Cruise ships
Cruise-ship size is usually measured in gross tonnage (GT) – a measure of space volume, not weight. Here are the current giants of the world fleet and the largest ships especially relevant for guests from the German-speaking market.
As of August 2026. Figures can shift slightly after refits or new deliveries.
Visueller Überblick zu den größten Kreuzfahrtschiffen – BRZ, Länge und Dimensionen im Vergleich.
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Video: Die Top 10 der größten Kreuzfahrtschiffe der Welt · Cruise Tube. Embedded via YouTube (Google); playback only after marketing consent.
Watch on YouTube ↗Historischer Kontext: Vom einstigen Größenrekord zum Wrack – als Kontrast zu heutigen Giganten.
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Watch on YouTube ↗Current top 15 by gross tonnage. Icon, Star and Legend of the Seas share rank 1.
Royal Caribbean International
250,800 GT
Icon class · 365 m length · 5,610–7,600 passengers · since 2024
Shares with Star and Legend the title of the world’s largest cruise ship. 20 decks, waterpark and the largest pool complex at sea so far.
Royal Caribbean International
250,800 GT
Icon class · 365 m length · 5,610–7,600 passengers · since 2025
Second Icon-class ship, identical to Icon of the Seas – debut 2025 from Port Canaveral.
Royal Caribbean International
250,800 GT
Icon class · 365 m length · 5,610–7,600 passengers · since 2026
Third Icon-class ship: inaugural season 2026 in the western Mediterranean, then Caribbean.
Royal Caribbean International
236,860 GT
Oasis class · 362 m length · 5,668–6,988 passengers · since 2024
Last and only LNG-powered Oasis-class ship – until 2024 long among the absolute size record holders.
Royal Caribbean International
235,600 GT
Oasis class · 362 m length · 5,734–7,084 passengers · since 2022
Was the world’s largest cruise ship before Icon class; still one of the most spacious Oasis ships.
Royal Caribbean International
228,081 GT
Oasis class · 362 m length · 5,518–6,680 passengers · since 2018
World’s largest ship from 2018 to 2022 – classic Oasis layout with Central Park and Boardwalk.
Royal Caribbean International
226,963 GT
Oasis class · 362 m length · 5,479–6,687 passengers · since 2016
World’s largest ship 2016–2018; still a full programme of attractions and neighbourhoods.
Royal Caribbean International
226,838 GT
Oasis class · 362 m length · 5,602–6,771 passengers · since 2009
Namesake of Oasis class and long-time record holder – modernised and still in service.
View ship →Royal Caribbean International
225,282 GT
Oasis class · 362 m length · 5,484–6,780 passengers · since 2010
Second Oasis ship; size and concept largely match Oasis of the Seas.
MSC Cruises
216,683 GT
World class · 333 m length · 5,240–6,764 passengers · since 2025
Largest MSC ship: World class with Y stern, Yacht Club and a strong family offer – debut spring 2025.
MSC Cruises
215,863 GT
World class · 333 m length · 5,400–6,762 passengers · since 2022
First World-class ship and long MSC flagship in Europe and the Orient.
Disney Cruise Line
208,108 GT
Global Dream conversion / Disney XL · 342 m length · 4,700–6,700 passengers · since 2026
By far Disney’s largest ship; entered service in 2026 with homeport Singapore.
P&O Cruises
185,581 GT
Excellence / Excel class · 345 m length · 5,200–6,264 passengers · since 2022
Large LNG ship of the British P&O fleet – structurally related to Costa Excellence and AIDA Helios.
Costa Cruises
185,010 GT
Excellence class · 337 m length · 5,224–6,554 passengers · since 2019
Costa’s first Excellence-class ship; LNG propulsion and an Italian onboard concept.
View ship →Costa Cruises
185,010 GT
Excellence class · 337 m length · 5,224–6,554 passengers · since 2022
Sister ship to Smeralda – same size format, focus on sustainability themes onboard.
AIDA and Mein Schiff dominate the offer for guests from DE/AT/CH – here the highest-volume ships of these fleets.
AIDA Cruises
183,858 GT
Helios / Excellence class · 337 m length · 5,228–6,654 passengers · since 2018
Largest AIDA ship and one of the largest in the German-speaking offer – LNG, club-ship concept, built at Meyer Werft Papenburg.
View ship →AIDA Cruises
183,858 GT
Helios / Excellence class · 337 m length · 5,228–6,654 passengers · since 2021
Identical sister ship to AIDAnova – until the newbuilds from 2030 the newest flagship of the AIDA fleet.
Mein Schiff / TUI Cruises
161,000 GT
InTUItion class · 326 m length · approx. 4,000 passengers · since 2025
Largest Mein Schiff format: new InTUItion design, dual-fuel, premium feel in the German-speaking market.
View ship →Mein Schiff / TUI Cruises
161,000 GT
InTUItion class · 326 m length · approx. 4,000 passengers · since 2026
Second InTUItion ship – same size class as Relax, inaugural season 2026 in the Mediterranean.
Mein Schiff / TUI Cruises
111,500 GT
Blueprint / LNG successor · 315 m length · approx. 2,894 passengers · since 2024
Most modern ship of the “classic” Mein Schiff line before the InTUItion generation – LNG-capable, built at Meyer Turku.
View ship →Ranking by publicly stated GT figures. For identical sister ships the order can vary slightly by source. MSC World Asia (planned Dec. 2026) is not included yet because it was not yet in liner service at the time of this page.
