Travellers’ growing desire for selfcare has forced cruise lines to reimagine their onboard spaces. Cruise Trade News speaks to designers behind Icon of the Seas and Explora I & II to find out how super-sized ships are navigating the wellness trend

There was plenty for cruise enthusiasts to get excited about in 2024, with a conveyer belt of new souped-up ships hitting the waves at an impressive rate.

Royal Caribbean grabbed the headlines with the launch of two behemoth vessels: the 7,600-passenger Icon of the Seas and 5,688-passenger Utopia of the Seas, which entered service in January and July 2024, respectively.

Last year also saw historic British line Cunard unveil its first new ship in 14 years, with a sold-out Queen Anne sailing on its maiden voyage in the summer.

Meanwhile, the 728-guest Silver Ray, Silversea’s second Nova class ship, made its debut in June 2024, while luxury river cruise line Uniworld turned heads in spring with SS Victoria, offering the largest suites on Europe’s rivers. Lines aren’t showing signs of slowing down, either, with nearly two dozen new ocean and river ships slated for 2025.

While these vessels operate at opposite ends of the size scale, they all share one thing in common: each one has been designed to put health and personalisation at the heart of the guest experience.

“Guest priorities have undeniably shifted and there’s now a stronger emphasis on personal wellbeing and meaningful travel,” says Jeremy Clubb, founder of Rainforest Cruises & Antarctica Cruises.

Download the Cruise Trade News Annual Report 2025

Wellness at sea

Fuelling the need for onboard rejuvenation is the fact that travellers increasingly view holidays as an opportunity to recharge.

Last year the value of the global wellness tourism sector surpassed £645bn, with data gathered by trend forecaster Virtuoso revealing that 94 per cent of travellers incorporate some form of selfcare into their holiday routine. It’s a trend that hasn’t gone unnoticed by the cruise industry.

Clubb observes: “Travellers now crave space, both physically and mentally, which is why wellness offerings like onboard spa services, yoga sessions and mindfulness workshops are more in demand than ever.”

Take Seabourn, for example, which has partnered with celebrity doctor Andrew Weil to develop a guest wellness programme in which mindful living coaches, yoga instructors and meditation practitioners conduct seminars and classes throughout the voyage.

Ships used to be homogeneous all the way through. Now that the demographic is getting younger, lines are designing unique areas that appeal to different people

Then there’s Explora Journeys, which as well as boasting more than 1,000sqm of spa facilities on Explora I, offers guides to in-suite meditation and sleep-boosting soundtracks. Guests can also find pillow menus in their rooms and partake in immune boosting and sleep retreat programmes.

Gary Snyder, associate principal of US design firm Arcadis, which has worked with Royal Caribbean Group for more than 15 years, says the emphasis on wellness stretches beyond the need for spin and yoga classes.

“You’re also getting a more diverse choice of dining,” he says. “Ships used to be all about the all-you-can-eat buffet, but now guests can readily get a fruit smoothie or a vegan sandwich. It’s about trying to create an overall feeling of wellbeing to offer a more relaxing journey.”

Welcome to the neighbourhood

Designing a ship that hits the right notes with an increasingly diverse travel set is the next big challenge for cruise lines, which is why many of the larger operators are segregating theirs into distinct neighbourhoods.

Spearheading this ‘ship within a ship’ concept is Royal Caribbean, with Icon of the Seas comprising eight themed neighbourhoods, from child-friendly Surfside to The Hideaway, a luxury hangout exclusive to adult guests.

Snyder believes that allowing guests to discover unique spaces throughout the ship keeps them engaged and enhances brand loyalty.

Guests want to feel like they are sailing on their own private yacht while benefitting from the luxury of choice and space that a ship affords

“Ships used to be homogeneous all the way through,” he says. “Now that the demographic is getting younger and we’re seeing more multi-generational families onboard, lines are designing unique areas that appeal to different people.

“You’re going to get bored of going to the same two or three places on a week-long cruise, but if you’ve got seven or eight different distinct locations on the ship, that makes for a more memorable journey.

These exclusive neighbourhoods have been very successful and I don’t see them disappearing anytime soon.”

Royal Caribbean isn’t the only one adopting this approach, with Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Aqua and MSC Cruises’ MSC World America – both of which are preparing to launch this year – also featuring their own neighbourhoods.

“Since the demographic of our guests is so diverse, we feel everyone should find a home across the ship,” says Antonio Paradiso, vice president international sales, MSC Group.

“MSC World America will be divided into seven distinct districts, each with their own atmosphere, facilities and experiences. We hope that this new concept will allow guests of all ages to create a holiday that feels uniquely theirs.”

Boutique boltholes

Cruise lines often like to describe their ships as floating hotels, but never has this been truer than today. That’s because designers are increasingly taking their cues from the luxury hotel market, moving away from the old image of stuffy ships with kitschy interiors and toward more refined, design-led features and aesthetics.

 “Guests want to feel like they are sailing on their own private yacht while benefitting from the luxury of choice and space that a ship affords,” explains Antonio Di Nenno, director, architecture and design at Explora Journeys.

Explora Journeys tapped into this trend by partnering with esteemed yacht designers Martin Francis who, according to Di Nenno, took inspiration from the boutique hotel market to reimagine the outline and onboard features of both Explora I and Explora II.

“By incorporating subtle use of light, colour and privacy, the ships’ design demonstrates a steer towards European rather than American sophisticated luxury, prioritising functionality, comfort and aesthetic appeal.”

This feature originally appeared in Cruise Trade News 2025 Annual Report, published February 2025. Available to download now.