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Largest Cruise Shipping Companies

See here the complete list of the world's largest cruise companies (passenger shipping corporations), associations and organizations. Corporate cruise line ownership - who are the owners of all cruise brands. As this is a very long survey, for your convenience next links jump down directly to largest cruise corporations (shipowners) , list of ALL cruise lines , RIVER travel brands and NEW brands .

According to official cruise industry statistics, the world's 4 largest cruise companies slowly conquered the market. Their combined market share was projected to grow over the forecast period 2015-2021 from 83,2% to 87,6%. World's largest (by combined fleet's passenger capacity/stats 2020-Q4) are Carnival Corporation (39%), RCG-Royal Caribbean Group (24$), MSC (11,5%), NCLH-Norwegian (8,3%). All other companies had combined market share (2020-Q4) 17,2%.

For the ones that are no more, see CruiseMapper's list of DEFUNCT companies .

What is a cruise line?

Cruise company's business is leisure travel, cruise tours, and entertainment. Most brands have unique activities and signature amenities offered exclusively onboard their vessels. Many activities and land tours are additionally (optionally) offered in ports of call along the ship's itinerary route.

Cruise ship companies typically hire two separate types of staff: crew (commanded by the Captain) and service staff (hotel and dining operations) supervised by Hotel Manager.

The cruise line is a passenger shipping company operating privately-owned, parent-owned or chartered vessels. Cruise brands differ from ferry companies, which operate Ro-Ro ships and offer combined passenger and cargo shipping services on a limited number of routes and in just a few regions/destinations.

Most companies are well-established passenger shipping brands. Most were founded in the second half of the 20th century, and specifically for cruising. Some were founded over 100 years ago as cargo shipping lines. Failures and consolidations in the 1990s resulted in many subsidiary companies existing as "brands" within large corporations. Brands exist partly because of their repeat customer loyalty, also to offer different levels of quality and services. Corporative shipowners frequently sell, renovate or simply rename their vessels to keep up with the travel industry's trends.

All brands offer complimentary onboard live entertainment, leisure facilities, daily scheduled activities, enrichment program, youth programs, buffet dining.

Cruise lines classification

According to the quality and price of their product, brands are classified into 4 distinct types.

CHEAPEST brands (aka mass-market/mainstream) offer good product at affordable prices. Fares range from $50-300 (Inside-Suite) pp per day. Itineraries range from 3 to 10 days. Typical passengers are a mix of veterans and first-timers, many kids and couples in their 50s. Ships are large-sized (over 3000 passengers), providing large resort-like experience. Examples include Carnival, Royal Caribbean, NCL, MSC, Costa, Holland America, AIDA, TUI.

BUDGET brands fares range from $200-500 pp per day. Itineraries range from 3 to 17 days. Typical passengers are predominantly first-timers, singles, families, kids. Ships are smaller and older, usually serving regional markets. Examples include NCL Norwegian, Disney, Celebrity, Princess, Star Cruises, Marella, P&O, Pullmantur, Phoenix Reisen, Fred Olsen, Bahamas Paradise.

LUXURY brands are Viking OCEAN, Resorts World, Cunard, Oceania, Hapag-Lloyd, Ponant, Saga UK. Services are premium (including 24-hour highly personalized concierge), prices are affordable, and the boats are new (refurbished more often), but the product is not all-inclusive.

ALL-INCLUSIVE brands are Seabourn, Silversea, RSSC-Regent, Azamara, Crystal, Virgin Voyages, NYV-Norwegian Yacht Voyages, Four Seasons Yachts, Ritz-Carlton Yachts, SeaDream Yachts. Onboard product is the industry's best and includes 24-hour personal butler service, all beverages, specialty dining, Internet, shore excursions, gratuities, flights, transfers, sophisticated enrichment programs (world-class performers, professional lectures and classes, art auctions), fewer mega-ship seaports, more yachting destinations. Vessels are mid-sized (mega-yachts) with a capacity between 200-1000 passengers, industry's highest ratios (passenger-to-space and passenger-to-staff), usually without kids facilities (babysitting arranged with off-duty staff). Passengers are sophisticated, highly social, wealthy, adventurous. Itineraries are diverse and global. Most mega-yachts provide alternative private ship-charter deals to large corporations and the world's richest families. The smallest boats are yachts with capacity from 100 up to 300 passengers. Some accommodate up to 700-800 guests. Most luxury ships operate in Europe (Mediterranean), Asia, Oceania, Alaska, Galapagos Islands, Around South America, Around the World .

EXPEDITION TRAVEL brands operate nature-themed voyages to unusual destinations (Arctic, Antarctica, Galapagos, Indian Ocean islands, Alaska). Prices depend on itinerary (fares from $150-500+ pp per day. Itineraries range from 1-3 weeks. Passengers are older and more experienced. Ships are usually with ice-strengthened hull (also icebreakers), marina platform (watersports) and Zodiacs (large boats for landings). Examples include Windstar, Lindblad-National Geographic, Quark Expeditions, Uncruise Adventures, Star Clippers, Metropolitan Touring.

RIVER TRAVEL brands operate modern boats on inland waterways (lakes, rivers, and canals), mainly in Europe and USA-Canada, also in Russia, China, Egypt, Peruvian Amazon. Fares range from $250-450 pp per day. Itineraries are 1-2 weeks. Passengers are regular and loyal. Most boats accommodate between 90-200 passengers (over 300 on Russian ships). Shipboard amenities and services are of premium quality. The market's largest are Viking, Uniworld, CroisiEurope, AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Scenic, Scylla, Luftner, American Cruise Lines, Russia ( Vodohod , Mosturflot , Infoflot , Doninturflot-Orthodox ).

Cruise Lines List

Small cruise lines list.

The following small ship cruise companies (and cruise ferry lines) are well-known brand names. Some of them operate locally, others operate expedition ships. Most companies are in the "small ship luxury cruise" business.

RIVER Cruise Lines List

River cruise lines provide as product a very "especially modern" style of travel cruising. It's the perfect combination of the world's best river cruise itineraries (in Europe, USA, Asia, Africa), tranquility and style, vessels with innovative design and top technology, highest standards of service, all-inclusive cruise deals prices - and much more.

NEW Cruise Lines (2021-2024)

World's largest cruise companies.

The biggest cruise companies - they all are very big, some are bigger big, one is the biggest. They all are very very very much rich!

(No 1) Carnival Corporation & plc (1972-founded American-Panamanian company) is the world's largest cruise shipowner, with 1/2 share of the market. The company is dual-listed (as Carnival Corp and Carnival plc), Southampton-headquartered, has a combined fleet of 100+ ships, 160,000+ berths, 10,000+ employees, ~75,000 crew, USD 38,9 billion in assets, USD 16,4B revenue (data 2016). Carnival owns the following brands (in brackets - the year of acquisition/establishment) - AIDA (2000), CCL-Carnival (1972), Costa (2000), Cunard (1998), HAL-Holland America (1989), Ibero (2007), P&O UK and P&O Australia (2003), Princess (2003), Seabourn (1992). Carnival's major stock-holder is the company founder's Arison family (47%).

(No 2) Royal Caribbean Group (RCG) - 1997-founded as an American-Norwegian cruise company. RCG is the 2nd largest cruise shipowner in the world, controls over 1/4 of the cruise market, with 58,000 employees, nearly USD 20 billion in assets, and almost USD 7B in revenue (data 2011). The combined fleet includes the brands Royal Caribbean International , Celebrity , Pullmantur (purchased 2006), CDF Croisieres de France (est 2008 / merged with Pullmantur in 2017). RCG also fully owns Air Pullmantur, and 50% of TUI Cruises (2009-founded joint venture with TUI AG).

(No 3) Mediterranean Shipping Company SA (MSC, founded in 1970, owned by the Aponte family) - the 2nd largest shipping line in the world (by container ship capacity), with more than 555 vessels of almost 2,2 million TEU (including 11 under construction - some of the world's largest container ships ever built, with capacity 15,000 TEU each). The MSC shipping line serves 270 ports worldwide, with over 29,000 employees.

(No 4) Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH) ownership is 43,4% Genting Group, 32,5% Apollo Management and 10,8% TPG Capital (Texas Pacific Group, large private equity global investments firm). NCL controls ~8% of the global cruising market.

Genting Group (founded in 1964, headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia). Genting is a leading Asian multinational company (developing, operating and marketing in Tourism, 1,800 ha Resorts World Genting, Gaming (casinos), Real Estates, 54,000 ha Plantations, Power Generation, Oil-Gas, e-commerce, over 58,000 employees, USD 5,1 billion revenue, USD 13,5B in assets). One of the most famous tourist features of Malaysia is the "Genting Highlands" resort, with a world-class casino and a theme park. Owns about 20% of Star Cruises (the world's 3rd largest operator).

Apollo Global Management LLC (founded in 1990 as Apollo Advisors). Apollo is one of the world's largest private investment companies (over USD 37 billion in assets, USD 16B in companies, headquartered in NYC). The firm specializes in private equity funds (buyout transactions, and purchasing distressed securities), and capital markets (with hedge funds and real estate funds, corporate restructuring, and consolidations).

The Walt Disney Company - founded in 1923, and nowadays the largest and richest media conglomerate in the world. Headquartered in Burbank CA, and owning 6 major divisions, 10 subsidiaries (almost 150,000 employees, USD 71 billion in assets, USD 38B revenue - data 2011). Amongst Disney's best-known (and priced) assets are the ABC media, the ESPN cable network, and the PIXAR Animation Studios, along with all the Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide.

P&O Princess Cruises PLC was a restructured company between 2000 and 2003. This company was the successor of "Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company" (P&O/1837-founded). P&O owned 6 line brands and 26 ships. The company merged into Carnival Corp in 2003.

NYK Line ("Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha", translated as "Japan Mail Shipping Line"), main headquarters Chiyoda (Tokyo) and regional in London, NYC, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Sao Paulo. Established in 1870, a core Mitsubishi company and currently the world's 10th largest cargo-container and shipping company. In the recent past, the majority of Japan's merchant fleet sailed under its flag (1900-1950). Entered the passenger cruise ship business with one of the most expensive cruise lines in the world - its newly-formed in 1989 subsidiary Crystal Cruise Lines. The NYK Line also operates the MS Asuka II (the ex MS Crystal Harmony), catering to the Japanese market exclusively. Financial data: revenue about USD 25 billion, about 55,000 employees worldwide, with 240 offices in 26 countries.

Largest cruise industry organizations

CLIA (Cruise Line International Association) - since December 17, 2012, this is a Global Trade Association (umbrella company) for 9 of the largest cruise industry associations:

• CLIA itself (world's largest, representing brands, operators, agents, port authorities, partners; engaged in training-marketing-research)
• ECC (European Cruise Council)
• ACA (Asia Cruise Association)
• PSA (Passenger Shipping Association)
• CLIA France (France, Association Francaise des Compagnies de Croisieres)
• ABREMAR (Brazil)
• NWCCA (Northwest and Canada Cruise Association)
• ACA (Alaska Cruise Association)
• ICCA (International Cruise Council Australasia)

ICOMIA (International Council of Marine Industry Associations) - ICOMIA is a global (marine industry) trade association with the majority of its members being national marine industries and manufacturers. The biggest (full members) are:

• IMCI (International Marine Certification Institute)
• CCYIA (China Cruise and Yacht Industry Association)
• FIN (French Nautical Industries Federation)
• DBSV (German Boat and Shipbuilders Association)
• JBIA (Japan Boating Industry Association)
• HISWA (Dutch Boating Industry Association)
• BMF (British Marine Federation)
• NMMA (National Marine)

Now the list of all the rest large organizations:

• ACE (Association of Cruise Experts / UK)
• LCA (Leading Cruise Agents / UK)
• AECO (Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators)
• CSA (Caribbean Shipping Association)
• ECSA (European Community Shipowners Associations)
• FCCA (Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association), members list includes the brands AIDA, Azamara, Carnival, Celebrity, Costa, Cunard, Disney, Holland America, MSC, NCL Norwegian, P&O, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn, TUI.
• IG River Cruise (Europe)
• JOPA (Japan Oceangoing Passenger Ship Association)

This article is integrated with CruiseMapper's list of the world's largest shipbuilding companies .

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The 15 Largest Cruise Lines In The World

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Largest Cruise Lines Research Summary

The largest cruise line in the world is Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) , with a revenue of $22.86 billion .

As of 2022, the global cruise line industry has a market size of $7.67 billion.

A person can spend between $1,300 – $2,000 on the average 7-day sailing with a mainstream cruise line.

The global cruise line market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 11.2% through 2028.

Cruise lines or cruise companies are classified as passenger shipping corporations, associations, or organizations. The cruise line industry offers individuals leisure travel without needing to hop on a plane.

The cruise ships developed for these organizations are massive, offering everything from a travel experience, great food, company, entertainment, and tours. Many of the individual brands provide unique activities and signature amenities to their clients aboard the vessels.

The four top cruise lines own much of the cruise line market, with their market share projected to grow to 87.6% by 2021. Many of these companies are well-established passenger shipping brands, founded in the latter half of the 20th century when cruise ships became more popular.

There are a variety of different cruise lines, but typically, they can be classified into 3 different types: mainstream, premium, and luxury.

From luxury brands to budget deals, there’s something for everyone on a cruise ship. The 15 largest cruise lines in the world are as follows:

Diving Deeper into the Top 15 Cruise Lines in the World

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)

2022 Annual Revenue : $22.86 billion Number of Passengers : 1.4 million

Founded in 1970 in Naples, Italy, MSC is a Swiss-Italian-owned shipping line with a presence in all the major ports of the world. Their cruise line division, MSC Cruises focuses on holiday cruises for their passengers.

MSC Cruises is the world’s largest privately held cruise company, and fourth-largest in the world, boasting a 7.2% share of all cruise line passengers in the market.

In 2019, MSC Cruises rolled out the world’s first personal cruise assistant , called ZOE. This device is found in every room on the ship and is available to ask questions about your stay, reserve excursions, check your bill, and more.

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Carnival Corporation

2022 Annual Revenue : $12.2 billion Number of Passengers : 5.8 million

Founded in 1972, Carnival Corporation is a British-American cruise operator and currently holds the title of the world’s largest travel leisure company .

Carnival boasts over 100 vessels over ten different cruise line brands. It is a dual-listed company, meaning it operates as two companies, Carnival Corporation and Carnival plc, functioning as a single entity.

The company was initially publicly offered on the New York Stock Exchange in 1987 with the intention to generate capital for future acquisitions. During the 1990s, Carnival acquired a variety of companies including Holland America Line, Windstar Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, among others.

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Royal Caribbean Group

2022 Annual Revenue : $8.8 billion Number of Passengers : 3.3 million

Founded in 1997 when Royal Caribbean Cruise Line purchased Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean Group is an American-owned global cruise company based out of Miami, Florida . It holds the title of second-largest cruise line operator in the world.

This organization owns three cruise lines, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises. In addition to their cruise lines, Royal Caribbean Group has a 50% stake in TUI Cruises in a joint venture with TUI AG.

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NCLH-Norweigan

2022 Annual Revenue : $4.844 billion Number of Passengers : 1.3 million

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) is a holding company domiciled in Bermuda and headquartered in Miami, Florida . This organization owns and operates three different cruise lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

In February 2011, NCLH was incorporated as a Bermuda exempt company before debuting on the NASDAQ in 2013. NCLH is the third-largest cruise operator in the world, controlling 9.5% of the cruise market’s share.

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Viking Cruises

2022 Annual Revenue : $2.1 billion Number of Passengers : 143,700

Based in Switzerland and headquartered in Los Angeles, California , Viking Cruises is a cruise line that provides adventures on rivers, ocean, and expeditions. Their three divisions are named Viking River Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises, and Viking Expeditions.

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Disney Cruise Line (DCL)

2022 Annual Revenue : $1.6 billion Number of Passengers : 312,200

This cruise line is a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company. In 1996, the Magical Cruise Company Limited launched their first vessel in London, with headquarters in Celebration, Florida .

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TUI Cruises

2022 Annual Revenue : $1.32 billion Number of Passengers : 330,100

TUI cruises is a German-based cruise company, formed in 2007 between TUI AG and Royal Caribbean Cruises as a joint venture. This specific line is targeted towards German tourists and competes heavily with AIDA Cruises.

Their fleet features cruise ships across three brands, TUI Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, and Marella Cruises. This is a premium cruise line and its amenities include food, entertainment, and amenities, all tailored for a German experience.

Virgin Cruises

2022 Annual Revenue : $973.3 million Number of Passengers : 111,100

Headquartered in Florida, Virgin Voyages was the result of Virgin Group and Bain Capital merging together to form the organization in 2015. In June 2020, there was only one single ship in their fleet, with three more scheduled to make their debut for up to 2,700 passengers each.

Genting Hong Kong: Dream Cruises

2021 Annual Revenue : $723 million Number of Passengers : 264,100

This holding company operates cruise and resort businesses, with their largest cruise line being Dream Cruises. Headquartered in Hong Kong, Genting established Dream Cruises in 2015 as an Asian luxury cruise line, debuting their first cruise in November of 2016.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines

2022 Annual Revenue : $327.3 million Number of Passengers : 110,700

This Norwegian-owned cruise shipping line is based in Suffolk, UK. Currently, its operation includes four cruise ships, but the company was founded in 1848 by three Olsen brothers.

