With an ever-growing roster of thoughtfully designed itineraries from top cruise lines, seeing more of the world with only one key card has never been easier. Here, the best new cruise ships of the past year, each vetted and approved by T+L editors.
Disney Destiny
Disney
Disney Cruise Line’s latest ship, the Disney Destiny, invites guests to choose their own magical adventure with whimsical spaces and interactive experiences that capitalize on what Disney does best: entertainment. There are live shows, intimate character meet-and-greets, and hero and villain parties on each sailing. “I like to think of our ships as a fleet of floating performing arts complexes,” Jenny Weinbloom, vice president of live entertainment for Disney Signature Experiences, told Travel + Leisure. The third ship in Disney’s Wish class, the Destiny has overlap with Disney Wish and Disney Treasure, but also offers a slate of new experiences inspired by Marvel characters, classic Disney animated movies, and beloved theme park attractions. The Black Panther–themed Grand Hall, a Hercules show, a Doctor Strange cocktail lounge, and an immersive, musical restaurant with songs from The Lion King are just a few of Destiny’s exclusive offerings. The ship can hold up to 4,000 passengers in 1,246 staterooms and suites, including 23 accessible staterooms and a number for the hearing impaired. I was among the first guests to set sail on the Destiny before its inaugural voyage on Nov. 20, 2025, which kicked off its first season of Bahamas and Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades. Accessible ship. Cruises from $1,048. —Elizabeth Rhodes
Oceania Allura
Oceania Cruises
The newest vessel from T+L reader favorite Oceania Cruises is a study in excellence without excess. Sailing aboard the 610-cabin ship through the Adriatic Sea last summer, my days started with an espresso at the gorgeous Baristas coffee shop before I spent hours on the sports deck, thwacking a pickleball around and lounging by the pool. In the evening, I’d stop for a gin martini at Martinis—go figure—before hitting one of Allura’s excellent restaurants, whether the Parisian-inspired Jacques (lobster thermidor; scallops in a morel-mushroom sauce) or Polo Grill (big steaks; a classic Caesar salad). Of course, a ship is only as good as where it takes you. “We go to probably twice as many unique ports of call and have twice as many itineraries as our competitors,” says Nathan Hickman, Oceania’s chief commercial officer. A sea-kayaking trip around the walls of Dubrovnik was a particular highlight of my Trieste, Italy, to Athens itinerary, including a snorkeling stop at a secluded cave. The special sauce, though, is that Oceania trips are sometimes available for less than $500 per person per day, a remarkable value considering the cost of luxury hotels in Europe’s high season. Seven-day cruises from $2,999. —Paul Brady
The Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection’s Luminara
Edgardo Contreras/The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
I was hesitant when boarding The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Luminara for its first Asian voyage from Singapore to Hong Kong earlier this year. I’ve never considered myself a cruiser, but soon after settling into my suite—all marble, buttery leather, and heaps of space—it was clear this wasn’t the sort of cruise I’d come to dread. The Ritz-Carlton calls it a superyacht, for starters. The third vessel in the brand’s fleet is the largest so far, with a higher guest-to-space ratio than its predecessors. That means that between the 226 suites, there’s ample room for ambitious amenities: two hot tubs bubbling on the top deck; a lounger-lined main pool; and a second infinity pool at the rear, from where you can overlook its white-water wake with a makrut lime–spiked cocktail in hand. On calm days at anchor, a floating marina extends from Deck 3, stocked with kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, plus a netted seawater pool for cold plunges. There are seven bars scattered across the ship for grazing between swims, and five restaurants, with no buffet in sight. Standouts include Italian chef Fabio Trabocchi’s Seta Su Luminara for chi-chi, Italian-tinged tasting menus with heavenly wine pairings; the pan-Asian Haesu Bit, where sushi chefs slice sashimi behind a glass counter; and the light-flooded Azur, where menus change with the route (on my Southeast Asia sailing, it leaned heavily on Thai spices and Indonesian staples). Shore excursions ranged from vintage car rides through Ho Chi Minh City to a Bangkok food tour, but it was the sea days that won me over: rotating between the blissful spa and my balcony lounger. Chit-chat with fellow passengers often ended in a shared conclusion: this was precisely the kind of cruise—err, yacht voyage—for those who insist they don’t like ’em. Accessible ship. Doubles from $8,800 per person, all-inclusive. —Chris Schalkx
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