List of largest cruise ships explained

Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, passenger ships primarily used for transportation across seas or oceans, they typically embark on round-trip voyages to various attractive ports of call. There passengers may go on organized tours known as "shore excursions". The largest may carry thousands of passengers in a single trip, and are some of the largest ships in the world by gross tonnage(GT), bigger than many large cargo ships. Cruise ships started to exceed ocean liners in size and capacity in the mid-1990s;[1] before then, few were more than 50,000GT.[2] In the decades since the size of the largest vessels has more than doubled.[3] There have been nine or more new cruise ships added every year since 2001, most of which are 100,000GT or greater.[4] In the two decades between 1988 and 2009, the largest cruise ships grew a third longer, almost doubled their widths, doubled the total passengers (2,744 to 5,400), and tripled in volume (73,000 GT to 225,000 GT). The largest have grown considerably since, particularly in passenger capacity;, the largest cruise ship,, has a gross tonnage of 248,336, is long and holds up to 7,600 passengers.

Cruise ships are organized much like floating hotels, with a complete hospitality staff in addition to the usual ship's crew.[5] They cater to nautical tourists, with recent vessels being described as "balcony-laden floating condominiums".[6] The "megaships" went from a single deck with verandas to all decks with verandas,[7] and feature ameneties such as theaters, fine-dining and chain restaurants, spas, fitness centers, casinos, sports facilities, and even amusement park attractions.[8]

Cruise ships require electricity both for propulsion and onboard power.[9] As with cargo ships, cruise vessels are designed with all the heavy machinery at the bottom of the hull and lightweight materials where feasible at the top, making them inherently stable even as passenger ships are getting ever taller,[10] and most supplement design with stabilizer fins to further reduce rolling in heavy weather.[11] While some cruise ships use traditional fixed propellers and rudders to steer, most larger ships use azimuth thrusters that can swivel left and right to steer, vastly improving vessel maneuverability.[12]

Cruise ships are operated by cruise lines, which offer cruises to the public. In the 1990s, many cruise lines were bought by much larger holding companies and continue to operate as brands or subsidiaries of the holding company. For instance, Carnival Corporation & plc owns both the mass-market Carnival Cruise Line, focused on larger party ships for younger travelers, and Holland America Line, whose smaller ships cultivate an image of classic elegance.[13]

In service

, there are 69 passenger ships with over 135,000GT in service. The first ships over that size were the from Royal Caribbean Group's Royal Caribbean International (RCI). These ships, which debuted in 1998 at over 137,000GT, were almost 30,000GT larger than the next-largest cruise ships, and were some of the first designed to offer amenities unrelated to cruising, such as an ice rink and climbing wall.[14] In 2004, the five Voyager-class ships were overtaken by the 148,528GT (QM2), the first non-RCI passenger ship over 135,000GT and the only passenger ship currently in service that classifies itself as an ocean liner. The QM2 was surpassed by RCI's 155,889 GT -class vessels in 2006, which were in turn overtaken by RCI's first of six planned vessels in 2009. The Oasis-class ships, at over 225,000GT, are at least wide, high, and accommodate over 5,400 passengers.[15] Oasis-class ships were surpassed by the first ship,, at 248,663GT in 2023.

Since 2008, other cruise lines have been ordering 135,000+GT ships. MSC Cruises introduced the first of four 137,936–139,072 GT s in 2008,[16] followed in 2017 by both the 153,516 GT and the 171,598–181,541 GT .[17] Norwegian Cruise Line debuted the 155,873 GT Norwegian Epic in 2010, the first ship outside of the Oasis class with a double-occupancy capacity of over 4,000,[18] Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises, debuted the first of seven 142,714 GT+ ships in 2013,[19] and the corporation's Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, and AIDA Cruises debuted the first of seven planned 133,596–135,225 GT ships in 2016.[20], the first of Carnival Corporation's nine planned ships, debuted in 2018 at 183,858GT, with future ships in the class planned for Costa, P&O, Carnival, and AIDA.[21] In 2016 and 2017, Genting Hong Kong's Dream Cruises introduced the 150,695 GT and, the first large ships from an Asian-owned cruise line.[22]

