Top 25 Largest Cruise Ships in the World

What are the top 25 largest cruise ships in the world? With cruise lines continuing to build more mega ships than ever before, cruise ships continue to get bigger and bigger.

Cruise ships are measured by gross tonnage, a volume measurement of the internal space inside a ship (not to be confused with weight).  

The first cruise ship to ever break the 100,000 gross ton mark was Carnival Destiny (now re-branded as Carnival Sunshine) in 1996. There are now over 100 cruise ships 100,000 GT in size or larger.

Here is the current list of top 25 largest cruise ships in the world:
*Updated on 6/20/25

25. Tied at 25th are two Seaside EVO class ships with MSC Cruises: MSC Seashore and MSC Seascape.  These ships are about 170,412 gross tons and have a double capacity of 4,540.

23-24. Two more MSC ships tie again at the 23rd and 24th spot with MSC Meraviglia and MSC Bellissima (both in the Meraviglia class) at 171,598 gross tons.

22. The 2024-built Sun Princess is the first Sphere-class vessel with Princess Cruises and ranks 22nd with 177,882 gross tons and a double capacity of 4,320.

20-21. The fastest growing cruise line in the world, MSC Cruises, has another tie on the list with MSC Grandiosa and MSC Virtuosa, each at 181,541 gross tons.

19. Mardi Gras, Carnival’s first Excel-class cruise ship which entered service in 2021, is 181,808 gross tons and has a double capacity of 5,282.  This was the first ship to have a roller coaster on board.

17-18. Carnival Jubilee and Carnival Celebration are also Excel-class ships and are essentially the same in gross tonnage at about 183,521 gross tons.

16. AIDAcosma is 183,774 gross tons and is a Helios-class ship which is a sub class of Carnival’s Excel-class. AIDA Cruises is Carnival’s German cruise line.

15. AIDAnova is 183,858 gross tons, just slightly edging out its sister ship above.  Both of these vessels have a double capacity around 5,200.

14. In the Meraviglia Plus Class, MSC Euribia is 184,011 gross tons and it was built in 2023.

The next four ships are Excel-class ships from Carnival Corp.

13. Iona is 184,089 gross tons. Iona is operated by P&O Cruises, Carnival’s British cruise line.

12. Costa Smeralda entered service in 2019 and is 185,010 gross tons with a length of 1,106 ft. and a double capacity of 5,224.

11. Arvia is the largest ship in the P&O Cruises fleet at 185,581 gross tons and with a length of 1,130 ft.

10. Costa Toscana is 186,364 gross tons and the largest in Costa’s fleet. Costa Cruises is an Italian cruise line from Carnival Corporation.

9. MSC World Europa was the first World-class ship with the cruise line and was just the second class of cruise ships to be over 200,000 gross tons. The ship is 215,863 gross tons.

8. MSC World America, which just entered service in 2025, is slightly larger than her sister ship above at 216,638 gross tons.

The next six ships on the list are all from Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class. This class of cruise ships first debuted in 2009 and forever changed cruising and launched the age of mega cruise ships.

These ships range from 226k gross tons to 236k and have a double capacity from 5,484 to 5,668.

7. Allure of the Seas is 226,637 gross tons and entered service in 2010.

6. Oasis of the Seas is 226,838 gross tons and was the first Oasis-class ship to be built for Royal Caribbean in 2009.

5. Harmony of the Seas is 226,963 gross tons and entered service in 2016.

4. Symphony of the Seas is 228,081 gross tons and entered service in 2018.

3. Wonder of the Seas is 235,600 gross tons and entered service for Royal Caribbean in 2022.

2. Utopia of the Seas is the sixth Oasis-class ship with Royal and is the largest of its class at 236,473 tons. Another Oasis-class ship is scheduled for 2028.

1. Icon of the Seas is currently the largest cruise ship in the world at 248,663 gross tons.  A second Icon-class ship is scheduled to arrive in August 2025 with Star of the Seas. This new ship is likely to assume the status of largest cruise ship in the world, but those exact details have not yet been revealed.