Which Is The Largest Cruise Ship In The World

The Worlds Biggest Cruise Ships

Jeannine Williamson

Monday November 1 2021, 19:37pm

The past decade has seen a massive growth in every sense in cruise ships. Vessels are getting bigger and bigger with mega-ships accommodating nearly 7,000 passengers and 2,300 crew members. As well as carrying more guests, the other reason is that cruise lines provide amazing attractions such as theme parks, race tracks, waterslides and even a rollercoaster, which take up a lot more space than the deck quoits of old. Weve taken a look at 15 of the biggest ships on the water including a couple of unusual ones and their maximum passenger capacity.

Main photo: MSC Virtuosa

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Amenities On The Wonder Of The Sea

This huge ship offers so many fantastic amenities for families. Some are offered free of charge while others are available for an additional fee.

Voom Internet is offered to suite guests at no charge, and to other guests for a daily fee. There are two options one standard internet and one with streaming capabilities. On my Royal Caribbean sailings, I have always been impressed with the quality of the internet especially at sea.

If you want to use the complimentary Royal Caribbean app, you use the internet without having a Voom package. The app is a great way to stay in touch with everything happening on the ship. You can also see deck plans, make activity/restaurant reservations, and check your account balance through the app. Messaging to other ship passengers is offered at an additional daily fee.

There are also several shops on board that offer many different items. In addition to Royal Caribbean-themed merchandise, youll find watches, handbags, jewelry, perfume, cosmetics, as well as personal essentials. There are also self-service vending machines offering many items that you may have forgotten at home.

Norwegian Bliss Norwegian Cruise Line

Passengers 4,903Norwegian Bliss incorporates the thrills and entertainment that are synonymous with Norwegian Cruise Lines and a new Observation Lounge comes into its own during Alaska sailings. Then theres the exhilarating Aqua Racer: a two-level electric car racing track located at the top of the ship on deck 19. Always a hit after dark is the Cavern Club that pays homage to the Fab Four with Beatles tribute bands.Sails Alaska and Caribbean

The Piazza on the Sky Princess

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Navigator Of The Seas

Royal Promenade on the cruise ship

Navigator of the Seas has the capacity to house 3,807 passengers across 1,557 staterooms, with almost 50% of those having balconies.

A crew of 1,213 are housed within 290 crew cabins. Having been constructed at Aker Finnyards in Finland for Royal Carribbean International, the ship contains more than $3m of art work displayed in stairwells and public areas.

She is the fourth of five Voyager-Class cruise vessels operated by Royal Caribbean International.

Mardi Gras Carnival Cruise Line

Passengers 6,500 Named after the first Carnival ship launched in 1972, which carried just over 1,000 passengers, the latest incarnation has joined the list of the worlds largest cruise ships and is the biggest in the Carnival fleet. The headline feature is Bolt, the first rollercoaster at sea. Mardi Gras is also the first Carnival ship to be divided into themed zones, such as the New Orleans French Quarter and Italian-inspired La Piazza. Sails the Caribbean.

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What Is The Biggest Ship In The World

Thebiggest ship in the world by gross tonnage is the crane vessel PioneeringSpirit at a staggering 403,342 GT. The ship was launched in 2013 and isused in the installation of oil platforms at sea.

The largest ship in the world by length is the oil tanker SeawiseGiant at 1,504 feet . It was in service from 1979 to 2009.In the decade since its retirement, no ship has surpassed its length.

Complete Timeline Of The Biggest Cruise Ship In The World By Year Since 1831 Ranked By Tonnage

• SS Royal William : 1,370 GRT
• SS Great Western : 1,340 GRT
• SS British Queen : 1,850 GRT
• SS President : 2,366 GRT
• SS British Queen : 1,850 GRT
• SS Great Britain : 3,270 GRT
• SS Atrato : 3,466 GRT
• SS Great Eastern : 18,915 GRT
• SS City of New York : 10,499 GRT
• RMS Campania and RMS Lucania: 12,950 GRT
• SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse :14,349 GRT
• RMS Oceanic : 17,272 GRT
• RMS Celtic : 20,904 GRT
• RMS Cedric : 21,035 GRT
• RMS Baltic : 23,876 GRT
• SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria :24,581 GRT
• RMS Lusitania : 31,550 GRT
• RMS Mauretania : 31,938 GRT
• RMS Olympic : 45,324 GRT
• RMS Titanic : 46,328 GRT
• RMS Olympic : 45,324 GRT
• SS Imperator : 52,117 GRT
• SS Vaterland : 54,282 GRT
• RMS Majestic : 56,551 GRT
• SS Normandie : 79,280 GRT
• RMS Queen Mary : 80,774 GRT
• SS Normandie : 83,404 GRT
• RMS Queen Elizabeth : 83,673 GRT
• SS France : 66,343 GRT
• MS Sovereign of the Seas :73,529 GT
• SS Norway : 76,049 GT
• Sun Princess : 77,499 GT
• Carnival Destiny : 101,353 GT
• Grand Princess : 109,000 GT
• Voyager of the Seas : 137,276GT
• Explorer of the Seas : 137,308GT
• Navigator of the Seas : 139,999GT
• RMS Queen Mary 2 : 148,528 GT
• Freedom of the Seas : 154,407 GT
• Liberty of the Seas : 155,889 GT
• Oasis of the Seas : 225,282 GT
• Harmony of the Seas : 226,963 GT
• Symphony of the Seas :228,081 GT

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Are Cruise Ships Bigger Than Aircraft Carriers

But which is bigger, an aircraft carrier, or a cruise ship? In fact, they are roughly the same size. The largest aircraft carrier at sea in 2020 is the Gerald R Ford Class aircraft carrier which has a length of 1,106 feet. Therefore, the worlds largest cruise ship is 82 feet longer than the largest aircraft carrier.

