Share the post "What Are the 10 Biggest Cruise Ships in the World?"
It’s hard not to be impressed by the giants of the sea: some ships are longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall, carrying entire floating cities of passengers, or mountains of oil and ore.
But answering the question “What are the 10 biggest ships in the world?” isn’t so simple. A ship can be measured by length, deadweight tonnage, gross tonnage, or even passenger numbers.
The main types of giant ships
Before jumping to the top 10, a few benchmarks:
Supertankers (ULCC / VLCC)
These are the monsters that carry crude oil. Some, like the Seawise Giant or the Batillus-class vessels, comfortably exceed 400 metres in length.
Container ships
They carry thousands of standard containers (TEU). Recent giants like the Ever A class or MSC Irina reach nearly 400 m in length and over 24,000 TEU.
Cruise ships
These are true floating cities. Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas is currently the largest cruise ship in the world by gross tonnage, at around 365 m long with a capacity of over 7,000 passengers.
Bulk carriers
They transport ore, coal or grain in bulk. Valemax-type vessels, such as the Ore Brasil, measure around 362 m and hold the record among bulk carriers.
LNG carriers
The Q-Max class, which includes the Mozah, are the world’s largest LNG carriers, at 345 m long with a capacity of around 266,000 m³ of liquefied gas.
Military and offshore vessels
The USS Gerald R. Ford is the largest aircraft carrier in history (~333 m, ~100,000 t displacement). On the offshore side, Pioneering Spirit is a 382 m crane vessel, considered the largest construction vessel in service.
Top 10 biggest cruise ships in the world
This section focuses solely on cruise ships, ranked by the longest currently in service. The measure used is length overall (LOA), meaning the ship’s maximum length from bow to stern.
1. Icon of the Seas
Line: Royal Caribbean International
Length: ~364.75 m
Entering service in 2024, Icon of the Seas launched an entirely new class and became, upon delivery, the largest cruise ship ever built, ahead of the Oasis-class vessels. A true floating city, it holds records for both length and tonnage.
2. Harmony of the Seas
Line: Royal Caribbean International
Length: ~362.12 m
Built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard, Harmony of the Seas held the title of the world’s largest cruise ship upon its 2016 launch, before being overtaken by its sister ships and later by Icon of the Seas. It belongs to the famous Oasis class.
3. Wonder of the Seas
Line: Royal Caribbean International
Length: ~362.04 m
Also part of the Oasis class, Wonder of the Seas was briefly considered the world’s largest cruise ship by gross tonnage before the arrival of Icon of the Seas. It features a slightly reworked deck layout compared to its predecessors.
4. Utopia of the Seas
Line: Royal Caribbean International
Length: ~361.12 m
Utopia of the Seas is one of the newest additions to the Oasis class. At over 361 metres long, it continues the lineage of mega-ships designed for mass cruising, with themed neighbourhoods, parks, pools and an XXL entertainment offering.
5. Symphony of the Seas
Line: Royal Caribbean International
Length: ~361.01 m
Symphony of the Seas was, in turn, the world’s largest cruise ship upon its 2018 launch. It illustrates the steady growth of the Oasis class, with ever more cabins, restaurants and onboard activities.
6. Allure of the Seas
Line: Royal Caribbean International
Length: ~360.05 m
Allure of the Seas, the second Oasis-class ship, held the length record for a long time (361 m originally announced) before being overtaken by Harmony, Symphony, Wonder and then Icon. It remains one of the most imposing ships in service.
7. Oasis of the Seas
Line: Royal Caribbean International
Length: ~360 m
When it entered service in 2009, Oasis of the Seas completely changed the scale of cruising: it was the first cruise ship to break the 360 m mark, introducing an onboard “neighbourhood” concept (Central Park, Boardwalk, etc.) that would shape the entire class.
8. Ovation of the Seas
Line: Royal Caribbean International
Length: ~348 m
Ovation of the Seas belongs to the Quantum class, more compact than the Oasis class but still among the largest cruise ships in the world. It’s mainly positioned for the Asia-Pacific market.
9. Quantum of the Seas
Line: Royal Caribbean International
Length: ~347.70 m
The first ship of the Quantum class, Quantum of the Seas introduced several onboard innovations (virtual balconies, the North Star panoramic capsule, etc.) while measuring nearly 348 m in length.
10. Spectrum of the Seas
Line: Royal Caribbean International
Length: ~347.11 m
Designed for the Asian market, Spectrum of the Seas is another Quantum-class ship, slightly shorter than Quantum and Ovation but still in the top 10 longest cruise ships in service.
If these mega-ships impress you but you’re dreaming of something more intimate, yacht rental lets you enjoy the same comfort in a small group, on a fully tailored route. And if you’d rather have a boat all to yourself instead of a giant liner, check out our tips for a family sailing holiday on a catamaran!
FAQ
What is the biggest cruise ship in the world today?
The largest cruise ship in service is Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, at around 365 metres long with a gross tonnage of roughly 248,000 GT.
How is a cruise ship’s “size” measured?
Mainly through length overall (from bow to stern) and gross tonnage (GT), which corresponds to the ship’s interior volume. Together, these two figures allow cruise ships to be compared by overall size.
Why do the biggest cruise ships belong to the same line?
From the Oasis class to Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean made the strategic choice to build mega-ships to offer as many onboard activities as possible (parks, slides, themed neighbourhoods) and optimise cost per passenger.
How many passengers can these giants carry?
The biggest cruise ships can carry more than 6,000 passengers at maximum capacity, plus over 2,000 crew members. These really are floating cities.
Can these giant cruise ships dock in every port?
No. Their size creates constraints on draft, quay length and manoeuvring. They can only call at certain ports equipped to handle ships over 300 metres long.
