Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas currently holds the title of the largest cruise ship in the world (shared with sister ship Icon of the Seas) – but how does she compare with perhaps the most legendary ship of all time, the Titanic?
When Titanic launched in 1912, she was hailed as the greatest and most luxurious vessel ever built.
More than a century on, Star of the Seas represents a completely different era of shipbuilding, and the scale of progress between the two is nothing short of remarkable.
Star of the Seas vs Titanic – Size
Star of the Seas is on an entirely different scale compared with Titanic.
Her internal volume is 250,800 GT, more than five times the 46,328 GT of Titanic. In terms of length, Star of the Seas stretches to 1,198 feet, making her around 35% longer than the famous liner.
Capacity is another stark difference. Star of the Seas can carry close to 9,950 people in total, including around 7,600 guests and 2,350 crew members. Titanic, by contrast, could host 2,435 passengers and 892 crew.
When it comes to size comparisons, Star of the Seas dwarfs every vessel placed alongside her, and Titanic is no exception.
The table below highlights some of the key measurements, setting the two ships side by side:
| Titanic | Star of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Tonnage | 46,328 GT | 250,800 GT |
| Length | 882 feet | 1,198 feet |
| Width | 92.5 feet | 219 feet |
| Guest Decks | 9 | 18 |
| Guests | 2,435 | 7,600 |
| Crew | 892 | 2,350 |
Star of the Seas vs Titanic – Speed
Despite being more than a century apart in design, Star of the Seas and Titanic are remarkably similar when it comes to speed. Both have a typical cruising speed of 21 to 22 knots, with a maximum of around 23 knots – roughly 25 miles per hour.
For modern cruise ships, outright speed isn’t a major consideration.
Their itineraries are planned for relaxed journeys with ample time to reach each port of call. Star of the Seas therefore sits in the same range as most other large cruise ships.
Even Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, built with ocean liner capabilities in mind, only pushes the upper limit by reaching around 30 knots at full speed.
Read more: How Fast Do Cruise Ships Go?
Star of the Seas vs Titanic – Facilities
While it’s fascinating to measure Star of the Seas against Titanic in terms of size and speed, the real eye-opening differences appear when you compare what life was like on board.
Accommodation, dining options and leisure facilities such as swimming pools highlight just how far passenger ships have evolved in the last hundred years.
Activities
Life on board Star of the Seas couldn’t be more different from what passengers experienced on Titanic. Modern cruisers have access to an extraordinary range of activities, from rock climbing walls and surf simulators to laser tag arenas and mini-golf.
The ship even features an over-the-edge ropes course, a traditional carousel and an indoor AquaTheater with high-diving performances.
By contrast, Titanic’s leisure facilities were far more reserved. Guests could make use of a squash court or take part in deck games such as shuffleboard and quoits. Card games, dominoes and chess were also popular pastimes during the voyage.
Star of the Seas offers chess as well, though in her case it’s a giant version played with oversized pieces on deck – a small but telling example of how entertainment at sea has evolved.
Swimming pools
Star of the Seas has seven swimming pools, including one with a swim-up bar, nine whirlpools and a waterpark featuring six high-speed slides.
Titanic did have a swimming pool – a fact that surprises a lot of people – but it was only accessible to first-class guests and had set times for men and women. This video shows what it looked like…
Dining
Star of the Seas offers an astonishing variety of places to eat and drink. Within the Royal Promenade alone there are 15 restaurants, and that’s before you count the many other venues scattered throughout the ship.
Bars and lounges are just as plentiful, with the Lime & Coconut brand alone spread across four separate locations.
Titanic, by comparison, had just four dining venues: the À la Carte Restaurant, the main Dining Saloon, the Verandah Café and Café Parisien.
For her time, this was considered exceptional, but it’s a world away from the choice available on a modern cruise ship.
Accommodation
Star of the Seas contains 2,805 staterooms, designed to cater for every type of traveller.
At one end of the scale are the most affordable interior cabins with no windows, while at the other are lavish suites such as the Ultimate Family Townhouse.
This unique suite even features its own white picket fence, a private mailbox, and a slide connecting the upstairs bedroom to the living area.
Imagine something like this on a ship like Titanic!
Titanic’s most exclusive option was the Deluxe Parlour Suites.
These offered two bedrooms, walk-in wardrobes, a private bathroom and a generously sized sitting room complete with writing desks and a decorative fireplace.
For the early 20th century, they represented the pinnacle of luxury at sea, though by modern standards they seem far more restrained.
Star of the Seas vs Titanic – Safety
The story of Titanic is inseparable from her tragic sinking on her maiden voyage in 1912, after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic.
Despite being described as “unsinkable”, she was lost with more than 1,500 lives.
Understandably, people often wonder how a modern vessel such as Star of the Seas compares in terms of safety. Could she sink?
Technically, yes – any ship could under extreme circumstances – but the likelihood is vanishingly small. Today’s cruise ships are built with advanced navigation systems, watertight compartments, and strict international safety standards.
The biggest risks modern captains prepare for are not icebergs but hazards such as running aground, as seen in the Costa Concordia disaster, or fire.
One of the most significant differences lies in evacuation capacity. Titanic carried just 20 lifeboats, enough for about half of those on board.
Star of the Seas, by contrast, is equipped with large, modern lifeboats designed to carry every single guest and crew member, ensuring there is sufficient space for all in the event of an emergency.
Star of the Seas vs Titanic – Cost to Build
The exact cost of building Star of the Seas has not been disclosed, but estimates place her in the region of $2 billion.
Titanic, by contrast, was built for around $7.5 million in 1912.
Even after adjusting for inflation, that equates to only about $200 million today – meaning Star of the Seas is about ten times more expensive in relative terms.
Read more: How Much Does A Cruise Ship Cost To Build & Operate?
Cruise fares also highlight the difference between the two eras. A week-long Caribbean sailing on Star of the Seas starts at around $1,300 per person.
On Titanic, the cheapest ticket was £7, which translates to roughly $900 today.
Staying in the Ultimate Family Townhouse for Christmas week on Star of the Seas would set you back around $85,000. That’s still cheaper than the most expensive First Class suites on the Titanic, which cost £870, or $104,000 in today’s money.
A century ago, ocean travel at this level was reserved for the wealthy elite, whereas modern cruising is within reach for far more people thanks to higher disposable incomes and mass-market pricing.
Read more: How Much Was A Ticket On The Titanic?
To Conclude
Star of the Seas is vastly larger than Titanic in every respect. In the space of just over a century, cruise ship design has advanced to a point where today’s ships provide not only greater safety but also an extraordinary range of facilities and entertainment options that would have been unimaginable in 1912.
Although the cost of constructing these giants has soared, the price of a ticket has effectively become more affordable, even if it seems higher.
Cruising is no longer the preserve of the wealthy elite but an option accessible to millions. In that sense, ships like Star of the Seas don’t just showcase how far maritime engineering has come – they also reflect how cruising itself has evolved into a holiday experience for everyone.
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