In the last few years, we’ve seen some amazing new ships launch, including many of the biggest cruise ships in the world. And that’s not changing – over the next few years even bigger ships are on the way.
In this guide, we’ll look at the world’s largest cruise ships that are sailing in 2024, as well as looking at a quick list of the largest cruise ships on the horizon.
| Rank | Ship name | Cruise line | Year built | Guest capacity | Gross tonnage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Icon of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2024 | 7,600 | 250,800 |
| 2 | Wonder of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2022 | 6,988 | 236,857 |
| 3 | Symphony of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2018 | 6,680 | 228,081 |
| 4 | Harmony of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2016 | 6,687 | 226,963 |
| 5 | Oasis of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2009 | 6,771 | 226,838 |
| 6 | Allure of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2010 | 6,780 | 225,282 |
| 7 | MSC World Europa | MSC Cruises | 2022 | 6,762 | 215,863 |
| 8 | Arvia | P&O Cruises | 2022 | 6,685 | 185,581 |
| 9 | Costa Smeralda | Costa Cruises | 2019 | 6,554 | 185,010 |
| 10 | Costa Toscana | Costa Cruises | 2021 | 6,554 | 185,010 |
1. Icon of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
- Launch: January 2024
- Guest capacity: 7,600
- Crew capacity: 2,350
- Gross tonnage: 250,800
- Length: 1,197 feet
Launching in January 2024, Icon of the Seas took on the mantle of being the largest cruise ship in the world, helping to strengthen Royal Caribbean’s grip on being the line with the biggest cruise ships.
Icon of the Seas offers something for everyone – on a ship that size, how could she not? But particular highlights are aimed at young families, including brand-new neighborhoods designed for maximum family fun, new accommodation choices that give direct access to some of the most fun areas of the ship, and new dining venues.
Old favourites return too, such as the AquaTheater and waterslides, but with some serious revamps to take them to the next level. Icon of the Seas is going to be truly special.
You can see details of Icon of the Seas’ itineraries here.
So far, two more Icon-class ships are also expected – Star of the Seas in 2025, and an as-yet unnamed ship in 2026.
2. Wonder of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
- Guest capacity: 6,988
- Crew capacity: 2,300
- Gross tonnage: 236,857
- Length: 1,187 feet
Wonder of the Seas was the biggest cruise ship in the world until 2024, and the most recent of the Oasis-class ships to have launched.
She’s an incredible ship packed with the very best that Royal Caribbean has to offer. There are 8 distinct neighborhoods, including Central Park – a lush public space filled with live greenery, upscale dining options, and high-end shops.
She has 25 different restaurants, two FlowRider surf simulators, two rock climbing walls, four pools and a whole host of other entertainment features, including the most immersive AquaTheater for stunning live shows.
Wonder of the Seas is based out of Orlando for the winter season. In the summer she offers Mediterranean sailings out of Civitavecchia, the port for Rome.
3. Symphony of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
- Guest capacity: 6,680
- Crew capacity: 2,200
- Gross tonnage: 228,081
- Length: 1,184 feet
Symphony of the Seas is another Oasis-class ship, and she’s very similar to Wonder of the Seas in terms of on-board entertainment, dining choices and the iconic Central Park in the middle of the ship.
There are some differences though, particularly with the restaurants – Symphony has Jamie’s Italian and Vintages Wine Bar, while Wonder of the Seas has Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and The Mason Jar.
Symphony has more of a musical theme to her, and that’s reflected in her biggest USP – she has a live orchestra playing in the theatre. There are no recorded tracks used during the shows, everything is orchestral-backed, which is pretty spectacular.
Symphony of the Seas offers similar itineraries to Wonder of the Seas, but she is based out of Miami during the winter months and Barcelona in the summer.
