand. These polar odysseys will take place aboard the first LNG-powered hybrid electric luxury polar exploration vessel, Le Commandant Charcot, which launched in 2021.

For fans of river cruising, there are new ships and itineraries on offer, in addition to old favourites.

Uniworld has three new European itineraries coming up in 2023 – an eight-day Rhine River Valley itinerary between Nuremberg and Basel, a 15-day Grand Central Europe itinerary between Basel and Vienna, and an eight-day Belgian Holiday Markets tour.

You can also experience the boutique river cruise company’s newest ship, the Mekong Jewel, which is offering voyages through Vietnam and Cambodia for the rest of this year and throughout 2023. The all-suite ship has a capacity of just 68 guests, with two restaurants, a swimming pool and spa onboard.

Avalon Waterways has two new river cruise holidays for 2023 that fall under their Active & Discovery itineraries, known for their wide range of excursion options.

These are Active & Discovery on the Lower Danube, from Bucharest to Zagreb, and Active & Discovery on the Danube from Croatia to the Black Sea.

Excursions include guided nature walks, wine tasting and food tours, bike trips, and even an opportunity to learn about beekeeping.

Travelmarvel has three new river ships - Polaris, Vega and Capella - which can be experienced along classic Rhine-Main-Danube itineraries. Cabins feature French-style balcony windows, which slide open at the push of a button.

There’s a fine-dining restaurant and an Irish pub to choose from onboard, as well as a sun deck that is always accessible.

Viking has also just launched a new river ship, Viking Osiris, which has been designed especially to navigate the Nile River on the cruise line’s 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary. The ship has room for 82 passengers across 41 staterooms, with French balconies, a pool and sun deck with 360-degree views, and the Aquavit Terrace for al fresco dining. An identical sister ship, Viking Aton, will also join the fleet in 2023.

If you’re wanting to try something a little different to river cruising – but with the same boutique vibes – consider trying a yacht cruise.

Small ship specialist Emerald Cruises has a new range of yacht cruises. Their first luxury yacht, Emerald Azzurra, launched in March, and an identical sister yacht, Emerald Sakara, will debut next year.

Both 110-metre-long yachts carry a maximum of 100 guests, with an infinity pool and spa onboard.

The yachts’ size means they can dock in small ports within a short walk of the main towns, making for a similar experience to river cruising. Cruises range from eight to 26 days, with itineraries covering the Mediterranean, Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Caribbean and Central America.

Luxury hotel brand The Ritz-Carlton is also set to make its much-anticipated debut at sea with its superyacht, Evrima, to sail from Spain to France in October. The ship will offer cruises ranging from seven to 11 nights, in various destinations including the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

The first of three yachts, it will accommodate 298 passengers, with similar amenities to what guests would find in Ritz-Carlton’s properties on land – including a restaurant by chef Sven Elverfeld of Aqua, the three Michelin-starred restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton in Wolfsburg, Germany.