Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners which are primarily used for transportation across seas or oceans, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various attractive ports of call. Their 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 (), almost doubled their widths (), 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; , the largest cruise ship, , has a gross tonnage of 248,336, is 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 amenities 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.

Cruise ships are operated by cruise lines, which offer cruises to the public. 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. 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.

Timeline The first large cruise ships were the from Carnival Cruise Line. The lead ship Carnival Destiny was the first to exceed 100,000 gross tons and the first to eclipse RMS Queen Elizabeth in terms of tonnage.

Grand Princess eclipsed Carnival Destiny in 1998.

The from Royal Caribbean Group's Royal Caribbean International (RCI) debuted in 1998 and at over 137,000GT, were almost 30,000GT larger than the next-largest cruise ships, and were some of the first designed to offer amenities such as an ice rink and climbing wall.

In 2004, the five Voyager-class ships were overtaken by the 148,528GT (QM2), the only ocean liner currently in service.

QM2 was surpassed by RCI's 155,889 GT -class vessels in 2006, which were in turn overtaken by RCI's first of six planned vessels in 2009. The Oasis-class ships, at over 225,000GT, at least wide, high, and 1,180 feet (360m) long, can accommodate over 5,400 passengers. Oasis-class ships were surpassed by the first ship, , at 248,663GT in 2023.

Since 2008, other cruise lines have been ordering 135,000+GT ships. MSC Cruises introduced the first of four 137,936–139,072 GT s in 2008, followed in 2017 by both the 153,516 GT and the 171,598–181,541 GT . Norwegian Cruise Line debuted the 155,873 GT Norwegian Epic in 2010, the first ship outside of the Oasis class with a double-occupancy capacity of over 4,000, Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises, debuted the first of seven 142,714 GT+ ships in 2013, and the corporation's Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, and AIDA Cruises debuted the first of seven planned 133,596–135,225 GT ships in 2016. , the first of Carnival Corporation's nine planned ships, debuted in 2018 at 183,858GT, with future ships in the class planned for Costa, P&O, Carnival, and AIDA. In 2016 and 2017, Genting Hong Kong's Dream Cruises introduced the 150,695 GT and , the first large ships from an Asian-owned cruise line.

Asia-based Dream Cruises, which went bankrupt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, had been planning to take delivery of two 208,000 GT ships in 2021 and 2022, which would have been the first ships over 200,000GT not built for RCI, with the largest maximum passenger capacity, 9,500, of any ship. One unfinished ship, formerly the Global Dream, was sold to Disney Cruise Line and debuted in March 2026 as the Disney Adventure, while the other was sent for scrapping.