4. Harmony of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
- Guest capacity: 6,687
- Crew capacity: 2,300
- Gross tonnage: 226,963
- Length: 1,188 feet
If you’re noticing a theme to this list, then well done – the third Oasis-class ship to launch is also the third-biggest ship sailing the waves in 2024. Harmony of the Seas is actually very slightly longer than Wonder of the Seas, but her overall interval volume is lower.
As a result, she is slightly more limited in her entertainment and dining scope, but it’s fine margins – she still has two FlowRiders for example, but she only has three pools. She has 24 dining venues, instead of 25 – like I say, minor differences.
One of the biggest differences with Harmony isn’t the ship but the itineraries she offers – she is permanently based in the Caribbean, sailing from Galveston in Texas.
5. Oasis of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
- Guest capacity: 6,771
- Crew capacity: 2,181
- Gross tonnage: 226,838
- Length: 1,180 feet
The first Oasis-class ship to launch, it’s a sign of just how groundbreaking she was that her debut was in 2009 and she remains within the top 5 largest cruise ships ever built, for now at least. Oasis of the Seas really caused waves (pun intended) with just how spectacular she was.
To be fair, she has been expanded since she first launched, but the new cabins in 2019 only added around 1,000 gross tonnes.
Oasis of the Seas sails from Fort Lauderdale and Miami in Florida during the winter season, including Bahamas and Caribbean itineraries. In summer she sails the Med from both Barcelona and Rome.
6. Allure of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
- Guest capacity: 6,780
- Crew capacity: 2,200
- Gross tonnage: 225,282
- Length: 1,180 feet
Launching one year after her sister ship, Allure of the Seas was the second Oasis-class ship and at the time, she was marginally bigger. However, the 2019 revamp and expansion of Oasis of the Seas has dropped Allure by a single place.
She is also missing some of the key features of Oasis of the Seas, including the Ultimate Abyss slide, but she’s an incredible cruise ship regardless. She sails exclusively around the Caribbean from Orlando and Galveston.
7. MSC World Europa (MSC Cruises)
- Guest capacity: 6,762
- Crew capacity: 2,138
- Gross tonnage: 215,863 feet
- Length: 1,094 feet
While we may have to wait until the bottom half of this list for a non-Royal Caribbean ship, MSC World Europa is worth the wait.
A very modern ship, she was the first LNG-propelled ship for MSC Cruises and she is packed with other eco-friendly technologies too.
The entertainment and public spaces are very futuristic as well, including the stunning Kinetic Dome and the Luna Park Arena where various activities take place. She has 13 different dining options and some great kids’ activities, along with adults-only spaces.
MSC World Europa, as per her name, sails around Europe throughout the year, with departures from various Mediterranean ports.
8. Arvia (P&O Cruises)
- Guest capacity: 6,685
- Crew capacity: 1,800
- Gross tonnage: 185,581
- Length: 1,130 feet
Arvia is the newest cruise ship from P&O Cruises and arguably the ultimate flagship of British cruising. She’s packed with things to see and do, including over 30 dining venues and bars, six theatres and lounges with live entertainment, and five swimming pools.
One of the highlights is Green & Co, a plant-based restaurant with fantastic vegetarian and vegan options. There’s also The Limelight Club, serving supper bites with a live house band.
Arvia sails around the Mediterranean and offers longer sailings to the Caribbean.
9. Costa Smeralda (Costa Cruises)
- Guest capacity: 6,554
- Crew capacity: 1,646
- Gross tonnage: 180,010
- Length: 1,106 feet
The Costa Smeralda is the biggest ship in the Costa Cruises fleet, and she is built to the same template as Arvia – after all, Costa Cruises and P&O Cruises all fall under the umbrella of the Carnival Corporation.
Obviously, the on-board vibe is very different. The ship still has 30 dining and drinking venues though – 11 places to eat and 19 bars or lounges, so plenty of space to unwind. But the ship is much more European in style, with Mediterranean-themed restaurants.
Costa Smeralda sails the Med, with various options for departure port.
