Thought cruising was the domain of retirees? Think again. Generation Z is set to become the largest consumer group by 2020, and according to the CLIA, their spending habits are less geared toward material items, and more toward incredible experiences, like cruising. Enter millennial-driven brand U by Uniworld, which will have two river ships – The A and The B – in Europe in 2020, and while the original 18-40 age limit has been scrapped, the brand’s offerings are still highly curated for this audience: think yoga studios, an Ice Bar featuring local DJs and silent discos, Pop-Art on the walls and mixology classes between ports. Meanwhile, Virgin Voyages is calling Scarlet Lady – set to debut in 2020 – the ‘anti-cruise ship’, featuring journeys for over 18s, with a youthful skew: the young-at-heart will love the design, courtesy of America’s hip Ace Hotel chain, tattoo-and-piercing parlour, karaoke and gaming lounge, and record store stocked with vinyl.

Today’s cruises are just as much about the journey as the destination. And if you happen to have a passion for something – whether it’s food, history or music – there’s a cruise for you. Try Avalon’s Active and Discovery Tours where you can choose your own adventure at each port, which may include a Van Gough painting workshop in Arles or a cooking class in food-centric Lyon.

While many cruise companies continue to expand their portfolios, some are making their maiden journeys over the next 12 months. Hotel group Ritz-Carlton is entering the yachting arena, launching a collection of boats that come with style to spare. Set to sail in 2020 to iconic destinations such as Dubrovnik, Croatia (below), the brand’s trio of custom-built yachts – each holding 298 guests – will offer voyages from seven to 10 nights. All suites come with private balconies, and shore excursions are personally curated: if you don’t want to move too far, each ship’s marina has a spa, pool and humidor. Virgin Voyages (inset) will also make its debut in 2020 with Scarlet Lady, her three sisters entering the market by 2023.

Google can now steer even the most directionally challenged to their next location, and there are dozens of apps available to translate words from any dialect back and forth. So it’s no surprise that many of us are now comfortable exploring the globe alone. The latest data from research agency Hitwise shows that searches for ‘solo travel’ rose by 34 per cent year on year, for the five months from November 2018 to March 2019. And a Finder study has found that 24 per cent of Australians have travelled alone overseas in 2019. No more surcharges for sleeping, eating or adventuring alone, thank you

Why share an island with other cruise lines when you can have one to yourself? Owning a private slip of land as your port – as many cruise companies now do – means that your passengers are guaranteed unbridled access to extravagant facilities, whether that’s an overwater bungalow or the largest waterpark in the Caribbean. Head to Belize to bliss out on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Harvest Caye (left), replete with beachfront villas, a nature centre and an enormous pool. Or book a berth on a Royal Caribbean cruise around the Bahamas to enjoy the trimmings of Perfect Day at CocoCay (below). The island is a bit like Willy Wonka meets the tropics, promises the tallest waterslide in North America, a helium balloon ride and the largest freshwater pool in the country.

Mealtimes on a cruise ship used to mean humdrum buffets laden with stodgy food. But seafaring food lovers are increasingly seeking gastronomic sophistication, and lines are implementing a winning recipe for success: the celebrity-chef-helmed restaurant. The Crystal Cruises fleet now offers experimental Japanese cuisine thanks to chef Nobu Matsuhisa. In Southeast Asia, Aqua Mekong called on Aussie chef David Thompson to offer guests a taste of the region through his Michelin-starred fare. And another Australian, Curtis Stone, is reinventing menus across the Princess portfolio: his eatery, SHARE, features the finest ingredients at sea. There are more Michelin stars on Seabourn cruises, with top chef Thomas Keller updating classic American dishes at The Grill, while six of Royal Caribbean’s ships will continue the Jamie’s Italian restaurant legacy, with Jamie Oliver confirming his at-sea eateries will be spared closure, unlike his land-based restaurants in the UK.

As countries around the world strive to clean up their environmental act, so, too, are cruise companies under pressure to minimise their carbon footprint. Operators are investigating the switch to cleaner fuel alternatives with lower sulphur content, and by 2025 it’s predicted that the industry will feature 25 ships powered by liquid natural gas (LNG): from 2020, Carnival will use the super-cold fuel to power a 5,200- passenger ship, making it the first cruise vessel in North America to use LNG. This year, Norwegian cruise line Hurtigruten (above) launched the industry’s first hybrid-powered ship, propelled by electric motors and internal combustion engines. The technology is designed to make the ship cleaner and more efficient, with Hurtigruten claiming it will cut fuel consumption by 20 per cent.

It’s not uncommon to see multiple ports every day when you cruise the world. To get you inspired for your next destination, Royal Caribbean’s fleet is going virtual, offering a taste of different corners of the globe before you drop anchor. Sit down in a dining room, don a VR headset, and be transported to a Tokyo izakaya while you enjoy your real-life sushi. Or, feast on saganaki and grilled octopus in the sun-filled streets of Santorini… without leaving your ship’s restaurant.

