The newest cruise ships to get excited about for 2020

Note:  As we are all acutely aware, no one has cruised anywhere since early 2020. We’re speaking to cruise lines to find out when these ships will finally launch and will update when we have further information. In the meantime you can read our blog about post-Covid cruising.

Some truly incredible ships are set to launch next year, with bigger and better facilities, cutting-edge new tech, scrumptious gourmet dining programmes and the most environmentally friendly design to date. We've rounded up six of our favourite new ships that look set to revolutionise the cruise industry over the coming year.

Celebrity Apex

This is the first time Celebrity Cruises has launched a new ship in the UK for 10 years -- and we think you'll agree it is worth the wait. This lavish ship has a unique outward-facing design, meaning more than 90% of staterooms have ocean views, and the brand-new Infinite Balcony suites let guests extend their cabins over the waves at the touch of a button. 

Sailings include a brand-new European Capitals itinerary, combining Paris, Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Oslo, as well as classic Norwegian fjords cruises that make the most of the Magic Carpet -- the world's first cantilevered floating platform, which juts out over the side of the ship, and is designed to fully immerse guests in the natural environment.

Other new features include innovative spa treatments, a wide range of gourmet restaurants and the cruise line's largest swimming pool to date.

For more information, click here.

Enchanted Princess

Enchanted Princess has a wealth of record-busting features, including the most pools and whirlpool hot tubs of any ship in the Princess Cruises fleet, and brand-new Sky Suites featuring the largest balconies at sea.

The ship was designed to incorporate the use of the innovative OceanMedallion, a revolutionary wearable device that gives you personalised service, lets you to order drinks from anywhere on the ship, and helps you find your family and friends using state-of-the-art location-tracking technology.

The world-class cuisine onboard includes a French bistro developed by Emmanuel Renaut, the chef-owner of 3-Michelin-star restaurant Flocons de Sel. Other features include the Sanctuary, a luxurious private retreat with twice as many private cabanas as other ships in the fleet, and the cruise line's largest thermal suite, The Enclave.

For more information, click here.

P&O Cruises Iona

This ship is the largest and most environmentally friendly cruise ship to date from P&O Cruises. Bound for the Norwegian fjords next summer, Iona offers a wealth of immersive new shore excursions, including mountain-climbing trips, salmon-fishing lessons and an intimate farm-to-table dining experience with a Scandinavian chef. 

The ship has a top-deck infinity pool as well as a 4-screen cinema and a dining promenade, combining brand-new restaurants with signature classics such as Olly Smith's The Glass House. The Freedom Dining concept allows passengers to dine at 15 venues, offering guests a diverse array of cuisine from around the globe.

Ballroom fans take note -- the glitzy Limelight Club will offer guests the exclusive opportunity to enjoy an intimate evening with a professional couple from the much-loved TV show "Strictly Come Dancing".

For more information, click here.

Silver Moon

The ultra-luxury cruise line, Silversea, will introduce Silver Moon next summer. The ship re-imagines the line's signature venues, and restaurants will be enhanced with more spacious layouts, under-the-stars dining options and bespoke crystal fittings. The pool deck will also be expanded to include a larger bar area and swimming pool.

The ship will also introduce a new culinary programme, S.A.L.T. The immersive programme is designed to connect guests to destinations with authentic dining experiences, and foodies will love the S.A.L.T Lab, which allows guests to dive further into regional cuisine with bespoke hands-on cooking classes and expert-led food and drink tastings.

Silver Moon will cruise the Mediterranean until November, 2020, when she will cross the Atlantic Ocean to sail the Caribbean and Central and South America. In 2021, she will fully circumnavigate the continent, visiting 37 destinations in 20 countries between 7 January and 17 March, 2021 

For more information, click here.

Silver Origin

Silversea was the world’s first luxury cruise line to launch a range of expedition voyages -- and the 100-passenger Silver Origin will be the line's very first destination-specific expedition ship. Designed to give guests a once-in-a-lifetime, fully immersive experience in the Galápagos Islands, the vessel offers the highest Zodiac-boat-to-guest ratio in the region, allowing guests to see as much of the destination as possible, and public areas have sweeping floor-to-ceiling windows, bringing the outside inside.

Excursions are led by Silversea’s Expedition Team, who are certified by the National Park of the Galápagos, and the ship has the highest guide-to-guest ratio in the entire region. Guests can dine on traditional Ecuadorian cuisine while aboard, and luxurious features include butler service in all suites. 

We love that the ship is specially designed to protect the environment -- features include a dynamic positioning system that protects the sea floor and an advanced recycling programme that reduces plastic waste.

For more information, click here.

Seven Seas Splendor

This 750-passenger ship from 6-star all-inclusive cruise line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, will be launched by the first female captain ever to sail a brand-new vessel. Seven Seas Splendor launches seven exciting firsts for the brand, including intimate Mediterranean bistro in an over-water alcoves in the Mediterranean bistro, a selection of 20 new onboard cooking classes and new Gourmet Explorer tours offering one-of-a-kind epicurean adventures.

All-balcony suites are serviced by expertly trained butlers who maintain your suite just the way you like it. Ultra all-inclusive voyages include flights, transfers, unlimited drinks and gratuities, and you can eat at all three of its speciality restaurants without paying any extra fees, while other restaurants are open-seating.

Explorers will be pleased to hear that the ship offers free unlimited shore excursions in every port, including brand-new exclusive programmes for Seven Seas Splendor's inaugural season, and Go Local tours, which offer guests unmissable opportunities to see destinations through the eyes of a local -- think dining with local families, visiting skilled artisans and getting off the beaten path.

For more information, click here.