Note: Pure-built cruise ships (early years do not include reconverted liners); based on max capacity as stated by cruise lines.
In the early 1970s, Cunard Line entered the cruise market as the growing popularity of international air travel rendered its traditional transatlantic passenger services increasingly unviable. At that time, its flagship vessels had a capacity of just over 800 passengers, all accommodated in a single class configuration.
During the early 1980s, several purpose-built cruise ships entered the market, signalling a shift toward modernisation in the industry. Notably, Carnival Cruise Line introduced its first newbuild, the MS Tropicale, in 1982, with a capacity of 1,231 passengers. That same year, Royal Caribbean launched the Song of America, which, with a maximum capacity of 1,575 passengers, was considered a bold investment at the time. Its commercial and operational success, however, marked a pivotal moment for Royal Caribbean, which at the time operated a modest fleet of just three ships.
However, a significant turning point in modern cruising had occurred in 1980, when the transatlantic ocean liner SS France was converted by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) into a full-time cruise ship and relaunched as the SS Norway. With a post-conversion capacity of 2,044 passengers, the SS Norway became the first cruise vessel to exceed the 1,600-passenger threshold. Previously, cruise ships were typically smaller, converted liners that accommodated between 800 and 1,500 passengers.
The 1990s witnessed rapid expansion in cruise ship size and capacity. In 1988, Sovereign of the Seas, introduced by Royal Caribbean, became the first cruise ship to exceed 2,000 passengers, with a capacity of 2,650. The Sovereign-class ships set new industry standards with features such as multi-deck atriums, expansive pool decks, and enhanced entertainment offerings. Subsequent vessels like Carnival Fantasy (1990) and Carnival Destiny (1996) maintained similar capacities (~2,600 passengers). Notably, Carnival Destiny became the first cruise ship to surpass 100,000 gross tons (GT), a milestone that defined the advent of the “mega-ship” era. Shortly after, the Grand Princess briefly held the title of the world’s largest cruise ship by gross tonnage at 109,000 GT.
The early 2000s were characterised by the industry’s strategic pursuit of economies of scale, with Royal Caribbean leading the movement toward ever-larger vessels. At the turn of the century, in 1999, Voyager of the Seas broke new ground by surpassing a maximum capacity of 4,000 guests and 3,000 in double occupancy. This trajectory continued with the Freedom-class vessels: in 2006, Freedom of the Seas became the first ship to exceed 4,500 passengers, followed by Liberty of the Seas in 2007, which came within 40 guests of the 5,000 mark.
A further leap came in 2009 with the introduction of the Oasis-class. The inaugural ship, Oasis of the Seas, had a maximum capacity of 6,780 passengers (5,734 at double occupancy), setting a new benchmark for passenger capacity. It took over a decade for this record to be surpassed by the Wonder of the Seas, launched in 2022, which approached the 7,000-passenger mark. This milestone was finally surpassed in 2024 with the debut of the Icon-class flagship, Icon of the Seas, which accommodates up to 7,600 passengers, making it the largest cruise ship in history.
In the past fifteen years, orders for large cruise vessels have remained frequent. However, cruise lines appear to have shifted their focus away from record-breaking capacity increases. This shift likely reflects diminishing returns in economies of scale, as further increases in vessel size present operational and infrastructural limitations that increasingly shape strategic decision-making in the industry.