In 2005, the five Voyager-class ships were overtaken by the 149,215 GT Queen Mary 2 ( QM2), the first non-RCI passenger ship over 135,000 GT and the only passenger ship currently in service that classifies itself as an ocean liner. These ships, which debuted in 1998 at over 137,000 GT, were almost 30,000 GT larger than the next-largest cruise ships, and were some of the first ships designed to appeal to 'non-cruisers', with features like a four-deck-high, 400-foot-long (120 m) atrium down the center of the ship, an ice rink, and a climbing wall. The first ships over that size were the Voyager-class ships from Royal Caribbean Group's Royal Caribbean International (RCI). In service Īs of November 2022, there are 64 passenger ships with over 135,000 GT in service. The common practice in the cruise industry in ship sales and orders is to list the smaller operating company, not the larger holding corporation, as the recipient cruise line of the ship. For instance, Carnival Corporation & plc owns both the mass-market Carnival Cruise Line, focused on larger party ships for younger travelers, and Holland America Line, whose smaller ships cultivate an image of classic elegance. In the 1990s, many cruise lines were bought by much larger holding companies and continue to operate as brands or subsidiaries of the holding company. Ĭruise ships are operated by cruise lines, which are companies that market cruises to the public. While some cruise ships use traditional fixed propellers and rudders to steer, most larger ships use propellers that can swivel left and right to steer the ship, known as azimuth thrusters, which allow even the largest ship designs to have adequate maneuverability. Cruise ships are designed with all the heavy machinery at the bottom of the ship and lightweight materials at the top, making them inherently stable even as ship designs are getting taller and taller, and most passenger ships utilize stabilizer fins to further reduce rolling of tall ships in heavy weather. Ĭruise ships require electricity for powering both hotel services and for propulsion. The 'megaships' went from a single deck with verandas to all decks with verandas, and feature ameneties such as theaters, fine-dining and chain restaurants, spas, fitness centers, casinos, sports facilities, and even amusement park attractions. Modern cruise ships after the Titanic don't sacrifice any seaworthiness, while adding innovative amenities to cater to nautical tourists, with recent vessels being described as 'balcony-laden floating condominiums'. Ĭruise ships are organized much like floating hotels, with a complete hospitality staff in addition to the usual ship's crew. As of January 2022, the largest cruise ship, Wonder of the Seas, has a gross tonnage of 236,857, is 362 metres (1,188 ft) long, 64 metres (210 ft) wide, and holds up to 6,988 passengers.

In the two decades between 19, the largest cruise ships grew a third longer (268 m to 360 m), almost doubled their widths (32.2 m to 60.5 m), doubled the total passengers (2,744 to 5,400), and tripled in volume (73,000 GT to 225,000 GT). There have been nine or more new cruise ships added every year since 2001, most of which are 100,000 GT or greater. In the decades since the size of the largest vessels has more than doubled. Cruise ships started to exceed ocean liners in size and capacity in the mid-1990s before then, few were more than 50,000 GT. They may carry thousands of passengers in a single trip, and are some of the largest ships in the world by gross tonnage (GT), bigger than many cargo ships. Unlike ocean liners, they typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports of call, where passengers may go on tours known as 'shore excursions'. Will be the largest in service after she is launched in 2024.Ĭruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Icon of the Seas is the first ship of Royal Caribbean's Icon class of cruise ships. Wonder of the Seas is the latest ship of Royal Caribbean's Oasis class of cruise ships, largest in service.

Carnival freedom deck plan.pdf