Top 13 Most Expensive Cruise Ships in World 2023

Costs quickly add up when outfitting a massive ship with all the amenities and extras found in a five-star hotel. It’s no wonder that the average ticket price is so high, given that modern cruise ships cost hundreds of millions to build (or more, as we’ll see).

If you were curious about how much some of the world’s most luxurious and huge cruise ships truly cost to build, here is a list of the top 13 most expensive cruise ships ever built. The list features ships in increasingly expensive order.

Because of rising consumer expectations and fierce industry competition, cruise companies are always innovating and topping one another with cutting-edge onboard features.

Huge cruise ships populate today’s oceans. Because of this, the industry consistently receives billions of dollars in funding, which allows luxurious cruise liners to be developed.

So, let’s dive into our top 13 list of the most expensive cruise ships around the globe.

Carnival Mardi Gras

Image credit: https://images.foxtv.com

The Carnival Mardi Gras was a ground-breaking ship when it made its debut in 1972. Its initial focus, which set it apart from other cruise ships at the time, was on festive enjoyment for all passengers (thus the name). The most recent Mardis Gras, which was built in 2021 and had 2,641 staterooms, 18 passenger decks, and a rollercoaster, maintains the distinctive onboard environment to this day. It costs $950 million.

Year built2021Gross Tonnage183900 GT
Flag state BahamasPassengers5282 – 6338
BuilderMeyer WerftCrew1745
ClassExcellence-HeliosDecks18
Building costUSD 950 millionCabins2641
Length (LOA)344 m (1129 ft)OperatorCarnival Cruise Line
Beam (width)42 m (138 ft)Speed43 kph (26 mph)

Celebrity Edge

Image credit: https://www.cruisegid.ru

Celebrity Cruises, a division of the Royal Caribbean Group, operates the Celebrity Edge, an Edge-class cruise ship. The order for the new ship was placed in December 2014 with the French shipbuilder STX France; the keel was laid in June 2017, and the ship was floated out at the start of 2018.

She joined the Celebrity fleet in October 2018 and, with 130,818 GT, became the largest ship by gross tonnage to enter the Edge class. Celebrity Edge launched her first season on November 6, 2018, after giving birth on a transatlantic voyage from France to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Since December 2018, Celebrity Edge has operated out of Port Everglades, making weekly cruises to the Mediterranean in the summer and the Western and Eastern Caribbean in the winter. It costs a billion dollars.

Year built2018Gross Tonnage130,818 GT
Flag state MaltaPassengers2918 – 3521
BuilderChantiers de l’AtlantiqueCrew1377
ClassCelebrity EDGEDecks15
Building costUSD 1 BillionCabins1467
Length (LOA)306 m (1004 ft)OperatorCelebrity Cruises
Beam (width)39 m (128 ft)Speed41 kph (25 mph)

Norwegian Bliss

Image credit: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com

The list now includes the brand-new, enormously luxurious Norwegian Bliss cruise liner, which cost nearly $1 billion to construct.

The third ship of the Norwegian Cruise Line’s Breakaway Plus class, Norwegian Bliss, was constructed at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany (NCL). NCL’s 16th ship, the Norwegian Bliss, is based in Miami. Sister ships include the Norwegian Escape and the Norwegian Joy.

The ship’s signature feature is the 180° observation lounge on deck 15. The 6096 m (20,000ft) – 2 salon offers amazing views of the ocean and is encircled by floor-to-ceiling windows.

Year built2018Gross Tonnage168028 GT
Flag stateBahamasPassengers4004 – 4903
BuilderMeyer Werft (Papenburg, Germany)Crew1716
ClassBreakaway PlusDecks20
Building costUSD 1 BillionCabins2043
Length (LOA)333 m (1093 ft)Operator(NCL) Norwegian Cruise Line
Beam (width)41 m (135 ft)Speed43 kph (26 mph)

MSC Bellissima

Image credit: https://www.cruisegid.ru

Cruise ship MSC Bellissima is run by MSC Cruises. She was built at Saint-Nazaire, France’s Chantiers de l’Atlantique. The vessel joined MSC Meraviglia in the Meraviglia class of cruise ships owned by the business. She can accommodate 4,500 passengers and has a tonnage of 171,600GT. Launched in March 2019, the ship.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MSC Cruises announced the cancellation of all North American cruises through June 30, 2020. On March 4, 2019, MSC Bellissima set sail for her first journey, and on March 12, 2019, she made her first port of call in Spain. The ship costs $1 Billion.

