biggest cruise ships dry dock

Watch: World’s Largest Cruise Ship ‘Symphony Of The Seas’ In Dry Dock

Watch this spectacular video of Symphony Of The Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, in dry dock with STX France & RCL – STN Teams.

The 25th ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, Symphony of the Seas is 228,081 gross registered tons, measures 238 feet tall and spans 1,188 feet long. She will welcome 5,518 guests at double occupancy in 2,759 staterooms, including 28 additional balcony rooms that overlook the ocean or signature Boardwalk neighbourhood. Read more about the cruise ship here.

Credit : David LAFORGE/ Villa La Brise

NOTE: Marine Insight does not have enough information to verify this video and cannot vouch for its accuracy. This video is for information purpose only.

Marine Insight does not own the rights of the video.

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• Cruise News

Carnival Vista Enters World’s Largest Floating Dry Dock

Doug Parker

• July 13, 2019
• 1.5K shares

Early Saturday morning, Carnival Vista took off from Freeport, Bahamas and headed to sea to meet the vessel Boka Vanguard. This is no ordinary ship though: Boka Vanguard is a submersible ship tasked with the challenge of raising the 133,500-ton cruise ship out of the water so that the necessary repairs can be done.

This dry dock is a first-ever operation for the cruise industry and was a creative workaround necessitated by the limited dry dock space at the Grand Bahama Shipyard.

The large dry dock that Vista would’ve used in Freeport was damaged by a crane falling upon Oasis of the Seas earlier this spring.

How It All Started

Carnival Vista began having propulsion issues back in May. Throughout June, sailings were extended and the port calls were shortened. It turns out that four bearings between the two azipods were bad and that was limiting the speed of the ship.

Earlier this month, Carnival made the decision to take the ship out of service until July 27 in order to have her repaired. The cruise cancellations impacted an estimated 15,000 guests.

The All-In-One Ship and Dry Dock

The Boka Vanguard submersible vessel was built in 2012 for $240 million and is a cargo ship that doubles as a dry dock. It’s outfitted with two propellers and two retractable azipods for docking operations.

READ MORE:  Watch How Carnival Vista Will Be Repaired

Once the water tanks are filled, the vessel has the capability to go down over 100 feet in order to float the vessel it’s working on. Once the vessel is loaded and secured, the water tanks are emptied, floating the ship out of the water.

The Boka Vanguard has a speed of 14 knots unloaded and can travel up to 11 knots while carrying an oil rig or ship.

How The Repair Will Be Compleed 

In offering an update on the situation, Carnival Cruise Line said, “The Carnival Vista azipod repair is underway off the shore of Freeport, Bahamas. Carnival Vista has been loaded onto the Boka Vanguard and will be lifted and transported back to the Grand Bahamas Shipyard Saturday evening for work to begin.”

Captain Vittorio of Carnival Vista has been documenting the entire operation on his Facebook Page.

Watch Carnival Vista’s Dry Dock Operation

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Cruise Ship Refurbishment Schedule

This is CruiseMapper's cruise ship refurbishments schedule of dry-dock dates, news, and information on deck plan changes during vessel refits, regular maintenance and repairs, overhauls and renovation of small and big passenger cruise ships. Next links jump down directly to the cruise line refurbishment schedule of RCI-Royal Caribbean , CCL-Carnival , NCL-Norwegian , Princess , Celebrity , Holland America , P&O (UK-Australia) , Oceania , DCL-Disney , MSC , Costa , TUI-AIDA , Windstar , plus various small-ship and luxury brands .

Cruise ship refurbishment tends to be the best value-for-money strategy and highly successful policy for major cruise line companies in a time of worldwide economic uncertainty.

For your convenience, this link goes directly to the list of all cruise line refurbishments 2018-2019-2020 schedule . To read more cruise ship technology news, please visit our engines-propulsion-fuel survey.

At CruiseMapper's list of new vessels under construction or on order , you'll also find an impressive number of passenger ships (river-, ocean- and cruiseferries ) being built/launched in the period 2015-2019. The majority of those joined the fleets owned by the world's biggest cruise companies - Carnival Corporation and RCCL-Royal Caribbean - via their subsidiaries/brands.

Cruise ship refurbishments, renovations, refits

Cruise ship drydocking (vessel refits and onboard refurbishments) is a multi-billion market with regularly scheduled vessel renovation projects every 2-3 years. Most drydocks are planned by the world's largest cruise shipowners - Carnival Corporation, RCG-Royal Caribbean Group, MSC Shipping Group, and NCLH-Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.

