Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Expands Fleet with New Ship Orders

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) is strategically enhancing its fleet by finalizing an agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for three new cruise vessels. These will serve three of NCLH’s brands—Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises—scheduled for delivery between 2036 and 2037. This move is aimed at securing valuable shipyard capacity to facilitate long-term growth across diverse market segments from mainstream megaships to ultra-luxury vessels.

New Ships for All Three NCLH Brands

Under this new deal, Fincantieri will design and construct a ship for each of NCLH’s brands at its shipyards in Italy. For Norwegian Cruise Line, the new vessel will mark the fourth entry in its upcoming mega-ship class, set to launch in 2030. The Oceania Cruises ship will be a sister to the Oceania Sonata, leading the new Sonata class debuting in 2027, which emphasizes high-quality destination experiences. Regent Seven Seas Cruises will also receive a sister ship to the Seven Seas Prestige, part of the Prestige class set for launch in December 2026.

Norwegian’s Largest Ships Yet

This forthcoming Norwegian Cruise Line class is anticipated to be the largest construct for the brand, with the inaugural ship expected by 2030. Each ship will have a gross tonnage of about 225,000 and an estimated capacity for roughly 5,100 guests at double occupancy, challenging the Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class for size and impact. The new mega-ships aim to offer ample entertainment, dining, and accommodation choices, consistent with Norwegian’s vision for providing large, resort-like experiences at sea.

Sister Ships for Oceania and Regent

In efforts to solidify its premium and luxury offerings, NCLH is simultaneously reinforcing its upper-tier brands:

Oceania Cruises: The new ship will join the Sonata class alongside Oceania Sonata, providing guest capacities between 1,200 and 1,400 with a focus on gourmet dining and immersive travel experiences.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises: This new vessel will be a sibling to the Seven Seas Prestige, establishing itself as another ultra-luxury, all-suite offering, further enhancing Regent’s competitive positioning in the luxury cruise market.

17 New Ships on Order Across the Fleet

With this recent development, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings now has a total of 17 new vessels planned across its entire fleet:

Norwegian Cruise Line:
- Norwegian Luna (2026)
- Norwegian Aura (2027)
- Prima-plus class (2028)
- New mega-ship class: 2030, 2032, 2034, 2036, 2037
Oceania Cruises:
- Oceania Sonata (2027)
- Oceania Arietta (2029)
- Additional Sonata-class ships: 2032, 2035, 2037
Regent Seven Seas Cruises:
- Seven Seas Prestige (2026)
- Additional Prestige-class ships: 2030, 2033, 2036

This ambitious newbuild strategy supports a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4% from 2026 to 2037.

Importance of These Orders for Cruisers

The inclusion of new ships is pivotal to NCLH’s growth strategy, enabling the introduction of innovative venues and features to retain loyal guests while attracting new customers. The upcoming fleet expansions will enhance capacity on core routes, upgrade onboard experiences with sustainable designs and technology, and provide a wider selection of products ranging from energetic megaships to intimate ultra-luxury options, catering to diverse traveller preferences.

Although all contracts for future newbuilds will be subjected to financing, securing these slots until 2037 guarantees NCLH access to crucial shipyard resources in an increasingly competitive industry, thus strengthening Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ position for sustained growth and innovation in the global cruise sector.