A global industry is constantly changing and evolving, with new ships coming online month after month. Cruise ships today are bigger than ever before in terms of size as well as capacity. The top ten biggest cruise lines will be revealed to the world next year by 2022, here’s what we know so far!
The “top 10 biggest cruise ship in the world 2021” is a list of the largest cruise ships. The list includes some of the top cruise ships from past and present.
Cruise ships are becoming more massive, and by the time a new world’s biggest cruise ship is completed, another even larger ship is being planned. The top ten largest cruise ships in the world by gross tonnage are examined by Cruise Hive.
What is the world’s largest cruise ship?
As new mega-ships from other cruise lines enter service, the list is continually evolving. So, what is the world’s biggest cruise ship right now?
The biggest cruise ship presently in service is Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, an Oasis-class ship. The ship’s design is similar to that of her sisters, although it adds several new features and advances the class. The Wonder of the Seas is a large 236,857 gross ton ship with a double occupancy capacity of 5,734 passengers. The complete list of the world’s largest cruise ships may be seen here.
1. The Seven Wonders of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
The fifth Oasis-class ship, Wonder of the Seas, has dethroned Symphony of the Seas as the world’s biggest cruise ship. The cruise company received the new ship on January 27, 2022, from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France.
Royal Caribbean provided this image.
Wonder of the Seas, like her sister ships, is separated into themed neighborhoods, although this ship features a new Suite Neighborhood. The eighth neighborhood has a Suite Sun Deck with a plunge pool, private restaurant, deck bar, and lounges for Royal Suite Guests. The Ultimate Family Suite is the biggest in the region.
Worth Reading: A Giant Comparison of the Wonder of the Seas and the Titanic
Other new features include a new southern restaurant named the Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar, Wonder Playscape, and The Vue Bar. The world’s largest cruise ship departs on her maiden voyage from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on March 4, 2022. Wonder of the Seas is offering seven-night cruises to the Caribbean before heading to Barcelona, Spain and Rome in Italy with cruises in the Mediterranean in the summer.
Stats on the Seven Wonders of the Seas
- Royal Caribbean is a cruise line.
- Date of Entry into Service: March 2022
- 236,857 tons of gross tonnage
- 1,188 feet in length
- Decks for Passengers: 16
- 2,867 staterooms
- Capacity: 5,734 passengers
- Capacity of the crew: 2,300
Symphony of the Seas is number two on the list (Royal Caribbean)
Symphony of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s fourth Oasis-class and 25th cruise ship, and she is somewhat bigger than her sisters, making her the world’s largest cruise ship.
EQRoy / Shutterstock.com / EQRoy / Shutterstock.com / EQRoy / Shutter
On March 23, 2018, the cruise line received Symphony of the Seas, which was constructed at the STX France shipyard at the time. On March 31, 2018, the ship set sail on her maiden one-time special preview cruise.
The first official debut trip, a 7-night Mediterranean excursion from Barcelona, Spain, left on April 7, 2018. Since November 10, 2018, Symphony of the Seas has been based at PortMiami, Florida.
Stats for the Symphony of the Seas
- Royal Caribbean is a cruise line.
- March 2018 was the first time I entered the service.
- 228.081 gross tonnage
- 1,188 feet in length
- Passengers: 5,518
- Crew: 2,100
3. The Seas’ Harmony (Royal Caribbean)
Harmony of the Seas narrowly surpasses the other Oasis-class ships to become the world’s second biggest cruise ship. The ship is the first of two new STX France orders that will bring the total number of big class ships to four.
Royal Caribbean is shown.
The 10-story Ultimate Abyss slide, which is situated aft of the ship above the AquaTheater, was the first in the class on the Harmony of the Seas. Since then, the slide has been a standard feature on new Oasis-class ships and has been added during refurbishments.
Stats for the Seas of Harmony
- Royal Caribbean is a cruise line.
- May 2016 was the first time I entered the service.
- 227,500 metric tons
- 155.6 feet in length
- Passengers: 5,480
- Crew: 2,100
4. The Sea’s Allure (Royal Caribbean)
This ship is massive, and it is the second in Royal Caribbean’s record-breaking Oasis class. There are seven unique communities on the Allure of the Seas, as well as far too many food options to list!
Royal Caribbean provided this image.
The ship is unlike any other major cruise ship in the business, and it has attractions such as the Zipline and the AquaTheater.
Stats about the Allure of the Seas
- Royal Caribbean is a cruise line.
- Initiated Service: October 2010
- 225,282 tons of gross tonnage
- 1,187 feet in length
- Passengers: 5,400
- Crew: 2,384
5. The Seas’ Oasis (Royal Caribbean)
This ship was instrumental in propelling the cruise industry to new heights. When Oasis of the Seas opened at the end of 2009, it was the first of its type.
