Government leaders in Mexico have rejected Royal Caribbean’s plans to develop Perfect Day Mexico, leading to the project’s cancellation.
The project could not overcome significant ecological concerns and has been controversial from the very beginning.
While Royal Caribbean is not happy about this, it respects the decision made by the Mexican authorities.
In a surprising development, the Mexican government has officially cancelled Royal Caribbean’s plans for Perfect Day Mexico during a press conference in Mexico City on May 19, 2026.
Perfect Day Mexico was supposed to have been a 230-acre private island-style destination with a massive waterpark in Mahahual, Mexico. Mahahual is a small, port village that is accessible from the Costa Maya Cruise Port.
Royal Caribbean was so sure that its next destination would come to fruition that it invested $292 million to buy the cruise port and the surrounding area and had set aside an additional $529 million for construction. A 2027 opening had already been announced.
But due to ongoing ecological concerns, Mexican authorities did not see a path forward for the development at this time.
“I would like to inform you that the Royal Caribbean Perfect Day project will not be approved. We know that the company is also seeking to withdraw from the project, but we, as SEMARNAT, will not approve it,”Alicia Bárcena, the head of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), announced during the press conference.
Royal Caribbean expressed its disappointment in an email to Cruise Hive, but stated that the company will respect the decision made by Mexico’s environmental authorities.
“We are disappointed by SEMARNAT’s decision and respect the role of Mexico’s environmental authorities,”the Royal Caribbean spokesperson wrote, in part.
According to Bárcena, Royal Caribbean had already been quietly taking steps to withdraw the project before the announcement was made on May 19, perhaps because company leaders could already see the writing on the wall.
Perfect Day Mexico Was Always Controversial
During a press release on Monday, May 18, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum made it clear that Mahahual’s environment is Mexico’s top priority. Her statement came the day before the cancellation was confirmed.
“We must not do anything that affects that area, which has a very important ecological balance, and is particularly important for the reefs,”Sheinbaum asserted.
But while this might be the last time ecological concerns have blocked the private resort, it’s not the first. In January, a Quintana Roo district court judge halted work on Perfect Day Mexico due to an injunction request from Right to a Healthy Environment (DMAS).
Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Meixco Water Park
The environmental organization had significant concerns about how the project would impact the vital mangrove ecosystem, which is critical for water filtration and erosion protection and could negatively impact local communities if handled poorly.
There were also concerns about the impact to the local marine ecosystem. Mahahual is a fishing village that is home to part of the Mesoamerican Reef, the second-largest barrier reef in the world.
A Change.Org petition that was created to block the project was also started by locals in 2025. As of the time of this publication, it has received more than 4.6 million signatures and Mahahual only has around 3,000 residents.
What Comes Next for Royal Caribbean?
Royal Caribbean’s future in Mexico is uncertain at the moment, but the cruise line will be looking for a way to take their massive investment in a new, sustainable direction.
“Mahahual is a special place that deserves care and protection. We continue to believe in Mexico, and are optimistic in the potential to advance our investment responsibly,”Royal Caribbean noted in its statement to Cruise Hive.
“Over the coming weeks, we will re-engage stakeholders to move forward in a way that delivers shared prosperity through the development of essential environmental infrastructure, the creation of thousands of local jobs, and community programs that support the people of Mexico,” the spokesperson concluded.
The cruise brand has already made efforts to support the local community, such as by rehabilitating the roads in and around the planned resort.
While Perfect Day Mexico was likely a big motivator in undertaking that task, the decision to do so also shows the company’s commitment to Mahahual.
As Royal Caribbean ponders its next steps, cruise tourism should continue as normal in Costa Maya. The port welcomed 2.8 million guests in 2025, and is on track for another busy year in 2026.
Carnival Cruise Line is reminding all guests not to wear camouflage in certain ports of call where it is prohibited.
The reminder comes after a 12-year-old guest was escorted back to Carnival Horizon due to camouflage attire.
Such restrictions are set by individual countries and ports and are not under the cruise line’s control.
