SOMETIMES the name of a ship says it all.
And Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady — debuting with cruises from New York in September 2025 — does just that.
There are more than 20 places to eat and drink, morning yoga to greet the sun and a gorgeous spa where you can be rubbed with hot stones or wrapped in seaweed.
Book a suite to quaff free fizz on Richard’s Rooftop as the sun goes down.
While you will have to wait until next autumn to experience Brilliant Lady, you don’t have to wait that long to enjoy all the thrills, chills and fab food coming next year on a flotilla of new ships in 2025.
MSC Cruises is first to cast off as MSC World America sets sail from Miami in April. A megaship with a European vibe, it packs in almost 6,800 passengers and has a waterslide that starts with a 90-degree drop.
Not scary enough? How about swinging out over the side of the ship, 50 metres above the ocean? Look down — if you dare — from the signature Cliffhanger, the first over-water swing ride at sea.
Prices are from £759pp for seven nights’ island-hopping in the Caribbean.
April brings Norwegian Aqua, a lively lady from Norwegian Cruise Line where you can come as you are — no dress codes on here — and get wet, wet, wet on a thrilling roller-coaster-waterslide that twists and turns around the funnel at speeds of up to 31mph.
Aqua holds more than 3,500 passengers and has so many bars and eateries, including a tasty new Thai spot, that a week is not enough to sample them all.
It is sailing the Caribbean from Port Canaveral, prices from £1,005pp for seven days.
In time for the school holidays comes Star of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean International giant bearing the title world’s biggest cruise ship and so much on board for its almost 8,000 passengers there is no time to get, well, bored.
Lively Thrill Island has six water slides and a zipline that goes over the side of the ship, Chill Island has pools and bars, Surfside is heaven for families with kids clubs, teen hangouts and a real carousel.
Take your pick from umpteen places to eat and drink, go green amid the trees in Central Park.
And if you happen upon a waterfall, welcome to the AquaDome, where high-divers do their daredevil stuff from dizzying heights.
Star of the Seas is cruising the Caribbean from August, with prices from £821pp for seven nights.
It is not the only star rising next year. Princess Cruises’ glam girl Star Princess comes out in October with magic in the air in spectacular shows and an exclusive Sanctuary Club for suite passengers.
It holds 4,300 passengers and debuts in the Mediterranean. Prices start at £814 for a week.
November is twice as nice when Disney Cruise Line celebrates heroes and villains from the Lion King and Hercules on the new Disney Destiny and Celebrity Cruises unveils Celebrity Xcel with a promise of lots that is new. We just don’t know what yet.
Destiny holds up to 4,000 passengers and has four-night cruises from Fort Lauderdale from £1,071pp.
Celebrity Xcel holds 3,248 passengers and has Eastern Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale, starting at £923pp for seven nights.
So far so big. For something completely different, Cruise Croatia’s stylish new Aretis holds just 36 passengers, has swim stops most days (wait for the OK, then jump off the back) and overnights in port so passengers can dine ashore.
Aretis is sailing between Dubrovnik and Split from June, with prices from £1,445pp for seven nights.
On the rivers, Viva Cruises is so confident folks will love its new ship it has named it Viva Enjoy.
Launching in January, it holds 190 passengers, has Italian and Asian restaurants as well as a spa. Prices start at £650pp for four-night winter detox sailings from Frankfurt.
Riviera Travel is going for a double — the 114-passenger MS Riviera Rose has a top-deck pool and cruises the Douro in Portugal from April, while the 178-passenger MS Riviera Radiance sails the Danube from June.
Prices are from £2,249pp and £3,199pp respectively for eight days with flights included.
Over-50s’ favourite Saga is eyeing solos as the new Spirit of the Moselle sets sail on the Rhine and Main Rivers in July with 12 single cabins and prices from £1,839pp for seven nights.
Hang on until November for temples, tombs and lots of sun, sand and sea as TUI River Cruises adds a second ship, TUI Bahareya, on the Nile in Egypt. Prices from £1,536pp for seven nights with flights.
WE are approaching the end of 2024 and cruise lines are making BIG plans for the year ahead.
So, if you want to score yourself a proper bargain, now is certainly the time to do it.
There are all sorts of offers on the table from bargain voyages to discounts on drinks packages and even group sailings.
Oceania Cruises (oceaniacruises. com) is offering a stateroom upgrade to anyone that books a voyage between now and January 31 next year – that is up to four categories above the one they have booked.
Passengers booking in that time slot will also be able to bag either a premium drinks package with unlimited wine, beer and spirits or on board credit of up to $1,000 per stateroom.
The deal is available on 105 sailings across 2025 and 2026 including an 11-day Idyllic West Indies sailing from £3,419pp.
Departing Miami on April 8 next year, Vista will sail to Antigua, St Lucia, Grenada, Barbados, Dominica and St Barts.
Or there is an eight-day Alaska Reflections voyage on board Riviera which departs Vancouver in Canada on May 13, 2025, and calls at Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point (Hoonah), Sitka and Anchorage (Whittier), all in Alaska.
If you fancy travelling for less with P&O Cruises (pocruises.com), you will have to pause Corrie on Christmas Day to be first in line – although the offer is available on bookings made before March 3 next year.
For its second series of Holiday Like Never Before, cruisers will be able to bag extra onboard spending money, up to £500 per cabin to be spent on shore experiences, speciality dining, spa treatments as well as 20 per cent off drinks packages.
Two adults travelling with youngsters can also get a third and fourth guest for free on certain off-peak cruises to and from Southampton.
A seven-night Norwegian fjords cruise on board Iona costs £699pp, departing Southampton on May 9, 2026, and calling into Haugesund, Alesund, Olden and Stavanger.
Ambassador Cruisline (ambassadorcruiseline.com) has a shipload of savings, too – not just for next year and 2026 but for the year after that as well.
The buy one, get one half price discount is available on all 2026/27 sailings which come with 20 per cent off Expedition Drinks packages, as long as you book before February 12, 2025.
Passengers can also bag half-price premium drinks packages on selected 2025/26 sailings and free places for large groups – groups of 25 will get a 26th place entirely free, while those in groups of 15 will bag a five per cent discount on selected sailings.
It is not just the ocean liners that are offering money off cruises next year, either.
Emerald Cruises (emeraldcruises.co.uk) is knocking up to 20 per cent off its river cruise itineraries for 2025 and 2026, plus there are plenty of new voyages launching next year.
This includes the eight-day Serenity of the Rhine cruise which departs Amsterdam in the Netherlands and sets sail for Dusseldorf, Koblenz, Heidelberg, Kehl and Breisach, all in Germany, before finishing at Basel in Switzerland.
It costs from £1,945pp including flights from major UK airports.
Book by February 13 to bag discounts on selected cruises.