Suggested read: Costa Smeralda Review
10. Costa Toscana (Costa Cruises)
- Guest capacity: 6,554
- Crew capacity: 1,646
- Gross tonnage: 180,010
- Length: 1,106 feet
Costa Toscana is a twin sister of Costa Smeralda, giving a very similar experience – the best in Italian and international cuisine, plenty of spaces to relax, and some fantastic facilities for the kids.
In fact, her main difference is in the itineraries offered – while most are still in the Mediterranean, she also sails to the Middle East for cruises from Dubai.
Ships No Longer Making The List
11. Iona (P&O Cruises)
- Guest capacity: 6,600
- Crew capacity: 1,762
- Gross tonnage: 184,089
- Length: 1,130 feet
Sister ship to Arvia, Iona is another magnificent ship from P&O Cruises that will remain one of the biggest British cruise ships for many years to come. However, in 2024 she fell out of the top 10 larger ships list due to the launch of Icon of the Seas.
Arvia and Iona are very similar, with just eight key differences.
She is modern, spacious and ideal for couples or families – she might not have the same incredible selection of rock climbing walls, surfing simulators etc. that a Royal Caribbean ship has but her kids’ clubs are excellent, with tonnes of variety.
Iona sails throughout Europe, including the Fjords, the Canary Islands and to Spain and Portugal.
Bigger ships are coming…
12. Utopia of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
- Launch: 2024
- Guest capacity: 6,788
- Crew capacity: TBC
- Gross tonnage: 237,000
- Length: 1,187 feet
Utopia of the Seas will launch in 2024 and become the sixth ship in the Oasis Class. Not a lot of detail is known about the ship yet – understandably much of the focus is on Icon of the Seas – but expect to see many of the favourites from Wonder of the Seas return alongside some new enhancements.
The Oasis Class has been extremely important to the global cruise industry and with Utopia of the Seas there is one more ship to add to the class, and make sure that it endures in popularity even when larger ships are launching. Another is also coming in 2028!
13. MSC World America (MSC Cruises)
- Launch: 2025
- Guest capacity: 6,774
- Crew capacity:
- Gross tonnage: 215,863
- Length: 1,094 feet
MSC World America is not the next ship that MSC Cruises is launching, but she is the next ship due that will be over 200,000 Gross Tonnes and therefore will qualify for this list.
She’s another ship where details are sparse, but we do expect her to be very similar to the MSC World Europa.
She’s expected to sail the Caribbean from ports in America, so there will no doubt be some changes made to accommodate American guests. Expect beautiful artworks, thrilling children’s activities and the very latest in sustainability tech.
So far, two more World-class ships are also expected – in 2025 and 2027.
14. Disney Adventure (Disney Cruise Line)
- Launch: 2025
- Guest capacity: 6,000
- Crew capacity: TBC
- Gross tonnage: 208,000
- Length: 1,122 feet
Disney Cruise Line has already ordered new ships for 2024 and 2025 as sister ships to the Disney Wish, which launched in 2022.
However, when Genting Hong Kong, a Chinese cruise line, went bankrupt in 2022 they already had a large Global-class ship in development, and Disney Cruise Line bought it at a bargain price.
While the ship was originally planned to sleep as many as 9,000 (!) guests, the plans have now reverted to a more reasonable 6,000 guest level. We don’t know much else about Disney Adventure except that she will be Disney’s biggest cruise ship by far, and that screams potential for excitement.
Final Word
There are some seriously impressive cruise ships coming in the next couple of years, but already in 2024 we have some epic ships sailing the oceans.
By 2025 the top-10 list will all be ships with a gross tonnage over 200,000 which is pretty spectacular, and who knows by then what will be in the pipeline.
If large ships aren’t your thing though, be sure to check out the smallest cruise ships in the world as well.
Related Posts:
- How Big is a Cruise Ship?
- Royal Caribbean Ships by Size: Comparison Chart
- Exciting New Cruise Ships Launching in 2024
Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
