Lifestyle matters when it comes to choosing your dream luxury cruise. Wherever the destination, the cruise ship is your home away from home. So, why not enhance your voyage with the ambience and accoutrements you crave? Each of these newly launched cruise ships promises comfort, delicious cuisine, exceptional service, and immersive experiences at sea.
OCEANIA CRUISES: VISTA & ALLURA
Photo: Oceania Cruises
Oceania’s Vista, launched in 2023, and twin sister Allura, launched in July 2025, are designed to emulate a luxury resort at sea, with areas dedicated to active engagement and elegant, residential-style accommodations for calm relaxation. The 1,200-guest ships sustain the culinary excellence intrinsic to Oceania Cruises, including a Culinary Center for interactive cooking classes.
Photo: @oceaniacruises
Activities include artsy workshops in the Artist Loft, honing sports skills on the cruise ship pickleball court, mini-golf course or netted golf driving range, and indulging in the spa and fitness centre. Oceania’s port-intensive itineraries include some overnight and extended evening stays and offer varieties of destination-focused experiences, including chef-led epicurean tours, guided active and environmental adventures, and wellness jaunts, say, to local mineral baths.
Providing exceptional value for a luxury cruise experience geared to well-travelled adults, Oceania’s Vista and Allura include shipboard gratuities, gourmet specialty restaurants, group fitness classes, laundry service, and WI-FI. Alcohol packages are available for a fee.
oceaniacruises.com
SILVERSEA CRUISES: SILVER RAY & SILVER NOVA
Photo: Silversea
Silver Ray, launched in 2024, and twin sister Silver Nova, launched in 2023, represent the evolution of ultra-luxury cruise travel. The asymmetrical architecture of the 728-guest ships is designed with vast swaths of glass that allow uninterrupted views for a glorious sense of place and being fully immersed in the destination, whether at sea or in port.
Fashioned to exude an aura of residential-style splendour, all accommodations include balconies and butler service. Able to enter small ports inaccessible to larger ships, Silversea vessels have itineraries and immersive experiences crafted to satisfy the wanderlust for enchanting places.
S.A.L.T. Lab.
The company’s signature S.A.L.T. program – the acronym stands for Sea And Land Taste – adds culinary connections to destinations, combining onboard cooking and dining options with exclusive excursions for culinary and wine-tasting experiences with celebrated local experts. Silver Ray and Silver Nova excel with eco-friendly, sustainable features, including the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG), and the ability to connect to shore-side power when in port. All-inclusive luxury on the adult-oriented ships includes beverages and gratuities. silversea.com
CRYSTAL CRUISES: CRYSTAL SERENITY & CRYSTAL SYMPHONY
Classic elegance, superb dining, and intuitive service combine for sumptuous cruising on Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony. Totally reimagined in 2024 after being purchased by Abercrombie & Kent – masters at creating immersive land tours – the 606-guest vessels’ global itineraries include expert guides, lecturers, and chefs who attract sophisticated cruise travellers keen to broaden their horizons while indulging their passions.
Photo: @crystalcruises + @beefbar_official
Culinary excellence abounds with dining, including Michelin-recognized chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s only restaurant at sea. Meticulously curated programs include exceptional wellness and fitness options, including spa therapies, pilates and yoga classes, pickleball, and PGA-pro led golf clinics. Renowned for its convivial atmosphere, Crystal offers “Ambassador Hosts” to solo guests.
Though adult-oriented, both ships are multi-generational-friendly, with spaces dedicated to young children and teens. The Casino de Monte-Carlo sets a new high for savvy gamblers. Themed cruises feature celebrity guests, including Gloria Gaynor, who will sing “I Will Survive” among other hits on the Canada-New England itinerary. crystalcruises.com
CUNARD: QUEEN ANNE
Photo: @cunardline
Queen Anne’s stunning design showcases Cunard’s evolutionary mix of British heritage with contemporary cruise ship style. Launched in 2024, the 2,996-guest, 14-deck-high ship’s outstanding amenities are sure to please all in any weather, including on transatlantic crossings.
The Pavilion has a retractable Magrodome soaring over the main pool, three whirlpools, and a huge LED cinematic screen. Massive fitness and wellness spaces include a therapeutic pool and spa complex. An exclusive space called Ceremonies at Sea – available for special events including weddings – has an adjoining dining/board room that leads to an outdoor terrace.
Photo: @cunardline
Culture-rich entertainment includes dancing and traditional Afternoon Tea in the Queen’s Room; live shows of London West End and Broadway productions in the Royal Court Theatre; and various venues featuring live music. With varieties of accommodation ranging from economical inside cabins to accessible and lavish balcony suites with special dining privileges, Queen Anne is conducive to couples, solo, and multi-generational travellers. cunard.com
VICTORY CRUISE LINE: VICTORY I & VICTORY II
Recently launched in April 2024, Victory Cruise Lines’ two, petite 190-guest expedition vessels – Victory I and Victory II – were purpose-built to navigate through the narrow locks of the Saint Lawrence Seaway and cruise around the Great Lakes.
The all-inclusive line includes an excursion to each port’s prime attraction, including Niagara Falls with a boat tour to the base of the Falls; Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; Detroit’s Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation; a tour of Mackinac Island; and the Soo Locks, connecting Lake Superior to Lake Huron at Sault Ste. Marie.
Photo: @boldtravellermag
Along the way, guests hear enriching lectures in tandem with the National Museum of the Great Lakes and enjoy delicious, beautifully plated meals. With departures from Toronto, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Montreal for 10–15-night voyages, the moderately-priced cruise conducive to adults includes a one-night pre-cruise stay at a premium hotel, plus ground transfers to the ship, unlimited WI-FI, and beverages including wines and spirits. victorycruiselines.com