Hurtigruten AS

2021 Annual Revenue : $334 million Number of Passengers : 122,300

This Norwegian-based company is a ferry service and cruise line operating out of Norway. Part of their business is operating a ferry service along the Norweigan coast, while the other part is their cruise line.

Marella Cruises

2021 Annual Revenue : $281 million Number of Passengers : 102,900

This British cruise line entered the cruise line market in 1973 but due to financial difficulties, shut down its operations in 1976. In 1995, they were in a position to open up their line again, after a competitor entered the cruise line industry.

Ponant/Paul Gauguin Cruises

2021 Annual Revenue : $233 million Number of Passengers : 85,400

Founded in 1988, Ponant, or Compagnie du Ponant is a French-owned cruise ship operator. Founded by officers from the French Merchant Navy, this organization now operates eleven ships. This luxury cruise company offers all kinds of cruises, including Antarctica.

Star Cruises

2021 Annual Revenue : $219 million Number of Passengers : 80,200

Headquartered in Hong Kong, Star Cruises operates primarily in the Asia Pacific market including destinations to Japan, Vietnam, and other Asian destinations. This organization is another offshoot of Genting Group in Malaysia.

Celestyal Cruises

2021 Annual Revenue : $175 million Number of Passengers : 64,100

Founded in 2014, Celestyal Cruises is the only cruise company based in Greece. Currently, their fleet consists of four ships with expeditions to Greek, Turkish, and Cuban ports.

Largest Cruise Lines FAQ

How much does the average person spend on a cruise?

The average cruise can cost someone $237 per day. For the average 7-day sailing with a mainstream cruise line, a person can spend between $1,300 and $2,000. This typically includes both fare and onboard spending.

What is the most popular cruise line?

The most popular cruise line is Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), with an average revenue of $22.86 billion. The second most popular cruise line is Carnival Corporation with a revenue of $12.2 billion, followed by Royal Caribbean Group with $8.8 billion in annual revenue.

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Caitlin Mazur is a freelance writer at Zippia. Caitlin is passionate about helping Zippia’s readers land the jobs of their dreams by offering content that discusses job-seeking advice based on experience and extensive research. Caitlin holds a degree in English from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA.

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How Much The Biggest Cruise Ships (And Cruise Lines) Make Each Day

Step onto a cruise ship, and the first thing that you likely notice is how luxurious — and big — cruise ships really are.

From grand promenades like something you’d see in a Las Vegas hotel to ships that measure 20 decks and more than 1,000 feet long, it’s obvious that cruise lines spend a lot of money building the vessels. In fact, some of these newest ships cost more than $1 billion to build.

Of course, cruise lines wouldn’t spend that much money if they didn’t know they could earn it all back… plus a tidy profit. And with thousands of people on a ship, each trip made by the ship brings in hundreds of thousands — and even millions of dollars — in revenue.

But have you ever wondered just how much the cruise lines are really making each day? With dozens of cruise ships holding tens of thousands of people, the numbers have to be astounding. Meanwhile, how much are individual cruise ships making for every day that they sail?

Given that we’ve covered how much cruise lines make from each passenger in the past, we decided to see just how much cruise lines and the biggest cruise ships make each day they operate.

How Much Money Cruise Lines Make Each Day

Major cruise lines are publicly traded companies, with stock on the major exchanges. As such, they are required to file regular financial results. We took a look at the latest yearly results for three major cruise lines: Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian to dive into exactly how much money they make.

Before we get too far, you should know that these calculations represent “back of the envelope” math . Today’s cruise lines are highly complex organizations with a number of different assets.

For example, Carnival Corporation actually encompasses a number of different lines, including Carnival, Princess, Holland America, and more. Meanwhile, financial reports usually don’t break down figures based solely on individual cruise lines. Therefore, we have to look at the company as a whole to get an idea of what it earns from each cruise line.

Carnival Corporation As the largest cruise company in the world, Carnival Corporation is famous for the Carnival brand, but also features other lines including the aforementioned Princess and Holland America, and AIDA, Seabourn and others.

All told, Carnival Corp. brought in a staggering $18.9 billion in revenue across all of its lines for the 2018 fiscal year. Divided by 365 days, that comes out to $51,728,767 in revenue earned each day .

How much of that turns into profit? The cruise line had a total profit of $3.15 billion last year. Divided by the days in a year, that comes out to a daily profit of $8,635,616 .

Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD is famous for the largest cruise ships on the planet, but did you know it is also the parent company of Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, and Silversea Cruises? It also has joint partnerships in TUI and Pullmantur. In total, the cruise line operates nearly 60 ships that cover the world.

As you might expect, all those ships bring in a lot of money. In the past year, Royal Caribbean saw revenue of $9.5 billion from its business. That’s a total of $26,010,545 divided out for each day of the year .

Royal Caribbean is also highly profitable. With 2018 profits of $1.82 billion, the cruise company earned a profit of $4,974,773 per day across its fleet .

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has made waves recently with the introduction of its largest ships, including Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Joy, and the Norwegian Encore. However, it also operates cruises under the Oceania and Regent brands.

While Norwegian is the smallest of the “big three” cruise companies, it still brings in a healthy amount of money. Last year saw revenue of $6.1 billion, or $16,589,386 each day . As for profits, the company had a bottom line of $954.8 million — or $2,616,008 per day .

To summarize, here’s how much these three cruise companies earned in 2018:

How Much Money The Biggest Cruise Ships Make Each Day

While it’s interesting to see how much cruise lines are making per day, the numbers are so large that they can be difficult to wrap your head around. What is more approachable is how much the cruise lines make from their individual ships.

Again, before we get too far, you should understand this is a “back of the envelope” calculation. Cruise lines don’t break down their revenue or profit from individual ships. Specific trips will earn more or less, so these figures are just an estimate.

To calculate how much a ship makes, we first calculated how many people sail on each ship. Cruise lines report an occupancy rate for the entire cruise line.

This figure is usually between 105-108%, indicating that all rooms have at least two guests on average, and some also have a third.

From there, we multiplied the number of guests by the revenue per passenger a ship makes each day. Revenue per passenger is calculated by dividing total revenue earned by the number of passenger cruise days during the year.

For example, if a ship holds 4,000 passengers and sails on a three day cruise, that’s 12,000 passenger cruise days.

Carnival Horizon Carnival Horizon represents Carnival’s newest and largest ship in its fleet. First launched in 2018, the ship is homeported in Miami. It has 3,960 berths, but in 2018 Carnival saw an occupancy rate of 106.9%. Using these figures, we can estimate that the typical cruise on this ship has 4,233 passengers.

Meanwhile, given that Carnival brought in revenue $18.9 billion across its fleet and had 89.7 million “passenger days” on its ships, we can estimate the cruise line earned $211 per person, per day.

With 4,223 passengers spending an average of $211 per day, that would mean the Carnival Horizon earns an estimated $891,053 each day .

Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas Symphony of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s newest ship and the largest in the world. All told the ship carries 5,518 passengers at double occupancy. But according to its financial reports, Royal Caribbean sees occupancy levels of 108.9%. So the estimated number of passengers in our calculation would actually be 6,009.

With revenue of $9.5 billion and 41.85 million passenger days on its ship, that means Royal Caribbean brings in an average of $227 per person each day on its ships.

In total, 6,009 passengers times $227 each gives a total estimated revenue of $1,364,043 each day aboard the Symphony of the Seas .

Norwegian Bliss Launched in 2018, Norwegian Bliss made headlines not only due to its size (nearly 1,100 feet) but also its features. Notably, the ship offers a go-kart track at sea; one of the most unique features ever seen.

All told, the Norwegian Bliss has room for 4,004 guests, assuming double occupancy. However, like other cruise lines Norwegian sails above 100% capacity. In 2018, the occupancy figure was 107.6%. If Norwegian Bliss sails at this level, it means 4,308 passengers on the ship.

According to financial reports, Norwegian brought in just under $6.1 billion last year with 20.3 million passenger days. Quick division shows that the cruise line earned $299 per person, per day in 2018.

With 4,308 passengers on the Norwegian Bliss bringing in $299 per day, that would mean revenue of $1,288,092 for each day .

Here’s how the estimated revenue figures we calculated stack up:

Are these numbers higher or lower than you thought? Do they surprise you? Let us know in the comments below.

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now how can trump explain helping them money wise just like the blood sucking airlines

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A key overview of Carnival, the world’s largest cruise company

Carnival Corporation (CCL), the largest cruise company in the world, operates 101 cruise ships and has a global market share of ~47%.

Jan. 14 2015, Updated 10:00 a.m. ET

Carnival Corporation: An overview

Carnival Corporation (CCL) , incorporated in Panama in 1972, is the largest cruise company in the world. The company operates 101 cruise ships that travel to popular destinations in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia under ten brands. It has a global market share of ~47%.

Carnival expanded its operations in various segments of the cruise industry, including contemporary, premium, and luxury cruise services by acquiring various brands. Some of the popular brands Carnival Corporation acquired include premium operator Holland America Line in 1989, luxury brand Seabourn in 1992, Italian-based and Europe’s number-one cruise operator Costa Cruises in 1997, and premium and luxury operator Cunard Line in 1998.

Further details of the company’s key milestones are provided in the chart below.

A dual-listed company

Carnival Plc was incorporated in England and Wales in 2000. Carnival Corporation and Carnival Plc operate as a dual-listed company. Carnival Corporation’s (CCL) shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (or NYSE), and Carnival Plc shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange. Shares of Carnival Plc are traded on the NYSE as American Depository Receipts (or ADRs).

Carnival Corporation’s (CCL) primary competitors are Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) . The PowerShares Dynamic Leisure and Entertainment Portfolio (PEJ) holds 5.5% in Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., 5% in Carnival Corporation, and 2.8% in Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.

Other ETFs that hold cruise liner stocks include the PowerShares Dynamic Large Cap Growth Portfolio (PWB) and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY) . Carnival Corporation (CCL) also competes with land-based vacation alternatives throughout the world, including hotels, resorts, theme parks, organized tours, casinos, and vacation ownership properties.

Latest Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd News and Updates

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Royal Caribbean Became the World’s Largest Cruise Line and Pretty Much No One Noticed

Hannah Sampson, Skift

May 23rd, 2016 at 7:00 AM EDT

Kudos to Royal Caribbean for focusing on product over bragging rights — but it would have been helpful to know about this development when it happened.

Size matters — sometimes — to Royal Caribbean International.

The Miami-based cruise line introduced the world’s largest cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas, in 2009, followed over the years by two of the same class.

But the operator achieved another milestone in late 2014 that it didn’t promote — and still doesn’t talk much about.

With the arrival of the slightly smaller but still huge Quantum of the Seas in late 2014, Royal Caribbean International became the world’s largest individual cruise line when measured by total passenger capacity.

Even though Royal Caribbean had 22 ships at the time — compared to closest rival Carnival Cruise Line’s 24 — the number of passengers it could carry surpassed any competitor. By the end of 2014, Royal Caribbean’s passenger capacity based on double occupancy in each stateroom was about 64,150, according to its annual report. Carnival’s number was 62,366.

Since then, Royal Caribbean has welcomed three more megaships, including the 4,180-passenger Ovation of the Seas in April and 5,479-passenger Harmony of the Seas earlier this month. In that time, Carnival has only added Carnival Vista, a 3,954-passenger ship that was delivered in April.

As of this month, the two lines have the same number of ships: 25. According to regulatory filings, Royal Caribbean’s capacity is now about 77,950 compared to Carnival’s 66,320.

Back when Quantum arrived, all eyes were on the ship’s new features (simulated skydiving and bumper cars), technological feats (fast Wi-Fi and robotic bartenders), and eventual destination (China). The company didn’t point out the size milestone, and even now seems reluctant to give it much attention.

CEO Michael Bayley told Skift that the company doesn’t really track that figure, but every now and then someone will add up the number of beds and pose the question. The answer, he said, is yes — Royal Caribbean is the largest cruise line.

“It’s not really something of huge importance to us,” Bayley said. “I’m not sure it’s particularly important to our travel partners or our customers. I think people associate themselves with Royal Caribbean because of the fun innovations, the quality of the service, the experience that we deliver. I think that’s far more meaningful than telling people you’re the biggest cruise line in the world.”

Still, Royal Caribbean uses the title on its LinkedIn page  and, recently, included the description in a press release about Ovation of the Seas sailing from Hong Kong later this year.

Carnival Vs. Royal Caribbean

For its part, Carnival Cruise Line claims the title using a different qualifier: “world’s largest cruise line based on passengers carried.” The line also uses the phrase “The World’s Most Popular Cruise Line” (with a registered trademark symbol).

“It is important to bear in mind that we operate a substantial number of short cruises” of three to five days, spokeswoman Jennifer de la Cruz said in an email. “In fact, about half the fleet is on short cruise itineraries. This impacts our total passenger numbers quite a bit.”

For 2015, Carnival Cruise Line carried about 4.5 million passengers. Royal Caribbean International said it carried nearly 3.9 million.

Carnival expects 2016 numbers to be slightly above 4.5 million, and 2017 even higher.

“The team of analysts who track such data tell me that we expect to remain the world’s largest cruise line based on passengers carried in 2016 and 2017 based on our understanding of Royal Caribbean’s deployment plans,” de la Cruz wrote.

She said Carnival doesn’t use either phrase — largest or most popular — in advertising, and uses “most popular” (but not largest) in marketing on a limited basis. The About Carnival  page on the official website, for example, goes with “World’s Most Popular.” Public relations messaging uses both, however, “and will continue to do so as the statement continues to be valid,” she wrote.

“I would say that being able to say we are the most popular and/or world’s largest cruise line based on passengers carried is a ‘nice to have’ from a PR perspective, however given our brand name recognition — which is far and away the strongest in the industry — we are well positioned from a consumer standpoint regardless,” de la Cruz said.

Regardless of how the companies use (or don’t use) the titles, plenty of coverage reveals the lack of clarity. Cruise-focused sites  and magazines ,  newspapers , travel guides ,  city governments , and even the best  in cruise coverage have used the “world’s largest” line for Carnival after it was technically no longer true — at least by the capacity measure.

Adding to the confusion: Carnival Corporation, the parent company of Carnival Cruise Line and nine other brands, is by far the world’s largest cruise ship company. Royal Caribbean Cruises — which owns Royal Caribbean International — is its closest runner up.

So sometimes “world’s largest cruise line” is used to refer to the parent company, as was the case when the Associated Press wrote a story about Carnival Corp. getting approval to sail to Cuba with its new one-ship brand Fathom, which is one of the world’s smallest cruise lines.

“There are all these nuances,” said Mike Driscoll, editor-in-chief of the industry newsletter Cruise Week.

He points out that Carnival is the largest cruise brand sailing in America, with the bulk of its capacity based in U.S. ports, which might be more important to North Americans than a line’s size across the globe. Royal Caribbean has several large ships in Asia. And to Wall Street, the size of an overall company is a better measure, given the opportunities for scale, cost savings, and other advantages.

It doesn’t surprise Driscoll that Royal Caribbean doesn’t trumpet its status at the top.

“In terms of what’s more important, the world’s largest cruise ship is probably more important because you can do things on the size of that cruise ship that actually make a difference,” he said. “They emphasize the world’s largest cruise ship. They don’t want to blur that message.”

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Tags: carnival , ceo interviews , cruise industry , royal caribbean

Photo credit: The giant Allure of the Seas meets sister Oasis of the Seas off Port Everglades. Royal Caribbean International

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World’s Biggest Cruise Ship Ready for Maiden Voyage

The behemoth mega-cruise ship will hold up to 7,600 guests when it sets sail from Florida in January

By Carla Kripps, CNN

(CNN) – The world’s biggest cruise ship is now in­­ the hands of its new owner, with Royal Caribbean accepting delivery of the 1,198-foot Icon of the Seas this week.

The 20-deck, 250,800-tonne ship was officially handed over to the cruise company at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, on November 27. Its inaugural voyage is set to depart from Miami, Florida on January 27, 2024 and will tour the Caribbean for seven days.

According to a news release issued by Royal Caribbean, it took 900 days to build Icon of the Seas, which has the capacity to hold a whopping 7,600 guests and 2,350 crew members. That’s nearly 10,000 people – the population of a small town.

“Today, we are celebrating more than a new ship; it’s also the celebration of the culmination of more than 50 years of innovation and dreaming at Royal Caribbean to create the ultimate vacation experience,” said Royal Caribbean Group president and CEO Jason Liberty during a ceremony at the shipyard on Monday.

When it sets sail in late January, Icon of the Seas will have eight different neighborhoods for travelers to explore, and some 40 bars and dining options.

Among these is Thrill Island, which will feature Category 6, the world’s largest waterpark at sea. This neighborhood will also have a ropes course/thrill ride that lets guests swing 154 feet above the ocean, a FlowRider wave simulator and a mini golf course.

On the opposite end of the vacation spectrum is Chill Island, which will have four of Icon’s seven pools and an adults-only zone.

Over in the AquaDome, guests will find a 55-foot-tall water curtain and the AquaTheater, which has a cast of robots, skateboarders, divers and more.

The Hideaway is where travelers will find the world’s first suspended infinity pool at sea.

And that’s barely scratching the surface.

In terms of sleeping options, guests can choose from 28 different styles of cabins and suites including the three-level Ultimate Family Townhouse.

Royal Caribbean says Icon of the Seas is the cruise line’s first ship that can be powered by liquefied natural gas and will have the first waste-to-energy plant at sea.