2019's drydock schedule featured the industry's largest (so far) vessel reconstruction project - Carnival Triumph's conversion into Carnival Sunrise . The 60-day project (at Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz Spain ) was budgeted ~USD 200 million. For comparison, Carnival Destiny-Sunshine conversion (2013) cost ~USD 155M. Navigator OTS ' drydock reconstruction (Jan-Feb 2019) was budgeted USD 115M. Also in 2019 were conducted the drydocks of the NCLH-owned Oceania (6 ships) with fleet refurb budget ~USD 100 million.

Cruiseship refurb and newbuild contractor companies

One of the industry's largest companies contracted for cruiseship and yacht interior outfitting (both of newbuilds and refitted boats) is De Wave Group (based in Genoa Italy). The company's cruiseship order book in 2022 was EUR 104 million. De Wave Group's latest projects included the newbuilds Seabourn Venture, Seabourn Pursuit, Discovery Princess (EUR 15M), Norwegian Prima (EUR 10M), Celebrity Beyond (EUR 9M/April 2021), as well as refit projects for Virgin's Resilient Lady (June 2021/EUR 40M), NCL (EUR 6M), Oceania's Marina and Riviera (~600 staterooms + public areas).

ALMACO Group is another major turnkey manufacturer serving the marine and offshore industries. The company designs, manufactures and installs staterooms (crew and passenger cabin units), galley/kitchen equipment, provision stores, cold freezer rooms, refrigeration machinery systems, laundry facilities, pantries, bars. ALMACO is also contracted for lifecycle services (scheduled maintenance works) and spare parts supply for passenger vessels (including cruiseferries), as well as for and expert engineering and project management. Among ALMACO's customers (multi-million projects) are Carnival Corporation, Saga Group UK, Ritz-Carlton Yachts, Swan Hellenic, VIKING LINE.

Why cruise ships are being refurbished?

Time is money - while a cruise ship overhaul takes 15-30-days, building a new liner (design to launch) takes ~3 years (depending on vessel size, specifications, special features, owner, budget, etc).

In comparison to cruise newbuilds' cost (especially of bigger units), ship refurbishments are a lot cheaper than building a new one. Due to the impact of the Coronavirus crisis and IMO's new maritime regulations, all major cruise shipping companies started to sell (and eventually replace) the fleet's oldest units to smaller travel operators.

In most cases, "refurbished" is synonymous with "maintenance and repairs", "freshened up" and "overhauled". Works include engineering/machinery updates, hull cleaning-painting, new furniture and decors (sometimes only changing the color schemes), new carpets, smart HDTVs (interactive systems), shipwide Wi-Fi coverage and faster satellite Internet, replacing handrails and glass, upgrades of venues (sometimes creating new lounge areas or expanding old ones), new amenities and services, etc. This would cost the company between US$10-30 million per ship. Some refits may cost up to US$50M.

Drydock refit projects for older vessels always include installing low-water usage toilets (urinals and fixtures), energy-efficient LED lighting (inside and outside), energy-efficient windows, HVAC system (heat-ventilation-air conditioning), hull coating (to reduce the boat's resistance through water).

What the list of cruise ship renovations generally includes?

Major cruise ship overhauls may include reconstructing or adding new cabins, lounges, restaurants, a SPA facility, swimming pool(s), sometimes adding a whole new deck, and even better - a whole midsection, like the case of MS Enchantment of the Seas refurbishment / lengthening in 2005 (next photo and the YouTube video below).

Some technical enhancements, like a new external coating or an updated propulsion, for example, could significantly reduce fuel consumption (improving the ship's efficiency and environmental performance), while "most fun" modern time gadgets and contraptions attract huge crowds - like virtual "real-time" windows in all Inside cabins, or a water park with a slide, or a kids-only area, or a hugely-huge movie screen by the main pool.

Cruise ship refurbishment news are some of the "most wanted" and extremely popular on all major online travel forums. All big lines put their liners into dry dock every few years to update (or upgrade) them - it costs money, but again - it's cheaper than going on newbuilds. It's a fact that many travelers are hesitant to take the first sailing post-drydock.

Most dry-docks are routine - just refreshing, do not include major changes and have a fairly accurate schedule. A major refit, on the other hand, usually involves significant changes in construction (or services) and have an "unpleasant" tendency to start prior to the actual drydock (even during the sailing prior) and often continues into the first sailing after.

The next YouTube video shows the timelapse of the MS Braemar 's drydock extension at the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg Germany .

Cruise ship refurbishment jobs

Cruise ship refurbishment jobs are another issue. In 2009 Saga Holidays (UK company) refitted and refurbished its newly purchased Saga Pearl 2 ship (former name ms Astoria) spending 20 million pounds on this project and providing more than 300 jobs over a 3-month period.

The next video is about the April 2016 drydock refurb of Splendour OTS (now Marella Discovery) done in Freeport Bahamas.

Often vessels' need unscheduled repairs - not matching with planned maintenance schedules. In such cases are used teams of underwater specialists for fast, high-quality repairs, thus avoiding potential loss of income due to drydocking. The world's first global underwater ship repair service provider is Wartsila which provides any marine services and maintenance works, regardless of the ship's current location.

In 2017, Wartsila (Finnish marine corporation) acquired Trident BV (a global provider of commercial diving services) Via Trident, Wartsila offers worldwide underwater repairs, propulsion systems overhaul, regular maintenance works (hull cleaning, propeller polishing, welding), scrubber-cleaning and retrofitting, even major underwater overhauls. Corporation's main underwater teams are in Holland, Italy, and the Canaries. They can be dispatched to any location in a matter of hours, providing fast-response vessel inspections, repairs, refurbishments, equipment installation/replacement.

Cruise ship refurbishment schedule 2020-2023

This is a regularly updated list of dry-dock dates, with concise info about the cruise ship upgrades, deck plan changes and refits by the cruise company. All links in the following table are internal (CruiseMapper) and redirect to the ship's deck plan page.

Note1: All Singapore-based vessel refurbishment projects are done by Sembcorp Marine (at the Admiralty Yard). The company is among the leaders on the cruise ship refit market. Among its regular clients are Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Star Cruises (Asia).

Note2: All Cadiz (Spain)-based ship refurbishments are done by the Navantia shipbuilding company - Europe's 5th and the world's 9th largest shipbuilder. The company's ship-repair services are provided to both commercial and military (naval) vessels.

RCI Royal Caribbean drydock refurbishments

RCI's "Royal Advantage" renovation program (2011-2016) was budgeted US$300 million. RCI's 6-ship refurbishment project "innovation renovations" was implemented in 2016. The vessels Adventure, Empress, Jewel, Liberty, Majesty, and Radiance received some of the company's most popular shipboard features.

In mid-March 2018, Royal Caribbean announced a USD 1 billion fleetwide refurbishment project ("Royal Amplified", 2018-2022) covering 10 liners in 3 classes (Oasis, Freedom, Voyager). By this program were introduced new and innovative features/technologies, experiences and amenities, pool deck areas and venues, dining options, nightlife concepts, onboard attractions.

RCI drydocks are usually conducted at the shipyards in Freeport (Grand Bahama), Singapore, and Cadiz (Navantia's shipyard in Puerto Real). RCI ships usually enter drydocks in up to 5-year periods. For details see the RCI's link.

Next are listed only RCI's recent dry docking, the majority of which are for general maintenance works and technical overhauls.

• Explorer OTS (2023 Jan-Mar) Perfect Storm added
• Independence OTS (2023 Jan-Feb)
• Mariner OTS (2023 Feb-Mar)
• Vision OTS (2022 February)
• Rhapsody OTS (2022 April-May)
• Serenade OTS (2022 March)
• Harmony OTS (2021 April)
• Symphony OTS (2021 May)
• Jewel OTS (2021 May)
• Liberty OTS (2021 July)
• Enchantment OTS (2021 Sept)
• Radiance OTS (2024 March)
• Freedom OTS (2020 (January-March) Royal Amplified, cost US$116 million
• Allure OTS (2020 March-May) Royal Amplified, cost US$165 million
• Navigator OTS (2019 Jan-Feb) Oasis- and Quantum-class cabin updates, Perfect Storm added
• Ovation OTS (2019 April)
• Oasis OTS (2019 Sept-Nov) US$165 million
• Voyager OTS (2019 Sept-Oct) US$97 million
• Quantum OTS (2019 Oct-Nov) US$65 million
• Brilliance OTS (2018 April) Oasis-class upgrades
• Grandeur OTS (2024 April)
• Majesty OTS (2016 May) Perfect Storm added

CCL-Carnival Cruise Line drydock refurbishments

CCL's refurbishment schedule shows newly added onboard amenities and facilities. These old and future planned fleetwide upgrades are by the company's "Fun Ship 2.0" fleet renovation program. The company's additional program for ship technology upgrades (also fleetwide) was budgeted USD 300 million.

• (new facilities): bars (RedFrog, BlueIguana, Library, Alchemy, EA Sports), Guy's Burger, BlueIguana Cantina, Punchliners (George Lopez), DJ IRIE (Spin U /DJ Academy), Seuss at Sea (kids venue), Hasbro The Game Show, Playlist Productions (dining menu and show programming upgrades).
• Some have Bonsai Sushi
• technology upgrades (scrubbers, shoreside power capabilities)
• WaterWorks Aqua Park, Camp Carnival (kids playground)

NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line drydock refurbishments

All drydock refurbishments 2016 thru 2019 as projects were part of NCL's "Norwegian Edge" fleet renovation program (budgeted ~US$500 million). Each drydock cost ~US$35-40 million.

