What Is The Newest Cruise Ship Built?

Cunard’s first new-build ship since the launch of Queen Elizabeth in 2010 is set to debut in 2024, becoming the largest in the fleet by passenger capacity. The next-generation Queen Anne will be the largest in the fleet when it debuts in 2024. Princess Cruises is the first cruise line to launch a new ship, Celebrity Ascent, which features Sun Princess, a next-generation cruise ship designed for love and relaxation.

In 2024, the first Oasis Class ship powered by LNG will be launched, marking a bold evolution of the class that changed the industry over a decade ago. The new Star of the Seas℠ doubles down on Icon Class thrills, while the new Seven Seas Grandeur, Regent Seven Seas Vista, Oceania Norwegian Viva, Norwegian Cruise Line Celebity Ascent, and Celebity Cruises Explora will also be new cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean’s new Icon of the Seas, nearly 1,200-foot-long and 250,800 gross ton, will set sail from the Port of Miami on its maiden voyage. A second U.S.-built cruise ship, the American Legend, is also set to enter service in 2024. The Icon will be capable of hosting 7,600 passengers on its inaugural sail on January 28, 2024.

New cruise ships on order include the Utopia of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International, Explora II, Explora Journeys, and Viking. The Icon of the Seas will weigh over a quarter million tons and hold up to nearly 10,000 passengers and crew.


📹 The Crazy Process of Building The World’s Largest Cruise Ships

Cruise ships have become massive, yet constructing them can take as little as 11 months! Today, we will look at the fascinating …


Icon of the Seas
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What cruise ship is bigger than the Titanic in 2024?

Royal Caribbean’s “Icon of the Seas,” billed as the world’s largest cruise ship, sails from the Port of Miami in Miami, Florida, on its maiden cruise, January 27, 2024.

Methane is about 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide when it comes to warming the atmosphere, and scientists have warned that methane emissions must be dramatically reduced to avoid the worst of what the climate crisis has in store.

“It’s a step in the wrong direction,” Bryan Comer, director of the Marine Program at the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), was quoted by Reuters as saying.

Why are 2024 cruises so expensive?

But still, now may be the time to book. CNBC reports that cruise fares may continue to rise in 2024, thanks to higher occupancy rates that can help drive prices higher during this time of surging fares.

New cruise ships 2024
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What is the most stable cruise ship in the world?

The Queen Mary 2 is arguably the most stable cruise ship because of her design with a deep hull (34 foot draft) and design. Consider that the draft of RCI’s Oasis Class ships is actually a few feet less than the Queen despite the ships being about 3 times the size (in terms of tonnage).

In “rocky” seas, nothing will help, since the ship hitting the rocks will sink. ;p.

Remember that stabilizers will not stop a ship from rolling, they merely affect the speed of the roll. A taller ship will have a higher center of gravity, and will therefore be “stiffer”, meaning it takes more force to start the ship rolling, but once it does start to roll, the righting moment generated by the positions of the center of gravity and the center of buoyancy, is greater, so the ship wants to “snap” back upright. This “snap rolling” is very uncomfortable, so stabilizers are used to induce a moment that is “out of phase” with the natural moment of the ship, slowing the rolling motion to a comfortable level.

Shorter (heightwise) ships have less righting moment, so it takes less force (less wind or seas) to start the ship rolling, but because there is less righting moment, the roll is to a greater angle and slower, which is more comfortable, and stabilizers will make this roll even slower.

New cruise ships 2024 Royal Caribbean
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What is the number one cruise ship in the world?

Cruise ships have evolved into giant vessels, even eclipsing aircraft carriers. So, what are the top 10 biggest cruise ships in the world?

The Top 10 Biggest Cruise Ships in the World. Modern cruise ships continue to grow in size, with the biggest cruise ship, the Icon of the Seas, launching at the start of this year, and her sister ship the Star of the Seas expected to surpass her in size.

Both of these ships are operated by Royal Caribbean International, which operates five of the ten largest cruise ships in the world. Carnival Corporation, arguably the biggest cruise company in the world,features three times on the list through its subsidiaries P&O Cruises and Costa Cruises.

All of the heaviest cruise ships in the world were built within the last 20 years, although the majority – six of the ten – were built within the last five years.

So, here are the top ten biggest cruise ships in the world, by gross tonnage.

10. P&O Cruises MS Arvia: 185,581 gross tonnes. The MS Arvia is P&O Cruises’ fourth ship to be built by German shipyard Meyer Werft. Weighing in at 185,581 gross tonnes, the 345m (1,130-foot) Arvia is slightly larger than her sister ship, the MS Iona. The 20-deck ship is the largest ship commissioned for the British cruise market and has a maximum passenger capacity of 6,264 passengers, with 1,800 crew onboard.

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The ship is the second liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered Excellence-class vessel for P&O, following the Iona. Arvia is powered by a 61,760kW LNG drive system, with a propulsion power of 37 megawatts. The LNG-powered propulsion system allows the vessel to sail at a maximum speed of 21.5 knots.

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After being floated out in August 2022, the Arvia mainly operates itineraries around the Caribbean or the Mediterranean.

9. Costa Cruises – Costa Smeralda: 185,010 gross tonnes. The Costa Smeralda is the first LNG-powered vessel in the Costa Cruises fleet. With a gross tonnage of 185,010gt, the 20-deck Excellence-class ship measures 337m (1,106 feet) in length. The second LNG-powered cruise ship to enter operation in the world, she has a maximum capacity of 6,554 passengers with 1,646 crew and a service speed of 21.5 knots.

Construction of the Costa Smeralda began at the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland, in September 2017. Meyer Turku collaborated with the Meyer Werft Papenburg shipyard to develop and integrate the LNG propulsion plant for the ship. She is fitted with four 16-cylinder, Caterpillar MaK 16VM46DF engines, with 15.4 megawatts (20,710 horsepower) output per engine, resulting in a maximum power of 37 megawatts (50,000 horsepower).

The ship, which was named after the Emerald Coast of Sardinia, entered service in December 2019, departing Savona on its maiden voyage in the Mediterranean, where it has sailed since.

8. Costa Cruises – Costa Toscana: 186,364 gross tonnes. The Costa Toscana is the sister ship of the Costa Smeralda and is also powered by LNG. measuring 337m (1,106 feet) long and weighing in at 186,364 gross tonnes, the Toscana has a maximum capacity of 6,338 passengers and 1,678 staff across her 20 decks.

Like her sister ship, the Toscana was also built at the Meyer shipyard in Finland, with construction completed in 2021. She is also powered by four MaK-Caterpillar engines, with a total power of 57.2 megawatts (76,706 horsepower), and two ABB Azipod motors, resulting in a service speed of 17 knots.

Named in homage to the Tuscany region of Italy, Costa Toscana mainly sails around the Mediterranean Sea but Costa Cruises has also used the ship to sail itineraries further afield, such as around Brazil and the UAE.

7. MSC Cruises – MSC World Europa: 215,863 gross tonnes. The only entry in the top ten from MSC Cruises, MSC World Europa measures 333m (1,094 feet) in length. With 215,863 gross tonnage, she can house more people than any other ship in the MSC fleet: up to 6,762 passengers across 2,633 cabins spread over 22 decks, in addition to 2,138 crew.

Built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, the World Europa’s LNG-power propulsion system was subcontracted to Finland-based Wärtsilä. Five LNG-powered, 14-cylinder Wartsila 46DF dual-fuel engines power the vessel, with a propulsion power of 44 megawatts ( 59,005 horsepower). She also features nitrogen oxide reduction (NOR) units, two Wartsila LNGPac fuel storage and supply systems, seven thrusters, and two fixed-pitch propellers.

The MSC World Europa was floated out at the end of 2021 and was initially used as an accommodation vessel for fans attending the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with the ship berthed at Doha Port in Qatar during the tournament. Following the competition, the ship subsequently travelled several routes around the UAE, before sailing to the Mediterranean, where it has sailed itineraries since.

6. Royal Caribbean International – Allure of the Seas: 225,282 gross tonnes. The first of many entries on this list operated by Royal Caribbean, Allure of the Seas weighs in at 225,282 gross tonnes. Measuring 362m (1,187 feet), she is only 50mm (2 inches) longer than her sister ship the Oasis of the Seas. The Allure has a maximum capacity of 6,780 passengers and 2,200 crew across 18 decks.

Built at the Turku Shipyard in Finland, the Allure took two years to build, floating out in 2010. She features six Wärtsilä 46 diesel engines with a total power output of 97 megawatts (130,053 horsepower). It is propelled by three electric Azipod azimuth thrusters. The ship can travel at a cruising speed of 22 knots.

With a homeport of Galveston, Texas in the US, the Allure mainly serves itineraries around the Bahamas but she is scheduled to sail routes around the Mediterranean in 2025.

5. Royal Caribbean International – Oasis of the Seas: 226,838 gross tonnes. The oldest ship on this list, the Oasis of the Seas has been in service for over a decade. She was the biggest cruise ship at the time when floated out in 2009, with a gross tonnage of 226,838gt and a length of 360m (1,181 feet). The Oasis has a maximum capacity of 6,699 passengers and 2,181 staff across 18 decks.

The Oasis took two years to build at the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland, with the keel laid on 12 November 2007 and the ship arriving at her homeport of Port Everglades in Florida, US, on 13 November 2009.

The Oasis is powered by eight Wärtsilä V12 diesel engines, which generate 5.6 megawatts (7,500 horsepower) each, alongside four bow thrusters. The main propulsion system consists of three 20-megawatt (26,820 horsepower) electric Azipod motors, resulting in a combined propulsion power of 82 megawatts (109,964 horsepower) and a standard cruising speed of 23 knots.

The Oasis mainly operates routes around the Caribbean, but occasionally repositions to offer itineraries in the Mediterranean.

4. Royal Caribbean International – Harmony of the Seas: 226,963 gross tonnes. The third Oasis-class ship built by Royal Caribbean, Harmony of the Seas weighed in bigger than her existing sister ships at launch in 2016, with 226,963 gross tonnage, but she has since been surpassed by newer vessels. With a total length of 362m (1,188 feet), Harmony has a maximum capacity of 6,780 passengers and 2,300 staff across 18 decks.

Royal Caribbean placed an order with STX France for the construction of Harmony of the Seas in December 2012. The first steel for the ship was cut at STX France’s Saint-Nazaire shipyard in September 2013, while the keel-laying ceremony was held in May 2014.

The Harmony is powered by three 18.9-megawatt Wärtsilä 16V46 16-cylinder main generator diesel engines and three Wärtsilä 12V46 12-cylinder engines producing 13.9 megawatts each. The propulsion power is provided by three electric Azipod azimuth thrusters and manoeuvring is assisted by four 5.5-megawatt Wärtsilä CT 3500 tunnel thrusters. The propulsion system results in 82 megawatts (109,964 horsepower) and enables the ship to sail at a standard speed of 23 knots.

Harmony of the Seas embarked on her inaugural seven-night Western Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona, Spain, in June 2016, and currently operates itineraries around the Western Caribbean from her homeport of Galveston, Texas in the US.

3. Royal Caribbean International – Symphony of the Seas: 228,081 gross tonnes. At launch in 2018, the Symphony of the Seas surpassed the Harmony as the biggest cruise ship, weighing in at 228,081 gross tonnes. Measuring 361m (1,185 feet), the Symphony has a maximum capacity of 6,680 passengers and 2,200 staff across 18 decks and was the testing ground for Royal Caribbean’s new muster drill. With a total length of 361m (1,185 feet), She is roughly 30 metres (98 feet) longer than the largest military ships, the US Nimitz-class aircraft carriers and the USS Gerald R. Ford.

The keel-laying ceremony for the Symphony of the Seas was held in October 2015 at STX’s Saint-Nazaire shipyard in France, and the ship sailed out in June 2017. She is powered by six diesel sets, each composed of three Wärtsilä 16V46D engines and three Wärtsilä 12V46D engines, as well as three 20-megawatt electric Azipod main engines – resulting in 82 megawatts (109,964 horsepower) of propulsion power and a standard cruising speed of 22 knots.

The Symphony commenced her seven-day maiden voyage from Barcelona in April 2018, and since then has mainly operated itineraries around the Caribbean from her homeports of Miami, New York, and Fort Lauderdale.

2. Royal Caribbean International – Wonder of the Seas: 235,600 gross tonnes. Royal Caribbean’s flagship, Wonder of the Seas is the fifth Oasis-class cruise ship built for the cruise company. Weighing in at 235,600 gross tonnes, the Wonder was the largest ship in the world when she was completed in January 2022. Measuring 362m (1,187 feet) in length, the 18-deck Wonder has a maximum capacity of 7,084 guests across its 2,867 staterooms, as well as housing 2,369 crew.

Built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, Wonder is powered by two Wärtsilä 16V46D engines and four Wärtsilä 12V46D engines; and uses three 20-megawatt electric Azipod engines for propulsion, combining for a propulsion power of 82 megawatts (109,964 horsepower and a standard cruising speed of 22 knots.

The Wonder sailed her maiden voyagein March 2022 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and has since served itineraries around the Caribbean from her homeports of Miami and Cape Canaveral.

1. Royal Caribbean International – Icon of the Seas: 248,663 gross tonnes. Weighing 248,663 gross tonnes and measuring 365 metres (1,1967feet), the Icon of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world. Christened on 23 January 2024, the Icon has a maximum capacity of 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew across 20 decks. She is the lead ship of the new Icon-class, with a sister ship the Star of the Seas due to be delivered in 2025 and another ship planned for delivery in 2026.

Built by Meyer Turku in Finland, the Icon is the first ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet that can be powered by LNG. It uses three Wärtsilä 14V46DF and three Wärtsilä 12V46DF for its main generator engines, which provide 67.5 megawatts of energy to run the ship. She is propelled by three 20-megawatt Azipod thrusters as well as five 4.8-megawatt Wärtsilä WTT-45 CPbow thrusters, with a cruising speed of 22 knots.

After sailing her maiden voyage on 27 January 2024, the Icon now sails year-round itineraries of seven-night trips around the Eastern and Western Caribbean from her homeport of Miami, Florida.

Largest cruise ship in the world
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What cruise ship is coming in 2025?

Here Are All the New Cruise Ships Coming Over the Next Few Years (by Date)2025.MSC World America (MSC Cruises), April 2025. … Norwegian Aqua (Norwegian Cruise Line), April 2025. … American Patriot (American Cruise Lines), June 2025. … Allura (Oceania Cruises), July 2025. … Viking Vesta (Viking), July 2025.

Between January 2025 and December 2027, more than 25 ocean-going cruise ships are on order across the global cruise industry. With so many ships coming, it’s hard to keep track. Travel Market Report has compiled a list of all the new ocean cruise ships coming out in 2025 and beyond, along with their capacity, number of cabin categories, and maiden season itineraries (when available), to help you keep it all straight.

(Looking for next year’s ships? Here are all the ships debuting in 2024.)

Bookmark this page, as we’ll be updating the information as it becomes available.

New cruise ships 2025
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What is the newest ship being built for Royal Caribbean?

October 2023 – The next revolutionary combination of the best of every vacation is on the horizon. Royal Caribbean International will follow up the introduction of Icon of the Seas with the next Icon Class ship, Star of the Seas, in the summer of 2025.

A First Look at the World’s Biggest Weekend, Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean’s new Utopia of the Seas will debut as the ultimate short getaway when it sets sail on 3-night weekend and 4-night weekday escapes from Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida, in July 2024. Every vacationer has unmatched weekend energy in store across more than 40 ways to dine, drink and party, more pools than the days to count, ways to thrill and chill, and more of all the above at the cruise line’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

El nuevo Utopia of the Seas de Royal Caribbean debutará como la mejor escapada corta cuando zarpe en vacaciones de tres noches en fin de semana y cuatro noches entre semana desde Puerto Cañaveral (Orlando), Florida, en julio de 2024. A todos los vacacionistas les espera una energía de fin de semana inigualable con más de 40 formas de cenar, beber y divertirse, más piscinas de las que se pueden contar, formas de emocionarse y relajarse, además encontrarán todo lo anterior también en la isla privada de la línea de cruceros, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Icon of the Seas cruise ship
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What is the newest cruise ship in the world?

Icon of the Seas Royal Caribbean’s new, nearly 1,200-foot-long and 250,800 gross ton Icon of the Seas – which set sail from the Port of Miami on its maiden cruise just before sunset on Saturday – towers like a multilayered birthday cake.

There is nothing subtle about the world’s largest cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean’s new, nearly 1,200-foot-long and 250,800 gross ton Icon of the Seas – which set sail from the Port of Miami on its maiden cruise just before sunset on Saturday – towers like a multilayered birthday cake.

The frosting on top is in the form of seven swimming pools, a whimsical striped carousel, groves of tropical greenery and twisting waterslides in green, pink, blue and orange.

Largest cruise ship in the world 2024
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What is the 3 biggest cruise ship in the world?

In serviceRankShip nameGross tonnage1Icon of the Seas248,6632Utopia of the Seas236,4733Wonder of the Seas235,600.

Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, passenger ships primarily used for transportation across seas or oceans, they typically embark on round-trip voyages to various attractive ports of call. There passengers may go on organized tours known as “shore excursions”. The largest 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 large cargo ships. Cruise ships started to exceed ocean liners in size and capacity in the mid-1990s; before then, few were more than 50,000GT. In the decades since the size of the largest vessels has more than doubled. There have been nine or more new cruise ships added every year since 2001, most of which are 100,000GT or greater. In the two decades between 1988 and 2009, the largest cruise ships grew a third longer (268 to 360m (879 to 1,181ft)), almost doubled their widths (32.2 to 60.5m (106 to 198ft)), doubled the total passengers (2,744 to 5,400), and tripled in volume (73,000 GT to 225,000 GT). The largest have grown considerably since, particularly in passenger capacity; As of December2023, the largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, has a gross tonnage of 248,336, is 365m (1,198ft) long and holds up to 7,600 passengers.

Cruise ships are organized much like floating hotels, with a complete hospitality staff in addition to the usual ship’s crew. They cater to nautical tourists, with recent vessels being described as “balcony-laden floating condominiums”. 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.

Cruise ships require electricity both for propulsion and onboard power. As with cargo ships, cruise vessels are designed with all the heavy machinery at the bottom of the hull and lightweight materials where feasible at the top, making them inherently stable even as passenger ships are getting ever taller, and most supplement design with stabilizer fins to further reduce rolling in heavy weather. While some cruise ships use traditional fixed propellers and rudders to steer, most larger ships use azimuth thrusters that can swivel left and right to steer, vastly improving vessel maneuverability.

Newest cruise ships Royal Caribbean
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What cruise line is building new ships?

Following the Prima Plus Class, NCL’s newest class is set to launch in 2030. The four new massive ships are estimated to be 200,000 GRT, making them the largest they’ve ever constructed.

No details about the new class have been revealed other than the GRT. We’ll update this page to include any new information shared by the cruise line.

Read more: Norwegian Cruise Line just ordered four massive cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean cruise ship
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What new ship is launched in 2024?

Princess Cruises launched a brand new ship, the Sun Princess, in February 2024, and its sister ship, Star Princess will make its debut in August 2025.

What makes it special: The Star princess will be 20 percent bigger than any other Princess Cruises ships and feature 21 decks, 2150 guest cabins, a three-story dining room, and a glass-enclosed dome hosting an indoor/outdoor pool during the day and a stage at night.

Maiden voyage: A Caribbean sailing in August 2025. Bookings are available now.

What is the new biggest cruise ship in 2024?

Currently the World’s Largest Cruise Ship (June 2024) Icon of the Seas is the first ship of Royal Caribbean’s new Icon Class of cruise ships. She is the largest cruise ship in service after late January 2024.

New cruise ship Icon of the Seas
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Which cruise line is the most luxurious?

#1. Viking Ocean Cruises. #1 in Best Luxury Cruise Lines. … #2. Seabourn Cruise Line. #2 in Best Luxury Cruise Lines. … #3. Regent Seven Seas Cruises. #3 in Best Luxury Cruise Lines. … #4. Oceania Cruises. #4 in Best Luxury Cruise Lines. … #5. Silversea Cruises. #5 in Best Luxury Cruise Lines. … #6. Azamara. #6 in Best Luxury Cruise Lines.


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At a two-centuries-old shipyard in Germany, 144000 tons of steel transforms into Disney’s newest cruise ship. Explore the World …


What Is The Newest Cruise Ship Built
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Debbie Green

I am a school teacher who was bitten by the travel bug many decades ago. My husband Billy has come along for the ride and now shares my dream to travel the world with our three children.The kids Pollyanna, 13, Cooper, 12 and Tommy 9 are in love with plane trips (thank goodness) and discovering new places, experiences and of course Disneyland.

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