It was originally scheduled for delivery in early 2022, but the Covid pandemic created delays.

According to the cruise line, Icon of the Seas is now on its way to Cadiz, Spain for some final touches before it sets sail for its new home in Florida.

Viral photo creates a buzz

Much has been said about Icon of the Seas in the months leading up to its delivery, proving once again that cruises are a polarizing travel topic – particularly when mega ships are involved.

A colorful, extremely detailed image of Icon’s stern section went viral in July – and the reaction was far from positive.

It got billed as a “ monstrosity, ” a “ pile of decadence ,” and one user suggested a better name for it would be “ Icon of Disease .”

But some experts CNN spoke with said this was not out of the ordinary.

“Images of Royal Caribbean’s ships have often elicited strong responses,” cruise expert Stewart Chiron told CNN Travel when questioned about the reaction in August.

“The negative responses to Icon of the Sea are evidently from non-cruisers. The current image is quite colorful and depicts a ship with lots of options. The positive responses far outweigh the others.”

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson, when contacted by CNN several months ago, did not comment on the feedback to this specific image, but said that since the Icon of the Seas was revealed in October 2022 there has been an “incredible reaction,” which has led to the highest volume booking week in the company’s history when sales opened.

The current “world’s largest cruise ship” title holder is another vessel in the Royal Caribbean fleet, Wonder of the Seas , which made its inaugural voyage in 2022. Slightly smaller than Icon of the Seas, it stretches 1,188 feet in length and has 18 decks to explore.

Includes reporting from CNN’s Jacopo Prisco.

The-CNN-Wire ™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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5 Largest Cruise Companies in the World

Published on March 3, 2021 at 3:56 am by Trish Novicio in Lists , News

In this article, we are going to list the  5 Largest Cruise Companies in the World . To read our detailed analysis of the cruise industry and its path to recovery following the coronavirus crisis, go to 15 Largest Cruise Companies in the World .

5. MSC Cruises

Geneva-based MSC Cruises is owned and operated by the private shipping company Mediterranean Shipping Co Ltd in Switzerland. MSC Cruises offers trips in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Seasonal itineraries are available as well which include South America, China, and the Emirates. MSC Cruises will start sailing again in May 2021 in Northern Europe. 

In 2019, MSC Cruises reported an increase of 42% in its total assets to $13.5 billion from $9.5 billion. In the same year, the company posted a $3.9 billion net income. The company has a total of 17 vessels, as of 2019.

4. Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE:  RCL )

Miami-based Royal Caribbean Group ranks 4th on our list of the 15 largest cruise companies in the world, with a market cap of $22.1 billion. RCL operates globally through its subsidiaries including Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur and Royal Caribbean International. According to Statista , RCL held a global market share of 23.9% in 2017. In 2019, RCL reported total revenue of  $10.9 billion  and total assets worth $30 billion. 

RCL shares decreased by 0.7% in pre-market trading on March 1, 2021, after the cruise line said it had started offering $1.5 billion in public shares. On a good note, the first “fully-vaccinated” cruise ship, Odyssey of the Seas, will be sailing in May, where both guests and crew are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The itinerary includes visiting the Rhodes Island and Greek Islands of Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini.

Shares of RCL increased by 14.27% over the past twelve months. 

3. Expedia Group Inc (NASDAQ:  EXPE )

Ranking third on our list of the 15 largest cruise companies in the world is the online travel company Expedia Group, with a market cap of $23 billion. Expedia Group operates the franchise travel agency Expedia Cruises. Formerly known as Expedia Cruise Ship Centers, the company specializes in marketing and sales of cruise, land, and air vacations.

Expedia Cruises and Princess Cruises had reportedly booked 9,000 passengers for their 2021 and 2022 cruises after a two-day promotion conducted in September 2020. The surge in interest in cruise voyages has given a boost to the travel industry as cruisers are looking for accommodation options as part of their journey.

Shares of EXPE increased by 66.56% over the past twelve months.

2. Carnival Corporation (NYSE:  CCL )

Carnival Corporation is the largest cruise company in the world by market share. The company held the biggest market share of the cruise industry at 44% in 2017. In a 2019 financial report, CCL announced total revenues of $20.4 billion  with gross cruise revenues amounting to $20.4 billion. As of November 2019, CCL has total assets worth $45 billion.

Carnival Corp is the most popular cruise company on our list with an impressive fleet portfolio including Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, ultra-luxury ship Seabourne, Cunard, AIDA, Costa, and P&O Cruises. The world’s second-largest cruise company owns and operates more than a hundred ships cruising over 700 ports around the world.

This year, CCL scrapped 16 less-efficient ships to cut costs while cruising remains restricted in most parts of the globe. The company restarted cruise operations in September 2020 through its subsidiary Costa Cruises. 

Shares of CCL fell 17.39% over the past twelve months.

1. Walt Disney Co (NYSE: DIS )

Topping our list of the 15 largest cruise companies in the world is Walt Disney with a market cap of $343 billion. Walt Disney operates as a family entertainment and media conglomerate. Disney Cruise Line offers four top-of-the-line cruise ships sailing to the breathtaking islands of The Caribbean and The Bahamas.

Disney Cruise will begin sailing again starting May 2021. The delivery of Disney’s three new cruise ships will be delayed by the impact of COVID-19 which was originally scheduled to be delivered in 2021, 2022, and 2023. 

Shares of DIS increased by 62.81% over the past twelve months. 

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AI Fire Sale: Insider Monkey’s #1 AI Stock Pick Is On A Steep Discount

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TOP CRUISE LINES AND CRUISE SHIPS: A Directory to Leisure, Luxury, and Expedition Ocean and Coastal Cruise Companies

by Cruzus Staff | Feb 11, 2023 | Top 21 | 0 comments

TOP CRUISE LINES AND CRUISE SHIPS :

A directory to leisure, luxury, and expedition ocean and coastal cruise companies.

In this article you will find:

16 Major Trends

3 largest cruise companies, 19 smaller cruise companies, 22 cruise lines and their ships.

By Ronald L. Krannich, Ph.D.

The following directory identifies the major cruise lines and ships that define today’s ocean and coastal cruise industry (see the separate article on the river cruise industry ). Here, the big three cruise companies are American (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian) that incorporate offshore but headquarter in the U.S. (mainly Miami) to avoid federal income taxes as well as U.S. labor laws and environmental regulations. These three companies alone control over 70% of all ocean cruising.

Major trends in the cruise industry are 16-fold:

• Constantly refurbishing (every 3-5 years) existing fleets, selling off older ships to smaller operators, relocating older ships to smaller budget cruise departure ports (Jacksonville, Charleston, Mobile, Norfolk, Baltimore), building new high-tech ships, changing ownership (Azamara), and starting new luxury cruise lines and launching new luxury expedition ships (Atlas Ocean Voyages, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Emerald Azzurra, Swan Hellenic, Explora Journey, Scenic Eclipse II, Viking, and Seabourn)

The world’s three largest cruise companies and their subsidiaries are based in Miami, Florida and include the following:

CARNIVAL CORPORATION (includes 9 subsidiary cruise lines)  

• AIDA Cruises (German)
• Carnival Cruise Line
• Costa Cruises
• P&O Cruises (Australia)
• P&O Cruises (United Kingdom)
• Princess Cruises
• Holland America Cruises
• Seabourn (luxury line)

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL (includes 4 subsidiary cruise lines)

• Royal Caribbean International
• Celebrity Cruises
• Silversea Cruises (luxury line)
• TUI Cruises (joint venture – 50%)

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE HOLDINGS (includes 3 subsidiary cruise lines)

• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Oceania Cruises
• Regent Seven Seas Cruises (luxury line)

• American Cruise Lines
• Atlas Ocean Voyages
• Compagnie du Ponant (Paul Gauguin & Ponant — French)
• Disney Cruise Line
• Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (German)
• Hurtigruten (Norwegian)
• Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic
• MSC Cruises (Italian)
• Quark Expeditions (United Kingdom)
• Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
• Saga Cruises (United Kingdom)
• Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours (Australian)
• SeaDream Yacht Club
• Star Clipper (Swedish)
• Swan Hellenic
• Viking (Norwegian)
• Virgin Voyages 
• Windstar Cruises

      AMERICAN CRUISE LINES (f leet of modern riverboats, paddlewheelers, and small cruise ships; company specializes in coastal and river cruises with Viking Cruises becoming a major river cruise competitor in the U.S.)

    Independent Class Coastal Ships

• Independence (built 2010/51 staterooms/100 passengers/27 crew)
• American Spirit (built 2004/47 staterooms/100 passengers/26 crew)
• American Star (built 2007/48 staterooms/100 passengers/40 crew)

    Consolidation Coastal Ships

• American Constellation (built 2017/84 staterooms/163 passengers/43 crew)
• American Constitution (built 2018/90 staterooms/175 passengers/43 crew)

    Modern Riverboats

• American Song (built 2018/94 staterooms/184 passengers/60 crew)
• American Harmony (built 2019/102 staterooms/190 passengers/60 crew)
• American Jazz (built 2021/102 staterooms/195 passengers/60 crew)
• American Melody (built 2021/91 staterooms/175 passengers/60 crew)

    Authentic Paddlewheelers

• Queen of the Mississippi (built 2015/84 staterooms/150 passengers/40 crew)
• Queen of the West (built 1995/67 staterooms/167 passengers/47 crew)
• America (built 2016/98 staterooms/185 passengers/50 crew)
• American Pride (built 2012/75 staterooms/150 passengers/40 crew)

ATLAS OCEAN VOYAGES   (new high-end all-inclusive luxury brand; owned by MystiInvest Holdings; ships h old just under 200 guests; first ocean cruise line to sail under the Portuguese flag)

• Navigator (built 2021/98 staterooms & suites/198 passengers/125 crew)
• Traveller (TBA/build 2022/98 staterooms & suites/198 passengers/125 crew)
• Seeker (TBA/build 2024/98 staterooms & suites/198 passengers/125 crew)
• Adventurer (TBA/build 2025/98 staterooms & suites/198 passengers/125 crew)
• Discoverer (TBA/build 2025/98 staterooms & suites/198 passengers/125 crew)

AZAMARA   (upmarket boutique cruise line similar to Oceania Cruises; previously owned by RCL – changed ownership in 2021 when equity firm Sycamore Partners purchased Azamara for $201 million)

• Azamara Journey (built 2000/388 staterooms & suites/690 passengers/408 crew)
• Azamara Pursuit (built 2001/388 staterooms & suites/690 passengers/408 crew)  
• Azamara Quest (built 2000/388 staterooms & suites/690 passengers/408 crew)
• Azamara Onward (built 1999/acquired & refurbished 2021/formerly Pacific Princess, a 1999 Renaissance Cruises ship – other 3 Azamara ships also 1999 Renaissance Cruises ships – same as some Oceania ships)

CARNIVAL CORPORATION   (world’s largest cruise line operator with 87 ships visiting 700+ ports each year; 16 new ships scheduled for delivery through 2025; hosts 13 million guests annually; 325,000 people sail fleet every single day = 85 million passenger cruise days a year; $20.8 billion revenue in 2019)

      AIDA CRUISES   (German)

• AIDAperlaCCC

      CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

Carnival Venezia (built 2019/2,036 staterooms/4,072 passengers/1,424 crew)

• Carnival Jubilee (build 2023/2,787 staterooms/5,374 passengers/1,735 crew)
• Carnival Luminosa (build 2009/1,130 staterooms/2,226 passengers/926 crew)
• Carnival Celebration (build 2022/2,868 staterooms/5,374 passengers/1,735 crew)
• Carnival Mardi Gras (built 2020/2,615 staterooms/5,282 passengers/1,745 crew)
• Carnival Radiance (built 2000/1,544 staterooms/3,873 passengers/1,108 crew)
• Carnival Vista (built 2016/2,040 staterooms/3,934 passengers/1,450 crew)
• Carnival Panorama (built 2019/2,058 staterooms/4,008 passengers/1,450 crew)
• Carnival Sunrise (built 1999/1,545 staterooms/3,873 passengers/1,108 crew)
• Carnival Magic (built 2011/1,899 staterooms/3,690 passengers/1,367 crew)
• Carnival Horizon (built 2018/2,040 staterooms/3,960 passengers/1,450 crew)
• Carnival Miracle (built 2003/1,112 staterooms/2,124 passengers/934 crew)
• Carnival Breeze (built 2012/1,899 staterooms/3,690 passengers/1,386 crew)
• Carnival Freedom (built 2007/1,539 staterooms/2,980 passengers/1,150 crew)
• Carnival Legend (built 2002/1,112 staterooms/2,124 passengers/930 crew)
• Carnival Paradise (built 1998/1,082 staterooms/2,124 passengers/920 crew)
• Carnival Elation (built 1998/1,082 staterooms/2,190 passengers/900 crew)
• Carnival Sunshine (built 1996/1,509 staterooms/3,002 passengers/1,040 crew)
• Carnival Dream (built 2009/1,823 staterooms/3,646 passengers/1,367 crew)
• Carnival Glory (built 2003/1,541 staterooms/2,980 passengers/1,150 crew)
• Carnival Valor (built 2004/1,539 staterooms/2,980 passengers/1,180 crew)
• Carnival Liberty (built 2005/1,539 staterooms/2,974 passengers/1,160 crew)
• Carnival Sensation (built 1993/1,028 staterooms/2,052 passengers/920 crew)
• Carnival Conquest (built 2002/1,539 staterooms/2,980 passengers/1,150 crew)
• Carnival Ecstasy (built 1991/1,063 staterooms/2,056 passengers/920 crew)
• Carnival Pride (built 2002/1,112 staterooms/2,124 passengers/930 crew)
• Carnival Spirit (built 2001/1,112 staterooms/2,124 passengers/930 crew)
• Carnival Splendor (built 2008/1,526 staterooms/3,012 passengers/1,050 crew)

      COSTA CRUISES

• Costa Deliziosa (built 2010/1,184 staterooms/2,826 passengers/954 crew)
• Costa Diadema (built 2014/1,937 staterooms/4,947 passengers/1,253 crew)
• Costa Fascinosa (built 2111/1,570 staterooms/3,800 passengers/1,110 crew)
• Costa Favolosa (built 2111/1,570 staterooms/3,800 passengers/951 crew) 
• Costa Firenze (built 2020/2,138 staterooms/4,272 passengers/will transfer to Carnival in 2024 and be renamed Carnival Firenze)
• Costa Fortuna (built 2003/1,344 staterooms/3,470 passengers/893 crew)
• Costa Pacifica (built 2004/1,570 staterooms/2,780 passengers/1,110 crew)
• Costa Smeralda (built 2019/2,612 staterooms/5,282 passengers/1,678 crew)
• Costa Toscana (built 2021/2,641 staterooms/6,554 passengers/1,678 crew)

       CUNARD  

• Queen Mary 2 (built 2004 as a heavy duty ocean liner for transatlantic crossing/1,527 staterooms &  suites/2,691 passengers/1,292  crew)
• Queen Victoria (built 2007/1,130 staterooms & suites/2,061 passengers/981 crew)
• Queen Elizabeth (built 2010/1,145 staterooms & suites/2,081 passengers/1,005 crew)
• Queen Anne (build 2024/1,397 staterooms & suites/2,996 passengers/1,225 crew )

        P&O CRUISES (Australia)

• Pacific Explorer (built 1996/1,011 staterooms/1,998 passengers/924 crew)
• Pacific Adventure (built 2002/1,316 staterooms/2,636 passengers/1,316 crew)
• Pacific Encounter (built 2001/1,299 staterooms/2,600 passengers/1,100 crew)  

       PRINCESS CRUISES

• Caribbean Princess (built 2004/1,764 staterooms/3,149 passengers/1,200 crew)
• Coral Princess (built 2003/1,195 staterooms/2,000 passengers/895 crew)
• Crown Princess (built 2006/1,764 staterooms/3,080 passengers/1,200 crew)
• Emerald Princess (built 2007/1,764 staterooms/3,080 passengers/1,200 crew)
• Enchanted Princess (built 2020/1,830 staterooms/3,660 passengers/1,346 crew)
• Grand Princess (built 1998/1,301 staterooms/2,600 passengers/1,150 crew)
• Island Princess (built 2003/987 staterooms/2,214 passengers/900 crew)
• Majestic Princess (built 2017/1,780 staterooms/3,560 passengers/1,346 crew)
• Regal Princess (built 2014/1,780 staterooms/3,560 passengers/1,346 crew)
• Royal Princess (built 2013/1,780 staterooms/3,560 passengers/1,346 crew)
• Ruby Princess (built 2008/1,542 staterooms/3,080 passengers/1,200 crew)
• Sapphire Princess (built 2004/1,337 staterooms/2,670 passengers/1,337 crew)
• Sky Princess (built 2019/1,830 staterooms/3,660 passengers/1,346 crew)

      HOLLAND AMERICA LINE   (noted for its music theme, Lincoln Center Jazz, food, and senior-friendly vibe)

• Rotterdam (built 2021/1,495 staterooms/2,668 passengers/1,036 crew)
• Eurodam (built 2008/1,136 staterooms/2,104 passengers/876 crew)
• Koningsdam (built 2016/1,495 staterooms/2,650 passengers/1,136 crew)
• Nieuw Amsterdam (built 2010/1,136 staterooms/2,106 passengers/874 crew)
• Nieuw Statendam (built 2018/1,495 staterooms/2,666 passengers/1,036 crew)
• Noordam (built 2006/1,086 staterooms/1,972 passengers/811 crew)
• Oosterdam (built 2003/1,086 staterooms/1,964 passengers/812 crew)
• Volendam (built 1999/917 staterooms/1,432 passengers/604 crew) 
• Westerdam (built 2004/1,086 staterooms/1,964 passengers/812 crew)
• Zaandam (built 2000/917 staterooms/1,432 passengers/694 crew)
• Zuiderdam (built 2002/1,086 staterooms/1,964 passengers/812 crew)

