Floating cities: The biggest cruise ships launching in 2025 weigh over 200,000 tonnes
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The biggest cruise ship in the world today is nothing short of a floating city. The
Icon of the Seas
weighs in at 248,663 tonnes and stretches 365 metres from bow to stern.
At three times the weight of the QE2, the Icon is a world of destinations in itself. Inside, you'll find an ice skating rink, a water park, a swim-up bar, and even a suspended infinity pool. But this giant ship is set to be joined by an even heavier sistership in 2025.
The biggest cruise ship in the world is the Icon of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean
Cruise Industry News
lists 17 cruise ships projected to enter service in 2025. These range from American cruise line's
Patriot
and
Pioneer
ships, with the capacity for 125 guests, to giant mega ships accommodating 5,000 or more.
Eight of these ships weigh in at over 100,000 tonnes. Three of them are more than 200,000 tonnes in weight - that's the same as around 500 fully laden Boeing 747 jumbo jets. These are the five biggest cruise ships ready to float in 2025.
1. Royal Caribbean's
Star of the Seas
Joining
Icon of the Seas
this year will be the second of the Icon class ships from Royal Caribbean.
Star of the Seas
is expected to be just like her sistership, although on paper, she weighs in slightly higher at 250,800 tonnes.
The Star of the Seas is the second of three Icon-class ships for Royal Caribbean.
Royal Caribbean
Construction began in February 2023, and just last October, the ship was floated out for the first time.
While the
Icon of the Seas
sails from Miami, the
Star of the Seas
will cruise from Port Canaveral. Itineraries will be seven nights and will touch Eastern and Western Caribbean destinations, including Royal Caribbean's own private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
The Star will be a floating city, complete with world-class waterpark.
Royal Caribbean
Onboard are eight different neighbourhoods, 40 dining and drinking outlets, multiple swimming pools, and dozens of waterslides. Cabins are stunning, with options to upgrade to panoramic sea or sunset views, and even a three-story Family Townhouse complete with an in-suite slide.
The Family Townhouse spans three floors and has an in-suite slide.
Royal Caribbean
Full operation of the ship will begin on 31 August, but ahead of that,
Royal Caribbean
is running a handful of 'showcase sailings'. These shorter three-night trips are a great opportunity for cruise lovers to check out the giant ship at a lower cost.
2. Disney Cruise Line's
Adventure
Adventure
will be the eighth cruise ship owned and operated by
Disney
Cruise Line, and its biggest yet. Coming in more than 50,000 tonnes heavier than its Wish class vessels at 208,000 tonnes, the ship is 342 metres in length and will accommodate around 6,000 guests.
The Adventure will be Disney's largest cruise ship yet.
Disney Cruise Line
As well as being Disney's largest cruise ship,
Adventure
will be the first to be based in Asia. Operating out of Singapore, the ship will undertake short three to five-night cruises with no ports of call, just a Disney party in the ocean.
The new Disney ship won't have any ports of call.
Disney Cruise Line
Onboard is the first-ever Disney Cruise Line rollercoaster at sea, seven themed lands, and a
Marvel
'style studio' where you can get a heroic makeover (and yes, adults are allowed too). Stage shows are plentiful, and choices of staterooms and suites - some that even have private hot tubs.
The ship will feature plenty of Disney-themed experiences.
Disney Cruise Line
Adventure
is still under construction and hasn't been floated out yet. It's expected to do so in May. Its maiden voyage is set to take place on 15 December, when it will head out for its first three-night trip.
3. MSC Cruises
World America
At 205,700 tonnes and 333 metres in length,
World America
isn't much smaller than the Icon class giants of Royal Caribbean. It's the second World-class ship built for MSC Cruises following World Europa, which entered service in December 2022. But while Europa sails from ports in the Mediterranean,
America
is destined for, well, America.
World America is a key stepping stone for MSC in the US.
MSC Cruises
From Miami,
World America
will sail seven-night
Caribbean cruises
, alternating East and West Caribbean itineraries. Included in the ports of call will be Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Honduras.
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The inside of the ship is nothing short of lavish.
MSC Cruises
Within the 22 decks, there's a choice of 19 different restaurants plus 20 bars and lounges. There's a waterpark, shows, copious shopping opportunities and the Family Aventura theme park, featuring the industry's first over-water swings.
The ship has swings that let you glide out over the water.
MSC Cruises
The ship is complete and ready to sail. It's due to have its official naming in Miami on 9 April, for which its Godmother, Drew Barrymore, is set to be in attendance.
World America
left the French port of
Saint Nazaire
on 27 March and should arrive in Miami on 6 April. It is planned to depart on its maiden voyage on 12 April.
4. Princess Cruises
Star Princess
The
Star Princess
is the second Sphere-class cruise ship for Princess Cruises, following
Sun Princess,
which took its first trip in February 2024. The pair are the largest ships ever built in Italy, with a length of 345 metres, accommodation for 4,300 and a weight of 175,000 tonnes.
Star Princess is one of the two biggest ships ever constructed in Italy.
Princess Cruises
Many features of the
Star
will be similar to its sistership, although it does have some new additions. The new ship will have pickleball and basketball courts, as well as a jogging track, and expanded areas in the most popular outlets, including O'Malley's Irish Pub.
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The ship will sail around the Med for the summer before heading across the Atlantic.
Princess Cruises
The vessel is still under construction and is expected to be delivered in September 2025. Its planned maiden voyage will be on 4 October, with its initial trips focused around the
Mediterranean Sea
. By late October, the ship will redeploy to the Caribbean, and in early 2026, it will head to Alaska.
5. TUI Cruises
Mein Schiff Relax
This 160,000-tonne megaship is one you don't need to wait for. TUI's
Mein Schiff Relax
was officially delivered on 7 February and entered service on 2 March. It's been operating a series of Mediterranean cruises out of
Palma de Mallorca
since then.
Mein Schiff Relax is the lightest ship on our list, but still weighs in at 160,000 tonnes.
TUI Cruises
Onboard, the ship has a strong focus on wellness and relaxation. Its spa offers massages and other treatments, while a jogging track and soft-floored yoga deck let guests stretch their legs. There's a kids club, pool and sauna, and more than 30 bars and restaurants to choose from.
This ship has a strong focus on wellbeing and relaxation.
TUI Cruises
At present,
Mein Schiff Relax
is running seven or eight-night cruises from Mallorca, touching points in Spain, France and
Italy
. Later in the year, it will switch to the south, operating eight- and nine-night cruises down to the Canary Islands.
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The giant ship is already in service, operating cruises around the Med.
TUI Cruises
Can cruise ships get any bigger?
While critics may brandish these gargantuan ships as monuments to excess, the feat of engineering and ingenuity they represent cannot be ignored.
Royal Caribbean's Icon class ships have raised the bar for cruising, but the question remains - can ships get any bigger?
Italian shipbuilder
Fincantieri
, which constructs cruise vessels for the likes of Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises and others, told the Telegraph there is no specific ceiling for the maximum size of the craft.
The spokesperson said there's no engineering reason cruise ships can't continue to increase in size, as changes in maneuverability can be compensated for with more powerful propulsion.
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Do we need cruise ships to get any bigger?
Kreuzfahrt via Wikimedia
However, challenges will arise when it comes to docking and maintaining anything bigger - some of the largest ships in service today already struggle to find ports to accommodate their size, often mooring offshore and ferrying passengers in by water taxi.
And the people who live in ports where these massive ships dock
also feel the impact.
Several European tourist hotspots are
restricting cruises
from docking, including the Greek island of
Santorini
, where tens of thousands of passengers disembark on peak days.
Then, of course, there's the
environmental impact
to consider. All these new ships are LNG-powered, which the cruise lines like to tout as being 'green.' However, while LNG is lower in CO2 emissions, it releases other, more harmful gases, and is considered by the World Economic Forum to be a 'bridge fuel,' not a sustainable long-term solution.
But the biggest challenge to an even larger ship is market demand. In the past there was a trend of 'bigger is better,' and not just in cruising. Aircraft like the A380 and Boeing 747 were once the epitome of modern travel, but times are changing.
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Post-COVID, more people are concerned about being in close quarters with strangers and prioritise comfort over size. In aviation, this has seen the widespread retirement of double-decker planes; whether the cruise market ends up going in the same direction remains to be seen.
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