Princess Cruises drydock refurbishments

P&o cruises (australia and uk) drydock refurbishments, hal-holland america line drydock refurbishments.

In 2003-2008, by the SOE ("Signature of Excellence") program, HAL upgraded all older vessels, on which were also added new venues, stateroom categories, and amenities. In November 2015 was announced company's USD 300 million fleetwide renovation program, including Suite cabin improvements (new decors, furnishings, amenities, services) for all suite categories on Vista-Class, Signature-Class and R-Class vessels.

In 2018, HAL contracted ABB Group (Swedish-Swiss corporation specializing in robotics, marine power, and propulsion equipment) for installing shore-power systems fleetwide. The technology allows docked in ports cruise ships to receive shoreside power supply (from the city's grid) and turn off their engines, thus reducing to zero emissions and noise. ABB installed its shore-power equipment on 11x HAL ships. Switchover (ship-to-shore power) at seaports takes around 20 min.

In 2023, HAL conducted 5 refurbishment projects to expand the casino space on its vessels in the Pinnacle-class (Nieuw Rotterdam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam) and Signature-class (Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam). Each of the enlarged gambling facilities now has 140 of the gaming industry's newest slot and video poker machines. In addition, a separate non-smoking area was added in the casinos of Nieuw Rotterdam, Nieuw Statendam and Koningsdam.

Celebrity Cruises drydock refurbishments

In July 2018, the company announced a USD 500 million fleet modernization (drydock refurbishment) program dubbed "Celebrity Revolution".

The 4-year fleet refurbishment project was conducted in the period February 2019-2023.

The next table lists all ship drydocks by the Celebrity Revolution project, as well as drydocking projects for regularly scheduled maintenance works.

Oceania Cruises drydock refurbishments

In August 2018, Oceania announced the company's OceaniaNEXT fleet renovation project budgeted USD 100 million. It includes drydock refurbishments of 4 R-Class liners (Regatta, Insignia, Sirena, Nautica).

As a result, the fleet was expanded with 1368 new staterooms (342 per boat), and all shipboard restaurants, bars, and lounges were redesigned and redecorated.

• New public spaces include a redesigned Lobby with Reception Hall (lower level) and Upper Hall (2nd level) connected via Grand Staircase (decorated with railings and balustrades) and featuring a large crystal chandelier (with hanging pieces of hand-painted glass).
• Grand Dining Room (Deck 5 aft) received new premium furniture (leather chairs with metallic bronze threading) and new crystal chandeliers.
• Martinis (piano bar lounge on Deck 5) was redesigned, new silver-white marble bar top and walnut paneling were added.
• All staterooms were completely overhauled (redesigned and refurnished) and upgraded with custom-made furniture, polished wood, stone finishes, designer accessories, smart HDTVs, USB ports, LED lighting. All cabin bathrooms were overhauled and received new tiling, surfaces, fixtures, designer accessories, vanities glass shower enclosures. Penthouse-Vista-Owner suites' bathrooms were enlarged and upgraded with Carrara marble tops, onyx, polished granite.

Works on the fleetwide refurb project involved 1000+ artisans and craftsmen and resulted in 1368 new cabins, 8000 new light fixtures, 12000 new sofas and chairs.

Disney Cruise Line drydock refurbishments

Msc cruises ships lengthening and drydock refurbishments.

MSC Cruises announced in late December 2013 the start of the EUR 200 refurbishment program (named "renaissance") involving not only the revitalization of all Lirica-class vessels but also stretching all four of them in the period 2014-2016 (a total of 38 drydock weeks).

During drydocks in the period 2019-2024, MSC will install a fleetwide ZOE - in-cabin digital assistant developed by Samsung. ZOE is a voice-enabled artificial intelligence device available in all passenger staterooms. ZOE speaks 7 languages, answers cruise-related questions, provides info on shipboard services-activities-facilities, makes reservations-bookings.

Costa Cruises drydock refurbishments

Besides the ship's staff and crew, Costa cruise passengers are also served by Peper robots - the latest cyborg technology implemented fleetwide in 2016. These humanoid robots greet and guide passengers upon embarkation, and also assist them throughout the voyage with information and tips. Pepper robots are mobile and communicate in 3 languages (English, German, Italian).

TUI and AIDA Cruises drydock refurbishments

Besides the ship's staff and crew, AIDA passengers are also served by Peper robots - the latest cyborg technology implemented fleetwide in 2016. These humanoid robots greet and guide passengers upon embarkation, and also assist them throughout the voyage with information and tips. Pepper robots are mobile and communicate in 3 languages (English, German, Italian).

Windstar Cruises refurbishments

On November 15, 2018, Windstar announced the "Star Plus Initiative" - drydock fleet renovation program budgeted USD 250 million. The project includes enlarging (stretching) and engine changes for fleet's three Star-Class mega-yachts Star Breeze , Star Legend , Star Pride .

The project resulted in bigger passenger capacity, adding new staterooms, venues, public spaces, new and more efficient engines. Each ship's capacity was increased by 68% (from 212 to 312 passengers). The drydocks were scheduled for the period October 2019 through November 2020, at Fincantieri's shipyard in Palermo Sicily.

The Star Plus project increased Windstar fleet's capacity by 24%. Star Plus was partially financed through the Export Credit facility guaranteed by SACE Italy (financial and insurance products and services).

The drydock lengthening included cutting each vessel in two and installing a new/prefabricated midship section with length 25,6 m (84 ft). Vessel's LOA length was increased from 135 to 161 m (443 to 528 ft). The midship section has an additional elevator.

Following drydock, each ship now has 2x new dining venues, new shop, new retail space; enlarged Gym, new Spa, larger swimming pool, new tender loading area (midship), 2x new tender boats (90-seats each), expanded and upgraded staff-crew areas and cabins. The two new dining venues are an alternative Spanish specialty restaurant ("Cuadro 44 by Anthony Sasso") and a casual BBQ space (adjacent to Star Bar).

The old diesel engines (7 per ship) were replaced with 4 new engines running on ULSD (ultra-low sulfur diesel) fuel, thus reducing SO emissions. Each ship received 50 new cabins (to 156 total), which (based on the total investment) meant shipbuilding cost per berth USD 267,000. Among the new cabins are two larger Owner Suites. All existing staterooms were completely refurbished, including their bathrooms, balconies, sliding doors. The new public spaces and cabins were designed by the NYC-based "The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry".

Windstar sailships refurbishments 2024-2025-2026

On December 6, 2023, Windstar started a multi-million refurbishment project to extensively redesign and update the fleet's three sailing ships (Wind Star, Wind Spirit, Wind Surf). Each ship is refurbished in two phases, starting with Wind Star (2025 & 2026), follows Wind Spirit (2025/complete) and Wind Surf (2024 & 2026).

By this project will be fully redesigned all public areas and venues (changing layouts, furniture, wall coverings and flooring, lighting, artworks). All passenger staterooms will be fully refurbished (interiors, furniture, smart TVs).

Among the remodeled/redesinged areas are the Lobby (expanded reception area, more seating and retail space), Bar Lounge (furniture, finishes, lighting), updated evening entertainment), Wellness Complex (The World Spa by Windstar & Fitness Center/new color palettes, finishes, gym equipment), Pool Deck (expansion by removing the SkyLight, new swimming pool and Jacuzzi, larger Pool Bar, new poolside furniture/sofas, poufs, ottoman beds, deckchairs, outdoor lighting, speakers, greenery).

The sailships' technology updates/upgrades include larger smart TVs in all staterooms (with interactive content and on-demand movies) and new WiFi points (with access to Starlink Internet).

Small-ship and luxury cruise lines refurbishments

At the following tag-link can be found listed all CruiseMapper's news related to drydock refurbishments .

The top 10 biggest cruise ships in the world

M odern cruise ships continue to grow in size, with the biggest cruise ship, the Icon of the Seas , launching at the start of this year, and her sister ship the Star of the Seas expected to surpass her in size.

Both of these ships are operated by Royal Caribbean International, which operates five of the ten largest cruise ships in the world. Carnival Corporation, arguably the biggest cruise company in the world, features three times on the list through its subsidiaries P&O Cruises and Costa Cruises.

All of the heaviest cruise ships in the world were built within the last 20 years, although the majority – six of the ten – were built within the last five years.

So, here are the top ten biggest cruise ships in the world, by gross tonnage. 

10. P&O Cruises MS Arvia : 185,581 gross tonnes

The MS Arvia is P&O Cruises’ fourth ship to be built by German shipyard Meyer Werft. Weighing in at 185,581 gross tonnes, the 345m (1,130-foot) Arvia is slightly larger than her sister ship, the MS Iona . The 20-deck ship is the largest ship commissioned for the British cruise market and has a maximum passenger capacity of 6,264 passengers, with 1,800 crew onboard. 

The ship is the second liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered Excellence-class vessel for P&O, following the Iona . Arvia is powered by a 61,760kW LNG drive system, with a propulsion power of 37 megawatts. The LNG-powered propulsion system allows the vessel to sail at a maximum speed of 21.5 knots.

After being floated out in August 2022, the Arvia mainly operates itineraries around the Caribbean or the Mediterranean.