       SEABOURN   (one of top 7 luxury cruise lines—nearly all-inclusive)

• Odyssey (built 2009/229 suites/450 passengers/330 crew)
• Sojourn (built 2010/229 suites/450 passengers/330 crew)
• Quest (built 2011/229 suites/450 passengers/330 crew)
• Encore (built 2016/302 suites/604 passengers/500 crew)
• Ovation (built 2018/302 suites/604 passengers/500 crew)
• Pursuit (built 2023/132 suites/264 passengers/120 crew/expedition luxury cruiser with 2 submarines)
• Venture – Expedition cruiser (built 2021/132 suites/264 passengers/120 crew)

  COMPAGNIE DU PONANT (one of top 7 luxury cruise lines—nearly all-inclusive)

    PAUL GAUGUIN CRUISES   (165 staterooms & suites/330 passengers/217 crew)

    PONANT   (11 ships)

• Le Ponant (sailing ship/16 staterooms & suites/32 passengers/34 crew)

          BOREAL CLASS (132 staterooms & suites/264 passengers/140 crew)

• Le Boreal  
• L’Austral  

          EXPLORER CLASS (92 staterooms & suites/184 passengers/112 crew)

• Le Lapérouse
• Le Champlain
• Le Bougainville
• Le Dumont-d’Urville
• Le Jacques Cartie

DISNEY CRUISE LINE   (4 ships; owns Castaway Cay, a private island in the Bahamas used as an exclusive port of call for Disney’s ships; second private destination, Lighthouse Point, Bahamas, 700-acre property on the southern end of Eleuthera, Bahamas  (open late 2022 or early 2023); Disney Cruise Line Terminal  (Terminal 8) in Port Canaveral, Florida

• Disney Magic (built 1996/899 staterooms/2,700 passengers/950 crew)
• Disney Wonder (built 1999/899 staterooms/2,700 passengers/950 crew)
• Disney Dream (built 2011/1,291 staterooms/4,000 passengers/1,458 crew)
• Disney Fantasy (built 2012/1,291 staterooms/4,000 passengers/1,458 crew)

     NEW DISNEY WISH SHIPS FOR 2022, 2024 & 2025 (3 Triton Class Ships)

• Disney Wish (build 2024/1,258 staterooms/4,000 passengers/1,458 crew)
• Disney Treasure (build 2024/1,258 staterooms/4,000 passengers/1,458 crew)
• TBA (build 2025)

HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES   (Hamburg-based German luxury/expedition cruise company; one of top 7 luxury cruise lines—nearly all-inclusive)

• MS Europa (built 1999/204 staterooms/408 passengers/275 crew)
• MS Europa 2 (built 2013/251 staterooms/516 passengers/370 crew)
• Hanseatic Inspiration (expedition/ German- and English-speaking/built 2019/120  staterooms/199 passengers/170 crew)
• Hanseatic Nature (expedition/German-speaking only/built 2019/120 staterooms/199  passengers/170 crew)
• Hanseatic Spirit (expedition/German-speaking only/built 2021/120 staterooms/199  passengers/170 crew)

HURTIGRUTEN   (125 years of experience; specializes in polar expeditions; several ships carry cars and are converted ferries; Norwegian)

• MS Fram (built 2003/137 staterooms/276 passengers/75 crew)
• MS Kong Harald (built 1993/227 staterooms/474 passengers/70 crew)
• MS Maud (built 2003/301 staterooms/638 passengers/75 crew)
• MS Nordkapp (built 1996/218 staterooms/458 passengers/70 crew)
• MS Nordlys (built 1994/223 staterooms/469 passengers/70 crew)
• MS Nordnorge (built 1997/250 staterooms/591 passengers/67 crew)
• MS Otto Sverdrup (built 2002/263 staterooms/526 passengers/75 crew)
• MS Polarlys (built 1995/291 staterooms/619 passengers/64 crew)
• MS Richard With (built 1993/219 staterooms/464 passengers/70 crew)
• MS Spitsbergen (built 2009/180 staterooms/335 passengers/80 crew)
• MS Trollfjord (built 2002/301 staterooms/638 passengers/75 crew)
• MS Roald Amundsen (built 2018 as hybrid-powered/265 staterooms/530 passengers/150 crew)
• MS Fridtjob Nansen (built 2020 as hybrid-powered/265 staterooms/530 passengers/150 crew)

LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC   (fleet includes a combination of small – 28 to 148 passenger — ocean expedition and river cruise ships and boats)

• National Geographic Endeavour II (built 2005/52 staterooms/96 passengers/64 crew)
• National Geographic Endurance (built 2020/69 staterooms/126 passengers/112 crew)
• National Geographic Explorer (built 1982/81 staterooms/148 passengers/86 crew)
• National Geographic Islander (built 1995/22 staterooms/48 passengers/27 crew) Galapagos
• National Geographic Orion (built 2003/53 staterooms/102 passengers/75 crew)
• National Geographic Quest (built 2017/50 staterooms/100 passengers/49 crew)
• National Geographic Resolution (built 2021/69 staterooms/126 passengers/112 crew)
• National Geographic Sea Bird (built 1981/31 staterooms/62 passengers/25 crew)
• National Geographic Sea Lion (built 1982/31 staterooms/62 passengers/25 crew)
• National Geographic Venture (built 2018/50 staterooms/100 passengers/50 crew)
• Delfin II (built 2009/14 suites/28 passengers/22 crew) Amazon, Peru riverboat     
• Lord of the Glens (built 1985/27 cabins/54 passengers/20 crew)
• Oberoi Philae (built 1996/27 staterooms/42 passengers/20 crew)
• Sea Cloud ( built 1931/32 cabins/64 passengers/60 crew)
• The Jahan (built 2011/24 staterooms/48 passengers/40 crew)

  MSC CRUISES (4 th  largest cruise company – 7.2% of all passengers)

• MSC Armonia (built 2001/976 staterooms/2,520 passengers/780 crew)
• MSC Sinfonia (built 2002/980 staterooms/2,546 passengers/721 crew)
• MSC Lirica (built 2003/922 staterooms/2,548 passengers/752 crew)
• MSC Opera (built 2004/1,071 staterooms/2,579 passengers/721 crew)

      MUSICA CLASS (1,275+)

• MSC Musica (built 2006/1,275 staterooms/3,013 passengers/987 crew)
• MSC Orchestra (built 2007/1,275 staterooms/3,013 passengers/987 crew)
• MSC Poesia (built 2008/1,275 staterooms/3,013 passengers/987 crew)
• MSC Magnifica (built 2010/1,275 staterooms/3,013 passengers/987 crew)

      FANTASIA CLASS (4,345+)

• MSC Fantasia (built 2008/1,637 staterooms/4,363 passengers/1,370 crew)
• MSC Splendida (built 2009/1,637 staterooms/4,363 passengers/1,370 crew)
• MSC Divina (built 2012/1,751 staterooms/4,345 passengers/1,388 crew)
• MSC Preziosa (built 2013/1,751 staterooms/4,345 passengers/1,388 crew)

      MERAVIGLIA CLASS (5,642+)

• MSC Meraviglia (built 2017/2,214 staterooms/5,642 passengers/1,608 crew)
• MSC Bellissima (built 2019/2,201 staterooms/5,655 passengers/1,595 crew)
• MSC Grandiosa (built 2019/2,421 staterooms/6,334 passengers/1,704 crew)
• MSC Virtuosa (built 2020/2,421 staterooms/6,334 passengers/1,704 crew)

      SEASIDE CLASS (5,079+)

• MSC Seaside (built 2017/2,026 staterooms/5,079 passengers/1,513 crew)
• MSC Seaview (built 2018/2,026 staterooms/5,079 passengers/1,513 crew)
• MSC Seashore (built 2021/2,270 staterooms/5,632 passengers/1,648 crew)
• MSC World Europa (build 2022/LNG/2,700 staterooms/5,400 passengers/1,575 crew)
• MSC Seascape (build 2023/2,027 staterooms/5,877 passengers/1,648 crew)

      MSC EXPLORA JOURNEYS (Luxury Brand)

• Explora I  (built 2023/461 cabins/900 passengers/700 crew/yacht-style luxury cruise ship)

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE HOLDINGS   (3 rd  largest cruise line; visits 300+ ports)

      NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

• Norwegian Bliss  (built 2018/2,431 staterooms/4,004 passengers/1,716 crew)
• Norwegian Breakaway (built 2013/2,258 staterooms/3,963 passengers/1,657 crew)
• Norwegian Dawn (built 2002/1,313 staterooms/2,340 passengers/1,032 crew)
• Norwegian Encore (built 2019/2,426 staterooms/3,998 passengers/1,735 crew)
• Norwegian Epic (built 2010/2,189 staterooms/4,100 passengers/1,724 crew)
• Norwegian Escape (built 2015/2,577 staterooms/4,266 passengers/1,733 crew)
• Norwegian Gem (built 2007/1,371 staterooms/2,394 passengers/1,070 crew)
• Norwegian Getaway (built 2014/2,356 staterooms/3,963 passengers/1,646 crew)
• Norwegian Jade (built 2006/1,380 staterooms/3,402 passengers/1,037 crew)
• Norwegian Jewel (built 2005/1,920 staterooms/2,376 passengers/1,069 crew)
• Norwegian Joy (built 2017/2,336 staterooms/3,802 passengers/1,821 crew)
• Norwegian Pearl (built 2006/1,383 staterooms/2,394 passengers/1,072 crew)
• Norwegian Sky (built 1999/1,015 staterooms/2,004 passengers/899 crew)
• Norwegian Spirit (built 1999/1,001 staterooms/2,018 passengers/912 crew)
• Norwegian Star (built 2001/1,263 staterooms/2,348 passengers/1,031 crew)
• Norwegian Sun (built 2001/1,137 staterooms/1,936 passengers/906 crew)  

      OCEANIA CRUISES (upmarket boutique cruise line similar class to Azamara Cruises)

        OCEANIA-CLASS

• Marina (built 2011/625 staterooms & suites/1,250 passengers/800 crew)
• Riviera (built 2012/625 staterooms & suites/1,250 passengers/800 crew)
• Vista (built 2023/621 staterooms & suites/1,200 passengers/800 crew)

       REGATTA-CLASS

• Regatta (built 1998/349 staterooms & suites/684 passengers/400 crew)
• Insignia (built 1998/349 staterooms & suites/684 passengers/400 crew)
• Nautica (built 2000/349 staterooms & suites/684 passengers/400 crew)
• Sirena (built 1999/349 staterooms & suites/684 passengers/400 crew)

      REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES   (one of top 7 luxury cruise lines—most all-inclusive cruise line)

• Seven Seas Splendor   (built 2020/375 suites/750 passengers/542 crew)
• Seven Seas Explorer (built 2016/375 suites/750 passengers/542 crew)
• Seven Seas Voyager (built 2003/350 suites/700 passengers/447 crew)
• Seven Seas Mariner (built 2001/350 suites/700 passengers/445 crew)
• Seven Seas Navigator (built 1999/245 suites/490 passengers/345 crew)

QUARK EXPEDITIONS   (specializes in expedition cruises to the Arctic and Antarctic, including Northwest Passage, Canada’s High Arctic, Greenland, North Pole; part of TUI UK group)

     ICEBREAKERS:

• 50 Years of Victory ( 50 Let Pobedy  – Russian-built nuclear icebreaker)
• Kapitan Khlebnikov

     ICE-STRENGTHENED EXPEDITION VESSELS:

• Ultramarine
• Ocean Diamond
• Ocean Adventurer
• World Explorer

RITZ-CARLTON YACHT COLLECTION

• Ritz-Carlton Evrima (2021) – first of 3 planned 298-passenger superyachts. 

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL   (world’s second largest cruise line operator)

        ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL

• Adventure of the Seas (built 2001/1,676 staterooms/3,835 passengers/1,185 crew)
• Allure of the Seas (built 2010/2,872 staterooms/5,400 passengers/2,150 crew)
• Anthem of the Seas (built 2015/2,082 staterooms/4,180 passengers/1,500 crew)
• Brilliance of the Seas (built 2002/1,114 staterooms/2,501 passengers/859 crew)
• Enchantment of the Seas (built 1997/1,221 staterooms/2,446 passengers/760 crew)
• Explorer of the Seas (built 2000/1,676 staterooms/3,835 passengers/1,185 crew)
• Freedom of the Seas (built 2006/1,937 staterooms/4,375 passengers/1,360 crew) 
• Grandeur of the Seas (built 1996/1,187 staterooms/2,446 passengers/760 crew)
• Harmony of the Seas (built 2016/2,388 staterooms/5,200 passengers/2,394 crew)
• Independence of the Seas (built 2008/2,661 staterooms/4,375 passengers/1,360 crew)
• Jewel of the Seas (built 2004/1,114 staterooms/2,501 passengers/859 crew)
• Liberty of the Seas (built 2007/1,937 staterooms/3,634 passengers/1,360 crew) 
• Mariner of the Seas (built 2003/1,676 staterooms/3,114 passengers/1,185 crew)
• Navigator of the Seas (built 2002/1,676 staterooms/3,835 passengers/1,185 crew)
• Oasis of the Seas (built 2009/2,872 staterooms/5,400 passengers/2,150 crew)
• Odyssey of the Seas (built 2020, 2,279 staterooms/5,622 passengers/1,551 crew)
• Ovation of the Seas (built 2016/2,220 staterooms/4,905 passengers/1,500 crew)
• Quantum of the Seas (built 2014/2,068 staterooms/4,905 passengers/1,500 crew)
• Radiance of the Seas (built 2001/1,114 staterooms/2,501 passengers/859 crew)
• Rhapsody of the Seas (built 1997/1,097 staterooms/2.435 passengers/765 crew)
• Serenade of the Seas (built 2003/1,114 staterooms/2,501 passengers/859 crew)
• Spectrum of the Seas (built 2019/2,279 staterooms/5,622 passengers/1,551 crew)
• Symphony of the Seas (built 2018/2,854 staterooms/5,200 passengers/2,394 crew)
• Vision of the Seas (built 1998/1,097 staterooms/2,435 passengers/765 crew) 
• Voyager of the Seas (built 1999/1,676 staterooms/3,114 passengers/1,176 crew)

      CELEBRITY CRUISES

         MILLENNIUM CLASS (R CLASS)

• Celebrity Millennium (built 2000/1,069 staterooms/2,137 passengers/1,000 crew)
• Celebrity Infinity (built 2001/1,069 staterooms/2,170 passengers/1,000 crew)
• Celebrity Summit (built 2001/1,069 staterooms/2,158 passengers/999 crew)
• Celebrity Constellation (built 2002/1,069 staterooms/2,170 passengers/999 crew)

         SOLSTICE CLASS (R CLASS)

• Celebrity Solstice (built 2008/ 1,492 staterooms/2,850 passengers/1,250 crew)
• Celebrity Equinox (built 2009/1,492 staterooms/2,850 passengers/1,255 crew)
• Celebrity Eclipse (built 2010/1,492 staterooms/2,850 passengers/1,250 crew)
• Celebrity Silhouette (built 2011/1,509 staterooms/2,886 passengers/1,250 crew)
• Celebrity Reflection (built 2012/1,634 staterooms/3,046 passengers/1,250 crew)

         EDGE CLASS

• Celebrity Edge (built 2018/1,077 staterooms/2,918 passengers/1,320 crew)
• Celebrity Apex (built 2020/1,495 staterooms/2,918 passengers/1,320 crew)
• Celebrity Beyond (build 2022/1,539 staterooms/3,260 passengers/1,400 crew)
• Celebrity Ascent (build 2023/TBA)

         EXPEDITION VESSELS

• Celebrity Xpedition (built 2001/45 staterooms/64 passengers/45 crew)
• Celebrity Xploration (built 2017/12 staterooms/16 passengers/110 crew)
• Celebrity Flora (built 2019/50 suites/100 passengers/80 crew)

     SILVERSEA CRUISES   (one of top 7 luxury cruise lines—nearly all-inclusive)

• Silver Dawn (built 2021/596 passengers/411 crew)
• Silver Origin (built 2020/51 suites/100 passengers/50 crew)
• Silver Moon (built 2020/298 suites/596 passengers/411 crew)
• Silver Muse (built 2017/298 suites/596 passengers/411 crew)
• Silver Spirit (built 2009/270 suites/608 passengers/411 crew)
• Silver Whisper (built 2001/194 suites/388 passengers/302 crew)
• Silver Shadow (built 2000/194 suites/388 passengers/302 crew)
• Silver Wind (built 1995/148 suites/298 passengers/222 crew)
• Silver Cloud (built 1994/148 suites/254 passengers/212 crew)
• Silver Explorer (built 1989/84 staterooms/144 passengers/118 crew)

       TUI CRUISES   (British-German joint venture — 50% ownership)

  SAGA CRUISES  

• Spirit of Adventure (built 2020/554 staterooms/999 passengers/540 crew)
• Spirit of Discovery (built 2019/554 staterooms/999 passengers/540 crew)

