01 Star Princess, Sphere-class, second-born
Star Princess was christened November 6, 2025 at Port Everglades and sails its first full season in 2026, the second Sphere-class ship after Sun Princess. Same 4,300-guest double-occupancy capacity, same Dome rotating show lounge, same 7 specialty dining venues at a standardized $60 cover. Refined dining mix: Americana Diner is a casual complimentary addition Sun Princess didn't launch with.
- Sphere-class differentiator: the Dome, a glass-roofed rotating lounge / day-lounge / night-club.
- 7 specialty venues at $60 each: Crown Grill, Sabatini's, The Catch by Rudi, Umai Teppanyaki, The Butcher's Block by Dario, Makoto Ocean, Love by Britto.
- Princess Plus 2026: $70/day on Sphere-class. Premier: $105/day.
- Best for: couples, destination-focused cruisers, grown-up entertainment.
02 Star of the Seas, Icon-class, second
Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas entered service with its maiden voyage on August 31, 2025 as the second Icon-class ship. Around 5,610 guests double-occupancy (up to ~7,600 at max capacity when every berth is filled), 20 decks, 8 "neighborhoods," Thrill Island waterpark, Central Park with real trees, AquaDome with a suspended waterfall show. By measurable scale one of the largest cruise ships ever built.
- ~5,610 double-occupancy capacity (up to ~7,600 when every berth is filled). If crowds stress you, this isn't your ship.
- Thrill Island (waterpark), Surfside (family zone), Chill Island (pools) are distinct neighborhoods, tour them Day 1 to pick your zone.
- Specialty lineup: Giovanni's, Chops Grille, Hooked Seafood, 150 Central Park, Wonderland. Unlimited Dining Package ~$35-40/night.
- Best for: families with kids 8+, activity-seekers, multi-generational groups.
03 Norwegian Luna, Prima Plus class
Norwegian Luna was christened March 27, 2026 at Terminal B, PortMiami, the second Prima Plus-class ship after Norwegian Aqua. 3,565 guests double-occupancy. Keeps the Indulge Food Hall concept (10 complimentary stations, including the plant-based Planterie), and brings 8 specialty venues including Sukhothai (first dedicated Thai restaurant at sea) and Onda by Scarpetta.
- 8 specialty venues: Le Bistro (French), Cagney's (steakhouse), Onda by Scarpetta (Italian), Palomar (Mediterranean), Hasuki (teppanyaki), Sukhothai (Thai), all $60 cover, plus Los Lobos ($40) and Nama ($50 flat).
- Free at Sea: 4 perks bundled at base fare (beverage, dining, Wi-Fi, excursion credit).
- Indulge Food Hall: 10 complimentary stations including Planterie, Q Texas Smokehouse, Nudls, Tamara, Latin Quarter, Coco's, and a Starbucks kiosk. One of the best casual-dining concepts at sea.
- Best for: foodies, independent travelers, bundled-value shoppers, Haven-suite buyers.
04 Disney Destiny, Triton-class, premium family
Disney Destiny entered service with its maiden voyage on November 20, 2025 as the third Wish-class ship (same 144,000-GT platform as Disney Wish and Treasure), themed around the light-side/dark-side conflict between Heroes and Villains. Up to 4,000 guests at full capacity. The AquaMouse water coaster, rotational-dining format (three main dining rooms rotate with you across the cruise), and Disney-grade onboard entertainment make it the premium family-cruise pick in 2026, priced accordingly. Expect $400-600+ per person per day for balcony cabins at a typical 7-night.
- Rotational dining: three main dining rooms (Worlds of Marvel, 1923, and Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King), servers follow you between them, a Disney-exclusive format.
- AquaMouse water attraction, plus adult-only districts and evening lounges on upper decks.
- No casino (Disney doesn't do casinos); adults-only specialty restaurants are Palo Steakhouse and Enchanté ($45-85 cover).
- Kids-club programming ages 3-17 is widely regarded as the best at sea, if you have kids in that range, nothing else competes.
- Best for: Disney-loyal families, first-time cruisers with young kids, multi-generational trips where kid-care matters.
05 Also launching in 2026 (shorter list, still notable)
Three more ships debut or hit their first full season in 2026 that are worth a mention but don't change the landscape the way the headline four do. Each fills a specific niche rather than redefining its class.
- Celebrity Xcel (if on schedule for late 2026): Celebrity's new ship class beyond the Edge series. Premium-adult positioning, dining-heavy, expected similar footprint to Edge-class at 3,200-3,500 guests. Verify launch date with Celebrity before booking.
- Carnival Festivale (2026 planned delivery): Excel-class, 6,400 guests, Carnival's value-family flagship direction. Likely the cheapest bundled-fare of any new 2026 ship.
- MSC World America (US-focus continuing in 2026): World-class, 6,700 guests, Miami-based. European line making a serious push into the US market with an aggressive pricing model. Worth a look if you're shopping short Bahamas/Caribbean cruises.
- Oceania Allura (premium-plus, 2025 debut continuing 2026): smaller scale (~1,250 guests), dining-heavy, longer itineraries, priced above mainstream lines.
06 Which one fits your style
The 2026 class sorts neatly by traveler type. Star Princess is the mid-size premium pick, classic cruise feel, grown-up entertainment, predictable pricing. Star of the Seas is a theme park at sea, maximum activity and crowds, maximum fun if you have kids. Norwegian Luna is the value pick, most activities in the bundled fare, 10 complimentary casual-dining stations in the Indulge Food Hall. Disney Destiny is the premium-family pick if money is less important than kid-care quality.
- Couples, Mediterranean, destination-focused: Star Princess.
- Family with teens, Caribbean, multi-generational, love spectacle: Star of the Seas.
- Foodies, Bermuda/Caribbean, bundled-value shoppers: Norwegian Luna.
- Families with young kids, willing to pay premium for Disney quality: Disney Destiny.
- Budget-first family of 4: Carnival Festivale (verify launch, Excel-class will be cheapest in class).
- Premium-adult, dining-focused: Celebrity Xcel (verify launch date) or step up to Oceania Allura.
- All four headline ships have late-2026 Caribbean sailings. Star Princess adds European itineraries summer 2026. Norwegian Luna does Bermuda + Caribbean year-round.