Five new cruise ships to watch for in 2023

There are about 1.6 million gross tons of new cruise ships.

Nineteen new vessels will be added to the US cruise market this year. According to the Cruise Industry New Orderbook, the crop of new cruise ships will add capacity for over 30,000 passengers. If every ship sailed seven-day cruises, there would be nearly two million passengers in a year.

Some of the new ships will be the first of their class, or the first for a new cruise line. Here's a look at five of the more notable ships that will arrive in the next few years.

The first Allura class of two ships will be the Oceania Vista. 1,200 passengers can be carried on the 67,000 gross-ton ship. Four of the dining options are new. The ship will debut on a sailing to Venice on May 13th, which is a week earlier than planned, due to the strong sales for the first sailing. In Italy, Greece, and Croatia, the ship will stop. There are six ships.

The Explora I is the first ship for the Explora Journeys brand. 64,000 gross tons is how much the 922 passenger ship will measure. Six restaurants will include Pan-Asian cuisine and a European steakhouse, as well as a stage for guest chefs. New technology can be used to replay performances from acclaimed pianists. The ship is scheduled to leave England on July 17 for a 15-night trip that will take it to Belgium, eight towns in Norway, and the capital city of Danes.

The first in a new class of ships will be Silver Nova. The pool on the Silver Nova will be horseshoe shaped with the center facing the side of the ship. The capacity of the ship is 728 passengers. A new alfresco dining space will be included in the Nova. The maiden voyage is scheduled to leave Venice on August 14th and will include calls in Croatia and Yugoslavia.

Regent's Seven Seas Grandeur is notable because it is the last ship on order for the brand for a long time. Norwegian Cruise Line doesn't plan to build another ship until at least 2027. The seventh ship in the fleet will be a 750-passenger sister ship. The ship will have a Regent Suite with a sky-lit and glass-enclosed parlor and a private in-suite spa. The ship is scheduled to leave Barcelona for Miami on November 25th.

The Royal Caribbean ship will be delivered in Q4 and will have its maiden Eastern Caribbean cruise from Miami in late January 2024. The first of the Icon class will be the largest built to date at 250,800 gross ton. The first true waterpark at sea will be introduced by the Icon of the Seas. The 5,610-passenger ship can accommodate up to 7,500 guests, but Royal said they are unlikely to sell it that full.