SCENIC LUXURY CRUISES & TOURS   (Australian, mainly offer river cruises but also 2 yacht-style ocean cruise experiences)

• Scenic Eclipse – (built 2019/114 all-balcony staterooms/228 passengers/176 crew; expedition — submarine & helicopter — first ocean going ship for the Scenic Group)
• Scenic Eclipse II – (built 2023/114 all-balcony staterooms/228 passengers/176 crew; expedition — submarine & helicopter — second ocean going ship for the Scenic Group)

  SEADREAM YACHT CLUB   (founder also founded Seabourn; operate older Seabourn ships – 95 passengers each)

• SeaDream I (built 1983/54 staterooms/112 passengers/95 crew)
• SeaDream II (built 1986/54 staterooms/112 passengers/95 crew)
• SeaDream Innovation (2021 – new hybrid sustainable ship cancelled)

  STAR CLIPPERS   (fleet of tall sailing ships)

• Star Clipper   (built 19921/85 cabins/170 passengers/72 crew)
• Star Flyer (built 1991/85 cabins/170 passengers/72 crew)
• ‎ Royal Clipper (built 2000/112 cabins/227 passengers/106 crew)

SWAN HELLENIC

• SH Diana   (built 2023/96 cabins/192 passengers/141 crew) 
• SH Minerva (built 2023/76 cabins/152 passengers/120 crew) 
• SH Vega (built 2022/76 cabins/152 passengers/120 crew) 

  VIKING CRUISES   (no children or teenagers under 18; all veranda ships)

• Viking Jupiter (built 2019/465 staterooms/930 passengers/465 crew)
• Viking Mars (build 2022/465 staterooms/930 passengers/465 crew)
• Viking Neptune (build 2022/464 staterooms/930 passengers/465 crew)
• Viking Orion (built 2018/465 staterooms/930 passengers/465 crew)
• Viking Saturn (built 2023/465 staterooms/930 passengers/465 crew)
• Viking Sea (built 2016/465 staterooms/930 passengers/465 crew)
• Viking Sky (built 2017/465 staterooms/930 passengers/465 crew)
• Viking Star (built 2015/465 staterooms/930 passengers/465 crew)
• Viking Venus (built 2021/465 staterooms/930 passengers/465 crew)

     EXPEDITION SHIPS

• Viking Octantis (build 2022/220 staterooms/378 passengers/260 crew)
• Viking Polaris (build 2022/220 staterooms/378 passengers/260 crew) 

VIRGIN VOYAGES   (adults-only luxury ships)

• Scarlet Lady (built 2020/1,408 staterooms/2,770 passengers/1,160 crew)
• Valiant Lady (build 2021/1,208 staterooms/2,770 passengers/1,160 crew)
• Resilient Lady (build 2022/1,208 staterooms/2,770 passengers/1,160 crew)
• Brilliant Lady (build 2023/1,408 staterooms/2770 passengers/1,150 crew)

WINDSTAR CRUISES

• Wind Surf — formerly Club Med 1 (built 1990 — sail/169 staterooms/342 passengers/201 crew) 
• Wind Spirit (built 1988 – sail/75 staterooms/148 passengers/101 crew)
• Wind Star (built 1986 – sail/75 staterooms/148 passengers/101 crew)
• Star Legend — formerly Seabourn ship (built 1992/156 suites/312 passengers/190 crew)
• Star Breeze — formerly Seabourn ship (built 1989/156 suites/312 passengers/190 crew)
• Star Pride — formerly Seabourn ship (built 1988/156 suites/312 passengers/190 crew)

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The CEO of Carnival, the world's biggest cruise company, says the huge demand for travel on its ships is outstripping supply

• Arnold Donald said Americans are desperate to return to Carnival Corp's cruises.
• "We have far more demand than we have ships available to supply right now," he told Fox Business.
• He added that the chance of a COVID-19 outbreak onboard is "very low," but can't be ruled out.

The CEO of Carnival Corp, the world's biggest cruise company, said that demand across its nine cruise lines is soaring and that Americans are raring to get back on the water.

"Honestly, people are champing at the bit to cruise again," Arnold Donald told Fox Business Friday.

Its first US cruise, the Vista, by Carnival Cruise Line, its biggest brand, is setting sail from Galveston to the western Caribbean on July 3.

Read more: Baby boomers, desperate to travel, are booking lavish getaways, month-long stays in villas, and exotic cruises

Donald said that people were confident in the safety of cruises as the vaccine rollout continues across the US, and that the shots were a "huge game-changer."

Bookings were "robust" and among the highest in the company's history, according to Donald.

He said: "We do not have an issue with being able to fill the ships. People are ready to sail. In fact, we have far more demand than we have ships available to supply right now."

Related stories

In a second-quarter business update Thursday, the company said that booking volumes for future cruises were 45% higher than during the first quarter. It added that advance bookings for 2022 were already higher than in 2019, thanks to pent-up demand.

People are spending a lot of money on board, too. The CEO of Celebrity Cruises said  travelers are eager to shell out extra cash on casinos, massages, and luxury meals .

Donald told Fox Business that some of Carnival's cruise lines, including Costa, had been sailing out of Europe during the pandemic. Many of these passengers were unvaccinated, but the company implemented universal testing, social distancing, mask-wearing, and enhanced medical screenings, he said.

There were less than 50 reported coronavirus cases out of around 400,000 guests on board, according to Donald, who added that guest satisfaction scores were "sky high."

Donald said that there would be some unvaccinated guests on its cruises in the US, but that these passengers would have to take regular COVID-19 tests and wear masks.

Celebrity Cruises last week unveiled new regulations subjecting unvaccinated passengers — or those unwilling to show proof of the vaccine — to onboard restrictions, extra COVID-19 tests, and additional costs.

But being fully vaccinated doesn't completely prevent the risk of catching or spreading COVID-19 .

"If the virus is in the community on land ... then of course you can get it on board despite all the things we do," Donald told Fox Business.

"We can't guarantee there will never be a case on board, but the chance of an outbreak is very low," he added.

And on a "fully vaccinated" Royal Caribbean cruise sailing from the Bahamas, two passengers aboard tested positive for COVID-19 . Both were under the age of 16, meaning they were exempted from the vaccine mandate.

Carnival said that at least 52% of its ship capacity would be sailing by the end of November, and expected to have its full fleet back in operation by spring 2022.

Donald told Fox Business that Carnival was selling or had sold 19 ships during the pandemic, reducing its total capacity by 13%, but that the company was buying more ships and would grow its capacity by around 2.5% through 2025.

He added that its newest ship, the Mardi Gras , was setting sail from Port Canaveral to the eastern and western Caribbean on July 31. Carnvial Corp said that the ship is the first in the world to have a rollercoaster on board, as well as the first in North America to be powered by liquefied natural gas.

Watch: Why toilet-paper demand spiked 845%, and how companies kept up with it

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Carnival corporation to strategically align portfolio and absorb p&o cruises australia into carnival cruise line.

Carnival Cruise Line to boost its capacity by absorbing P&O Cruises Australia in 2025, further optimizing the company's brand portfolio creating operational efficiencies 

MIAMI and SYDNEY , June 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Corporation & plc  (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's largest cruise company, today announced that in March 2025 , the company will sunset the P&O Cruises Australia brand and fold the Australia operations into Carnival Cruise Line, the most popular cruise line in the world.

This change is the latest in a series of strategic moves designed to increase guest capacity for Carnival Cruise Line, the company's flagship brand and the highest-returning brand in Carnival Corporation's global portfolio. This will result in the addition of eight new ships to Carnival Cruise Line's fleet since 2021, including the successful shift of three vessels from sister brand Costa Cruises. In addition, the company recently placed its first new ship order in half a decade for two new Excel-class cruise ships to join Carnival Cruise Line in 2027 and 2028.

"Despite increasing Carnival Cruise Line's capacity by almost 25% since 2019 including transferring three ships from Costa Cruises, guest demand remains incredibly strong so we're leveraging our scale in an even more meaningful way by absorbing an entire brand into the world's most popular cruise line," said Josh Weinstein , chief executive officer of Carnival Corporation & plc. "In 2019, Carnival Cruise Line was 29% of our total capacity, and when we complete this move early next year, Carnival Cruise Line – our highest-returning brand – will make up approximately 35% of our total global capacity. While our company's overall growth between 2019 – 2028 is projected to be less than 2% (CAGR), the majority will be for Carnival Cruise Line, which will grow by approximately 50% over that time period."

In addition to further optimizing the composition of Carnival Corporation's global brand portfolio, the realignment will strengthen the company's performance in the South Pacific through numerous operational efficiencies.

"P&O Cruises Australia is a storied brand with an amazing team, and we are extremely proud of everything we have accomplished together in Australia and the broader region," said Weinstein. "However, given the strategic reality of the South Pacific's small population and significantly higher operating and regulatory costs, we're adjusting our approach to give us the efficiencies we need to continue delivering an incredible cruise experience year-round to our guests in the region. Carnival Corporation & plc remains committed to Australia and we will continue to be the largest cruise operator in the region with 19 ships calling on 78 destinations and representing almost 60% of the market."

Building on Shared Legacy in the Region  As the P&O Cruises Australia brand retires early next year, the Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure ships will be rebranded and operated by Carnival Cruise Line brand. Pacific Explorer will exit the fleet in February of 2025. Current itineraries will operate business as usual, and guests will be notified in the coming days of any changes to future bookings as a result of this announcement.

When the transition is complete next year, Carnival Cruise Line – which has served the South Pacific since 2013 – will have four ships in the market, including Sydney -based Carnival Splendor and Carnival Luminosa sailing seasonally from Brisbane , in addition to their new sister ships Encounter and Adventure.

"We look forward to building on the history and heritage of P&O Cruises Australia by bringing some of our innovations to more cruise guests in the region," said Christine Duffy , president of Carnival Cruise Line. "While we plan to make some technology upgrades and other small changes to the two P&O Cruises Australia ships, they will continue to be geared to the unique Australian market with a familiar feel and much of the same experiences for P&O Cruises Australia guests. The most notable change will be the availability of our popular HubApp, enabling guests to make online dining and excursion reservations, request food and beverage delivery, and chat with other guests, among other features. P&O Cruises Australia guests will also be invited to participate in Carnival's loyalty program and promotional offerings specific to Carnival ships sailing in the region."

"Over the coming months, we will find ways to celebrate and honor P&O Cruises Australia – a valued part of our legacy and an important contributor to the tourism industry in the South Pacific," said Weinstein. "We value the connection our P&O Cruises Australia guests, employees, travel advisor partners, public officials and destinations have with our company and are committed to building on this association moving forward as Carnival."

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This announcement does not impact P&O Cruises (UK), which is a separate Carnival Corporation & plc brand based in England and dedicated to the UK market.]

About Carnival Corporation & plc Carnival Corporation & plc is the largest global cruise company, and among the largest leisure travel companies, with a portfolio of world-class cruise lines – AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises ( Australia ), P&O Cruises (UK), Princess Cruises, and Seabourn.

Additional information can be found on www.carnivalcorp.com , www.aida.de , www.carnival.com , www.costacruise.com , www.cunard.com , www.hollandamerica.com , www.pocruises.com.au , www.pocruises.com , www.princess.com , and  www.seabourn.com .

For information on Carnival Corporation's industry-leading sustainability initiatives, visit www.carnivalsustainability.com .

View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carnival-corporation-to-strategically-align-portfolio-and-absorb-po-cruises-australia-into-carnival-cruise-line-302162438.html

SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc

Your Royal Caribbean loyalty status is about to get a lot more valuable

Royal Caribbean loyalists will soon be able to status match their way to perks with luxury line Silversea Cruises — and vice versa.

The same will be true for Celebrity Cruises loyalists.

Royal Caribbean Group, which owns all three brands, will announce Thursday that customers with loyalty program status at any one of the three lines will get equivalent status at the other two.

For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

For example, Diamond-level members of Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society loyalty program will now be able to get instant recognition in Silversea's Venetian Society loyalty program at the 250 Venetian Society Days milestone award level — even if they've never sailed with Silversea.

Similarly, Elite-level members of Celebrity's Captain's Club loyalty program will now be able to get recognition in the Silversea program at the 250 Venetian Society Days milestone award level without ever having sailed with the brand.

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity elite members at higher status levels will match into even higher tiers of the Silversea program.

"When that customer is making that decision on their next [cruise] experience, you want them to feel loyal to stay within your family of brands," Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group CEO, said in an exclusive interview with TPG to discuss the new program.

Speaking by video from his Miami office, Liberty noted that the company's cruising customers sometimes shifted between cruise brands as their circumstances changed — when they entered a new stage of life with or without kids or grandkids, for instance. They also sometimes shifted between brands to experience a new destination that wasn't on their favored line's schedule, he said.

He suggested that in such cases, Royal Caribbean Group doesn't want them to choose cruise brands owned by other companies.

"We don't want a Royal Caribbean customer to find their way onto a competitor's ship. We would rather them find their way onto one of our ships," he said. "And loyalty, as you know, is one of the strongest ways to make sure that happens."

Instant status at 3 brands

The new program will make Royal Caribbean Group the only major cruise company to offer loyalty program status matching across all its wholly owned brands.

Until now, Royal Caribbean Group has offered status matching between the loyalty programs of its Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises brands but not its Silversea brand.

The company also used to offer a status match with the loyalty program for Azamara Cruises , which it once owned.

The new program may have the greatest impact on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity regulars who want to give Silversea a try.

Diamond members in Royal Caribbean's program and Elite members in Celebrity's program who status match to the 250 Venetian Society Days level in the Silversea program will be immediately eligible for a 10% discount on Silversea cruises — a significant savings. They'll also get other perks with the brand that first-time Silversea cruisers wouldn't normally get.

Membership in Silversea's Venetian Society at the 250 Venetian Society Days level normally requires completing 250 days of sailing with the line — a high hurdle.

The new status match program also will mean that high-tier Silversea passengers who want to, say, try a suite product on a Royal Caribbean ship — maybe because they'll have kids or grandkids in tow — will be instantly eligible for all the high-status perks in the Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor program.

Related: Don't miss these great perks when sailing with Royal Caribbean

Under the new status matching system, customers with loyalty in any of the three programs will be able to match to an equivalent status level in the other programs at five different tiers. The exact breakdown of status match levels will follow the chart below:

Among the fine print of the new Royal Caribbean Group status match program:

• It will begin with sailings departing June 5 or later.
• Customers must enroll in a program before receiving a status match.
• Customers already enrolled in multiple loyalty programs will be automatically matched across the brands within seven days.

No single loyalty program for now

The new status match program for all three wholly owned Royal Caribbean brands stops short of what some loyalty experts see as a logical next step for the company's loyalty program efforts: a single combined loyalty program for all three brands.

When TPG asked about this, Liberty suggested the company wanted to be sure it understood what loyal customers at its three brands wanted before making a more radical change. But he hinted more change might be coming.

"This is kind of step one. We want to tie these [programs] together," he said, calling the new status match program "basically kind of the beginning of a common loyalty platform."

Saying there was "more to come," Liberty added, "You'll see here over time that you're building status and other things across the family of brands."

When asked specifically about whether Royal Caribbean Group might shift to a single loyalty program similar to what Marriott offers with its massive Bonvoy program, which allows for earning and burning points across more than 30 hotel brands, Liberty suggested that might not be the right model.

"In some ways Marriott put Bonvoy in front of the brands," Liberty said, suggesting that stays at Marriott hotels had become all about earning points in the Bonvoy program and not the allures of the individual hotel brands and hotels. That's something Liberty suggested Royal Caribbean Group doesn't want to do.

He said the company wanted the individual brands in its portfolio to always be the focus for its customers and the "guest facing" part of the business, not the company's loyalty program.

"We don't have what I just typically describe as the earn-and-burn customer," Liberty noted. "Our customers actually appreciate more the recognition [from loyalty status]. Like, they want to go to the cocktail party for their tier. They want to have free dry cleaning. Those things are more important to them [than earning and burning] points."

Liberty noted that people don't cruise as often as they stay in hotels, so an "earn-and-burn" model for a cruise loyalty program that resembled the Marriott Bonvoy program didn't make as much sense.

"We get you one, two, three times a year. We don't get you one or two, three times a month, which you have [with] the earn-and-burn type players ... mainly hotels and airlines."

One thing Liberty did note is that there is more overlap between Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea customers than many people might think.

"From what we can see in our data, there's actually quite a bit of overlap between our suite guests [on Royal Caribbean] and our Silversea guests," he said.

He gave the example of well-heeled customers who booked top suites on Royal Caribbean's family-friendly ships, sometimes at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars a week, when traveling with their kids and grandkids. Those same customers might then switch to Silversea's high-end vessels when they wanted a more intimate or off-the-beaten-path escape to a place like Antarctica.

Liberty reiterated a catchphrase he's been using in recent conference calls with Wall Street analysts: Royal Caribbean Group wants to move its customers from experiencing "a vacation of a lifetime" with one of its brands to "a lifetime of vacations" at the company's three brands. The new status match program is a first step in that direction.

"I think we've been very intentional about having the right brand in the right segments," he said. "Now it's time to make sure that we're orbiting ourselves around the customer and meet them on the experience that they want to do and recognize them accordingly."

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Carnival Corporation Retiring P&O Cruises Australia Brand

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Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise company, has announced a strategic shift that will see the P&O Cruises Australia brand sunset by March 2025. The brand’s operations in Australia will be integrated into Carnival Cruise Line.

This latest move is part of a series of strategic changes aimed at expanding guest capacity for Carnival Cruise Line, the corporation’s flagship and highest-returning brand. Since 2021, the expansion has resulted in the addition of eight new ships to Carnival Cruise Line’s fleet, including the successful transfer of three vessels from the sister brand, Costa Cruises. The company also recently ordered its first new ship in half a decade, with two new Excel-class cruise ships scheduled to join Carnival Cruise Line in 2027 and 2028.

Despite a nearly 25% capacity increase for Carnival Cruise Line since 2019, guest demand remains strong, according to Josh Weinstein, Carnival Corporation’s CEO. He says that Carnival Cruise Line, which was 29% of the corporation’s total capacity in 2019, will constitute approximately 35% of its total global capacity after the move.

“While our company’s overall growth between 2019 – 2028 is projected to be less than 2% (CAGR), the majority will be for Carnival Cruise Line, which will grow by approximately 50% over that time period,” said Weinstein.

The realignment will also enhance the company’s operations in the South Pacific. Weinstein assured that Carnival Corporation & plc remains committed to Australia and will continue to be the largest cruise operator in the region.

“While we plan to make some technology upgrades and other small changes to the two P&O Cruises Australia ships, they will continue to be geared to the unique Australian market with a familiar feel and much of the same experiences for P&O Cruises Australia guests,” he said.

P&O Cruises Australia, with roots dating back to 1932, was acquired by Carnival Corporation in 2003.

Upon the retirement of the P&O Cruises Australia brand next year, the Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure ships will be rebranded and operated by the Carnival Cruise Line brand. The Pacific Explorer will exit the fleet in February 2025. Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, shared plans for technology upgrades and other small changes to the two P&O Cruises Australia ships.

It is important to note that the announcement does not impact P&O Cruises (UK), a separate Carnival Corporation brand based in England and dedicated to the UK market.

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World’s Leading Cruise Lines is a part of Carnival Corporation & plc, the largest cruise vacation company in the world. Our goal is to help guests experience the best vacation possible by visiting the most desirable destinations at an outstanding value across all 9 brands. Those brands include AIDA, Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa, Cunard, Holland America, Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises Australia, P&O Cruises UK and Seabourn.

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AIDA Cruises is the market leader in the German-speaking cruise market. Home of the smile, AIDA Cruises is the epitome of a premium-quality, relaxing cruise and operates one of the world’s most state-of-the-art fleets. Visit: www.aida.de

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Why Royal Caribbean does not have to share details of passenger who died on world’s largest cruise ship

T he public may never know the full details surrounding the death of a passenger who reportedly jumped from the world’s largest cruise ship earlier this month.

Under maritime law, Royal Caribbean is not obligated to release the findings of its investigation into the death of the passenger on the Icon of the Seas.

The law allows the company, and other cruise lines — to downplay details that might cast them in a negative light, said Florida-based lawyer Keith Brais, whose firm specializes in injuries and incidents at sea.

“They wouldn’t even need to report on how much alcohol might have been involved if it makes them look bad,” he told The Post.

Royal Caribbean has not commented on the specific details of the incident and has only expressed its condolences to the family of the deceased.

The US Coast Guard in Miami said it assisted with the search, but it is not involved in the investigation into the passenger’s death.

Deaths on cruise ships are rare — but unique circumstances of a floating city in international waters — the Icon of the Seas can carry up to 7,000 people — means that they are not handled like deaths on land.

When an unidentified man jumped from Royal Caribbean’s new 1,200-foot-long Icon of the Seas on the first day of a seven-day voyage on Sunday, a rescue boat from the ship found him and brought him back aboard.

Passengers were initially told that the man was in the intensive care unit, but the Coast Guard confirmed to The Post that he died.

The Icon of the Seas proceeded on its voyage around the Gulf of Mexico after the incident.

It’s not clear where the man’s body is now, but it was likely taken to the ship’s morgue until it can be transferred to authorities on land, Brais said.

The ship has stopped in Honduras and Mexico, and is set for one more port of call in the Bahamas before it returns to Miami on Saturday.

While the US Coast Guard assisted Royal Caribbean in the search and rescue of the man who fell overboard, officials said it was the cruise line’s rescue boat that ultimately found and transported the body, and it would be up to the company to investigate the case.

Brais said Royal Caribbean is not required to release its findings to the public, adding that it is rare for a company to publish anything that could make them seem liable for the death.

“As a result, the cruise line is likely to find that the passenger’s death resulted from ‘natural causes,’ even if the totality of the circumstances at hand suggests otherwise,” according to his law firm.

Braise noted that in his decades of experience in the industry and law, alcohol is involved in the majority of cases.

Royal Caribbean did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.

The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety act, which was passed in 2010, mandates that cruises not only follow strict regulations to ensure passengers are safe, but to also track crimes aboard their ships.

In regards to Sunday’s incident, Brais said the man’s family should look at whether Royal had the proper barriers in place to keep people from falling overboard and if they had Man-Overboard cameras installed that alerted them to the incident.

Even if Royal Caribbean was found to be negligent in the man’s death, the compensation could be limited to just covering funeral expenses under the Death of the High Seas Act, Brais added.

It can be difficult to determine how many deaths have occurred on cruise ships as it’s up to the companies to report such incidents.

According to the Department of Transportation’s Cruise Line Incident reports, there have only been four deaths aboard major cruise lines between January 2020 to March 2024.

Despite these numbers, Brais said it’s not rare for such man overboard stories to make headlines once every three weeks.

According to cruise expert Dr. Ross Klein, who maintains a master list of media reports of incidents where passengers have gone overboard, there have been at least 410 people who have fallen off cruises or ferries in the last 24 years.

Icon of the Seas death is the second so far this year aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise. In April, a drunk 20-year-old passenger reportedly jumped to his death from the Liberty of the Seas following a dispute with his father.

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Massive shakeup in cruise industry with P&O to shut down

The world's biggest cruise company has announced it is shutting down its Australian brand due to "high operating and regulatory costs" in a major shakeup of the Australian cruise industry.

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Carnival Corporation says its P&O Cruises Australia brand will cease to exist from March 2025 after 90 years of service. The brand's products will be absorbed into Carnival Cruise Line.

The Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventures ships will continue to sail but Pacific Explorer will end operations. Job losses are expected.

Carnival Corporation CEO Josh Weinstein described P&O Cruises Australia as a "storied brand with an amazing team".

"However, given the strategic reality of the South Pacific's small population and significantly higher operating and regulatory costs, we're adjusting our approach to give us the efficiencies we need to continue delivering an incredible cruise experience year-round to our guests in the region," he said.

Carnival said current itineraries would be run as usual and that any guests whose future bookings would change would be notified in the coming days.

"We look forward to building on the history and heritage of P&O Cruises Australia by bringing some of our innovations to more cruise guests in the region," Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy said.

"While we plan to make some technology upgrades and other small changes to the two P&O Cruises Australia ships, they will continue to be geared to the unique Australian market with a familiar feel and much of the same experiences for P&O Cruises Australia guests."

Carla Mascarenhas

Carla Mascarenhas is the NSW correspondent covering breaking news, state politics and investigations. She is based in Sydney. Contact her on [email protected]

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The 21 largest cruise ships in the world.

Book your next cruise vacation on one of these floating megaresorts.

The Largest Cruise Ships in the World

Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International

With every year comes bigger and grander cruise ships.

Just when you think cruise ships can't get any larger, a major cruise line unveils yet another longer, taller and grander state-of-the-art vessel – with the capacity to carry the population of a small town. To put the size of today's megaships into perspective: They often stretch three times longer than a 120-yard football field, and some feature nearly two dozen decks or measure more than 215 feet wide.

So, if you're looking for a vacation aboard a large-scale vessel, consider booking a voyage on one of the biggest cruise ships in the world. With cutting-edge technology and entertainment, world-class dining, and endless attractions and activities for cruisers of all ages, you may not even want to leave the ship. Here are the biggest cruise ships, arranged by gross tonnage.

• 1. Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas
• 2. Royal Caribbean Utopia of the Seas
• 3. Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas
• 4. Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas
• 5. Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas
• 6. Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas
• 7. Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas
• 8. MSC World Europa
• 9. Costa Smeralda
• 10. Costa Toscana
• 11. P&O Cruises Arvia
• 12. AIDAcosma
• 13. P&O Cruises Iona
• 14. AIDAnova
• 15. Carnival Jubilee
• 16. Carnival Celebration
• 17. MSC Euribia
• 18. MSC Virtuosa
• 19. Carnival Mardi Gras
• 20. MSC Meraviglia
• 21. Norwegian Encore

Find your perfect cruise

Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas

Length: 1,198 feet

Width: 213 feet

Gross tons: 250,800

Maximum number of passengers: 7,600

Icon of the Seas will be the largest cruise ship afloat when it debuts in January 2024. The next-level megaship is Royal Caribbean 's first Icon-class vessel and the first of three ships powered by liquefied natural gas, or LNG, which is considered a more sustainable alternative to other fuel options. The ship will have 2,805 staterooms and carry up to 2,350 crew. There's no end to the fun with eight unique neighborhoods, including the new Surfside: a stay-all-day space designed specifically for families.

Other features on the ship include seven pools, nine whirlpools and six record-breaking waterslides. There are also more than 20 new dining venues, such as the swanky Empire Supper Club, which features an eight-course tasting menu; the AquaDome Market, the line's first food hall; and sushi restaurant Izumi in the Park. Cruisers will also find other international cuisine, including Japanese, Mexican and Italian fare, as well as The Lemon Post, the Surfside Eatery and Pier 7 in the Surfside neighborhood.

Read: The Newest Royal Caribbean Ships

Royal Caribbean Utopia of the Seas

Length: 1,188 feet

Width: 211 feet

Gross tons: 236,860

Maximum passengers: 6,788

Royal Caribbean's first LNG-powered Oasis-class ship will sail its debut voyage in July 2024. The new ship will have 2,834 staterooms and up to 2,290 crew members, as well as eight neighborhoods to keep passengers entertained. Ten complimentary dining venues include the line's new food truck concept, The Spare Tire, which serves up handheld eats on the pool deck. The ship will also feature sloping beach-entry and resort-style pools, plus three Lime & Coconut bars on the outdoor deck.

In total, there are more than 40 dining options, bars and lounges on Utopia of the Seas. Many of Royal Caribbean's specialty dining and bar favorites are returning, such as Chops Grille, Giovanni's Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, Rising Tide Bar and Vue Bar. Guests will also find familiar entertainment offerings with rock climbing walls, the AquaTheater, Splashaway Bay, laser tag, mini-golf, the Sports Court, Studio B and much more. With two casinos, five pools and a visit to private island Perfect Day at CocoCay, you'll never run out of things to do.

Read: The Top New Cruise Ships

Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas

Michel Verdure | Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International

Gross tons: 235,600

Maximum passengers: 7,084

Royal Caribbean's current largest ship at sea, Wonder of the Seas , first set sail in March 2022. The Oasis-class vessel has 2,867 staterooms and carries as many as 2,204 crew members. While you may get lost on this ship, you'll never be bored. Features include eight unique neighborhoods – such as Central Park, the Boardwalk, and the new Suite Class neighborhood, an exclusive space for suite guests.

Take advantage of the AquaTheater, an outdoor live entertainment venue with a 30-foot diving platform and incredible ocean views. Wonder Playscape is an underwater-themed outdoor space for kids filled with slides, climbing walls, games and more. You can also enjoy a few of Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class favorites, such as the FlowRider surf simulator, the rock climbing wall or laser tag at the Battle for Planet Z. If you dare, head into the Ultimate Abyss: Billed as the tallest waterslide at sea, it towers 150 feet above sea level and features an exhilarating 13-second ride through 10 stories of dark, winding tunnels.

When hunger strikes, dine at your pick of more than 20 complimentary and specialty restaurants, including the new Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar. If you're craving a cold beer, a cocktail or a cup of Starbucks coffee, you'll have roughly a dozen bars and lounges at your disposal.

Read:  The Top Party Cruises

Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas

Width: 215.5 feet

Gross tons: 228,081

Maximum passengers: 6,680

Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas , another Oasis-class ship, debuted in April 2018. This ship features 2,759 passenger staterooms and accommodates 2,200 crew members. There are seven distinct neighborhoods, four pools, roughly 20 restaurants (about half of which are specialty venues), and about a dozen bars and lounges. The ship even boasts two robotic bartenders that whip up drinks at the Bionic Bar.

Adults can enjoy Broadway-style shows in the onboard theaters and major international sports games at Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade. Meanwhile, kids can cool down at the Splashaway Bay water park, soar on a zip line nine decks high through the Boardwalk neighborhood, try out rock climbing or attend a show at the AquaTheater.

Read:  Royal Caribbean vs. Carnival

Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas

Gross tons: 226,963

Maximum passengers: 6,687

Another Oasis-class ship, Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas has been sailing since May 2016. The vessel features 2,747 staterooms and up to 2,200 crew members. Cruisers have plenty of places to dine thanks to eight complimentary venues – including the main dining room and Windjammer Marketplace, a globally inspired buffet – as well as nine specialty restaurants serving everything from burgers and shakes to Italian fare. The Boardwalk, one of the ship's seven neighborhoods, is a favorite spot for cruisers; it contains casual eateries, retail shops and carnival games.

Harmony of the Seas also has Splashaway Bay, the Ultimate Abyss waterslide and a trio of slides called The Perfect Storm. In the evening, don't miss a pre-dinner cocktail at the Rising Tide Bar, which offers a ride between the Central Park neighborhood and the Royal Promenade with dazzling skylight views. Sit back and sip your drink while the entire bar slowly floats between the decks.

Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas

Simon Brooke | Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International

Length: 1,187 feet

Width: 215 feet

Gross tons: 226,838

Maximum passengers: 6,771

Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas was the largest cruise ship in the world when it was launched in 2009. The line's debut Oasis-class ship is nearly five times bigger than the Titanic by gross tonnage; it has 2,801 staterooms and carries 2,109 crew members.

Oasis of the Seas was reimagined in 2019, with many added amenities that are on newer Oasis-class ships, such as FlowRider simulators, the Perfect Storm waterslides, the Ultimate Abyss and Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade. Across the ship's seven distinct neighborhoods, you'll also find state-of-the-art technology such as VOOM, billed as the fastest internet connection on the high seas – plus exciting live performances and theater productions, laser tag, escape rooms and more.

Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas

Gross tons: 225,282

Maximum passengers: 6,826

Embarking for the first time in 2010, Allure of the Seas was Royal Caribbean's second Oasis-class vessel. The ship underwent a refurbishment in 2015. Allure of the Seas has 2,748 staterooms and 2,054 crew. Onboard highlights include seven neighborhoods, four pools, and several whirlpools and hot tubs, plus more than 20 dining venues and too many bars and lounges to count.

There are also plenty of entertainment options for guests of all ages, including an ice skating rink, the Sports Court, a nine-deck-high zip line, two rock climbing walls and two FlowRider simulators (a Royal Caribbean favorite). Kids will especially enjoy the interactive H2O Zone Water Park. Adults on this ship will appreciate Broadway productions like "Mamma Mia!," aerial acrobatic performances in Oceanaria (an original AquaTheater production) and '70s disco dance parties. If you find yourself on board for business reasons, rest assured that the ship's conference facilities can host as many as 1,394 guests.

Find a Royal Caribbean cruise on GoToSea.

MSC World Europa

Courtesy of MSC Cruises

Length: 1,093 feet

Width: 154 feet

Gross tons: 215,863

Maximum passengers: 6,762

MSC World Europa was one of the most anticipated new cruise ships when it launched in December 2022 as the first vessel in the line's MSC World-class fleet. It's also the first LNG-propelled ship by MSC Cruises , reaching a maximum cruising speed of 22.7 knots.

The ship's futuristic interior and exterior design features a 341-foot-long promenade. Half the promenade is covered with the Meraviglia-class LED sky screens, while the other half is open-air and offers ocean views. MSC World Europa features 2,626 staterooms and can house 2,138 crew members. As a special touch, each passenger deck is named after an international city, including London, Paris, Lisbon and Rome.

The ship is divided into distinct areas, with a quiet zen district for adults and a family zone that has bumper cars and roller skating. At the fleet's largest onboard water park, younger cruisers will find a twisty, stainless steel tunnel slide towering 11 decks high at the center of the ship. Luna Park Arena, the ship's 300-seat multifunction entertainment venue, can accommodate almost any performance or event.

When you're exhausted from all of the action, grab a bite to eat at one of 13 restaurants or a drink at a selection of bars and cafes. Then, take time to relax and unwind with a signature treatment at the Balinese-inspired MSC Aurea Spa. For an all-inclusive VIP experience during your voyage, book stateroom accommodations in the MSC Yacht Club. This exclusive part of the ship boasts premium suites, a separate pool, a private restaurant and lounge, butler service, and other amenities.

Costa Smeralda

Courtesy of Costa Cruises

Length: 1,106 feet

Width: 138 feet

Gross tons: 185,000

Maximum passengers: 6,554

Costa Smeralda was the first of the two Excellence-class vessels in the Costa Cruises fleet. The vessel debuted in 2019 as the Italian cruise line's largest ship to date. It was also the line's first vessel to use LNG power at sea and in port. The ship has 2,612 staterooms and can carry as many as 1,678 crew members.

Cruisers will never go hungry or thirsty, thanks to the 11 restaurants and snack bars plus 19 bars and lounges on Smeralda . One of the most notable dining venues on board is Archipelago, which serves innovative cuisine created by three world-renowned chefs. If you're interested in culinary pursuits, join other passengers for a cooking class at sea in the Food LAB. When it comes to entertainment, centrally located Colosseo – modeled after the piazzas across Italy – is the place to go for socializing and live performances. What's more, the ship also has 13 pools and hot tubs, an aqua park, the Beauty Spa Solemio, and the Squok Club for kids ages 3 to 11.

Costa Toscana

Costa Toscana, Costa Cruises' newest flagship and the second Excellence-class vessel in the fleet, set sail on its debut voyage in March 2022. Similar in size and passenger capacity to Costa Smeralda, Toscana is also LNG-powered. This vessel has 2,663 staterooms, and there can be up to 1,678 crew members on board.

Similar to Smeralda, Colosseo is the centerpiece of Toscana; you'll find live entertainment and themed bars in this area. There are 11 restaurants and snack bars plus 19 bars and lounges on the ship. For a refreshing aperitif with a view, head to the Aperol Spritz Bar, which features special beach cocktails. Another dining highlight is Sushino at Costa, the line's new sushi bistro. After dinner, take in unparalleled views of the sea along the Volare Skywalk, the highest point of the ship, which towers more than 200 feet above sea level.

Explore Costa Cruises deals on GoToSea.

P&O Cruises Arvia

Courtesy of P&O Cruises

Length: 1,130 feet

Maximum passengers: 5,200

Arvia joined the P&O fleet as sister ship to Iona in December 2022. It is also LNG-powered, has 2,614 cabins and carries up to 1,800 crew. The family-friendly ship offers guests many firsts, including Altitude, a new activity area with an escape room, a high-ropes experience, the Splash Valley aqua zone, the Sports Arena and much more.

Arvia has 30 bars and restaurants. New dining venues include the American-inspired 6th Street Diner and Green & Co. feat. Mizuhana, which focuses on sushi and plant-based dishes. For entertainment, plan to see the line's production of "The Official Take That Musical," an adaptation of London West End musical "The Band." Guests can also head to the dome beneath the SkyDome retractable roof for live performances, aerial displays, movies on the giant SeaScreen and DJ parties under the starry skies.

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Courtesy of AIDA Cruises

Gross tons: 184,600

Maximum passengers: 6,654

The sister ship to AIDAnova, AIDAcosma set sail in early 2022. The partly LNG-powered AIDA Cruises vessel has 2,732 staterooms and the capacity for up to around 1,500 crew members. With 17 restaurants and 23 bars and cafes, AIDAcosma offers passengers a seemingly endless number of venues to dine and imbibe. Other onboard attractions include a four-deck outdoor area, complete with an infinity pool and an expansive area for sunbathing; an indoor playground with a bouldering wall and ropes course; the Body & Soul Spa; and a 360-degree stage at the Theatrium.

P&O Cruises Iona

Length: 1,129 feet

Gross tons: 184,000

P&O Cruises' Iona, which launched in spring 2021, has the distinction of being the first LNG-powered British cruise ship. The family-friendly vessel has 2,614 cabins and carries 1,800 crew members. Iona's top features include the two-story SkyDome, a gin distillery, four pools, 10 entertainment venues, and 30 restaurants and bars offering a wide variety of food and beverage options.

With selections ranging from casual eateries to gelaterias to Indian- and British-inspired cuisine at Sindhu, you won't get bored with the restaurant choices. For an especially unique meal, dine and sip wine while watching aerial performances in the Grand Atrium at The Glass House. Or, enjoy dinner at The Limelight Club, an adults-only supper club venue featuring vocal performances and other live music. After dinner, check out the entertainment around the ship, including aerial productions in the Grand Atrium, guest and crew shows in Headliners, late night dancing in The Club House, and performances in partnership with the entertainment company Creativiva in the SkyDome.

Gross tons: 183,900

When German line AIDA Cruises' first Helios-class ship, AIDAnova, debuted in December 2018, it was the first LNG-powered cruise ship in the world. The ship is equipped with 2,626 staterooms, including the two-deck Penthouse Suite, and carries around 1,500 crew members. You won't miss this ship when it's docked in port: It features the line's signature exterior design, with bold red lips at the ship's bow and blue-and-yellow eyes on the port and starboard sides.

While on board, passengers can check out 17 restaurants, along with 23 bars and lounges; party the night away at the Beach Club; and take in live performances on the 360-degree stage in the Theatrium. When it's time to relax, head to the Body & Soul Spa, where you can book a massage, spend time in one of the hot tubs or saunas, take a dip in the private pool, and chill out on the private spa sun deck.

Carnival Jubilee

Width: 137 feet

Gross tons: 183,521

Maximum passengers: 6,631

Carnival Jubilee, as sister ship to Carnival Celebration and Carnival Mardi Gras, will offer many of the same features and amenities as its two predecessors when it launches in December 2023. The new vessel will have 2,687 staterooms, 1,735 crew and six zones of fun. Currents and The Shores are new to Jubilee . Currents is inspired by the underworld of the ocean with mermaids and sea monsters; it's designed with new bars, restaurants, music venues and high-tech spaces, including a wave-shaped LED ceiling and six LED windows that virtually take guests under the sea. The Shores is all about the outdoors, inspired by beaches and boardwalks. Cruisers can grab a slice of pizza at Coastal Slice, a hot dog at Beach Buns and a cocktail at Marina Bar.

On Jubilee, you'll also find Carnival Cruise Line favorites such as BOLT, the first and fastest roller coaster at sea, as well as Waterworks, the onboard water park with twin racing slides, three spiraling slides and more. The line's "next-level fun" ship will also include familiar eateries and lounges like Shaquille O'Neal's Big Chicken, Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse, Cucina del Capitano, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse and more.

Carnival Celebration

Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Celebration sailed its inaugural cruise in November 2022. Carnival's second-newest ship at sea is LNG-powered and the second in the line's Excel class, with 2,687 staterooms and as many as 1,735 crew. Guests will find new attractions to enjoy on the ship, such as the partnership with the Kennedy Space Center at Space Cruisers: This program is designed for children ages 2 to 11 at Camp Ocean.

Adults can check out the new bar at Latitudes, which features specialty cocktails and outdoor scenery through the virtual windows. Celebration has a variety of complimentary dining venues, including Shaq's Big Chicken, Guy's Burger Joint and Mexican favorites at BlueIguana Cantina. There is also a selection of specialty restaurants like Emeril's Bistro 1397, Rudi's Seagrill, the Steakhouse and Bonsai Teppanyaki. For action and 360-degree views of the ocean from the top of the ship, take a spin around the track on the BOLT roller coaster.

Compare Carnival Cruises on GoToSea.

MSC Euribia

Length: 1,087 feet

Width: 141 feet

Gross tons: 181,541

Maximum passengers: 6,327

MSC Euribia, the newest MSC Cruises ship, debuted in June 2023. The line's second LNG-powered vessel – and the fifth Meraviglia-class ship – has 2,419 cabins and can carry as many as 1,711 crew members. The ship's hull features Alex Flämig's artwork "#SaveTheSea" to highlight the company's dedication to preserving the marine ecosystem.

On board Euribia , guests will find five pools and 11 dining venues, offering everything from sushi and teppanyaki to Latin American street food. There are also 21 bars and lounges, the MSC Aurea Spa, the Ocean Cay Aquapark, luxury retail shopping and more. Two additional highlights are the longest – and most impressive – LED Dome at Sea, which covers the ceiling of Galleria Euribia, and the reimagined Carousel Lounge. The beautiful, updated space features floor-to-ceiling windows, outdoor terraces and cozy seating to enjoy live entertainment, including performances by one of the largest big bands at sea.

MSC Virtuosa

Maximum passengers: 6,334

This vessel launched in 2021 as a sister ship to MSC Grandiosa , the line's other Meraviglia Plus-class ship. MSC Virtuosa has 2,421 staterooms and carries around 1,704 crew members. It offers cruisers 11 dining venues plus 21 bars and lounges. At the heart of the ship, Galleria Virtuosa houses the largest shopping area on a cruise ship, with more than 12,500 square feet of retail space. In this area, you'll also find entertainment venues, restaurants and cocktail bars. And don't forget to look up: An impressive LED dome, one of the longest at sea, spans the ceiling of the promenade.

Another highlight to check out during your voyage is the MSC Starship Club, which features Rob, the first humanoid robotic bartender on a cruise ship. The multilingual expert mixologist even tells jokes and will show you a dance move or two. After all the indoor fun, head outside for a cool dip in one of MSC Virtuosa's five pools or take a ride on the slide at the Savannah Aquapark.

Book an MSC Cruise on GoToSea.

Carnival Mardi Gras

Gross tons: 180,000

Maximum passengers: 6,465

One of Carnival Cruise Line's newest ships, Mardi Gras , debuted in July 2021. Its name honors the line's first ship, the TSS Mardi Gras, which launched in 1972. The original Mardi Gras was around 27,000 gross tons and 650 feet long – in contrast, the new Carnival Mardi Gras weighs more than six times as much and is nearly twice as long. This ship also holds the title as North America's first LNG-powered ship. It has 2,641 staterooms and holds up to 1,745 crew members.

Six themed areas each offer unique dining and entertainment experiences. For New Orleans -inspired cuisine, head to the French Quarter; there, you'll find Emeril's Bistro 1396 and The Brass Magnolia, a bar reminiscent of The Big Easy's jazz culture and Garden District. Don't miss one of the ship's top onboard attractions: the BOLT roller coaster, where riders can hit speeds of nearly 40 mph at 187 feet above sea level.

Read: The Top Themed Cruises

MSC Meraviglia

Courtesy of Port Miami for MSC Cruises

Length: 1,036 feet

Gross tons: 171,598

Maximum passengers: 5,655

MSC Cruises' Meraviglia first set sail in 2017 with an impressive 2,244 staterooms and the capacity to carry 1,536 crew members. A dozen restaurants offer a wide variety of cuisines, including a Spanish tapas bar with dishes created by a Michelin-starred chef, Japanese teppanyaki, Italian fare, fresh seafood, steaks and more. There are also 20 bars, lounges and cafes serving everything from Champagne and cocktails to ice cream and crepes.

The central highlight of the ship is Galleria Meraviglia, a 315-foot promenade with eateries, boutiques and evening parties. Nightly entertainment includes live performances and shows in the Broadway Theatre and the Carousel Lounge. Kids will find plenty to do, as well: There's an Aquapark, an F1 simulator, a flight simulator, LEGO play areas, bowling and more. When it's time to wind down, book a signature treatment at the MSC Aurea Spa.

Norwegian Encore

Length: 1,094 feet

Width: 136 feet

Gross tons: 169,116

Maximum passengers: 3,998 (double occupancy)

Norwegian Encore was built in 2019 as one of Norwegian Cruise Line 's Breakaway Plus-class ships. The vessel has 2,040 staterooms and carries 1,735 crew members. There are several complimentary culinary venues on board, including three main dining rooms, The Local Bar & Grill, the Garden Café buffet, and grab-and-go options. Specialty dining restaurants offer a variety of cuisines, from seafood to steak to Japanese teppanyaki.

When it's time for cocktail hour, 14 bars and lounges serve up everything from cold brews to fine wine and whiskey. For a pre-dinner option, head up to the Observation Lounge for panoramic ocean views. Norwegian Encore is also home to several entertainment venues featuring award-winning live shows and performances.

You'll find the most fun on the ship's top decks. First, head to the Encore Speedway race track, which takes thrill-seekers on a heart-pumping ride through high-speed curves extending 13 feet off the side of the ship. Also at the top of the vessel you'll find The Haven: Norwegian's exclusive "ship within a ship" concept boasts luxurious suites, villas and penthouses with balconies. These luxe accommodations include perks like 24-hour butler service, a concierge and a private sun deck.

Find a Norwegian Cruise Line cruise on GoToSea.

Frequently Asked Questions

The largest cruise ship currently in service is Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, at more than 235,000 gross tons. Icon of the Seas will become the largest cruise ship in the world at 250,000-plus gross tons after its launch, set for January 2024.

Carnival Jubilee, scheduled to debut in December 2023, and Carnival Celebration are the line's largest ships at 183,521 gross tons.

The line's largest ship is Disney Wish at about 144,000 gross tons. The vessel is 1,119 feet in length and 128 feet wide; it has 1,254 staterooms and carries up to 4,000 passengers and 1,555 crew.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Gwen Pratesi has been an avid cruiser since her early 20s. She has sailed on nearly every type of cruise ship built, including the newest megaships, paddle-wheelers on the Mississippi River, and an 18-stateroom river ship on the Mekong River in Vietnam and Cambodia. She has also cruised on a traditional masted sailing ship and on a small luxury expedition vessel in Antarctica crossing the notorious Drake Passage twice. She covers the travel and culinary industries for major publications including U.S. News & World Report.

You might also be interested in:

• The Top World Cruises
• The Top Cruises on Small Ships
• The Top Gay Cruises
• Cruise Packing List Essentials
• The Top Cruise Insurance

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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Vladimir Putin repeats warning he could send weapons to adversaries of the West

Speaking at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Vladimir Putin also says he does not see the conditions for the use of nuclear weapons as set out in Russia's nuclear doctrine - but adds he could not rule out a change to it.

Friday 7 June 2024 17:15, UK

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• Big picture:  Everything you need to know about the war right now
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• Live reporting by Andy Hayes and  Ollie Cooper

Thank you for reading.

We will be back soon with more updates from the war in Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin has said he does not see the conditions for the use of nuclear weapons as set out in Russia's nuclear doctrine - but added he could not rule out a change to the doctrine.

"We have a nuclear doctrine which states that the use of nuclear arms is possible in an exceptional case, when the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country is threatened," he told the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

"But the doctrine can be changed.

"The same applies to nuclear tests. We will carry out tests if needed, but so far there is no such need."

Russia could send weapons to adversaries of the West, Vladimir Putin has warned for a second time.

The Russian president repeated the warning from earlier this week during the St Petersburg Economic Forum.

He did not say what countries or entities he was referring to, and he stressed that Moscow is not doing it currently.

"If they supply (weapons) to the combat zone and call for using these weapons against our territory, why don't we have the right to do the same?" he told the crowds. 

"But I'm not ready to say that we will be doing it tomorrow, either."

On Wednesday, Putin told international journalists that Russia could provide long-range weapons to others to strike Western targets in response to NATO allies allowing Ukraine to use their arms to attack Russian territory.

He also reaffirmed Moscow's readiness to use nuclear weapons if it sees a threat to its sovereignty.

Joe Biden has apologised to Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the recent delay in approving new US aid for Ukraine.

Last month, following months of political disagreements, the Senate passed $95bn (£76.2bn) in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan .

"I apologise for those weeks of not knowing," the US president said.

"Some of our very conservative members [of Congress] were holding it up. 

"But we got it done, finally. We're still in - completely, totally." 

The Ukrainian president thanked his counterpart for American assistance.  

"It's very important that you stay with us," he said. 

"It's very important that in this unity, the United States of America, all American people stay with Ukraine, like it was during World War Two - how the United States helped to save human lives, to save Europe." 

The two men were speaking in Paris, the day after D-Day commemorations in Normandy.

Russia needs to boost its use of non-Western currencies, Vladimir Putin said as he addressed the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

He also said his country needs to reduce imports while calling for a major expansion of its domestic financial markets.

Trade with Asia is soaring, he told delegates, adding that almost two fifths of Russian external trade is now in roubles.

The share conducted in US dollars, euros and other Western currencies has declined.

Russia will try to boost the share of settlements conducted in the currencies of BRICS countries - which include Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, Mr Putin said.

"Last year, the share of payments for Russian exports in the so–called 'toxic' currencies of unfriendly states halved, while the share of the rouble in export and import transactions is growing - it is approaching 40% today," the president said.

Russia has referred to nations that imposed sanctions on it as "unfriendly".

 The session begins with an address by the Russian president. 

Vladimir Putin says there is a race among world powers to establish sovereignty. 

He speaks of the need for countries to both establish partnerships and also to look internally to tackle challenges presented by the current global economic landscape. 

Despite all the "obstacles and illegitimate sanctions", Russia remains one of the world's economic leaders, he says. 

He adds that "friendly countries" - those that have not joined sanctions against Moscow - account for three quarters of Russia's mutual trade turnover, and praises them for that. 

Countries including India and China have strengthened economic ties since Mr Putin launched his war in Ukraine. 

Vladimir Putin has taken to the stage in St Petersburg to address the International Economic Forum there.

He's joined by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwais and Bolivian President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora. 

Chairing the session is Sergey Karaganov - a Russian political scientist. 

We'll bring you any key lines here in this live blog. 

A T-shirt is on sale at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum printed with a phrase attributed to Vladimir Putin, Sky News has discovered. 

"If a fight is inevitable, throw the first punch," it says.

The Russian president reportedly said it in 2015.

He apparently explained that it was something he had learned while growing up on the streets of Leningrad - a former name of St Petersburg. 

The Russian defence ministry has accused Ukraine of injuring 20 people, including children, in a missile attack on the Russian-controlled eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk, using US-supplied ATACMS missiles.

Four of five missiles were shot down by air defence systems, the ministry said in a statement.

However, one of the missiles damaged two residential apartment blocks, it added, claiming it was deliberate.

Sky News is unable to verify the allegations.