In service , there are 68 passenger ships with over 140,000GT in service. + Largest cruise ships in serviceRankShip nameShip classCruise lineYearGrosstonnageLengthoverallBeamStateroomsPassenger capacityImage Maximum Waterline Double Maximum 1 Icon of the SeasIcon class Royal Caribbean International 2024 248,663 2,805 5,610 7,600 Star of the Seas2025248,6632,8055,6107,600 Legend of the Seas2026248,6632,8055,6107,600 4 Utopia of the SeasOasis class 2024 236,473 2,834 5,668 5 Wonder of the Seas 2022 235,600 2,867 5,734 6,988 6 Symphony of the Seas 2018 228,081 2,759 5,518 6,680 7 Harmony of the Seas 2016 226,963 2,747 5,494 6,687 8 Oasis of the Seas 2009 226,838 2,742 5,484 6,771 9 Allure of the Seas 2010 226,637 2,742 5,4846,780 10MSC World AmericaWorld classMSC Cruises2025 216,6382,6265,2316,762 11 MSC World Europa 2022 215,863 2,626 5,231 6,762 12 Disney Adventure Global class Disney Cruise Line 2026 208,108 2,1116,700 13 Costa ToscanaExcellence class Costa Cruises 2021 186,364 2,612 5,224 6,554 14 Arvia P&O Cruises 2022 185,581 2,614 5,200 6,685 15 Costa Smeralda Costa Cruises 2019 185,010 2,612 5,224 6,554 16 Iona P&O Cruises 2020 184,089 2,614 5,206 6,600 17 MSC EuribiaMeraviglia Plus class MSC Cruises 2023 184,011 2,408 4,816 6,335 18 AIDAnovaExcellence class AIDA Cruises 2018 183,858 2,626 5,252 6,654 19 AIDAcosma 2021 183,774 2,626 5,228 6,880 20 Carnival Celebration Carnival Cruise Line 2022 183,521 2,687 5,374 6,631 21 Carnival Jubilee 2023 182,015 2,626 5,228 6,631 22 Mardi Gras 2020 181,808 2,641 5,282 6,631 23 MSC GrandiosaMeraviglia Plus class MSC Cruises 2019 181,541 2,632 5,264 6,761 MSC Virtuosa 2020 181,541 2,421 4,842 6,334 25 Star Princess Sphere class Princess Cruises 2025 177,800 GT 4,300 26 Sun Princess 2024 177,882 2,162 4,320 5,189 27 MSC Meraviglia Meraviglia class MSC Cruises 2017 171,598 2,244 4,488 5,655 MSC Bellissima 2019 171,598 2,217 4,434 5,686 29 MSC Seashore Seaside EVO class 2021 170,412 2,270 4,540 5,632 MSC Seascape 2022 170,412 2,270 4,540 5,877 31 Spectrum of the SeasQuantum Ultra class Royal Caribbean International 2019 169,379 2,137 4,246 5,622 32 Norwegian EncoreBreakaway Plus class Norwegian Cruise Line 2019 169,116 2,040 3,998 33 Quantum of the SeasQuantum class Royal Caribbean International 2014 168,666 2,090 4,180 4,905 Anthem of the Seas 2015 168,666 2,090 4,180 4,905 Ovation of the Seas 2016 168,666 2,091 4,180 4,905 36 Norwegian BlissBreakaway Plus class Norwegian Cruise Line 2018 168,028 2,043 4,004 4,200 37 Norwegian Joy 2017 167,725 1,925 3,804 3,883 38 Odyssey of the SeasQuantum Ultra class Royal Caribbean International 2021 167,704 2,105 4,198 5,510 39 Norwegian EscapeBreakaway Plus class Norwegian Cruise Line 2015 165,157 2,124 4,248 40 Mein Schiff Relax inTUItion class TUI Cruises 2025 157,651 332.63 (1,091 ft) 42.14 m (138.3 ft) 41.8 m (137 ft) 1,945 3,890 3,984 41 Freedom of the SeasFreedom class Royal Caribbean International 2006 156,271 1,817 3,634 4,375 42 Liberty of the Seas 2007 155,889 1,817 3,634 4,375 Independence of the Seas 2008 155,889 1,929 3,858 4,635 44 Norwegian EpicEpic class Norwegian Cruise Line 2010 155,873 2,114 4,100 5,183 45 Norwegian Aqua Prima Plus class 2025 154,140 1,865 3,517 4,224 Norwegian Luna 2026 154,140 ~ 3,517 47 MSC SeaviewSeaside class MSC Cruises 2018 153,516 2,066 4,132 5,336 MSC Seaside 2017 153,516 2,066 4,132 5,336 49 Genting DreamGenting-Dream class Dream Cruises 2016 150,695 1,674 3,348 4,500 Aroya Aroya Cruises 2017 150,695 1,686 3,376 51 Queen Mary 2— Cunard Line 2004 149,215 1,353 2,691 3,090 52 Norwegian Breakaway Breakaway class Norwegian Cruise Line 2013 145,655 2,015 3,963 Norwegian Getaway 2014 145,655 2,015 3,963 54 Sky Princess Royal class Princess Cruises 2019 145,281 1,830 3,660 4,610 Enchanted Princess 2020 145,281 1,830 3,660 Discovery Princess 2022 145,281 1,830 3,660 57 Disney Wish Wish class Disney Cruise Line 2022 144,256 1,250 2,500 Disney Treasure 2024 144,256 1,250 2,500 Disney Destiny 2025 144,256 60 Majestic PrincessRoyal class Princess Cruises 2017 144,216 1,780 3,560 5,600 61 Britannia P&O Cruises 2015 143,730 1,837 3,647 62 Norwegian Prima Prima class Norwegian Cruise Line 2022 143,535 3,099 Norwegian Viva 2023 143,535 3,099 64 Royal PrincessRoyal class Princess Cruises 2013 142,714 1,780 3,560 4,340 Regal Princess 2014 142,714 1,780 3,560 4,340 66 Celebrity Beyond Edge class Celebrity Cruises 2022 141,420 1,646 3,292 Celebrity Ascent 2023 141,420 1,646 3,260 3,731 68 Celebrity Xcel 2025 141,262 3,260

+ Number of large ships by cruise line Cruise line Ships Royal Caribbean International 16 MSC Cruises 10 Norwegian Cruise Line 11 Princess Cruises 7 Disney Cruise Line 4 Carnival Cruise Line 3 Costa Cruises 2 P&O Cruises 3 AIDA Cruises 2 Celebrity Cruises 2 TUI Cruises 1 Dream Cruises 1 Cunard 1 Aroya Cruises 1 + Number of large ships by shipyard Shipyard Ships Meyer Werft 21 Chantiers de l'Atlantique 15 Fincantieri, Monfalcone 13 Meyer Turku 13 Fincantieri, Marghera 4 Meyer Wismar 1

On order , 33 passenger ships are currently on order or under construction with a publicly announced size of over 140,000GT. RCI has four s on order with expected delivery in 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030. RCI also has one Oasis-class ship on order for 2028. Celebrity Cruises, which is owned by RCI's parent company Royal Caribbean Group, will introduce a 140,600 GT ships, and TUI Cruises, a joint venture between Royal Caribbean Group and TUI Group, are introducing a new class of 161,000 GT cruise ships in 2024 and 2026.

MSC Cruises has six ships planned for 20262031 at 215,800GT and a capacity of 6,762 passengers and four New-Frontier-class ships with a size of 180,000GT for delivery from 2030 onwards.

Carnival Corporation has two more 183,200–183,900 GT Excellence class planned to debut in 2027 and 2028.Carnival Corporation Orders an Additional Excel-Class Ship for Carnival Cruise Line, the Line's 5th Excel-Class Ship and the 11th Across the Global Fleet, Retrieved 1 April 2024

Each year from 2023 to 2027, the Norwegian Cruise Line will debut additional ships from the . The Prima-class ships are expected to be 142,500GT and carry 3,215 to 3,550 passengers. Additionally, Norwegian Cruise Line is expected to take delivery of four approximately 200,000-gross-ton ships, each with a capacity of nearly 5,000 guests, in 2030, 2032, 2034 and 2036, which are subject to financing.

Disney Cruise Line will launch two more 144,000 GT ships in 2024, and 2025. These ships will have 1,250 staterooms, like the line's previous two ships, but will be 14,000GT larger than those ships and powered by liquified natural gas fuel.