If you’ve landed on this article, chances are good you’re considering taking a cruise for New Year’s. That’s a great choice! For many cruise lines, New Year’s Eve is the biggest party of the year complete with a special dinner, champagne toasts, music, dancing, and a countdown to midnight. In our opinion, you can’t go wrong with just about any cruise for this holiday. When trying to decide on the best New Year’s Eve cruises, the cruise line and specific ship should be major factors in your choice — just like when choosing a cruise any other time of the year.

With that being said, we want to help guide you in your decision-making process. Here, we’ve rounded up some of what we consider to be the best New Year’s Eve cruises. Keep in mind that when we recommend a specific ship, we’re also recommending that line in general. The programming for New Year’s is usually similar across an entire fleet.

The Best New Year’s Eve Cruises For 2024-2025

Celebrity Apex — Celebrity Cruises

7-Night Eastern Caribbean roundtrip Fort Lauderdale to St. Kitts, Tortola, and Puerto Plata

If you’re on a Celebrity cruise, you’ll be ringing in the New Year in style during the line’s “best party of the year.” During this cruise aboard Celebrity Apex, New Year’s Eve will be spent in beautiful St. Kitts. Here, guests can go hiking, zip lining, snorkeling, or tour various points of interest around the island. Back on board, New Year’s Eve festivities will be happening all around the ship. They’ll culminate with a countdown party that includes live music, noisemakers, party favors, and a complimentary glass of champagne at midnight.

In addition to St. Kitts, the cruise will include calls to Tortola and Puerto Plata. In Tortola, visitors can go off-roading in Jeeps, go zip lining, spend a day at the beach, visit a local distillery, or take an open-air bus tour. Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic features offerings like kayaking at a manatee reserve, foodie and coffee tours, dolphin and waterfall experiences, and beach breaks.

Celebrity Apex is one of Celebrity’s newest and largest ships. She features favorite amenities like the light and plant-filled Eden multipurpose space, the adults-only Solarium, and a 25-yard lap pool with in-pool loungers. For a mid-afternoon or evening cocktail, head to the Craft Social Bar, the guest-favorite aft Sunset Bar, or The Magic Carpet platform that’s cantilevered over the side of the ship. Restaurants on board include the al fresco Rooftop Garden Grill, Fine Cut Steakhouse, and Le Petit Chef — a dinner experience featuring animated projection mapping.

Resilient Lady — Virgin Voyages

7-Night Southern Caribbean roundtrip San Juan to Tortola, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, and St. Maarten

Few cruise lines know how to throw a party like Virgin Virgin does! And the line’s huge New Year’s Eve celebration is no exception. Similar to Scarlet Night, New Year’s Eve is a ship-wide affair with lots of happenings. Put on your most festive attire and add some sparkle at the glam station which is set up in the Roundabout atrium. Take a photo in front of the New Year’s photo backdrop before heading to dinner.

After dinner, grab a holiday-themed cocktail before gearing up for an epic party that lasts through midnight and beyond. Up on deck, enjoy the huge New Year’s Eve party complete with a live band. Then, join your fellow passengers in a champagne toast as you count down to a brand new year.

Resilient Lady’s New Year’s cruise sails roundtrip from San Juan, Puerto Rico. In Barbados, popular excursions include snorkeling with sea turtles, touring Harrison’s Cave, and taking a food-centric tour. St. Lucia is known for its natural beauty where visitors can go hiking and visit waterfalls. And Antigua has a whopping 365 beaches — one for each day of the year. In St. Maarten, consider going on a catamaran and snorkeling excursion or visiting Maho Beach which is located at the end of the runway at the island’s main airport.

Highlights of Resilient Lady include the array of restaurants that are all included in the cruise fare. At Test Kitchen, every item on the menu is noted as just a single ingredient. Further, there’s Razzle Dazzle, Extra Virgin Italian restaurant, and Pink Agave modern Mexican restaurant. Other highlights of the ship include the spa with thermal suite, a tattoo parlor, and the aft sundeck The Dock. As a fun bonus, nearly all of the balcony cabins include a red hammock for lounging.

Icon of the Seas — Royal Caribbean International

7-Night Eastern Caribbean roundtrip Miami to St. Kitts, St. Thomas, and Perfect Day at CocoCay

When sailing the world’s largest cruise ship, you’re going to expect a massive New Year’s Eve celebration — and you’d be right. Aboard Icon of the Seas, you can expect celebrations throughout the ship complete with decorations, noisemakers, hats, and live music. For dinner, the main dining rooms will feature a special menu to celebrate the holiday. At midnight, passengers can celebrate the new year with a countdown and massive balloon drop in the promenade. TVs around the ship will feature a live feed of the ball drop in Times Square.