There has been no immediate comment from Ukraine. 

The European Commission supports starting EU accession talks with Ukraine, the country's prime minister has said.

Denys Shmyhal said the commission had confirmed in a report that Kyiv had fulfilled the remaining steps required to start negotiations. 

"Now we expect our European partners to take the next step - to start negotiations on European Union membership this month," Mr Shmyhal said on Telegram. 

Earlier (7.43am post) we reported that the commission was reportedly ready to recommend that accession talks get underway.

It is part of an attempt to signal support for Kyiv before Hungary takes over the rotating presidency of the EU next month, the Financial Times reported.

The EU announced earlier this year that it was sending an additional £42bn in aid to Ukraine - but only after  weeks of resistance from Hungary , which reportedly has concerns about minority rights in Ukraine. 

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California Ports

Ports create busy harbors with heavy industrial commerce. Safety issues, pollution, and other concerns are mitigated and new technologies created to lessen those impacts. Port of Long Beach has taken a lead in green technologies and other ports are following. Ports not only provide jobs and money to cities and economies, they also are entertainment destinations in cities such as San Francisco, Los Angles, and San Diego.

* Humboldt Bay Harbor District - humboldtbay.org

Located on the rugged Northern California coast about 225 miles north of San Francisco and 156 nautical miles south of Coos Bay, Oregon, the Port of Humboldt Bay's completion of a recent harbor deepening project gives the port the potential for becoming an oasis of international commerce, linking Northern California with the rest of the world. * Port of Hueneme - portofhueneme.org

The port of Hueneme is the only deep water harbor between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area and is the U.S. Port of Entry for California's central coast region. (View our Video) It serves International businesses and ocean carriers from the Pacific Rim and Europe. The Port of Hueneme ranks among the top seaports in California for general cargo throughput. The niche markets that Hueneme serves include: the import and export of automobiles, fresh fruit and produce. Its unique positioning near the Santa Barbara Channel has also made the Port of Hueneme the primary support facility for the offshore oil industry. * Port of Long Beach - polb.com

The Port of Long Beach is one of the world's busiest seaports, a leading gateway for trade between the United States and Asia. It supports over a million jobs nationally and generates billions of dollars in economic activity each year. Long Beach is the second busiest port in the United States and is the 18th busiest container cargo port in the world * Port of Los Angeles - portoflosangeles.org The Port is an independent, self-supporting department of the City of Los Angeles under the control of a five-member Board of Harbor Commissioners appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council and is administered by an executive director. It encompasses 43 miles of waterfront and 7500 acres and is the 1st busiest port in the United States; 16th busiest in the world and 6th busiest in the world when combined with the neighboring Port of Long Beach. The port has over 80 shipping lines, 2,179 vessels and 27 major facilities to accommodate the traffic. There are around 15 cruise lines at the port. The Harbor Commission was established in 1907. Top trading in 2009 was with: China ($92.5 billion) Japan ($22.3 billion) Taiwan ($7.4 billion) South Korea ($5.7 billion) Thailand ($5.2 billion) * Port of Oakland - portofoakland.com

Port of Oakland occupies 19 miles of waterfront on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay, with about 900 acres devoted to maritime activities and another 2,600 acres devoted to aviation activities. FAA forecasts show that by 2012, nearly 20 million passengers will travel through OAK each year. The Port of Oakland owns, manages and markets seaport facilities on San Francisco Bay and the Oakland Estuary. The seaport ranks among the top 4 in the nation and 20 in the world in terms of annual container traffic. * Port of Redwood City - redwoodcityport.com

The Port of Redwood City, located 18 nautical miles south of San Francisco, is the only deepwater port in south San Francisco Bay. Strategically located between San Francisco and the rapidly growing Silicon Valley/San Jose region, the Port provides excellent inland transportation access via U.S. Highway 101 and Union Pacific Railroad. Our key location enables tenants to save both time and shipping costs. * Port of Richmond - ci.richmond.ca.us

The Port of Richmond is northern California's most diversified cargo handler. With its roots in petroleum and liquid bulk cargos, Richmond has expanded its dry bulk, break-bulk, and containerized cargo handling capabilities and has increased its automobile processing facilities. Today, Richmond ranks Number One in liquid bulk and automobile tonnage among ports on San Francisco Bay. * Port of San Diego - portofsandiego.org

The Port of San Diego was created by the state Legislature to manage San Diego Bay and surrounding waterfront land on December 18, 1962. The Port has operated without tax dollars since 1970 and has been responsible for $1.5 billion in public improvements in its five member cities: Imperial Beach, National City, Chula Vista, San Diego and Coronado waterfront properties. The Port oversees two maritime cargo terminals, a cruise ship terminal, 17 public parks, various wildlife reserves and environmental initiatives, a Harbor Police department and the leases of more than 600 tenant and sub-tenant businesses around San Diego Bay. * Port of San Francisco - sfport.com

The Port of San Francisco is governed by a five member Board of Commissioners, each of whom is appointed by the Mayor and subject to confirmation by the City's Board of Supervisors. Each commissioner is appointed to a four-year term. The Port Commission is responsible for the seven and one-half miles of San Francisco Waterfront adjacent to San Francisco Bay, which the Port develops, markets, leases, administers, manages, and maintains. Its jurisdiction stretches along the waterfront from Hyde Street Pier on the north to India Basin on the south. The Port's operating portfolio is composed of over 550 ground, commercial, retail, office, industrial and maritime industrial leases, including many internationally recognized landmarks such as Fisherman's Wharf, PIER 39, the Ferry Building, and AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants baseball team. * Port of Stockton - portofstockton.com

The port is an international 35-foot deep-water port with secured gates that are open 24/7. It has more than 2000 acres for import/export cargoes such as containers, steel, wind energy, ro/ro and heavy lift/project cargo, as well as warehousing, refrigeration, cold storage and distribution centers. It has seven million square feet of U.S. Dept. of Agriculture-approved storage. The port is close to Interstates 5 and 80 and is serviced by the BNSF and UP railroads that can carry cargo directly to the port from locations outside California. Also, the newly developed Marine Highway barge service will facilitate the easy movement of ocean-bound containers to Oakland for shipping. The port is located in Foreign Trade Zone #231.

* Port of West Sacramento - cityofwestsacramento.org

Located at the Intersection of Interstate 80 and Interstate 5, the Port of West Sacramento is a bulk-commodity port specializing in the import and export of bulk agricultural- and construction-related products. The port has more than 480 acres of maritime properties and 700,000 square feet of enclosed storage located along the Sacramento Deep Water Ship Channel and is serviced by the Union Pacific and BNSF railroads. The port is part of the West Sacramento State Enterprise Zone and Foreign Trade Zone #143. The Marine Highway Barge service will complement existing international shipments of goods and cargo from the Sacramento Valley.

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• Jul 20, 2022

Gone But Not Forgotten- The Boat Brands We Loved That Are No More (Part 14)

The unheralded american influence of galaxy vs. galaxie & mandella vs. rayson-craft.

In my over forty years in the pleasure boat industry, there have been literally thousands of boat companies and brand names of boats in North America.

Some of these were and are strictly regional brands not known or recognized in the rest of the continent but many were national and even international brands known to most of us diehard boaters.

It is those well known and recognized brands that are no longer with us that I look forward to examining in this series.

These brand names may still be corporately held in reserve but are not known to currently be in production.

As this series is quickly coming to an end, I want to pay tribute to some US brands which many of us will remember but, in some cases, on which very little information is available.

I was researching into Galaxy boats when I also came across Galaxie boats. I thought perhaps it was a typo but further digging has revealed at least two and maybe more separate boat companies.

Galaxy with a “y” is said to have started in Columbia, South Carolina in 1972 building runabouts, fishing boats, and cuddy cabins including Executive, Superior, and Funliner models. In 1985, Galaxy offered 12 models from 17 to 25 feet, including bowriders, cuddy cabins, walkaround fishing models, and express cruisers. By 1991, the lineup had grown to 21 models which included all of the above plus sport models, dual consoles, and weekenders.

In the early 1990’s, Galaxy became part of the Global Motorboat Corporation. By 1993, its model lineup had grown to 30 models from 18-26 feet. As mentioned in Part 4 , Global Motorboat Corporation had by this time purchased Winner Boats and gave the Winner name to some Galaxy models. Both the Winner and Galaxy names disappeared around this time.

There appear to have been two manufacturers of Galaxie boats with an “ie.”

An obituary has revealed that in 1968, Don Dacus purchased a very small Galaxie (spelt with an ”ie”) Boat Works in Jacksonville, Texas and started building just one model of a 15-foot outboard runabout. The lineup of boats increased to around 10 models of bowriders, deck boats, center consoles, and fishing boats ranging up to 30 feet. The company built its own trailers so that a complete package could be offered. The company liquidated its assets in the spring of 2009 following the financial crisis. Don Dacus died a few years later.

Corporate records indicate a second Galaxie boat company with an “ie” was started in the early 1970’s in Anaheim, California building mainly sterndrive but also jet and outboard powered performance-oriented ski boats and family bowriders and sport boats. In 1985, it offered 19 models from 16-25 feet. These were mainly sport boats but also included a cuddy cabin, an express cruiser, and a flybridge cruiser.

By 1990, they were up to 23 models and had added a Banshee 21-foot inboard-powered ski boat. Many of the boats took on what would be the popular Starion or Starcruiser model names. By 1995, there were only 10 models in the lineup from 15-22 feet. They were almost all sport and ski boats and included the new and popular 15-foot Flash jet-powered sport/ski boat.

The company was apparently taken over by Jim Earnhardt and his son in the mid-1990’s and moved to Fontana, California. In the early 2000’s, following the 2001 sales decline, the lineup had been thinned out to only seven models from 15 to 22 feet plus a 25-foot cruiser model. Around this time, the company moved to Ventura, CA but appears to have shut down in early 2005.

To add a little more confusion to the Galaxy/Galaxie name, there is a Coast Guard record of a Galaxy with a “y” company having built several cruisers in the 36-foot range in the early 1970’s. No further information seems to be available.

None of these names are to be confused with a brand new line of Galaxy PRO Grade rigid bottom inflatables by GALA Inflatable boats which are on the market today.

As the muscle car phenomenon exploded during the 1960’s so did “muscle” boats – primarily flat or almost flat-bottomed, low profile, usually two-seaters, with no windscreens, fancy, fancy paint schemes often with metal flake. Most importantly of all was a huge American V-8 of minimum 350 cubic inches but often of 500 or more cubic inches and all polished and chromed to the “nines” with open exhaust headers and facing backwards in the stern of the boat. It was attached to a forward protruding driveshaft that ended in a V-drive gearset located immediately beside the knees of the driver and passenger.

These boats were capable of anywhere north of 70 miles per hour and were suitable for strictly inland lakes with little to no chop. The flat-bottom versions became the boat of choice for the new sport of organized drag boat racing, a sport which followed up on the new-found sport of drag racing for cars, a sport springing up throughout the country. The very slightly V-bottom versions of these boats were the high performance waterski boats of the day. As expected, California was the hotbed and nurturing grounds for many manufacturers.

As the 1960’s turned into the 70's with its first gasoline crisis, the jet drive started replacing the V-drive, thus allowing seating for four or five persons, and sterndrives and outboards with much lower horsepower started the progression toward deeper-V hulls with their increased safety factor and ability to handle wave action better. The financial crisis at the end of the 70's and into the early 80's, as well as new technologies in boating, signaled the demise of many of the builders of this style of boat. There are literally dozens and dozens of these builders. Here is the story of just two of them.

Joe Mandella of Pasadena, California was known for the craftsmanship and quality of his planked mahogany Mandella runabouts. As his reputation and the demand for speed grew, he started building speed boats from plywood to make them lighter. He also changed the location of the engine from a centrally located “box” utilizing a straight-drive to a stern location to shift the weight back to allow more of the boat to be out of the water while utilizing a V-drive to deliver the power.

Joe Mandella died in 1956. Ernie Orrin bought the company from the estate. Ernie’s nephew Harlan Orrin started building his first wooden Mandella’s in 1957. Harlan would later go to work for Rayson-Craft. Lou Brummett then took control of Mandella and transitioned it from wood to fiberglass in the early 1960’s. He was a boat racer as well as a builder and was killed in an 18-foot Lincoln-powered Mandella in a California endurance race in 1970. But the So-Cal sleek, sexy, gorgeous, super fast and loud performance ski boat business was well under way.

In 1971, Mandella offered eight models from 16-23 feet in short deck and long deck configurations, and of which only one was jet powered. By 1976, the changes in the marketplace were reflected in the Mandella lineup of nine models from 18-23 feet. At this point, four were jet powered, one was sterndrive powered, and one was labelled as a “day cruiser.” By 1980, in a further market shift, two of the eight models were labelled as “fisherman.” The restoration business apparently thrives but there are no records of new Mandella fiberglass boats being built after the early 1980’s.

In 1950, eighteen year old Rudy Ramos bought his first boat from Joe Mandella. It was Joe’s first plywood flat-bottom v-drive ski boat into which Rudy installed the flathead Ford V-8 that was in his roadster that had been featured on the cover of Hot Rod magazine. This boat was later featured in the 1953 issue of Speed & Spray magazine. Rudy Ramos became hooked on speed and promotion.

In 1958, he started building fiberglass boats in a back portion of his father’s aluminum foundry in Gardena, California. He called his company Rayson-Craft Boats. Rudy Ramos and his boats became pioneers of the So-Cal performance, waterskiing and boat racing phenomenon that surged in the 1960’s and ‘70’s. And he not only loved and lived for racing of every kind as both a builder and a driver, he recognized full well the value of "win on Sunday and sell on Monday." He did both in spades.

As sales grew, his production facilities grew but his model lineup stayed pretty much the same, offering seven hulls in four lengths; 16, 17, 18, and 20 feet. These were available in flat bottom as preferred by the drag racing fraternity and v-bottom hulls for skiing and circuit racing. The “V” consisted of little more that ten or twelve degrees of deadrise . Full-width fixed cavitation plates or adjustable planes (think - trim tabs) were often installed depending on speed and purpose.

Much later, a 20-foot Cabana “cruiser” was available and it included a raised deck, accommodation, galley, and marine head. Ramos would offer his boats to be purchased in any stage of construction and offered to build to the customer’s specifications. Any graphic designs and colours were available both inside and outside and seating was available in back-to-back, all forward, and with full-width seating or individual buckets. Sitting in the aft-facing buckets meant that your legs would be stretched out one side of the motor of the other. Rayson-Craft had a huge dealer network throughout North America as well as Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Rayson-Craft, often with Rudy as driver or co-driver, won multiple 300 and 500 mile marathon races, was multiple time sanctioned APBA National SK closed course champion, multiple marathon waterski champion like the 52-mile Catalina Island waterski race, and set several records several times as the World’s Fastest Fiberglass ¼ Mile Drag Boat Racing Champion, in early 1960’s at 132.08 mph. His boats won the Miami 100 Grand National race six years running. In 1963, Rayson-Craft was the Official Inboard Tow Boat for the World Waterski Championships.

Later, in the mid-1960’s, Ramos built perhaps his signature boat. He took a 20-foot reinforced v-bottom hull and installed a 1710 cubic-inch displacement, 1000 horsepower, Allison V-12 aircraft engine along with beefed-up gearcase, V-drive, and propshaft and all water-cooled and utilizing a dry-sump oiling system. He called the boat Cream Puff and it became a legend winning the 1964 Salton City 500 mile marathon an hour and a half ahead of the second place finisher. He and his co-driver repeated the feat in the same boat in 1965.

Rudy Ramos was a builder, racer, innovator, and possibly the biggest name in V-drive boating history. His Rayson-Craft boats are much sought after to this day. By the end of the 1960’s and into the early 70's, there is little information available about the company and its disposition.

Don't forget to check out:

Part 1- The Story of OMC

Part 2- Chrysler Boats, the Chris Craft Stinger, the Sea Ray Pachanga, and the Houseboat Craze of the 1970's

Part 3- A Retrospective Look at the Peak of Doral, Thundercraft, Magnum, Cadorette, Sunray, & Peterborough

Part 4- Connecting the Heydeys of Silverline, Striper, Owens, Penn Yan, Rinker, and Winner

Part 5- The West Coast Influence of Fiberform, Sun Runner, Apollo, Uniflite, Tollycraft, & Prowler

Part 6- The 'Sleek & Sexy' Era of Sidewinder, HydroStream, Switzer Craft, Challenger, and Lone Star

Part 7- The Web of Connections Between Thompson Boats, Cruisers Yachts, Slickcraft, Grew, Tiara, Pursuit, and Chris Craft

Part 8- The Incredibly Short but Influential Eras of Mariah, Lyman, Celebrity, and MFG

Part 9- The Motoryacht Movement with Maxum, Meridian, Carver & Marquis

Part 10- The Hard Time Economics that Spawned Excel, Seaswirl, Sunbird, Browning Aero-Craft, & IMP

Part 11- The Niches and Novelties of Roamer Yachts, Marinette, Concorde, Bluewater Coastal Cruisers, Boatel Houseboats, Sabre Craft, Bell Boy, & Glasspar

Part 12- The Obscure Popularity of Sangstercraft, K&C Thermoglass, Stratacraft, Panther, Kennedy, Mason, Munro, & Wilker

Part 13- The Upstart American Spirit Behind Glassmaster, Steury, Imperial, McKee Craft, Duo, & Signa

#culture #gonebutnotforgotten

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