Every cruise guest has different ideas of what resort casual wear, formal attire, beach clothing, and other duds should be part of a vacation wardrobe, but one type of clothing may be best left at home: camouflage.
It doesn’t matter the guest’s age, intention, or style of camouflage, some countries do not permit it to be worn except by the proper authorities. One of the passengers aboard the 3,960-guest Carnival Horizon learned the hard way that wearing camouflage can mean an interruption to port plans and a disruption to one’s activities ashore.
The guest reached out to Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, about their son’s experience and asked for a reminder so other guests are aware of the prohibition.
“I think many of your fans don’t know that it is not allowed to wear camouflage clothing in Montego Bay. My 12-year-old son came off the Horizon and was sent back to the ship by police and made to change his clothes,”the guest explained.“Just saying you should tell people who do not know of this rule!”
Heald used the opportunity to remind his roughly 671,000 Facebook fans that several popular cruise ports, including Jamaica, Barbados, and the Bahamas, do not permit camouflage clothing.
“I would personally check on the local Government websites before you cruise to see if you can wear it or not,”he suggested.“And perhaps I can suggest you don’t wear it anywhere ashore? I know the idea of wearing Camouflage is not to be seen… But someone will notice if it’s not allowed.”
Jamaica’s Ministry of National Security also notes that in addition to camouflage clothing and material, other items that are not permitted (which cruise travelers might be tempted to bring) include laser light pointers, metal detectors, and pepper sprays.
The exact sailing the incident occurred on was not revealed, but Carnival Horizon is homeported from Miami and offers alternating Western Caribbean and Southern Caribbean itineraries.
The 6-night Western Caribbean routes do visit either Ocho Rios or Montego Bay in Jamaica. The most recent sailing to visit Montego Bay was the ship’s May 3, 2026 departure. Along the way, the ship also visited Celebration Key and Grand Cayman before returning to Miami on Saturday, May 9.
Popular Ports That Don’t Permit Camouflage
This is not the first time Carnival cruise guests have run into restrictions on camouflage clothing. Cruise Hive has reported on similar instances in the Bahamas as well as Barbados when guests have been returned to their respective ships by local police because of their attire.
Other countries that do not permit camouflage clothing include Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, Grenada, Antigua, and Saint Kitts, among others. These laws are set by individual countries and are not under Carnival Cruise Line’s control.
Camouflage Clothing (Photo Credit: MatrixMuse)
It can be confusing to cruise guests where camouflage clothing is and is not permitted, particularly on itineraries that may visit some ports where camouflage designs are fine and others where they are restricted.
Furthermore, even when camouflage is not permitted, some vendors may sell camouflage prints in souvenir shops, adding to the confusion.
Does Carnival Warn Guests About Improper Attire?
Carnival Cruise Line takes multiple steps to alert guests to the restriction, trying to ensure that everyone is aware of where camouflage patterns are not permitted.
“I have seen it on the website, on the app, in the Fun Times and on a sign when leaving the ship,”one guest commented.“The only thing left to do is a stamp on your forehead I guess.”
Cruise directors also typically make announcements the day before or the morning of a port visit and may include the camouflage restriction reminder as they share what to expect for the day. Shore excursion descriptions for impacted ports might also note that camouflage is not permitted.
“In some ports of call, it is against the law for anyone, including children, to wear army-style camouflage clothing or carry items made with camouflage material,”the website reads.
It is possible that some guests may not realize that camouflage restrictions apply to any age. The original poster noted it was their 12-year-old son wearing the camouflage.
Many countries that restrict camouflage do so to prevent confusion with local authorities and military personnel. Guidelines can change at any time.
The largest ship in the world by gross tonnage is Icon of the Seas, as the first in that huge class.
Royal Caribbean claims 9 out of the top 10 biggest ships in the world.
The world’s 30 largest cruise ships range in size from 169,400 gross tons to 248,663 gross tons.