Year built2019Gross Tonnage171600 GT
Flag state MaltaPassengers4488 – 5686
BuilderChantiers de l’AtlantiqueCrew1536
ClassMeravigliaDecks18
Building costUSD 1 BillionCabins2244
Length (LOA)315 m (1033 ft)OperatorMSC Cruises
Beam (width)43 m (141 ft)Speed41 kph (25 mph)

MSC Meraviglia

Image credit: https://www.talkingcruise.com

The MSC Meraviglia is a cruise ship that belongs to MSC Cruises and is run by them. STX France built it at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France. The Meraviglia class of MSC’s new “Vista Project” ships is headed by the MSC Meraviglia, with the MSC Bellissima class, which followed in 2019. There are 4,500 passengers on each vessel.

It was the sixth-largest cruise ship in the world when it first went into service in June 2017, trailing only AIDAnova and Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class vessels. The ship, which has previously cruised in Northern Europe and the western Mediterranean, made its first move to the US in the fall of 2019 to New York and Miami in order to sail to the Caribbean as part of MSC’s North American growth program. It costs $1 Billion.

Year built2017Gross Tonnage167600 GT
Flag stateMaltaPassengers4488 – 5386
BuilderChantiers de l’AtlantiqueCrew1536
ClassMeravigliaDecks18
Building costUSD 1 BillionCabins2244
Length (LOA)316 m (1037 ft)OperatorMSC Cruises
Beam (width)43 m (141 ft)Speed43 kph (26 mph)

AID Anova

Image credit: https://www.talkingcruise.com

The AIDAnova is the first ship of AIDA Cruises’ new Excellence-class fleet and is rumored to be the world’s fifth-largest passenger ship. This 337 m (1105 ft) long luxury ship was made at a reported cost of $1.1 billion by Meyer Werft in Germany.

AIDAnova was introduced in December 2018, and its standout feature is the Green Cruising concept. It is the first cruise ship in the world that can be powered by liquefied natural gas both at sea and in port (LNG).

With a capacity of 1,500 crew members and up to 6,600 passengers, the 183,900 GT AIDAnova has more than 2,600 passenger cabins. To suit the upscale dining and entertainment needs of the passengers, the ship features a total of 17 restaurants, a luxury day spa, 23 bars, and a 360-degree theatre, among other amenities.

Year built2018Gross Tonnage183900 GT
Flag state ItalyPassengers5400 – 6600
BuilderMeyer Werft (Papenburg, Germany)Crew1500
ClassExcellence-HeliosDecks20
Building costUSD 1.1 BillionCabins2600
Length (LOA)337 m (1,106 ft)OperatorAIDA Kreuzfahrten (AIDA Cruises)
Beam (width)42 m (138 ft)Speed43 kph (26 mph)

Norwegian Epic

Image credit: https://morskoi-vokzal.ru

The Norwegian Epic, one of Norwegian Cruise Lines’ most expensive ships, cost $1.2 billion to construct due to its distinctive size and design.

The ship boasts one of the biggest aqua parks and single-occupancy rooms. At the time it was built, it could hold 4,228 people, which made it the third-largest cruise ship in the world. It underwent a renovation in 2020, making travel there a modern luxury.

It is 329.45 m (1082 ft) long and 52 m (170 ft) wide, with a gross tonnage of 155,873.

Year built2010Gross Tonnage155873 GT
Flag stateBahamasPassengers4228 – 5074
BuilderChantiers de l’AtlantiqueCrew1724
ClassEpicDecks19
Building costUSD 1.2 billionCabins2114
Length (LOA)329 m (1079 ft)Operator(NCL) Norwegian Cruise Line
Beam (width)41 m (135 ft)Speed43 kph (26 mph)

MSC World Europa

Image credit: https://cdnb.artstation.com

MSC World Europa is one of the world’s most costly cruise ships, with a build cost of USD 1.25 billion. The MSC World-class fleet consists of four vessels, with World Europa serving as the inaugural vessel.

The ship features 2,700 guest rooms, 430,000 sq ft of public space, 20 decks in total, and the world’s longest dry slide, the Spiral, at an impressive 11 stories in the air.

Year built2022Gross Tonnage205700 GT
Flag state MaltaPassengers5240 – 6774
BuilderChantiers de l’AtlantiqueCrew2138
ClassMSC WORLDDecks20
Building costUSD 1.25 billionCabins2633
Length (LOA)333 m (1093 ft)OperatorMSC Cruises
Beam (width)47 m (154 ft)Speed43 kph (26 mph)

Harmony of the Seas

Image credit: https://www.simplemost.com

Harmony of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas are similar in terms of their onboard amenities and activities, and layout. The 1,188-foot-long, billion-dollar ship can accommodate 6,410 passengers in total.

