How ever will massive cruise ships of the future compete with massive cruise ships of the present? How will they top nearly 200,000 gross tons and $870 million dollars worth of ship? According to the owners of the current world’s largest cruise ship, it should be a piece of cake! Royal Caribbean is currently the title-holder for world’s largest cruise ship, or rather the world’s three largest cruise ships, to be exact. A fourth cruise ship is on the way that will top all massive cruise ships of today and possibly the future. More on that later.
With a gross tonnage of 160,000, a length of 1,112 feet, and room for 3,634 passengers, Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas is the largest cruise ship ever built. The price tag? $870 million. Belonging to Royal Caribbean’s Freedom Class of ships, Liberty of the Seas arrived at Royal Caribbean in April 2007, and it made its first port of call during a promotional sail to the UK on April 22, 2007. During a live broadcast on The Today Show, Liberty of the Seas was christened. She set sail on her maiden voyage May 19, 2007.
This behemoth ship has a whopping 15 passenger decks and it is the first ship to feature a surf park, a full-sized Everlast boxing ring, and an interactive water park for kids the H2O Zone® Waterpark, complete with interactive sculpture fountains, ground geysers and a cascading waterfalls. Freedom of the Seas even has a barbershop! Other features of this massive city at sea include a 9-hole golf course, an ice-skating rink, a 43-foot rock climbing wall with eleven routes and a central spire, a full-size sports court, cantilevered whirlpools that extend 12 feet beyond the sides of the ship, Casino RoyaleSM, and numerous bars, lounges, restaurants, and oversized suites.
Royal Caribbean’s $870 million dollar cruise ship features travel to Alaska, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, the Panama Canal, South America and repositioning cruises and Transatlantic cruises.
Royal Caribbean plans to introduce the world’s first $1.24 billion cruise ship in 2009. This $1.24 billion ship will belong to the new Genesis Class and it is currently called “Project Genesis.” This massive cruise ship of the future will weigh in at a whopping 220,000 tons and it will accommodate 5,400 passengers. The only other ships on the planet that fall into the billion-dollar category, and with this kind of tonnage, are military vessels and submarines.
Coming in at number two on the list of the world’s massive cruise ships is Cunard Lines Queen Mary 2. Even at number two, Queen Mary 2 is still considered the most magnificent and luxurious Ocean Liner ever built. With a price tag of $800 million, it is second only to Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas in price as well. The Queen Mary 2 is 1,132 feet in length and it is 151,400 gross tons. Queen Mary 2 can accommodate 2,592 passengers (lower berths) and a maximum of 3,056, including the third and fourth berths. The ship features ballrooms, theaters, casinos, lounges, discos, grand dining rooms, 13 spacious decks, a basketball court and the world’s only planetarium at sea.
Queen Mary 2 also features apartment-style accommodations and nearly three quarters of the apartments here have private balconies. The Queen Mary 2 travels the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Northern Europe, Canada/New England, and the Canary and Atlantic Islands, as well as Transatlantic cruises. Cunard Lines million dollar cruise ship Queen Mary 2 is not only popular for her size, she also travels around the globe on world cruise voyages for 84 days, 90 days, 99 days, and even 105 days. Lucky passengers can expect to visit exotic ports of call such as Cape Town, Da Nang, Dubai, Fuerte Amador, Hong Kong, Kobe, Mumbai, Penang, Puerto Montt, and Rio de Janeiro, to name a few.
Other massive multi-million dollar cruise ships include Carnival Cruise Lines’ Glory at $500 million, Carnival Cruise Lines’ Valor at $500 Million, and anything that belongs to the Voyager Class, which start at $520 Million.