By
Michele Witthaus |
From ocean-going ships to riverboats and luxury yachts, the global order book confirms the popularity of small-ship cruising. The Viking ocean fleet welcomes its latest small cruise ship the Viking Mira in spring 2026. Initial itineraries for the ship will take guests to destinations in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
“We are very much looking forward to welcoming the Viking Mira to our ocean fleet – like her sister ships, she is engineered at a scale that allows direct access into most ports,” says Wendy Atkin-Smith, managing director of Viking UK. “There is clear and sustained demand for smaller ships with fewer guests and a more intimate experience – as with all our ocean ships, the Viking Mira accommodates fewer than 1,000 guests. This is a trend that is here to stay, and we will continue to expand our fleet to meet this demand.”
Scenic Group’s Emerald Cruises brand will begin sailings on its latest yacht, Emerald Kaia, in the Mediterranean in April 2026. The Emerald Cruises fleet is designed by MKM Yachts to meet what the parent company says it has identified as growing demand for yacht-style cruising.
“The launch of Emerald Kaia marks a major milestone for Emerald Cruises,” says Nichola Absalom, managing director of sales and marketing at Scenic Group. “From the very beginning, our vision was to redefine luxury yacht cruising through intelligent design, generous space and access to smaller ports that allow for more intimate, off-the-beaten-track experiences beyond the reach of larger ships. Emerald Kaia is the next step in that journey.
“As one of our next-generation superyachts, she has been purpose-built to host just 128 guests in beautifully reimagined surroundings that balance comfort with contemporary style. For us, this launch is about more than a new ship – it represents our continued commitment to shaping the future of luxury yacht cruising.”
The trend towards more spacious onboard guest areas on small ships continues with Explora Journeys’ first LNG-powered ship Explora III, which will emerge from Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente yard in July 2026. Described by Anna Nash, president of Explora Journeys, as “a destination in her own right”, the 19.2-metre ship will have more space onboard than previous vessels in the series, driven by the need to accommodate the large LNG tanks. This will allow for the introduction of a second Owner’s Residence alongside the usual mix of luxury suite types.
Another small ship aiming for record-breaking scale is the new riverboat from American Cruise Lines, American Encore, which will cruise the Columbia and Snake Rivers during its inaugural season in May 2026. The company says American Encore will offer the most space-per-person in the global river cruise industry, making the travel experience more akin to that of a yacht than a typical river cruise ship. In addition, 100 per cent of the passenger accommodation on the 180-guest ship features private balconies. American Cruise Lines president and CEO, Charles B. Robertson says: “American Encore is not just new; it’s objectively the best riverboat ever built. I say objective because it excels ahead of the competition on every guest metric: room size, dining venues, lounge space per passenger, number of lounges, and so on.”
Orient Express Sailing Yachts has described its new ship Corinthian as “the product of a visionary collaboration” with French shipyard Chantiers de l’Atlantique. The company claims the LNG-powered hybrid vessel will be the world’s largest sailing yacht. The first ship of its kind to be fitted with the SolidSail propulsion system, Corinthian will have three rigid masts that cover an expanse of 1,500 metres and the ability to tilt or rotate depending on wind conditions under sail. The yacht will also have dynamic positioning technology to protect seabeds by eliminating the need for anchoring, and an artificial intelligence-driven detection system that minimises the risk of marine mammal collisions.
A rendering of the Ocean Residences luxury residential yacht Njord
The 84,800gt residential mega-yacht Njord, under construction for Ocean Residences at Germany shipyard Meyer Werft, will have 117 resident-owned apartments and accommodate approximately 1,000 crew and passengers. With LNG propulsion and a hybrid battery system, as well as the potential to switch to lower-carbon fuels later, the vessel will feature advanced heat recovery and advanced energy management systems. Ocean Residences will also equip Njord to conduct research in collaboration with oceanographic research organisations and scientific groups.
Some of the season’s ocean cruise ship deliveries will be bigger than their predecessors thanks to the need to accommodate new larger fuel tanks. When Norwegian Luna joins Norwegian Cruise Line’s Prima Plus class in 2026, guests will be able to enjoy a ship that, like its twin Norwegian Aqua, is 10 per cent larger in both size and capacity than previous deliveries, Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva. The ship features interior design by architects AD Associates, Piero Lissoni, Rockwell Group, SMC Design and Studio DADO. Onboard attractions include the Aqua Slidecoaster, a hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide first seen on Norwegian Aqua, which the company claims is the longest and fastest slide at sea.
The second ship in the TUI Cruises InTUItion class will enter service in spring 2026. Mein Schiff Flow follows a few months after sister ship Mein Schiff Relax, which was delivered in February. The newbuild is a dual-fuel vessel built with the potential for future conversion to low-emission future fuels such as bio- or e-LNG. Like its class-mates, the ship has catalytic converters so it meets Euro 6 standards and features a steam turbine that utilises residual heat from the diesel generators. It can connect to shore power and has an efficient waste treatment system that uses a thermal process to transform organic materials into recyclable components.
Disney Adventure, the first ship in the Disney Cruise Line brand designed for Asian families, will set sail from Singapore on 10 March 2026, offering short cruises of three and four nights. The company describes the ship as part of its multi-year expansion plan, which will introduce Disney cruises to “new audiences around the world.” Disney Adventure will be ready for conversion to use green methanol when it becomes available, allowing the ship to sail climate-neutrally.
Discover more insights like this in the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of Cruise & Ferry Review. Don’t miss out – subscribe for FREE and get the next issue delivered straight to your inbox.