As the cruise industry’s global cruise ship orderbook continues to surge to new heights, more vessel orders are expected from a number of existing cruise operators and rumored new entrants.

Ritz-Carlton announced it would build three small 298-passenger luxury ships at the end of June, which pushed the orderbook to some 88 ships on order.

Also recently, Antarctica XXI ordered a small polar expedition vessel from a shipyard in Chile.

A number of existing cruise lines are expected to follow through on previous statements:

Lindblad Expeditions said in May it was closing in on a expedition ship order.

Brodosplit is rumored to be nearing a deal for two 1,200-passenger cruise ships for a German customer.

Silversea told Cruise Industry News in March that it had two options for Muse-class vessels it was considering.

Rumors out of China regarding new cruise lines and existing companies building new cruise ships in Chinese yards continue to circulate.