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Cruise Fleet News

📰 61 editions 📅 –

Everything CruiseEnthusiast Daily has published on Fleet & New Ships — 61 daily briefings from May 4, 2026 to October 27, 2026, newest first.

What to know about Fleet & New Ships

Fleet news is the industry's leading indicator: an order placed today determines where ships sail four or five years from now, and a ship moved between brands or regions reshapes an entire season's itineraries. Newbuilds are ordered years in advance from a small number of European yards, and delivery slots are scarce enough that a delay at one shipyard ripples across several lines' deployment plans.

Two threads dominate current coverage. The first is propulsion: liquefied natural gas has become the default for large newbuilds, with methanol readiness and shoreside power connections increasingly specified alongside it. The second is the refit cycle — ships return to drydock every few years for maintenance and refurbishment, and those yard periods are when new venues, cabins and technology arrive on existing vessels.

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Fleet & New Ships: frequently asked questions

What is gross tonnage, and is it a ship's weight?

No — gross tonnage is a measure of a ship's total enclosed volume, not its weight. It is the standard way of comparing cruise ship size because it reflects how much ship there is, but it says nothing directly about how many guests are aboard. Two ships of similar tonnage can carry very different passenger numbers depending on cabin density.

Why do cruise ships go into drydock?

Ships require periodic survey and maintenance of the hull, propulsion and safety systems, typically every few years, and the vessel must be out of the water for it. Lines use the same yard period to refurbish cabins and add venues, so a drydock is usually when an older ship gains features from newer ones.

Why are new cruise ships powered by LNG?

Liquefied natural gas burns more cleanly than heavy fuel oil, cutting sulphur and particulate emissions and helping lines meet tightening emissions rules, particularly in regulated coastal areas. Most large newbuilds now specify it, often alongside battery systems and the ability to draw shore power in port.

What happens to older cruise ships?

They are typically transferred to a lower-priced brand within the same corporate group, sold to another operator, or scrapped. Transfers are the most common outcome and usually come with a refit and a rename, which is why a familiar ship can reappear under a different line's colours.

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