Just when you thought that cruise ships couldn’t get any bigger, a major cruise line comes out and announces yet another larger, grander state-of-the-art seafaring vessel with the capacity to house the population of a small town.
The megaships of today are hard to even fathom. To put things into perspective, modern cruise ships are typically about the size of three 120-yard football fields laid out from end to end. Many mega-cruise ships feature more than two-dozen decks and measure as wide – or wider than – 215 feet.
These massive vessels come equipped with a wide range of top-notch amenities and entertainment options. From luxurious staterooms to private lounges to water slides, movie theaters, and bowling alleys, the modern cruise ship is more akin to a floating amusement park.
With the pandemic in the rearview mirror, the cruise industry is beginning to open back up for business. After a couple of years of inactivity and lingering questions over the future of the industry, the major cruise liners are doing their best to convince prospective passengers that now is the best time ever to book a voyage on one of their monstrously large ships.
Join Viewcation as we take a look at the Biggest Cruise Ships In The World.
Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas
Royal Caribbean’s latest cruise ship, Wonder of the Seas, officially set sail in March of 2022. The ship, at least as of right now, is actually the largest of it’s kind to be built. The 1,188-foot long, 210-foot wide Oasis-class ship weighs a mind-boggling 236,857 tons and boasts a max cruising speed of 22 knots.
The ship can accommodate close to 7,000 guests and features 2,867 staterooms as well as more than 2,300 crew members.
While it’s easy to get lost aboard a ship of this size, you’ll never feel bored. In addition to featuring 18 decks with 24 elevators spread across 8 uniquely themed neighborhoods, including the new Suite Neighborhood and passenger-favorite Central Park, there’s also an outdoor live entertainment venue called the AquaTheater that features a 30-foot diving platform and dazzling views of the ocean.
Another noteworthy attraction aboard the Wonder of the Seas is the underwater-themed outdoor play space for children, Wonder Playscape. Here the kids can let loose playing on slides, climbing walls, and various other age-appropriate fixtures.
Older guests can put their bravery to the test over at the Ultimate Abyss, the tallest waterslide that can be experienced at sea.
As far as dining options go, Wonder of the Seas boasts 11 speciality restaurants and venues, including the new Mason Jar Southern Restaurant and Bar.
Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas
This Oasis-Class ship set sail in April 2018. It measures 1,188 feet long and 215 feet wide, and weighs 228,081 gross tons. The vessel features 18 decks, 24 elevators, and 2,759 staterooms. It can accommodate up to 2,200 staff members and 6,680 passengers.
Just like it’s sister ship, Wonder of the Seas, this vessel is divided up into seven distinct neighborhood areas. It also boasts four swimming pools, two dozen restaurants, and 42 lounges and bars. The ship even has two robotic bartenders as crew members that are able to whip up whatever drink you fancy at all hours over at the Bionic Bar.
Come nightfall, adult guests can enjoy Broadway-inspired shows at the onboard theaters. You can also catch pretty much any international sports game that you’re interested in watching over at the Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade.
Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas
This Oasis-Class ship was officially christened in May of 2016. Just like Wonder of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas, it features 18 decks, 24 guest elevators, and 2,747 staterooms. The ship can accommodate up to 6,687 passengers and 2,2000 crew members and is 215 feet wide and 1,188 feet long, weighing in at 226,963 gross tons.
Guests have an endless array of entailment and dining options to choose from. Some of the most notable include the main dining room and the Windjammer Marketplace – an internationally inspired buffet. There are also 9 specialty restaurants and dozens of bars and lounges.
The Boardwalk, one of the vessel’s nine distinct neighborhoods, is a popular spot for passengers to unwind. It contains several shopping, entertainment, and dining options – all of which are sure to impress. The ship also has the Ultimate Abyss waterside over at the Splashaway Bay Water Park.
In the evening hours, cruisers can grab a pre-dinner cocktail or ice-cold beer over at the Rising Tide Bar, which offers transportation between the Royal Promenade and the Central Park neighborhood. You can kick back, sip on your drink, and watch while the entire bar slowly floats between the two locations. If that’s not enough to impress you, then we’re not sure what will.
Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas
Yet another one of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ships, this cruise liner set sail for the first time in 2010. The vessel weighs a staggering 225,282 gross tons and measures 1,187 feet in length. After receiving an enhancement in 2015, the ship now is capable of carrying up to 5,492 passengers and 2,384 crew members. It features seven neighborhoods, four pools, 10 whirlpools, 24 dining venues, 18 decks, 24 elevators, and more bars and lounges than we care to count.
There are plenty of rousing entertainment options to choose from that cater to guests of all ages and interests., There is even an ice-skating rink! Where else can you go ice skating out on the high seas?
Other attractions include a basketball court, a 10-deck high zip line, a couple of rock climbing walls, and two VR Flowrider simulators. Children will especially love the hands-on H20 Zone Water Park, while the grown-ups will appreciate the Broadway-inspired productions like Mama Mia!
Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas
When it was launched in Spring 2009, this was actually the largest cruise ship in the world. Oasis of the Seas was Royal Caribbean’s debut Oasis-Class ship, and amazingly it’s five times larger than the Titanic was. It weighs in at a mind-bending 220,000 gross tons and is 1,187 feet long.
The vessel was revamped and enhanced in November 2019 and now is capable of carrying up to 5,605 guests and 2,109 crew members. There are 16 decks featuring many of the same features and amenities as the other Royal Caribbeans ships that we just covered.
Not only does the Oasis of the Seas have the FlowRider simulators, but it also has the Ultimate Abyss waterslide, the Perfect Storm slides, and Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade.
Much like the other Oasis-class ships, the vessel is spread out over seven unique neighborhoods. As you explore the ship, you’ll come upon state-of-the-art technology installations such as video walls, touch-panel signage, and VOOM – the world’s fastest internet connection at sea.
MSC World Europa
This vessel is one of the most highly anticipated new cruise ship of 2022. MSC Cruises’ latest and greatest ship, World Europa, holds the distinct title of being the first vessel in the cruise lines World-Class Fleet. It weighs in at 205,700 gross tons and is 1,092 feet long. It’s also the first MSC ship to be LNG-Propelled. Because of this, it can reach a max cruising speed of 22.7 knots.
Every feature of the World Europa is state-of-the-art and futuristic, including it’s interior and exterior design. About half of the main promenade is adorned with Meraviglia-class LED sky screens, while the other half features an open-air design that offers passengers breathtaking ocean views.
The ship has 2,633 staterooms and is capable of carrying up to 6,774 passengers and 2,138 crew members. Each passenger deck is named and themed after an international city, including Lisbon, Paris, Rome, and London.
There are also several distinct themed neighborhood areas, including a zen zone for those seeking a bit of peace and quiet. Other amenities include an adults-only swimming pool, a family-friendly zone with rollerblading and bumper cars, and an onboard water park.
There are dozens of other entertainment venues as well as 12 restaurants and countless bars and lounges to chose from. If you need a little R&R, head on over to the Balinese spa. And for an all-inclusive VIP experience, consider booking a room in the MSC Yacht Club. This exclusive and feature-rich section of the ship features premium accommodations, a private pool, a restaurant and lounge, butler service, and free drinks.
Costa Smeralda
This was the first Excel-Class vessel from Costa Cruises’ fleet. It debuted in December 2019 as the Italian lines largest ship yet. It weighs in at 185,000 gross tons and is 1,106 feet long. It was actually the first vessel in the world to use the LNG-propulsion system at sea, and it’s capable of accommodating up to 6,554 passengers and 1,678 crew members.
With 11 restaurants and 19 bars and lounges, passengers will never go hungry or thirsty. One of our favorite venues onboard is the Restaurant Archipelago, which serves up Destination Dishes inspired by three world-renowned chefs.
You can also take a cooking class at Ristorante Lab. Here, you and 47 other cruisers can learn how to cook just like the best while receiving instruction from one of Costa’s onboard chefs.
In terms of entertainment, the centrally located venue Colosseo, which is modeled after the piazzas of Italy, is the the best place to go to catch a live performance. On top of all of that, the ship also boasts 19 pools and hot tubs, a water park, a spar, and a kid’s park designed for cruisers ages 3 to 6.
Costa Toscana
Also debuting in 2022, Costa Toscana, Costa Cruises’ new flagship, is similar in size and capacity to their other Excel-class vessel, Costa Smeralda.
Toscana likewise features that same LNG-Powered propulsion technology, and it weighs in at a whopping 185,000 gross tons. At 1,106 feet long, the Toscana features 2,663 staterooms and can accommodate up to 6,554 cruisers and 1,678 crew.
Just like the Smeralda, the centerpiece of the Toscana, Colosseo, is home to numerous live entertainment venues, bars, and restaurants – making it the perfect place to socialize. With 11 restaurants and 19 bars and lounges on board, you should never have a problem wetting your whistle or snagging a bite to eat.
With that, we’ll go ahead and wrap this video up. But before you go, we’d love to hear what you have to say about the massive vessels that we just covered.
If you could take a ride on any of the ships that we just discussed, which one would you choose? And if you’ve ever taken a cruise before, what was your experience like? Let us know in the comments sections down below.
As always, thanks for watching, and Happy Travels.