9. Costa Cruises – Costa Smeralda : 185,010 gross tonnes

The Costa Smeralda is the first LNG-powered vessel in the Costa Cruises fleet. With a gross tonnage of 185,010gt, the 20-deck Excellence-class ship measures 337m (1,106 feet) in length. The second LNG-powered cruise ship to enter operation in the world, she has a maximum capacity of 6,554 passengers with 1,646 crew and a service speed of 21.5 knots.

Construction of the Costa Smeralda began at the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland, in September 2017. Meyer Turku collaborated with the Meyer Werft Papenburg shipyard to develop and integrate the LNG propulsion plant for the ship. She is fitted with four 16-cylinder, Caterpillar MaK 16VM46DF engines, with 15.4 megawatts (20,710 horsepower) output per engine, resulting in a maximum power of  37 megawatts (50,000 horsepower).

The ship, which was named after the Emerald Coast of Sardinia, entered service in December 2019 , departing Savona on its maiden voyage in the Mediterranean, where it has sailed since.

8. Costa Cruises – Costa Toscana : 186,364 gross tonnes

The Costa Toscana is the sister ship of the Costa Smeralda and is also powered by LNG . measuring 337m (1,106 feet) long and weighing in at 186,364 gross tonnes, the Toscana has a maximum capacity of 6,338 passengers and 1,678 staff across her 20 decks.

Like her sister ship, the Toscana was also built at the Meyer shipyard in Finland, with construction completed in 2021. She is also powered by four MaK-Caterpillar engines, with a total power of 57.2 megawatts (76,706 horsepower), and two ABB Azipod motors , resulting in a service speed of 17 knots.

Named in homage to the Tuscany region of Italy, Costa Toscana mainly sails around the Mediterranean Sea but Costa Cruises has also used the ship to sail itineraries further afield, such as around Brazil and the UAE.

7. MSC Cruises – MSC World Europa : 215,863 gross tonnes

The only entry in the top ten from MSC Cruises, MSC World Europa measures 333m (1,094 feet) in length. With 215,863 gross tonnage, she can house more people than any other ship in the MSC fleet: up to 6,762 passengers across 2,633 cabins spread over 22 decks, in addition to 2,138 crew.

Built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, the World Europa ’s LNG-power propulsion system was subcontracted to Finland-based Wärtsilä. Five LNG-powered, 14-cylinder Wartsila 46DF dual-fuel engines power the vessel, with a propulsion power of 44 megawatts ( 59,005 horsepower). She also features nitrogen oxide reduction (NOR) units, two Wartsila LNGPac fuel storage and supply systems, seven thrusters, and two fixed-pitch propellers. 

The MSC World Europa was floated out at the end of 2021 and was initially used as an accommodation vessel for fans attending the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with the ship berthed at Doha Port in Qatar during the tournament. Following the competition, the ship subsequently travelled several routes around the UAE, before sailing to the Mediterranean, where it has sailed itineraries since.

6. Royal Caribbean International – Allure of the Seas : 225,282 gross tonnes

The first of many entries on this list operated by Royal Caribbean, Allure of the Seas weighs in at 225,282 gross tonnes. Measuring 362m (1,187 feet), she is only 50mm (2 inches) longer than her sister ship the Oasis of the Seas . The Allure has a maximum capacity of 6,780 passengers and 2,200 crew across 18 decks.

Built at the Turku Shipyard in Finland, the Allure took two years to build , floating out in 2010. She features six Wärtsilä 46 diesel engines with a total power output of 97 megawatts (130,053 horsepower). It is propelled by three electric Azipod azimuth thrusters. The ship can travel at a cruising speed of 22 knots.

With a homeport of Galveston, Texas in the US, the Allure mainly serves itineraries around the Bahamas but she is scheduled to sail routes around the Mediterranean in 2025.

5. Royal Caribbean International – Oasis of the Seas : 226,838 gross tonnes

The oldest ship on this list, the Oasis of the Seas has been in service for over a decade. She was the biggest cruise ship at the time when floated out in 2009, with a gross tonnage of 226,838gt and a length of 360m (1,181 feet). The Oasis has a maximum capacity of 6,699 passengers and 2,181 staff across 18 decks.

The Oasis took two years to build at the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland, with the keel laid on 12 November 2007 and the ship arriving at her homeport of Port Everglades in Florida, US, on 13 November 2009.

The Oasis is powered by eight Wärtsilä V12 diesel engines, which generate 5.6 megawatts (7,500 horsepower) each, alongside four bow thrusters. The main propulsion system consists of three 20-megawatt (26,820 horsepower) electric Azipod motors, resulting in a combined propulsion power of 82 megawatts (109,964 horsepower) and a standard cruising speed of 23 knots.

The Oasis mainly operates routes around the Caribbean, but occasionally repositions to offer itineraries in the Mediterranean.

