This story is part of Condé Nast Traveler’s Bright Ideas in Travel 2025. Read the full list here.
From the icy passages of the Arctic to the reef-laced waters of Australia, travelers to some of the world’s most enchanting ports may soon spot a new ship silhouette on the horizon.
Over the next five years, a handful of lines including Hurtigruten, Ponant, and industry newcomers Orient Express Sailing Yachts and Selar, are scheduled to release the next generation of sustainable cruise ships. With two to six masts rising from their decks, each vessel features rigid sails that don’t flutter in the wind—but harness the power of the elements nonetheless.
While the exact mechanisms vary, each vessel uses specially designed sails to tap nature’s energy sources: the sun and the wind. Meanwhile, hydroelectricity, biofuel, and hydrogen-powered fuel cells serve as backup.
Selar, a brand-new expedition line, plans to launch its 36-passenger ship, Captain Arctic, in November 2026 with itineraries throughout Norway, Svalbard, and Greenland, some of which are already sold out. Currently under construction at the Chantier Naval de l’Ocean Indien shipyard in Mauritius, it will be the Arctic’s first solar sailing ship, with an estimated 90% of the ship’s operations fueled by solar and wind-powered electric propulsion, tapping a battery reserve and biofuel when those elements aren’t available. The ship will also generate its own fresh water, rely on an organic heating system instead of energy-intensive fuel boilers, and implement a robust zero-waste policy to eliminate food waste and grey water.
In another departure from the traditional cruising model, Selar’s journeys will not follow a set itinerary; instead, the captain and expedition leader work collaboratively every day to chart the ship’s path, taking into consideration local weather and wildlife. The personalized sailings will focus on opportunities for outdoor excursions, from ski tours and snowy northern lights treks to kayaking and paddle boarding, as well as citizen science opportunities.
“To reconnect with nature is one of the most important gifts we want to give our passengers,” says Selar founder Sophie Galvagnon, a former captain of commercial icebreakers and polar passenger ships and the youngest woman in history to receive the Order of Maritime Merit. “That’s the new luxury.”
At a time when we’re seeing the effects of climate change accelerate in cruise destinations such the Arctic, which is warming four times faster than the rest of the globe, these innovations are crucial. Systemic change to cruise ship design will be needed in order to achieve the International Maritime Organization’s ambitious mandate for the industry to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Ponant Exploration’s Swap2Zero project, which aims to launch the first zero-emission ocean-going cruise ship by 2030, was recently awarded €40 million from the European Commission’s Innovation Fund to build a “sailing ship of the future.” The vessel will combine six decarbonization technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80%, including a wind propulsion system and 1,000 square meters of solar panels. “Up until now, there hasn’t been technology on the market to generate enough thrust for big vessels, and regulations for the safe integration of WAPS (Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems) on board vessels were lacking,” explains Mathieu Petiteau, director of new builds and research & development at Ponant.