Icon of the Seas is a huge ship, divided up into different areas called “neighborhoods.” The family-focused Surfside neighborhood features a pool, a splash area, and even a carousel. In the AquaDome neighborhood, guests can enjoy AquaTheater high-dive shows and views through the expansive glass dome “wall.” The ship also features a huge water park, a ropes course experience, and an ice skating rink. There’s even a neighborhood just for adults called The Hideaway, home to the first-ever suspended infinity pool at sea. Restaurants on board include Izumi Hibachi and Sushi, Hooked Seafood, AquaDome Market, Empire Supper Club, and more.

The itinerary is a great option for those who consider both the ports and ship to be the destination. In St. Kitts, consider taking a train ride on the St. Kitts Scenic Railway, hiking up a volcano, or heading out on a catamaran and snorkeling adventure. St. Thomas, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands, is perfect for a beach and snorkeling day, a historical tour, or a Skyride high above the port to Paradise Point. Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, is also on the itinerary. At Perfect Day at CocoCay, guests can enjoy a beach day or even Thrill Waterpark featuring the tallest slide in the Caribbean.

Queen Anne — Cunard

14-Night Canary Islands Celebration roundtrip Southampton to Arrecife, Puerto del Rosario, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands; Funchal, Portugal; and La Coruña, Spain

Cunard is known for its classic art deco style and elegant atmosphere. Living up to this reputation, the line hosts a grand ball on all of its ships for New Year’s Eve. Its newest vessel, Queen Anne, will be operating a 14-night voyage to the Canary Islands from Southampton, England. The cruise will span over both the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Guests will have the opportunity to explore four different ports in the Canary Islands, as well as Funchal on the Portuguese island of Madeira and La Coruña in Spain.

On board the ship, festive spirits will be high. Guests can enjoy Christmas decor including light-covered Christmas trees, gala dinners with specially-curated menus for both Christmas and New Year’s Eve, Christmas services, and even a visit from Santa. On New Year’s Eve, passengers dress to the nines for the New Year’s Ball complete with free champagne, dancing, and a midnight balloon drop.

Highlights of Queen Anne include Cunard’s signature afternoon tea event, the Panorama Pool club with live music, an indoor pool with a retractable roof, and the Pavilion Wellness Studio offering exercise and yoga classes. Dining on board includes Mediterranean restaurant Tramonto, Aji Wa Japanese restaurant, Sir Samuel’s steakhouse, and Aranya Indian restaurant, among other venues.

Disney Dream — Disney Cruise Line

5-Night Bahamas roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale to Nassau, Lighthouse Point, and Castaway Cay

Taking a Disney cruise is a dream (get it?!) come true for many fans of Disney’s beloved movies. It’s also a perfect way to ring in the new year with family and friends. This voyage aboard Disney Dream is special because it includes a stop to not one, but two private DCL destinations: Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point and Castaway Cay. Lookout Cay is Disney’s newest private destination, located on the Bahamian island of Eleuthera. Castaway Cay is the line’s longtime private island, also in the Bahamas. Both feature multiple beaches (including an adults-only beach!), splash areas for little kids, walking paths, barbecue lunches, and multiple bars. Visitors can also do activities like snorkeling and kayaking.

On board the ship, kids will enjoy the AquaDuck water coaster, character meet-and-greets, Nemo’s Reef splash area, and the Oceaneer kids’ club with rooms themed to different Disney movies. Families can gather for dinner at one of the three themed rotational dining rooms. They can also take in the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ production in the theater or hang out at the pool. Adults have their own areas too. These include multiple bars, the Quiet Cove sundeck and pool, and specialty restaurants Palo and Remy.

For New Year’s, passengers aboard Disney Dream will enjoy a special dinner menu. And characters will make appearances in outfits fit for the occasion. The evening culminates with a huge deck party complete with music, champagne, a countdown to midnight, and a festive fireworks display at sea.

MSC World Europa — MSC Cruises

7-Night Western Mediterranean roundtrip Genoa to Civitavecchia (Rome), Sicily, Palermo, Malta, Barcelona, and Marseille

If you’re going to take a New Year’s cruise this year, why not do it aboard the largest cruise ship in the Mediterranean this winter? MSC World Europa is part of MSC’s new World class of ships. This is the third largest class of cruise vessels behind Royal Caribbean’s Icon and Oasis classes. This seven-night cruise visits historic and picturesque port calls. Passengers can ring in the new year taking city tours, exploring UNESCO World Heritage Sites, visiting a winery, or taking a cooking class. Guests will spend New Year’s Eve in Palermo, Sicily. Then, they can spend New Year’s Day exploring the beautiful and historic streets of Valletta, Malta.