4. Royal Caribbean International – Harmony of the Seas : 226,963 gross tonnes

The third Oasis-class ship built by Royal Caribbean, Harmony of the Seas weighed in bigger than her existing sister ships at launch in 2016, with 226,963 gross tonnage, but she has since been surpassed by newer vessels. With a total length of 362m (1,188 feet), Harmony has a maximum capacity of 6,780 passengers and 2,300 staff across 18 decks.

Royal Caribbean placed an order with STX France for the construction of Harmony of the Seas in December 2012. The first steel for the ship was cut at STX France’s Saint-Nazaire shipyard in September 2013, while the keel-laying ceremony was held in May 2014.

The Harmony is powered by three 18.9-megawatt Wärtsilä 16V46 16-cylinder main generator diesel engines and three Wärtsilä 12V46 12-cylinder engines producing 13.9 megawatts each. The propulsion power is provided by three electric Azipod azimuth thrusters and manoeuvring is assisted by four 5.5-megawatt Wärtsilä CT 3500 tunnel thrusters. The propulsion system results in 82 megawatts (109,964 horsepower) and enables the ship to sail at a standard speed of 23 knots.

Harmony of the Seas embarked on her inaugural seven-night Western Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona, Spain, in June 2016, and currently operates itineraries around the Western Caribbean from her homeport of Galveston, Texas in the US.

3. Royal Caribbean International – Symphony of the Seas : 228,081 gross tonnes

At launch in 2018, the Symphony of the Seas surpassed the Harmony as the biggest cruise ship, weighing in at 228,081 gross tonnes. Measuring 361m (1,185 feet), the Symphony has a maximum capacity of 6,680 passengers and 2,200 staff across 18 decks and was the testing ground for Royal Caribbean's new muster drill . With a total length of 361m (1,185 feet), She is roughly 30 metres (98 feet) longer than the largest military ships , the US Nimitz-class aircraft carriers and the USS Gerald R. Ford .

The keel-laying ceremony for the Symphony of the Seas was held in October 2015 at STX’s Saint-Nazaire shipyard in France, and the ship sailed out in June 2017. She is powered by six diesel sets, each composed of three Wärtsilä 16V46D engines and three Wärtsilä 12V46D engines, as well as three 20-megawatt electric Azipod main engines – resulting in 82 megawatts (109,964 horsepower) of propulsion power and a standard cruising speed of 22 knots.

The Symphony commenced her seven-day maiden voyage from Barcelona in April 2018, and since then has mainly operated itineraries around the Caribbean from her homeports of Miami, New York, and Fort Lauderdale.

2. Royal Caribbean International – Wonder of the Seas : 235,600 gross tonnes

Royal Caribbean's flagship, Wonder of the Seas is the fifth Oasis-class cruise ship built for the cruise company. Weighing in at 235,600 gross tonnes, the Wonder was the largest ship in the world when she was completed in January 2022. Measuring 362m (1,187 feet) in length, the 18-deck Wonder has a maximum capacity of 7,084 guests across its 2,867 staterooms, as well as housing 2,369 crew.

Built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, Wonder is powered by two Wärtsilä 16V46D engines and four Wärtsilä 12V46D engines; and uses three 20-megawatt electric Azipod engines for propulsion, combining for a propulsion power of 82 megawatts (109,964 horsepower and a standard cruising speed of 22 knots.

The Wonder sailed her maiden voyage in March 2022 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and has since served itineraries around the Caribbean from her homeports of Miami and Cape Canaveral.

1. Royal Caribbean International – Icon of the Seas : 248,663 gross tonnes

Weighing 248,663 gross tonnes and measuring 365 metres (1,1967 feet), the Icon of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world. Christened on 23 January 2024, the Icon has a maximum capacity of 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew across 20 decks. She is the lead ship of the new Icon-class, with a sister ship the Star of the Seas due to be delivered in 2025 and another ship planned for delivery in 2026.

Built by Meyer Turku in Finland, the Icon is the first ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet that can be powered by LNG. It uses three Wärtsilä 14V46DF and three Wärtsilä 12V46DF for its main generator engines, which provide 67.5 megawatts of energy to run the ship. She is propelled by three 20-megawatt Azipod thrusters as well as five 4.8-megawatt Wärtsilä WTT-45 CP bow thrusters, with a cruising speed of 22 knots.

After sailing her maiden voyage on 27 January 2024, the Icon now sails year-round itineraries of seven-night trips around the Eastern and Western Caribbean from her homeport of Miami, Florida.

"The top 10 biggest cruise ships in the world" was originally created and published by Ship Technology , a GlobalData owned brand.

The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.