The STX shipyard in Turku, Finland, produced the ground-breaking yacht. The Zip-line and the AquaTheater are two more attractions on the Oasis of the Seas.
Stats for Oasis of the Seas
- Royal Caribbean is a cruise line.
- December 2009 was the first time I entered the service.
- 225,282 tons of gross tonnage
- 1,186.5 feet in length
- Passengers: 5,400
- Crew: 2,394
Costa Smeralda (Costa Smeralda) (Costa Cruises)
The Costa Smeralda is the cruise line’s first Liquefied Natural Gas-powered ship (LNG). She is also the biggest cruise ship ever built for the Italian cruise line.
courtesy of maudanros/Shutterstock.com
After a lengthy delay, the ship was ultimately delivered from the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland on December 5, 2019. Her maiden regular journey left Savona on December 31, 2019, although she also had a special cruise for travel agencies on December 18, 2019.
Stats for Costa Smeralda
- Costa Cruises is a cruise line.
- Date of Entry into Service: December 2019
- 185,000 gross tonnage
- 337 meters in length
- Passengers: 6,600
- Crew: 1,500
- 2,600 guest cabins
7. P&O Iona (P&O Cruises)
British-based P&O Cruises took delivery of its largest-ever cruise ship and first to be powered by Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) in October 2020. This came after delays due to the global pandemic and the impact on the shipyard.
Meyer Werft provided the image.
Even though Iona has been delivered she spent many months on hold as the cruise industry suspended operations including P&O Cruises. The vessel is based out of Southampton, UK and will begin sailing on August 7, 2021.
P&O Iona Stats
- Cruise Line: P&O Cruises
- Date of Entry into Service: 2020
- 184,700 tons gross tonnage
- 344 meters in length
- Passengers: 5,200
- Crew: 1,800
- 15 Guest Decks
AIDAnova is number eight on the list (AIDA Cruises)
Aida Cruises, located in Germany, operates the cruise ship, which is the first of its kind ordered by parent firm Carnival Corporation. AIDAnova debuted in December 2018, ushering in a new era of cruise ship architecture for the cruise line.
Aida Cruises took this photo.
The ship is fully powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and was built at the popular Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. Sister cruise lines including Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises and P&O Cruises all have similar class ships.
Stats from AIDAnova
- Aida Cruises is a cruise line.
- December 2018 was the first time I entered the service.
- 183,900 tons gross tonnage
- 337 meters in length
- Passengers: 6,600
- Crew: 1,500
9. MSC Grandiosa & MSC Virtuosa (MSC Cruises)
The MSC Grandiosa and MSC Virtuosa are both members of the massive Meraviglia-class, making them the world’s ninth and tenth largest cruise ships, respectively.
Shutterstock.com/Wayleebird/Wayleebird/Wayleebird/Wayleebird/W
MSC Virtuosa will begin sailing in the Mediterranean in April 2021, after being delivered on February 1, 2021. At sea, she has the world’s first Humanoid Robotic Bartender!
The ship is the first of the Meraviglia-Plus class, and it was constructed in France at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard and delivered in late October 2019. She was christened in Hamburg, Germany, on November 10, 2019, and has been sailing since then, with the exception of the 2020 industry closure.
MSC Grandiosa & MSC Virtuosa Stats
- MSC Cruises is a cruise line.
- MSC Grandiosa has been in service since November of this year.
- MSC Virtuosa has been in service since February 2021.
- 181,541 metric tons
- 331 meters in length
- Passengers: 6,334
- Crew: 1,704
10. Mardi Gras Carnival (Carnival Cruise Line)
The Mardi Gras is Carnival Cruise Line’s first XL-class ship, ushering the company into the LNG age. After multiple delays, the cruise line received virtual delivery from the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland in December 2020.
Carnival Cruise Line provided this image.
The BOLT roller coaster is one of the industry’s most anticipated new innovations in years. Many new elements are spread throughout six themed zones, including the first roller coaster at sea.
Carnival’s new Terminal 3 in Port Canaveral, Florida, will host the first Mardi Gras cruises on July 31, 2021. She was supposed to make her debut towards the end of August 2020, but the pandemic happened, and we all know what happened after that!
Stats on Mardi Gras
- Carnival Cruise Lines is a cruise line that operates in the United States.
- Date of Entry into Service: December 2020
- 180,800 metric tons
- 1,130 feet in length
- Passengers: 5,282
- Crew: 1,735
- 15 Guest Decks
The “biggest ship in the world 2021” is a cruise line that was built by Meyer Werft. It has a capacity of 3,600 passengers and is able to reach speeds up to 28 knots.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest cruise ship 2022?
A: The MSC Meraviglia is currently the largest cruise ship in the world. It measures 603 feet long, with a width of 122 feet and height of 132 feet.
What is the largest ship in 2021?
A: Currently, the largest ship in 2021 is the SS United States, which has a length of 882 feet.
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