On board, get ready for a festive evening filled with New Year’s Eve events throughout the ship. The themed night starts with a gala dinner featuring a special menu. Following, there’s an epic dance party complete with costumes, noisemakers, and decorations. Screens around the ship will display the countdown to midnight, and guests will ring in the new year with a champagne toast.

Throughout the cruise, you’ll have access to amenities on MSC World Europa including seven pools, a water park, an 11-deck high spiral slide, the two-story Panorama Lounge boasting floor-to-ceiling windows, and the MSC Luna Park Arena entertainment and nightclub venue. When it’s time to sit and relax with a beverage in hand, head to the Masters of the Sea pub, The Gin Project bar, or Fizz Champagne Bar. Elevated dining options on board include Chef’s Garden Kitchen, Butcher’s Cut steakhouse, Kaito Teppanyaki, and La Pescaderia seafood restaurant.

Carnival Jubilee — Carnival Cruise Line

7-Night Western Caribbean roundtrip Galveston to Roatán, Costa Maya, and Cozumel, Mexico

If you’re sailing on a ship with “carnival” in the name, you know New Year’s Eve is going to be one epic party for the whole family. Carnival Jubilee is one of the newest ships in the Carnival fleet. And it’s jam-packed with activities and amenities for adults and kids alike. From the WaterWorks aqua park and ropes course to an actual roller coaster on the top deck, cruisers won’t run out of things to do on board. When it’s time to relax, adults can kick back on the Serenity Retreat sundeck with its own pool and bar. Or, they can hit up the under-the-sea-themed Dr. Inks, Ph.D. bar or pharmacy-themed Alchemy Bar serving up craft cocktails.

This cruise features a classic western Caribbean itinerary. At the Honduran island of Roatan, visitors can go snorkeling, zip lining, or horseback riding; meet monkeys or sloths; or soar high above the jungle on a zipline. In Costa Maya, Mexico, popular shore excursions include visiting the Chacchoben Mayan ruins, going scuba diving or snorkeling, or spending the day at the beach. Cozumel is the final stop, offering tours to the Mayan ruins of Tulum, four-wheeler adventures, and historical bus and walking tours. Further, Cozumel is also an excellent place to go scuba diving or snorkeling.

On New Year’s Eve, Carnival Jubilee hosts one of the best New Year’s Eve cruises. It’s complete with live music, DJs, and various events around the ship including a New Year’s Eve trivia party, a celebration in the piano bar, and a giant New Year’s Eve Bash on the Lido Deck. Afterwards, head to the nightclub for the New Year’s Eve afterparty. Kids even get their own New Year’s Eve celebration in the kids’ club so that parents can dance the night away without worry.

Seven Seas Grandeur — Regent Seven Seas Cruises

10-Night Magic on the Mexican Riviera roundtrip Los Angeles to Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, Mazatlan, Manzanillo, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Regent Seven Seas is one of the most luxurious cruise lines in the world. It’s also a great choice if you’re looking to spend your New Year’s in elegance and luxury. On New Year’s Eve, Seven Seas Grandeur will be decorated for the occasion. And guests can dress to the nines for a special holiday dinner. Following will be a New Year’s party complete with music, dancing, costumes, and treats like chocolate truffles, caviar, chocolate-covered strawberries, and free-flowing champagne. The evening will culminate with a countdown to midnight as everyone toasts to 2025.

This itinerary features calls to six different ports in western Mexico. In Cabo San Lucas, be sure to visit the famous Arch via a catamaran or glass-bottom boat tour. In Puerto Vallarta, head out whale watching, go zip lining, visit the Sea Turtle Camp, or take a bicycle or bus tour around the city. La Paz is full of ocean and sea life-focused activities. Some of these include snorkeling, kayaking, whale-watching, boat tours, and swimming with sea lions.

The all-suite Seven Seas Grandeur boasts a main pool deck with a pool, hot tubs, and a pool grill; a golf net, putting green, and bocce court; and the Culinary Arts Kitchen where guests can partake in cooking classes. The ship also features a fitness center, jogging track, and spa. Restaurants on board include the Compass Rose main dining room which hosts a champagne and caviar brunch once per cruise. There’s also the Prime 7 steakhouse, Chartreuse French restaurant, and Pacific Rim serving pan-Asian cuisine.

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