$1 Billion Club: Most Expensive Cruise Ships Ever Built

There are now well over a dozen cruise ships that cost at least $1 billion to build: 17 to be exact.  When I first started this list a few years ago there were only seven ships, but with more major builds on the way, this list is only going to grow.

Royal Caribbean’s Icon-class ships cost around $2 billion each, and a recent announcement from the cruise line revealed a total of seven of these mega ships will be built by 2030.   

MSC Cruises’ World Europa was the first from the cruise line to cross the $1 billion mark at $1.25 billion, but it’s going to have quite a few sister ships joining her.  By 2031, MSC Cruises plans to have a total of eight of these 215,00+ gross ton ships in service.

Below you’ll find detailed profiles of every ship that reached the $1 billion mark, followed by a full list of the rest of the most expensive cruise ships ever built.

Icon of the Seas

Cost to Build: $2 billion Year Built: 2023 Gross Tonnage: 248,663 Length: 1,196 ft Total Capacity: 7,600

Star of the Seas

Cost to Build: $2 billion Year Built: 2025 Gross Tonnage: 248,663 Length: 1,196 ft Total Capacity: 7,600

Allure of the Seas

Cost to Build: $1.43 billion Year Built: 2010 Gross Tonnage: 225,282 Length: 1,187 ft Total Capacity: 6,780

Utopia of the Seas

Cost to Build: $1.35 billion Year Built: 2024 Gross Tonnage: 236,473 Length: 1,188 ft Total Capacity: 5,668

Wonder of the Seas

Cost to Build: $1.35 billion Year Built: 2022 Gross Tonnage: 236,857 Length: 1,187 ft Total Capacity: 6,988

Symphony of the Seas

Cost to Build: $1.35 billion Year Built: 2018 Gross Tonnage: 228,081 Length: 1,184 ft Total Capacity: 6,680

Harmony of the Seas

Cost to Build: $1.35 billion Year Built: 2016 Gross Tonnage: 226,963 Length: 1,188 ft Total Capacity: 6,780

Oasis of the Seas

Cost to Build: $1.3 billion Year Built: 2009 Gross Tonnage: 225,280 Length: 1,181 ft Total Capacity: 6,699

MSC World Europa

Cost to Build: $1.25 billion Year Built: 2022 Gross Tonnage: 215,863 Length: 1,094 ft Total Capacity: 6,762

MSC World America

Cost to Build: $1.25 billion Year Built: 2025 Gross Tonnage: 216,638 Length: 1,094 ft Total Capacity: 6,764

Norwegian Epic

Cost to Build: $1.2 billion Year Built: 2010 Gross Tonnage: 155,900 Length: 1,081 ft Total Capacity: 4,228

Ovation of the Seas

Cost to Build: $1.1 billion Year Built: 2016 Gross Tonnage: 167,800 Length: 1,141 ft Total Capacity: 4,905

Disney Treasure

Cost to Build: $1.1 billion Year Built: 2024 Gross Tonnage: 144,000 Length: 1,119 ft Total Capacity: ~4,000

Disney Destiny

Cost to Build: $1.1 billion Year Built: 2025 Gross Tonnage: 144,000 Length: 1,121 ft Total Capacity: ~4,000

MSC Seashore

Cost to Build: $1 billion Year Built: 2021 Gross Tonnage: 170,412 Length: 1,112 ft Total Capacity: 5,877

MSC Seascape

Cost to Build: $1 billion Year Built: 2022 Gross Tonnage: 170,400 Length: 1,112 ft Total Capacity: 5,877

Disney Wish

Cost to Build: $1 billion Year Built: 2022 Gross Tonnage: 144,000 Length: 1,119 ft Total Capacity: ~4,000

Most Expensive Cruise Ships Built to Date

When looking for data on the exact amount a cruise ship cost to build, we’re usually dealing with approximate figures.  Below is a more comprehensive list of every ship that cost at least $1 billion to build in addition to several ships that were very close.  In fact, they were so close you might as well round up.

Construction costs are approximate and based on publicly reported figures. They have risen significantly in recent years due to larger ship sizes, advanced environmental technologies like LNG, and more elaborate amenities.