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Nation’s Largest Floating Drydock Arrives In Portland – Photos

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The MV Blue Marlin, carrying the Vigorous, arrived off Astoria, Oregon on Sunday before making its way up the Columbia River and then the Willamette River to Portland. U.S. Coast Guard Photo

The soon-to-be largest floating drydock in the United States made its way up the Willamette River and into Portland on Monday aboard the Blue Marlin.

The drydock, known as the Vigorous, is destined for Vigor Industrial’s Portland shipyard. Fully assemble, the drydock will measure a whopping 960-feet – more than three times the height of the Statue of Liberty – and will have 80,000-tons of capacity, making it the largest in the nation. The dock was designed to meet the requirements of the US Navy’s MIL-STD 1625D and the American Bureau of Shipping.

Vigor is investing more than $50 million to build and deliver the Vigorous, which will be used to service vessels such as cruise ships, tankers and cargo ships. Two large vessels, as a matter of fact,  both Maritime Administration cargo ships, are already booked for repairs when the drydock enters service in November.

The drydock was designed by the U.S. company Heger Dry Dock and constructed by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries in Jiangsu Province, China. It is being delivered to Portland in three pieces aboard the Blue Marlin, a semi-submersible heavy lift ship owned by Dockwise Ltd.

Vigor CEO Frank Foti says the new drydock will allow the company to better serve a range of customers with large vessels at a time when total large-drydock capacity on the West Coast has been shrinking.

“The Vigorous is a symbol of the resurgence of the maritime industry in Portland and the wider Pacific Northwest,” said Foti. “Back in 2000, the shipyard was struggling. Today, we’re growing across the region, and I’m proud and profoundly grateful that we’re in a place to make this kind of investment.”

Vigor notes that the Vigorous is about the same size as the drydock Foti, which Vigor sold in 2001 in order to repay millions of dollars of debt. The sale led some to speculate it was the end of shipbuilding in Portland, but since then the company has grown from the single shipyard to nine locations from Portland to Seward, Alaska. The workforce in the Portland shipyard alone has expanded from fewer than 80 workers in the 1990s to more than 600 today, Vigor says, and overall workforce now includes more than 2,000 people.

”The drydock is attracting new business and new jobs to the region,” said Foti. “Without the Vigorous, these large ship repair projects and the family-wage shipyard jobs they create would just go somewhere else.”

The Blue Marlin arrived at the mouth of the Columbia and was guided over the Columbia River Bar by the Columbia River Bar Pilots, before being transfered the Columbia River Pilots for the trip up river to Portland.

The photos below are courtesy of  Seth Tane , who snapped the photos as the Blue Marlin passing below the St. Johns bridge and then the BNSF drawspan bridge on Monday.

Photos (c)  Seth Tane/SethTane.com

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Resorts World One Undergoes Drydock in China

• April 29, 2024

The Resorts World One recently left a shipyard in China after undergoing regular maintenance. As part of the work, the 1999-built ship spent five days in YiuLian Dockyardsd in Shenzhen, starting on April 7, 2024.

Operated by Resorts World Cruises, the cruise ship underwent a series of services, including hull exterior painting, lifeboat landing maintenance and general inspection.

The Resorts World One also received engine maintenance, in addition to class work and upgrades to its public areas and staterooms.

“The collaboration with Yiu Lian Shipyard has been nothing short of extraordinary, reflecting the high standards and technical expertise required for such intricate work,” said a statement from Resorts World Cruises. “The partnership is a testament to our confidence in the shipyard’s ability to meet and exceed the demanding requirements of cruise ship repairs. We are not only content with the current project’s progress but also excited about the potential for long-term collaboration.”

According to local media, this was the first time that the Resorts World One used a drydock in China.

Acquired by Resorts World Cruises last year, the 1,804-guest ship had last visited a shipyard in Singapore in early 2023 .

Following the work in China, the Resorts World One returned to Hong Kong to resume its regular schedule of short cruises departing from the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal.

The program runs through late May and includes two-night cruises to nowhere, as well as two- and three-night itineraries to Mainland China and five-night cruises to Vietnam and Japan.

Among the ports of call being visited are Sanya, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Halong Bay, Naha, Miyakojima and Ishigaki.

Before returning to Hong Kong later this year, the Resorts World One is also set to offer cruises departing from Singapore, Indonesia and Taiwan.

Originally in service for Star Cruises as the SuperStar Virgo, the 76,800-ton cruise ship was built in Germany by the Meyer Werft shipyard.

Before joining Resorts World Cruises in 2023 , the ship also sailed for Dream Cruises and the Explorer Dream.

Along with its sister ship SuperStar Leo, which is now in service for Norwegian Cruise Line as the Norwegian Spirit, the vessel was one of the first modern cruise ships custom-designed to serve the Asian market.

Controlled by the Lim family, who owned and operated Genting Cruise Lines in the past, Resorts World Cruises is part of the Resorts World hotel and casino group.

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