Largest cruise ships in service
RankShip nameCruise lineYearGross
tonnage		Length
overall		BeamStateroomsPassenger capacityImage
MaximumWaterlineDoubleMaximum
1Icon of the SeasRoyal Caribbean International2024248,663[23] 2,805[24] 5,6107,600
2Utopia of the Seas2024236,4732,8345,668
3Wonder of the Seas2022235,6002,8675,7346,988
4Symphony of the Seas2018228,0812,7595,5186,680
5Harmony of the Seas2016226,9632,7475,4946,687
6Oasis of the Seas2009226,8382,7425,4846,771
7Allure of the Seas2010225,2822,7425,4846,780
8MSC World EuropaMSC Cruises2022 215,8632,6265,2316,762
9Costa ToscanaCosta Cruises2021186,3642,6125,2246,554
10ArviaP&O Cruises2022185,5812,6145,2006,685
11Costa SmeraldaCosta Cruises2019185,0102,6125,2246,554
12IonaP&O Cruises2020184,0892,6145,2066,600
13MSC EuribiaMSC Cruises2023184,0112,4084,8166,335
14AIDAnovaAIDA Cruises2018183,8582,6265,2526,654
15Carnival CelebrationCarnival Cruise Line2022183,5211130feet137feet2,6875,3746,631
16AIDAcosmaAIDA Cruises2021[25] 183,7742,6265,2286,880
17Carnival JubileeCarnival Cruise Line2023182,015345disp=brNaNdisp=br42disp=brNaNdisp=br2,6265,2286,631
18MSC GrandiosaMSC Cruises2019181,5412,6325,2646,761
MSC Virtuosa2020181,5412,4214,8426,334
20Mardi GrasCarnival Cruise Line2020181,8081130feet137feet2,6415,2826,631
21Princess Cruises2024177,8822,1624,3205,189
22MSC MeravigliaMSC Cruises2017171,5982,2444,4885,655
MSC Bellissima2019171,5982,2174,4345,686
24MSC SeashoreMSC Cruises2021170,4122,2704,5405,632
MSC Seascape2022170,4122,2704,5405,877
26Spectrum of the SeasRoyal Caribbean International2019169,3792,1374,2465,622
27Norwegian EncoreNorwegian Cruise Line2019169,1162,0403,998
28Quantum of the SeasRoyal Caribbean International2014168,6662,0904,1804,905
Anthem of the Seas2015168,6662,0904,1804,905
Ovation of the Seas2016168,6662,0914,1804,905
31Norwegian BlissNorwegian Cruise Line2018168,0282,0434,0044,200
32Norwegian Joy2017167,7251,9253,8043,883
33Odyssey of the SeasRoyal Caribbean International2021167,7042,1054,1985,510
34Norwegian EscapeNorwegian Cruise Line2015165,1572,1244,248
35Freedom of the SeasRoyal Caribbean International2006156,2711,8173,6344,375
36Liberty of the Seas2007155,8891,8173,6344,375
Independence of the Seas2008155,8891,9293,8584,560
38Norwegian EpicNorwegian Cruise Line2010155,8732,1144,1005,183
39MSC SeaviewMSC Cruises2018153,5162,0664,1325,336
MSC Seaside2017153,5162,0664,1325,336
41Genting DreamResorts World Cruises2016150,6951,6743,3484,500
AROYAAroya Cruises2017150,6951,6863,376
43Queen Mary 2Cunard Line2004149,2151,3532,6913,090
44Norwegian BreakawayNorwegian Cruise Line2013145,6552,0153,963
Norwegian Getaway2014145,6552,0153,963
46Discovery PrincessPrincess Cruises2022145,2811,8303,660
Sky Princess2019145,2811,8303,6604,610
Enchanted Princess2020145,2811,8303,660
49Disney WishDisney Cruise Line2022144,2561,2502,500
50Majestic PrincessPrincess Cruises2017144,2161,7803,5605,600
51BritanniaP&O Cruises2015143,7301,8373,647
52Norwegian PrimaNorwegian Cruise Line2022143,5353,099
Norwegian Viva2023143,5353,099
54Royal PrincessPrincess Cruises2013142,7141,7803,5604,340
Regal Princess2014142,7141,7803,5604,340
56Celebrity BeyondCelebrity Cruises2022141,4201,6463,292
2023141,4201,6463,2603,731
58Navigator of the SeasRoyal Caribbean International2002139,9991,6933,3864,000
59Mariner of the Seas2003139,8631,6743,3444,000
60MSC DivinaMSC Cruises2012139,0721,7513,5024,345
MSC Preziosa2013139,0721,7513,5024,345
62Explorer of the SeasRoyal Caribbean International2000138,1941,5573,1143,840
Voyager of the Seas1999138,1941,5573,1143,840
64Adventure of the Seas2001138,1931,5573,1143,807
65MSC FantasiaMSC Cruises2008137,9361,6373,2744,363
MSC Splendida2009137,9361,6373,2743,952
67Adora Magic CityAdora Cruises2023136,2012,1254,2505,246
68Carnival VeneziaCarnival Cruise Line2019135,2252,1164,2325,260
69Carnival Firenze2020135,156>5,200
70Carnival Panorama2019133,868323.0(1,059 ft 9 in)37.2 m(122 ft 1 in)1,9654,0085,146
Carnival Horizon2018133,596323.63 m(1,061.8 ft)37.2 m(122 ft 1 in)1,9653,9604,977
Carnival Vista2016133,596323.63 m(1,061.8 ft)37.2 m(122 ft 1 in)1,9653,9344,977
73Disney DreamDisney Cruise Line2011129,690339.80 m(1,114.8 ft)37 m(121.4 ft)1,2504,000
Disney Fantasy2012129,750339.80 m(1,114.8 ft)37 m(121.4 ft)1,2504,000
Numbers of large ships by company!Company!Ships
Royal Caribbean International20
MSC Cruises14
9
7
5
Costa Cruises2
3
2
2
Resorts World Cruises1
1
1
1
1

