Largest Cruise Ship

What is the Largest Cruise Ship?

While each cruise line defines ship sizes slightly differently, it is commonly accepted that any ship capable of catering to greater than 2,000 passengers during a single sailing is considered “large” or “mega.” These ships are engineered for large numbers of travelers, yet at the same time they encounter logistical problems with supplies and crowds that smaller ships rarely need to contend with. Currently, there are two ships that stand out as the largest cruise ships in the world: Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas and Cunard’s Queen Mary II.

Freedom of the Seas

First launched in June 2006, Freedom of the Seas is a monstrous megaship with the ability to accommodate more than 4,300 guests per voyage at maximum capacity. A stunning 1,112 feet long and a staggering 15 passenger decks high, Freedom of the Seas offers a tremendous range of activities and amenities for every passenger. The ship is the first in Royal Caribbean’s new Freedom class of ships, and sister ships are scheduled to follow in her wake.

Queen Mary II

Slightly smaller than Freedom of the Seas, the Queen Mary II nonetheless claims a largest ship title, but this one for the largest ocean liner in the world. With 14 decks stretching 1,132 feet in length, the QM2 can comfortably serve more than 2,600 passengers per voyage. As an ocean liner, she is subtly different than a standard cruise ship, and is equipped for longer sailings through more turbulent open-ocean waters, including transatlantic and world cruises.

Other Large Ships

The Carnival Miracle is one of Carnival's largest ships.

Most major cruise lines, including Carnival, Norwegian, and Princess, have gradually increased their ship size in recent years. While some ships are remodeled and “stretched” by adding central sections to their existing hulls, the most common way to create larger ships is to introduce a new class of vessel that is bigger than previous ships. In December 2006, Carnival announced plans to augment their fleet in just that way. The new ships are scheduled to debut as early as 2009.

Large Ship Benefits

The largest cruise ships offer a range of amenities and activities not available on smaller ships, where size and space may be at a premium. Some of the features larger ships may offer include:

• A greater number of specialty or brand-name restaurants
• Larger fitness and spa facilities that can accommodate more appointments at once
• More cabins in different price ranges
• Larger casino facilities with a wider variety of games
• Unique activities such as ice-skating, rock-climbing, miniature golf, or outdoor cinemas

In addition to more facilities, there are other benefits to large ships, such as:

• Larger ships are typically newer than smaller vessels and are not undergoing renovations as frequently. Equipment is more advanced, and the ship is likely furnished with the latest in fitness, wireless, and internet gadgetry.
• Larger ships are less affected by the ocean’s waves and cross currents, lessening the possibility of seasickness for many individuals.
• Larger ships frequently offer expanded amenities for children and families, including affordable cabins, children’s facilities, and onboard activities.
• Because of their tremendous capacity, large ships are more likely to offer better discounts and last minute deals for available cabins.

Large Ship Problems

Passengers interested in sailing on the largest cruise ships should consider the potential problems with those vessels. The most common complaints about larger vessels include:

Large ships handle more luggage.

• With so many passengers, even the biggest ship may feel crowded, particularly during embarkation and debarkation as well as at popular events such as lounge shows, themed buffets, or casino tournaments, when lines can get tedious.
• Passengers interested in a true sailing experience may be disappointed that large ships have less of an “at sea” feeling – in calm waters, it may be impossible to detect any oceanic motion.
• The larger numbers of passengers may create more of an impersonal atmosphere with crew members.
• Large ships can be difficult and time-consuming to navigate, particularly if activities are scheduled close together in time but far apart in the ship’s geography.
• Luggage handling may be more cumbersome on large ships, resulting in longer waits to receive baggage and a greater risk of lost or misdirected bags.
• Smaller, more exotic ports of call may be inaccessible to large ships because they do not have the facilities to accommodate either the vessel or the massive numbers of passengers.

Choosing a Ship

When choosing to sail on one of the largest cruise ships in the world, passengers need to consider both the pros and cons of the vessel as well as their personal preference. What is relaxing and indulgent to one passenger may be boring and tedious to another, while what is hectic and crowded to one person may similarly be fun and exciting to another.

When in doubt, many cruise travel agents recommend choosing a mid-range ship – one that services 1,200-1,800 passengers per voyage – and deciding based on that experience whether larger or smaller ships would be more suitable for individual preferences. The largest ships may indeed offer the widest range of options, but even that range does not encompass every potential passenger.