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How Much To Book The Largest Cruise Ship In The World

Would you guess that it’s more or less expensive to book the largest cruise ships in the world? Their size allows all types of variety when it comes to dining, entertainment, and more. So it should be more expensive, right? But then again their size allows for economies of scale. They should be able to charge less as a result. Then is the largest cruise ships less expensive? Below is a cruise pricing widget for the biggest cruise ship in the world. Play with dates and destinations to get a sense of pricing for the Symphony of the Seas.

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Cruise Ship Size Increase Over Time

The trend is clear. The largest cruise ships in the world today measure roughly 8x the size of vessels 40 years ago! Cruise lines proudly boast their biggest and newest ships. Each is guaranteed headlines when breaking the previous record for “biggest ship.”

Look at the chart below. We’ve analyzed nearly 300 ships over the past 50 years. The graph represents average ship size for the included periods.

It’s interesting to look at the average ship length versus tonnage. While new vessels today are nearly 5x the gross tonnage as decades ago, ship length has increased roughly 2x. What does that mean? Ships are getting significantly “beefier.” These massive gains are found in both height and width. Some of the largest ships in the world have 20 total decks and span 167 feet from side to side .

Small Ship Line #: Seabourn Cruise Line

Seabourns five ships feature fewer than 300 suites eachbut they leverage that small size into access at some of the worlds most beloved yacht ports: St. Tropez in the south of France the Greek island of Kos and popular large ports like Dubrovnik and Monte Carlo. Michelin-starred chef Thomas Keller designs specialty menus on the ships, and a partnership with UNESCO ensures shore excursions and sustainable tourism practices at some of the wildest and most wonderful destinations around the world. In 2021, the line will debut its first expedition ship, Seabourn Venture.

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What Are The Largest Cruise Ships In The World

Does size really matter? The cruise industry thinks so. For more than a century, cruise lines have competed to claim the title of world’s largest cruise ship.

When it set sail in 1912, the ill-fated Titanic was the largest and grandest passenger vessel of its time. But, as of 2009, when Royal Caribbean debuted its first Oasis-class ship, the superlative applies to vessels more than five times Titanic’s size.

So, what is the biggest cruise ship in the world? At the time of publication, it’s Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas. At nearly 237,000 gross registered tons and carrying up to 6,988 passengers , it’s a true behemoth. It boasts eight neighborhoods that feature everything from water slides, a zip line and a carousel to lavish suites, retail shops, thousands of live plants and more than two dozen bars and restaurants.

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But where do other cruise ships fall? Here’s a quick rundown of the world’s biggest cruise ships by gross registered tons and maximum passenger capacity. Unsurprisingly, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class dominates the top five in both categories. Perhaps more surprisingly, only two other lines join it on the winner’s podium.

Note: I have excluded ships from lines like Costa Cruises, P& O Cruises and AIDA, which do not cater to the North American market.

Crew Members On The Wonder Of The Seas

While the food, zip line, shops, water slides, pools, carousel, and other amenities/activities are excellent, the crew members are truly what makes the experience special. During our sailing, we were so impressed with every crew member we encountered. They really looked to make our experience exceptional.

Which activity on the Wonder of the Seas would be your favorite?

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Meet Wonder Of The Seas

At about five times the size of Titanic, the world’s largest cruise ship is Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas.

Spanning 18 decks, Wonder is the fifth Oasis Class cruise ship to be launched.

Size is everything with Symphony, as she is 1,188 feet in length. If you were to stand her up, she’s almost as tall as the Empire State Building .

There are four pools and 10 hot tubs on Wonder of the Seas to enjoy

Getting around the ships is pretty easy, thanks to the neighborhood concept Royal Caribbean developed for these ships. There are eight neighborhoods inside the ship to help distinguish areas from each other and make navigation for guests simpler.

You will find 2,867 staterooms, including 175 suites.

Read more: Interesting facts you might not know about Wonder of the Seas

List Of Largest Cruise Ships

Wonder of the SeasOasis-class

Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, they typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports-of-call, where passengers may go on tours known as “shore excursions”. They can carry thousands of passengers in a single trip, and are some of the largest ships in the world by gross tonnage , bigger than many cargo ships. Cruise ships started to exceed ocean liners in size and capacity in the mid-1990s before then, few were more than 50,000 GT. In the decades since, the size of the largest vessels has more than doubled. There have been nine or more new cruise ships added every year since 2001, most of which are 100,000 GT or greater. In the two decades between 1988 and 2009, the largest cruise ships grew a third longer , almost doubled their widths , doubled the total passengers , and tripled in volume . As of January 2022, the largest cruise ship, Wonder of the Seas, has a gross tonnage of 236,857, is 362 metres long, 64 metres wide, and holds up to 6,988 passengers.

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Msc Seashore Msc Cruises

Passengers 5,632Measuring 1,112ft from bow to stern, MSC Cruises flagship MSC Seashore has plenty of bragging rights. Its the longest ship in the fleet and the largest cruise ship built in Italy. Its got the biggest childrens club and MSC Yacht Club, the lines exclusive ship-within-a-ship enclave. Topping the interior decor is a Statue of Liberty and four-deck high LED wall with images of the New York skyline. Sails the Caribbean.

Popular Small Ship Cruise Destinations

Itinerary: Southampton Amsterdam, Netherlands Antwerp, Belgium Southampton

Includes: Earn Cruise Miles® with every booking*, Pound sterling on board*, Incredible late deal*, No-fly small ship cruising*

Itinerary: Liverpool Las Palmas, Gran Canaria Arrecife, Lanzarote Puerto Del Rosario, Fuerteventura Santa Cruz, Tenerife San Sebastian La Gomera, Canary Islands Santa Cruz, La

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Itinerary: Southampton Las Palmas, Gran Canaria Santa Cruz, La Palma Santa Cruz, Tenerife San Sebastian La Gomera, Canary Islands Funchal, Madeira Lisbon, Portugal Southampton

Includes: Earn Cruise Miles® with every booking*, Pound sterling on board*, Incredible late deal*, No-fly small ship cruising*

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Cruise Ship Harmony Of The Seas 226963 Gt

Royal Caribbean Cruise happens to be among the most popular of cruise liners that have introduced loads of luxury ships that cater to the elite. The Harmony of the Seas was built by STX France Chantiers de lAtlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire and is considered to be one of the finest Oasis-class cruise ships in the world. Weighing about 226,963 GT, she is definitely the largest passenger vessel today. It first ventured out into the sea on May 15th , 2016. Her first destination was Southampton, England and it was only by 23 rd October that the cruise finally crossed the Atlantic.

The initial voyages werent much of the hit among the passengers as most complained about the lack of hot water, bad service at the restaurant and other issues. However, the quality of services improved drastically once the overall construction of the cruise was completed. Harmony of the Seas has a total of 2747 staterooms that can house more than 5000 guests at a time. The suites are well furnished and equipped with the floor-to-ceiling screens that give you a picturesque view of the surrounding waters. Other than that, there is a Vanity Spa, Splashaway Bay Waterslide for children, a Casino Royale, an aqua theatre, a royal theatre, 4 swimming pools, 10 hot water Jacuzzis and more.

Cruise Ship Capacity Growth Over Time

Cruise lines are well aware that more passengers equals more profit. Using “economies of scale,” these companies have been able to grow revenues disproportionately to the associated increase in costs. In nerd speak, the marginal returns can increase at a rate greater than marginal costs.

Consider this. Royal Caribbean decides to add their magnificent Central Park feature. That’s a fixed cost and occupies a fixed space. Whether the vessel has 100 guests or 1,000, the marginal expense is essentially $0 for each additional passenger taking advantage of that space. Adding more passengers adds a clear impact to the bottom line. RC is going to optimize for the greatest number of people feasible in the available space.

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Restaurants On The Wonder Of The Seas

Like the other Royal Caribbean ships, the Wonder of the Seas offers both complimentary and specialty restaurants with loads of dining options. Complimentary restaurants and cafes are included in your cruise fare, while the specialty dining locations are offered at an additional fee.

The Main Dining Room is the standard place to enjoy dinner. There are two separate dining times, in addition to My Time dining, where you can visit at any time in a specific window. Reservations for My Time dining can also be made in the app or at the main dining room.

Theres also the Windjammer Cafe, the buffet on the ship. The Wonder of the Seas offers the largest Windjammer yet, and its absolutely huge, wrapping around a whole section of the ship. Theres loads of seating, including some quieter tables in the center between the two buffet areas. Currently, there are crew members serving buffet items and getting beverages, although Im not sure if that will change in the future.

Other complimentary venues include the Park Cafe , Sorrentos Pizza, Cafe Promenade, El Loco Fresh , Solarium Bistro, and Boardwalk Dog House .

There are numerous specialty dining locations on the ship. These can either be booked and purchased individually or as part of the Unlimited Dining Package. Make your specialty dining reservations as soon as possible, as these do book up.

Msc Meraviglia Msc Cruises

Passengers 4,500 MSC Meraviglia is one of the four MSC ships that sail to Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. The lines private Bahamian island has two miles of white sandy beaches where passengers can take part in a variety of activities and watersports, chill out in a cabana or enjoy spa treatments. Back on board, standout features include the exclusive Yacht Club, a ship-within-a-ship concept with its own suites, restaurant, lounge and sun deck. Sails the Caribbean and Mediterranean.

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