The Ultimate Abyss slide, which carries visitors down ten decks at nine miles per hour, is one of its standout features. It costs around $1.35 Billion.

Year built2016Gross Tonnage226963 GT
Flag state BahamasPassengers5497 – 6410
BuilderChantiers de l’AtlantiqueCrew2394
ClassOASIS-PlusDecks17
Building costUSD 1.35 billionCabins2745
Length (LOA)362 m (1,188 ft)OperatorRCI-Royal Caribbean International
Beam (width)47 m (154 ft)Speed41 kph (25 mph)

Symphony of the Seas

Image credit: http://www.cruisestart.de

The Symphony of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean, is the second-largest cruise ship in the world. This vessel, which was the largest cruise ship in the world from 2018 to 2022, is currently a close second to Wonder of the Seas.

There are two 13 m (43 ft) rock climbing walls, a full-size basketball court, an ice rink, a zip line with ten decks, a theatre with 1400 seats, an outdoor aquatic theatre with Olympic-height platforms, and other amenities.   A park with more than 20,000 tropical plants is also there.

Six marine-diesel sets, each consisting of three 16-cylinder Wärtsilä 16V46D common rail engines and three 12-cylinder Wärtsilä 12V46D engines, power Symphony of the Seas.It has 2,759 cabins and 15 guest decks, totaling 17 decks. It costs around $1.35 Billion.

Year built2018Gross Tonnage228081 GT
Flag state BahamasPassengers5518 – 6780
BuilderChantiers de l’AtlantiqueCrew2394
ClassOASIS-PlusDecks17
Building costUSD 1.35 billionCabins2759
Length (LOA)361 m (1184 ft)OperatorRCI-Royal Caribbean International
Beam (width)47 m (154 ft)Speed41 kph (25 mph)

The wonder of the Seas

Image credit: https://pbs.twimg.com

Since January 2022, Wonder of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean vessel, has held the title of the largest cruise ship in the world. The fifth ship of Royal’s Oasis class made its maiden voyage in March 2022. The appropriately titled Wonder of the Seas features 2,874 cabins, 19 pools, and 17 decks (15 guest-accessible decks) (the most on any cruise ship). This beauty costs around $1.35 Billion.

Year built2022Gross Tonnage236857 GT
Flag state BahamasPassengers5734 – 6988
BuilderChantiers de l’AtlantiqueCrew2394
ClassOASIS-PlusDecks17
Building costUSD 1.35 billionCabins2874
Length (LOA)362 m (1188 ft)OperatorRCI-Royal Caribbean International
Beam (width)64 m (210 ft)Speed41 kph (25 mph)

Oasis of the Seas

Image credit: https://i.pinimg.com/originals

The “seven neighborhoods” design element, which has subsequently been adopted by its sister ships and has virtually become a standard, was initially used by the first ship of the Oasis class, The Oasis of the Seas.

When it was launched in 2009, it broke the previous capacity record (6,780), and it also has the deepest high dive pool ever to sail. It was built for roughly $1.4 billion by STX Europe in Turku, Finland.

The Broadway musical “Hairspray” was performed exclusively for guests as onboard entertainment.

Year built2009Gross Tonnage225282 GT
Flag state BahamasPassengers5592 – 6431
BuilderSTX EuropeCrew2150
ClassOASISDecks17
Building costUSD 1.4 billionCabins2796
Length (LOA)362 m (1188 ft)OperatorRCI-Royal Caribbean International
Beam (width)47 m (154 ft)Speed43 kph (26 mph)

The Allure of the Seas

Image credit: https://newsroom.porsche.com

The $1.5 billion Allure of the Seas is now the most expensive cruise ship in the world, surpassing her The Allure of the Seas, which debuted in 2010, features 25 different dining establishments, four swimming pools, and ten whirlpools, and can house up to 6,314 passengers at once.

The 1,188-foot Royal Caribbean vessel features a cutting-edge theatre with seating for 1,380, where passengers may enjoy productions like the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “Chicago.”

The Allure of the Seas and many of its sister ships feature Shrek and Madagascar characters, thanks to a partnership between Royal Caribbean and DreamWorks Entertainment.

Year built2010Gross Tonnage225282 GT
Flag state BahamasPassengers5492 – 6314
BuilderSTX EuropeCrew2150
ClassOASISDecks17
Building costUSD 1.5 billionCabins2745
Length (LOA)362 m (1188 ft)OperatorRCI-Royal Caribbean International
Beam (width)47 m (154 ft)Speed43 kph (26 mph)
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments