Top 5 Biggest Cruise Ships November 2024
Harmony of the Seas Exterior. Image: Royal Caribbean International
5 Largest Cruise Ships in The World 2024
Correct as at 1 November 2024
Are you wondering which is currently the biggest/largest cruise ship in the world? Often when people think of cruise ships, particularly if they have never cruised, they have a romantic idea of the elegant Ocean Liners of the past. However, most liners were much smaller even than today’s mid-sized cruise ships at less than 50,000 gt.
One of the few liners in service today is Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, and at 149,215 GT she is the exception to the rule.
When we took our first cruise it was on P&O Cruises Aurora, which at just over 76,000 GT seemed absolutely huge to us. Things have moved on significantly and each class of ship seems to get much larger than the previous one.
With that in mind, at the risk of this post not aging well as newer and bigger ships are built, let’s take a look at five of the largest cruise ships currently in service. Interestingly, all five are operated by Royal Caribbean International - and that doesn’t seem to be about to change anytime soon.
1.Icon of the Seas
Icon of the Seas - the largest ship in the world 2024. Image: Royal Caribbean
Currently the World's Largest Cruise Ship (June 2024)
Icon of the Seas is the first ship of Royal Caribbean's new Icon Class of cruise ships. She is the largest cruise ship in service after late January 2024.
Class: Icon Class
Gross Tonnage: 248,663 GT
Length: 364.75 m (1,196.7 ft)
Beam: 48.47 m (159.0 ft)
Height: Approx 196 ft above waterline
No. Of Decks: 20
No. Of Cabins: 2,805
Capacity: 5,610 passengers
Crew: 2,350 crew
Built: 2024
Shipbuilder: MEYER TURKU, TURKU, FINLAND
Entered Service: 27 January 2024
Maiden voyage: January 2024
Cost: EUR 1,9 billion (USD 2 billion)
2. Symphony Of the Seas
The Previous Crown-Holder, Symphony of the Seas has moved to second place in World’s Biggest Cruise Ships. Image: RCI
Class: Oasis Class
Gross Tonnage: 228,081 GT
Length: 362.1 m (1,184 ft)
Beam: 47.4 m (156.8 ft)
Height: 72.5 m (238 ft)
No. Of Decks: 18
No. Of Cabins: 2,759
Capacity: 5,400 passengers
Crew: 2,200 crew
Built: 2018
Shipbuilder: Chantiers de l’Atlantique, Saint-Nazareth, France
Entered Service: 31 March 2018
Maiden voyage: 7 April 2018
Cost: US$1.35 billion
3. Harmony of the Seas
Harmony of the Sea ranked third largest cruise ship in the World (as at June 2024). Image: Royal Caribbean International
Class: Oasis Class
Gross Tonnage: 226,963 GT
Length: 362.12 m (1,188.1 ft)
Beam (at waterline): 47.42 m (155.6 ft)
Height: 70 m (238 ft) ?
No. Of Decks: 18
No. Of Cabins: 2,759
Capacity: 5,479 passengers
Crew: 2300 crew
Built: 2016
Shipbuilder: Chantiers de l’Atlantique
Entered Service: 15 May 2016
Maiden voyage: 29 May 2016
Cost: US$1.35 billion
4. Allure of the Seas
Royal Caribbean Allure of Sea is currently fourth largest cruise ship in the world. Image: Royal Caribbean International
Allure of the sea is just 50 mm (2.0 in) longer than Oasis of the Sea
Class: Oasis Class
Gross Tonnage: 225,282 GT
Length: 362 m (1,187 ft)
Beam (at waterline): 47 m (154 ft)
Height: 72 m (236 ft)
No. Of Decks: 18 (16 passenger decks)
No. Of Cabins: 2,540
Capacity: 5,484 passengers
Crew: 2,200 Crew
Built: 2010
Shipbuilder: STX Europe, Turku Shipyard, Finland
Entered Service: 28 November 2010
Maiden voyage: 1 December 2010
Cost: US$1.2 billion
5. Oasis of the Seas
Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas Exterior. Image Credit: Royal Caribbean International
If you compare the two you will see that there is very little between Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, apart from a marginal difference in gross tonnage/length.
Class: Oasis Class
Gross Tonnage: 226,838 GT
Length: 360 m (1,180 ft)
Beam (at waterline): 47 m (154 ft)
Height: 72 m (236 ft)
No. Of Decks: 18 (16 passenger decks)
No. Of Cabins: 2,540
Capacity: 5,606 passengers
Crew: 2,165 crew
Built: 2009
Shipbuilder: STX Europe, Turku Shipyard, Finland
Entered Service: 30 November 2009
Maiden voyage: 5 December 2009
Cost: US$1.4 billion