Any time one of the major cruise lines introduces a new ship, it seems like they’re aiming to go bigger than ever before. Whether debuting the largest of their fleet to date or the largest in the industry overall, bigger seems to be better. Of course, one cruise line dominates the cruise ship size rankings and has for a long time: Royal Caribbean. However, other brands hardly look shabby (or small) in comparison.
Let’s take a look at the top 30 cruise ships by size, ranked by gross tonnage.
Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas (Photo Credit: Just dance)
When Icon of the Seas debuted in early 2024, it was a total industry gamechanger. The largest ship for Royal Caribbean to date and the largest in the industry overall, it’s a status that the massive ship has retained ever since. It also launched Royal Caribbean’s new Icon class, which is characterized by seemingly larger-than-life vessels.
Notable “big” features include the largest swimming pool at sea, the tallest water slide at sea, and the largest waterpark at sea (with six waterslides). It further features the first suspended infinity pool at sea and the first open free-fall slide at sea.
Gross Tonnage: 248,663 GT
Length: 1,196 feet/364 meters
Width: 219 feet/66 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,610 (double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 2,350
2. Star of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
Star of the Seas Departing Port Canaveral (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz / Cruise Hive)
Okay, Star of the Seasisn’t technically in second place. Instead, it shares the title of biggest cruise ship in the world with Icon of the Seas. (Still, Icon came first, so it gets the first nod.)
The Icon-class sister ship, first setting sail in 2025, continues what its predecessor started. It features those same big pools and waterparks, for example. That said, you will notice a few small differences between Star and Icon. For example, Star of the Seas’ dining options differ a bit, like those that you’ll find in the AquaDome Market; the theming in the supper club restaurant likewise differs.
Gross Tonnage: 248,663 GT
Length: 1,196 feet/364 meters
Width: 219 feet/66 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,610 (double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 2,350
3. Legend of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
Legend of the Seas has started sea trials. (Photo Credit: Meyer Turku)
Continuing the trend, the third largest cruise ship in the world is Legend of the Seas, the third Icon-class ship and the newest ship for Royal Caribbean.
Debuting in the summer of 2026, the ship is the same size and capacity as Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas. Again, though, with this third ship in the class, Royal Caribbean made subtle changes.
The live entertainment is different (with a Broadway-style rendition of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”). New experiences are available at the AquaTheater and ice-skating arena. The dining options welcome the Royal Railway restaurant, which previously premiered on Utopia of the Seas. Additionally, the supper club restaurant has yet another new theme and there are new offerings in the AquaDome Market.
Gross Tonnage: 248,663 GT
Length: 1,196 feet/364 meters
Width: 219 feet/66 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,610 (double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 2,350
4. Utopia of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas (Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald)
Utopia of the Seasis one of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ships, making its debut in June 2024. Even though it’s the sixth and largest of its class, however, Utopia of the Seas still lags behind the Icon-class ships by more than 10,000 GT. That said, at double occupancy, Utopia of the Seas can actually hold more guests, due to the types of staterooms available on the various ships.
As already mentioned, Utopia of the Seas introduced the Royal Railway, a simulated railcar dining experience, to Royal Caribbean, and also brought in the new Pesky Parrot bar. When the ship debuted, it also had the longest dry slide at sea, with the Ultimate Abyss stretching 259 feet. Since then, though, other ships from MSC Cruises have claimed that honor with their own, longer dry slides.
Gross Tonnage: 236,473 GT
Length: 1,188 feet/362 meters
Width: 211 feet/64 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,668 (double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 2,290
5. Wonder of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas in the Bahamas (Photo Credit: Bruce Alan Bennett)
Wonder of the Seasintroduced the Suite Neighborhood to Royal Caribbean’s characteristic neighborhood-style layout, giving VIP suite guests a private place to mingle and relax. Now, you’ll find the neighborhood not only on Wonder, but also on Utopia of the Seas and on all Icon-class ships.
Gross Tonnage: 235,600 GT
Length: 1,188 feet/362 meters
Width: 215 feet/65 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,734 (double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 2,204
6. Symphony of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
Symphony of the Seas Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Just dance)
This award-winning, ginormous suite, which Royal Caribbean has received quite a bit of acclaim and attention for, is a family vacation dream. It’s two stories tall and 1,350 square feet. It has its own in-room slide, a balcony with a hot tub, a TV room and more, for all the all-out awesomeness and next-level chill you could want or need.
Gross Tonnage: 228,081 GT
Length: 1,188 feet/362 meters
Width: 215 feet/65 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,518 (double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 2,200
7. Harmony of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas (Photo Credit: Roger ARPS)
Harmony of the Seas, which entered service in May 2016, likewise introduced a feature that’s become pretty commonplace on new or recently updated Royal Caribbean vessels: the Ultimate Abyss slide. This very first dry slide measured in at around 216 feet, as compared to the 259-foot slide that’s on Utopia of the Seas. Still, it was impressive when it first launched!
Additionally, Harmony of the Seas was technically the largest cruise ship in the world between 2016 and 2018, before its sister ship, Symphony, took over.
Gross Tonnage: 226,963 GT
Length: 1,188 feet/362 meters
Width: 215 feet/65 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,479 (double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 2,200
8. Oasis of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas (Photo Credit: The Hungarian Sailor)
The lead Oasis-class ship, Oasis of the Seas launched in 2009 and, when it did, it took the Royal cruise experience into a brand-new era. It introduced so much of what we now think of as just the Royal Caribbean standard.
For one, it was the first to organize a ship using the neighborhood concept. It also brought in the AquaTheater, the first zip line at sea and the first carousel at sea. Of course, when it debuted, it was the largest in the world, too.
Royal Caribbean Group continues to keep this ship spiffy, despite its age, with recent refurbishments that have added other, now-standard features such as the Ultimate Abyss slide.
Gross Tonnage: 226,838 GT
Length: 1,187 feet/361 meters
Width: 215 feet/65 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,602 (double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 2,109
9. Allure of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas (Photo Credit: Just dance)
Debuting in 2010, Allure of the Seas is just slightly smaller than Oasis of the Seas. However, as sometimes happens with these ships and their varying designs and stateroom categories, Allure of the Seas can actually fit more than a hundred additional cruisers, as compared to Oasis, despite its smaller gross tonnage.
MSC World America Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Just dance)
And finally! We make it to a non-Royal Caribbean cruise ship among the world’s biggest. MSC World America eked its way into the top 10 when it debuted in 2025. So just how big is this ship in comparison to No. 9?
It’s not too far off. Compared to Allure of the Seas, MSC World America is only about 9,000 GT smaller, and about 90 feet shorter, though there’s a big discrepancy in passenger capacity, with room for about 500 fewer people.
MSC World America brought a few cool features to the industry when it set sail, including the first Eataly at Sea and the first over-water ride at sea, dubbed Cliffhanger.
Gross Tonnage: 216,638 GT
Length: 1,094 feet/333.3 meters
Width: 154.2 feet/47 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,240 (double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 2,138
11. MSC World Europa (MSC Cruises)
MSC World Europa Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: HasanZaidi)
Entering service in 2022, it was the first World-class ship. As such, it introduced a few new features to the brand, including what was at the time the longest dry slide at sea (Venom Drop), the first hydroponic garden at sea, the line’s first onboard craft brewery, and the largest waterpark in the fleet.
The ship was also the line’s first LNG-fueled vessel.
Gross Tonnage: 215,863 GT
Length: 1,094 feet/333.3 meters
Width: 154.2 feet/47 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,240 (double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 2,138
12. MSC World Asia (MSC Cruises)
MSC World Asia Cruise Ship (Image Courtesy: MSC Cruises)
The third World-class ship, MSC World Asia, debuts in late 2026, and will be similarly sized to MSC World Europa. However, it does offer somedistinct features, such as an even bigger dry slide, the 266-foot Tree of Life, and an outdoor theme park that’s been christened The Harbour, alongside an expanded Aqua Deck.
Gross Tonnage: 215,863 GT
Length: 1,094 feet/333.3 meters
Width: 154.2 feet/47 meters
Guest Capacity: 6,758 (maximum capacity)
Crew Capacity: 2,142
13. Disney Adventure (Disney Cruises)
Disney Adventure Arrives in Singapore (Photo Credit: Steven Diaz)
Disney Cruise Line is a brand that’s definitely on the younger side, with a small fleet, but it’s growing and catching more attention. As of this year, it’s landed a ship within the top 15 largest cruise ships in the world.
Disney Adventure launched in 2026, as the first ship for the line serving Southeast Asia. It’s the largest vessel in the line’s fleet and its eighth ship overall. The ship is split into seven themed areas, and features new Marvel attractions on the upper deck, as well as more than 20 dining options.
Fun fact? Disney Adventure is the largest cruise ship ever to transit the Panama Canal.
Gross Tonnage: 208,000 GT
Length: 1,124 feet/342.7 meters
Width: 152 feet/46.4 meters
Guest Capacity: 6,700 (maximum capacity)
Crew Capacity: 2,500
14. P&O Arvia (P&O Cruises)
Photo Courtesy: P&O Cruises / James Robinson for Christopher Ison
Continuing to spread the love around to various other cruise lines beyond Royal Caribbean and its family of icons, P&O Cruises finds itself in the 14th spot with this ship that launched in 2022. The line’s second Excel-class ship, Arvia, is the largest P&O ship and the largest cruise ship ever constructed specifically to serve the British market.
It features 30 bars and restaurants, eight entertainment venues, four pools and 15 decks accessible to cruisers (out of the 19 decks total).
Gross Tonnage: 185,581 GT
Length: 1,131 feet/345 meters
Width: 137 feet/42 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,200
Crew Capacity: 1,800
15. Costa Smeralda (Costa Cruises)
Costa Smeralda Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Inga Fortuna)
Yet another cruise line makes the list with Costa Cruises’ snagging the 15th spot. Costa Smeraldalaunched in late 2019 and was the first Excellence-class ship for the brand.
As was the case for so many ships to debut during this time period, it was the brand’s very first ship powered by Liquified Natural Gas. Further tech innovations include an onboard desalination system, LED lights and others.
Gross Tonnage: 185,010 GT
Length: 1,105 feet/336.94 meters
Width: 137 feet/41.96 meters
Guest Capacity: 6,554 (at maximum)
Crew Capacity: 1,646
16. Costa Toscana (Costa Cruises)
Costa Toscana Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: GEORGE STAMATIS)
Costa Toscana is actually the same size as Costa Smeralda, but the latter came first, so Costa Toscana is relegated to the 16th spot on this list.
The two ships, which make up 25% of the total Costa Cruises fleet, are pretty much identical in every way. Costa Toscana first set sail in March 2022, and, over its 17 decks, the ship features nearly 20 bars and lounges, 13 pools and hot tubs total, and a water park.
P&O Cruises makes its way onto this list again with the 17th-largest ship in the world, Iona. This ship is the lead for the brand’s Excel class. However, it’s only minimally smaller than Costa Toscana and Costa Smeralda, lagging behind by only 10 GT (meanwhile, it’s actually longer than the two previously discussed ships!).
First-of-its-kind features on Iona at the ship’s debutincluded a two-deck SkyDome, with a glass roof and pool-by-day, entertainment-by-night vibes. The ship also featured the very first ever gin distillery at sea. The ship furthermore contains eight specialty restaurants, four pools, 16 hot tubs and 13 entertainment venues.
Gross Tonnage: 185,000 GT
Length: 1,131 feet/345 meters
Width: 138 feet/42 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,200 (at double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 1,800
18. Carnival Jubilee (Carnival Cruises)
Carnival Jubilee Cruise Ship at Meyer Werft (Photo Credit: MartinLueke)
Carnival Cruises finally enters the lineup with its newest ship, Carnival Jubilee! