Top 10 Cruise Lines for Megaships
There can be many different answers to the question of just what a Megaship is, from its weight to its length but for the purpose of this list, we are classifying a Megaship as a cruise ship that has a full capacity of 5,000 passengers or more.
Whilst that may sound like far too many people to be on the same ship and the thought of cruising onboard one of the behemoths of the sea just leaves you thinking of crowded venues and nowhere to sit, the thing that you have to remember is that whilst there are more people onboard, there are also many more venue and lots more space.
Some lines use that space wisely whilst some see it as a way to offer more at cost activities but no matter what you like to do on holiday, the chances are that you can now do it onboard a cruise ship with everything from ice skating to roller coasters and from gardens to west end shows.
With more and more line snow offering giants cruise ships, just which offer the chance to sail onboard a Megaship and more importantly, which are the best lines.
That is just what I look at in this list where I bring you my top 10 cruise lines for Megaships.
Our Top 10 Cruise Lines for Megaships
Royal Caribbean
There can only be one line to top a list such of this one and that line is the Royal Caribbean cruise line.
They have invented a whole new style of cruising, based on districts, to helps split up their Megaships and to make things easier for those sailing onboard.
For nearly two decades, the line has operated the biggest ship in the world and that continues to this day with the current record holder, the Icon of the Seas launched in 2024, set to be soon overtaken by the Star of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean operate the largest fleet of Megaships and offer everything from ice skating to hive diving shows and from outdoor gardens to indoor promenades and much, much more.
What always makes there Megaships stand out is the width of their ships that around a quarter wider than their nearest competitors from other lines.
MSC Cruises
MSC Cruises are a Swiss owned, Italian based line that have a heavy focus on the Mediterranean, but that also operated in most major markets including the UK and North America.
They have a vast fleet of ships that really do offer something for everyone including some of the biggest cruise ships in the world.
There world class set of ships can host over 5,000 fans at double occupancy and nearly 7,000 at full capacity and despite been around 215,000 tonnes, they have managed to keep alive the style expected form an MSC ship.
It is not just that class of ship that qualifies the line for this list however, as there Meraviglia Plus class of ships also can accommodate over 5,000 cruisers at double occupancy on ships such as the MSC Grandiosa.
MSC offer a low-cost base price where everything onboard comes at an extra cost so if you want to try a Megaship but have a limited budget, they are arguably the line to start with.
I was fortunate to enjoy a cruise on there MSC Virtuosa cruise ship and was mostly impressed with the experience and would gladly choose to sail with the line again.
Carnival Cruises
Carnival Cruises is the biggest cruise line in the world; they have ships based all over the world but do have a heavy focus on North America and whilst they operate everything from small, older ships to huge, modern ones, they are all set to enter into the super-Megaship world of cruising.
Launching in 2029, there Ace Class of ships will hold an expected 8,000 passengers to be up there with the biggest in the world, but for those wanting to sail before then, they currently operate several Megaships including the Carnival Celebration and the Carnival Jubilee.
The brand is known as the fun line and for been more laid back than many others which is highlighted by there colourful decors and the fact you can ride a rollercoaster at sea with them.
Princess Cruises
Princess cruises are a more premium line that many may think of as operating medium sized cruises or larger ships with plenty of space on them, but they have operated Megaships for nearly a decade starting with the Majestic Princess which entered service in 2017.
Since then, they have added bigger ships such as the Sun Princess, so if you are wanting that bit better standard of food, a quieter and more spacious Megaship and you want a wide range of repositioning routes, Princess cruises could be the option for your next Megaship adventure.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Although Norwegian operate many huge ships, including the likes of the Norwegian Bliss that I was lucky enough to sail on, they only have one offering that makes this list with the Norwegian Epic capable if welcoming up to 5183 guests at full capacity.
Its fair to say that the ship is one of the ugliest out there, as I voted it on my top 10 ugliest cruise ships list, and it does seem to be a ship you either love or hate but it has remained one of the highest capacity ships open to cruisers since 2010 and remains one of the more all action ships out there.
P&O Cruises
P&O are another regional focussed cruise line owned and operated by the Carnival Corporation, but this time they are based and focused on the UK market.
As with their sister lines, AIDA and Costa, they too operate Excellence class ships that are known as the Arvia and the Iona.
They offer a more British style of cruising, so expect Afternoon Teas, west end show tunes and no tipping on cruises mostly sailing out of the port of Southampton to destination such as the Mediterranean and the Norwegian Fjords.
Disney Cruise Line
Disney are perhaps better known for their more old-fashioned style of cruise ships, that have more of a nod and a wink to the liners of yesteryear but starting at the end of 2025, they are entering the Megaship market.
The line has snapped up a ship from a bankrupt line based in Asia and when sailing for Disney, it will become the Disney Adventure.
At 208,000 tonnes, she will have roughly 2,500 cabins and a full capacity of around 6,700 and whilst she will look different form the outside, she will have all of the favourite things expected from the line including special shows, character meet and greats and themed dining experiences- amongst many other things.
Costa Cruises
Costa are an Italian-focussed line owned by the Carnival Corporation and it is the one of a few different lines on this list this operate Excellence class ships.
For the Costa Cruises line, it is their Costa Smeralda and Costa Toscana ships that get the Megaship label with them both having a full capacity of 6,554 cruisers and a double occupancy of 5,224.
The Smeralda entered service back in 2019, with her sister joining the fleet in 2021 and been around 1,000 tonnes heavier.
AIDA
AIDA are a German facing brand of the Carnival Corporation who once again operate Excellence class of ships, where the class is known as the Helios class of ships.
They currently operate the AIDAnova and the AIDAcosma which are both just under 184,000 gross tonnage, they run on LPG and feature the iconic giant lips livery associated with the line.
Adora Cruises
So, the chances are that many reading this list won’t even have heard of this cruise line before and there are good reasons for that.
The line was established back in October 2015 as CSSC Carnival thanks to a joint venture between the Carnival Corporation, the China Investment Corporation and the China State Shipbuilding Corporation.
In 2017, new ships for the line were announced and expected to enter service in 2023 but, for obvious reasons, that was put back, Carnival Corporation pulled out and the lines name was changed to Adora.
The new line would start with ships purchased from the Costa Line, but they are set to take on there first new build next year with the huge Adora Flora City.
The ship will be 142,000 gross tonnage, it will be able to host up to a maximum of 5,232 guests and will offer sailings out of the Chinese city of Guangzhou.