On order

, 28 passenger ships were on order or under construction with a publicly announced size of over 135,000GT. RCI has two s on order, with expected delivery in 2025 and 2026.[26] RCI also has one Oasis-class ship on order for 2028. While its exact size is not published, RCI has previously stated that each new Oasis-class ship will be a little larger than the last. Celebrity Cruises, which is owned by RCI's parent company Royal Caribbean Group, will introduce a 140,600 GT ships in 2025, and TUI Cruises, a joint venture between Royal Caribbean Group and TUI Group, are introducing a new class of 161,000 GT cruise ships in 2024 and 2026.

Asia-based Dream Cruises, which went bankrupt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, had been planning to take delivery of two 208,000 GT ships in 2021 and 2022, which would have been the first ships over 200,000GT not built for RCI, with the largest maximum passenger capacity, 9,500, of any ship. One unfinished ship, formerly the Global Dream, was sold to Disney Cruise Line and is expected to debut in 2025, while the other was sent for scrapping.

MSC Cruises has three additional ships planned for 2024, 2025, and 2027, and at 215,800GT and a capacity of 6,762 passengers; they will have the highest passengers capacities and will be the largest ships operated by a cruise line other than Royal Caribbean.[27]

Carnival Corporation has two more 183,200–183,900 GT planned to debut in 2027 and 2028.[28]

Each year from 2023 to 2027, the Norwegian Cruise Line will debut additional ships from the . The Prima-class ships are expected to be 142,500GT and carry 3,215 to 3,550 passengers. Additionally, Norwegian Cruise Line is expected to take delivery of four approximately 200,000-gross-ton ships, each with a capacity of nearly 5,000 guests, in 2030, 2032, 2034 and 2036, which are subject to financing.[29]

Disney Cruise Line will launch two more 144,000 GT ships in 2024, and 2025. These ships will have 1,250 staterooms, like the line's previous two ships, but will be 14,000GT larger than those ships and powered by liquified natural gas fuel.

Largest cruise ships on order
RankShip, class, or project nameCruise lineYear
(planned)		Gross
tonnage		Length
overall		BeamStateroomsPassenger capacity
MaximumWaterlineDoubleMaximum
1Star of the Seas[30] Royal Caribbean International2025250,8002,805[31] 5,6107,600
Icon class2026250,800
3Oasis class2028236,000 approx.TBATBA
4TBCCarnival Cruise Line2029230,000approx.TBATBA3,0008,000
2031
2033
7MSC World AmericaMSC Cruises2025[32] 215,8632,6325,2646,774
MSC World Asia 2025215,8632,6325,2646,774
World class2027215,8632,6325,2646,774
10Disney AdventureDisney Cruise Line2025208,0002,5006,000
11TBCNorwegian Cruise Line2030approx. 200,000approx. 5,000
2032
2034
2036
15Excel classCarnival Cruise Line2027183,300
Excel class2028
17Star PrincessPrincess Cruises2025175,000 175,0004,300
18Prima classNorwegian Cruise Line2027172,000
Prima class2028172,000
20Mein Schiff RelaxTUI Cruises2024161,0002,0504,100
InTUItion class2026161,000
22Norwegian AquaNorwegian Cruise Line2025 158,000
Prima class2026158,000
24Disney TreasureDisney Cruise Line2024144,0001,2502,500
Disney Destiny2025144,0001,2502,500
Oriental Land Company2028144,000
27Vista classAdora Cruises2024142,000
28Celebrity Xcel[33] Celebrity Cruises2025141,4201,6503,300

See also

References

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