Forget generic nautical blues and whites and cookie-cutter cabins – ships today are calling upon the world’s best designers and interiors experts to fit-out rooms and public spaces. Boutique river cruise line Uniworld utilises sister hotel company Red Carnation to decorate its ships, which come with priceless paintings and sculptures as well as designer lighting and high-thread count linens. Virgin Voyages also enlisted hospitality institution, America’s hip Ace group, to style its upcoming ships, with a support team of nine other design firmsin the wings to ensure facilities and flourishes are as luxe at sea as they are on land. Celebrity Cruises named New York interiors darling Nate Berkus as its ‘design ambassador’ for upcoming ships, and then announced famed designers Kelly Hoppen and Tom Wright as among those working on ships including Celebrity Edge. Adam Tihany – whose past projects include the Four Seasons resort in Dubai and the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles – has also been in high demand, imagining the two-storey Queen’s Lounge on Holland America Line’s Koningsdam, as well as public spaces on Seabourn’s Encore and Ovation.

Expedition cruising used to be synonymous with roughing it: ships focused on the destinations, rather than the on-board facilities. Today’s liners come with more luxe trimmings than a billionaire’s mega-yacht, from helicopter landing pads to private submarines. Ponant’s freshly minted Le Lapérouse and Le Champlain, will have underwater lounges with live views of the ocean and marine sounds, and a hydraulic platform to allow easy access to Zodiacs (inflatable boats used to ferry passengers on excursions) and the sea. Meanwhile, Celebrity’s new Flora features plunge pools, all-suite accommodation and a telescope-equipped stargazing platform, while Scenic Eclipse, visiting Antarctica and the Northwest Passage, has ice showers and thermal lounges, plus two helicopters and a custom-built sub. Other high-tech expedition ships in the works include Crystal Endeavour, debuting in 2020 as the largest polar-class ship at sea; and Hapag-Lloyd’s Hanseatic Inspiration, with a glass-floored viewing platform and Ocean Academy for independent research.

Wellness tourism is now so mainstream that if your ship doesn’t offer on-board yoga, meditation and crystal healing, you’re probably in the Zodiac. Most liners come equipped with state-of-the-art fitness centres, day spas and medical spas, and restaurants dishing up healthful cuisine that is low in calories and high in antioxidants. Many more are inking partnerships with celebrity health and fitness experts (think trainers, nutritionists, dieticians), and some are introducing buzz-worthy spaces including oxygen bars and cryotherapy chambers. Blue World Voyages will debut in 2021, the line featuring wellness cruises – and nothing else. Some of the things you can look forward to include active shore excursions, TRX studios and a seawater lap pool. And when it comes to food, executive chef Tim Andriola will sling out wholefoods, such as the healthy crab soup and creative desserts using cacao and avocado to avoid sugar. He will also source ingredients in each destination port, bringing a unique local influence to onboard menus.

On long sea days, when there’s not that much to do but gaze at the horizon, the ship’s bar is a place to gravitate. Given recent overhauls, most are now places you won’t want to leave when last drinks are called. Dimly lit and super stylish, The Bonded Store (below) was born through a recent partnership between P&O’s Australian-homed ship Pacific Explorer and Sydney-based distillers, Archie Rose (inset). Order a gin-based cocktail and ponder the roster of events, which include gin and whisky masterclasses among others. Prepare for your port at Norwegian Cruise Line’s Svedka & Inniskillin Ice Bar, cooled to 17 degrees to preserve the sculptures, chairs and glasses, all chiselled from ice. There’s a 45-minute and two-drink limit here – more than enough time for a couple of Svedka vodka or Inniskillin ice wine cocktails. Royal Caribbean’s Bionic Bar concept sees your beverage shaken and served by a robot, while the same brand’s Rising Tide will have you levitating – literally. This Oasis-class bar ‘floats’ over three floors, offering a moving perspective of the ship’s interior while you sip your drink of choice.

Regardless of the destination, travellers are always on the hunt for enriching and rewarding holiday experiences – including when they’re cruising. Holland America Line’s Cruise with Purpose collection of port activities offers guests the chance to give something back through activities such as assisting in scientific research or replanting native forests. Crystal Cruises’ You Care, We Care program offers free shore excursions for passengers and crew involved in volunteering activities. Depending on the itinerary, opportunities might include assisting at the San Francisco Food Bank, helping care for animals at Koh Samui’s Animal Shelter, participating in conservation efforts to shelter penguins in New Zealand, planting trees in Reykjavik, Iceland (right), or assisting with meal preparation or recreational activities at Smile of a Child in Navplion, Greece.