The Oasis of the Seas, which set sail for the first time in December 2009, currently holds the title as the world's largest cruise ship, based not only on its guest capacity, but on its tonnage, which is the standard for rating the size of cruise ships. The Oasis of the Seas, when fully booked, can hold a whopping 5,400 passengers and 2,165 staff members. It is 1,187 feet long, and has a gross tonnage of 225,282. The ship has 24 restaurants, a green "park," and stands 18 decks high. It came with a price tag just as big--about $1.4 billion. For its weeklong cruises, more than 700 tons of supplies have to be loaded onto the Oasis.
Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas
1050 Caribbean Way
Miami, FL 33132
(866) 562-7625
www.oasisoftheseas.com/
Freedom of the Seas is the second-largest cruise ship out there. It accommodates 3,634 passengers and 1,300 crew members. The ship weighs 154,407 gross tons and is 1,112 feet long. It features, among other things, a rock-climbing wall, a surf park and a waterpark.
Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas
1050 Caribbean Way
Miami, FL 33132
866-562-7625
www.freedomoftheseas.com/
Constructed in 2003, the Queen Mary 2 is a transatlantic ocean liner, which makes it different from the other cruise ships listed here. According to cruise purists and experts, cruise ships are basically hotels built to float, while an ocean liner like the Queen Mary 2 is built to traverse the rough waters of a real ocean.The Queen Mary 2 has a gross tonnage of 148,528, and remains the largest ocean liner cruising the seas. She features a casino, a planetarium, 15 restaurants and bars, and 5 swimming pools. She can accommodate 3,056 passengers and 1,253 crew members.
Queen Mary 2
24303 Town Center Drive,
Valencia, CA 91355-0908
800-7-CUNARD
www.cunard.com/ourships/default.asp?ship=QM2
Carnival Cruises' Dream is a ship that can accommodate 3,646 passengers and 1,367 staff. It is considered the fourth-largest cruise ship based on its gross tonnage of 130,000. The Dream measures 1,004 feet and offers its guests 1,800 staterooms, singing and dancing waiters, pools, lots of dance floors, a comedy club, water slides, and an adults-only tanning deck. The Dream cruises out of Port Canaveral, Fl.
Carnival Dream
3655 N.W. 87th Ave
Miami, Fl 33178
1-888-CARNIVAL
www.carnival.com/dream
