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Buyer guide · ranked by published gross tonnage · checked Oct 26, 2026
Biggest cruise ships, by the numbers lines publish
Gross tonnage is the standard size figure cruise lines put on fact sheets. Below are the 25 largest ships we track, largest first. This is not a quality ranking and placements are not for sale.
Top 10 at a glance
- Hero of the Seas (Royal Caribbean): 248,663 GT · entered 2027 · upcoming
- Icon of the Seas (Royal Caribbean): 248,663 GT · entered 2024
- Legend of the Seas (Royal Caribbean): 248,663 GT · entered 2026
- Star of the Seas (Royal Caribbean): 248,663 GT · entered 2025
- Utopia of the Seas (Royal Caribbean): 236,473 GT · entered 2024
- Wonder of the Seas (Royal Caribbean): 235,600 GT · entered 2022
- Symphony of the Seas (Royal Caribbean): 228,081 GT · entered 2018
- Harmony of the Seas (Royal Caribbean): 226,963 GT · entered 2016
- Oasis of the Seas (Royal Caribbean): 226,838 GT · entered 2009
- Allure of the Seas (Royal Caribbean): 225,282 GT · entered 2010
Full top 25
| # | Ship | Line | Entered service | Gross tonnage | Guests | Crew | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hero of the Seascoming | Royal Caribbean | 2027 | 248,663 | 5,654 double occupancy | 2,350 | 1,196 ft (364 m) |
| 2 | Icon of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2024 | 248,663 | 5,610 double occupancy | 2,350 | 1,196 ft (364 m) |
| 3 | Legend of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2026 | 248,663 | 5,610 double occupancy | 2,350 | 1,196 ft (364 m) |
| 4 | Star of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2025 | 248,663 | 5,610 double occupancy | 2,350 | 1,196 ft (364 m) |
| 5 | Utopia of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2024 | 236,473 | 5,668 double occupancy | 2,290 | 1,188 ft (362 m) |
| 6 | Wonder of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2022 | 235,600 | 5,734 double occupancy | 2,204 | 1,188 ft (362 m) |
| 7 | Symphony of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2018 | 228,081 | 5,518 double occupancy | 2,200 | 1,188 ft (362 m) |
| 8 | Harmony of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2016 | 226,963 | 5,697 double occupancy | 2,200 | 1,188 ft (362 m) |
| 9 | Oasis of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2009 | 226,838 | 5,602 double occupancy | 2,109 | 1,187 ft (361 m) |
| 10 | Allure of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2010 | 225,282 | 5,718 double occupancy | 2,103 | 1,187 ft (361 m) |
| 11 | MSC World America | MSC | — | 216,638 | 6,764 as published | 2,138 | 333 m |
| 12 | Carnival Celebration | Carnival | 2022 | 183,521 | 5,362 double occupancy | 1,735 | — |
| 13 | Carnival Jubilee | Carnival | 2023 | 183,521 | 5,362 double occupancy | 1,735 | — |
| 14 | Carnival Festivalecoming | Carnival | 2027 | 182,015 | 5,356 double occupancy | 1,768 | — |
| 15 | Mardi Gras | Carnival | 2021 | 180,800 | 5,270 double occupancy | 1,735 | — |
| 16 | Sun Princess | Princess | — | 177,882 | 4,300 lower berths | 1,600 | 1,133 ft |
| 17 | Star Princess | Princess | 2025 | 177,800 | 4,300 lower berths | 1,600 | 1,133 ft |
| 18 | MSC Seascape | MSC | — | 170,412 | 5,877 as published | 1,648 | — |
| 19 | MSC Seashore | MSC | — | 170,412 | 5,877 as published | 1,648 | 339 m |
| 20 | Spectrum of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2019 | 169,379 | 4,246 double occupancy | 1,551 | 1,139 ft (347 m) |
| 21 | Anthem of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2015 | 168,666 | 4,180 double occupancy | 1,500 | 1,141 ft (348 m) |
| 22 | Ovation of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2016 | 168,666 | 4,234 double occupancy | 1,550 | 1,141 ft (348 m) |
| 23 | Quantum of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2014 | 168,666 | 4,180 double occupancy | 1,500 | 1,141 ft (348 m) |
| 24 | Odyssey of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2021 | 167,704 | 4,198 double occupancy | 1,612 | 1,138 ft (347 m) |
| 25 | Freedom of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2006 | 156,271 | 3,926 double occupancy | 1,386 | 1,111 ft (339 m) |
— = not published in the cruise line's source. Each figure links back to its source on the ship's page.
Same ordering as our largest cruise ships best-of list. Each ship page links the exact cruise-line document.
How the biggest ships compare by line
FAQ
What is the biggest cruise ship right now?
Hero of the Seas (Royal Caribbean) is the largest we track by published gross tonnage, at 248,663 GT, tied with Icon of the Seas, Legend of the Seas, Star of the Seas.
What does gross tonnage mean?
Gross tonnage measures a ship's enclosed internal volume. It is not the ship's weight. Cruise lines use it as the standard size figure; we never convert or estimate it.
Are the biggest ships the best?
No. This guide only ranks by the gross tonnage each line publishes. Amenities, itineraries and price are outside our data. For a first-cruise shortlist that also looks at crew and age, see our first-cruise guide.
How often is this updated?
Whenever a line publishes a new figure we re-check the ship page. Sources for this set were last checked Oct 26, 2026.
Planning a first sailing rather than chasing size? First cruise guide. Methodology: how we source figures.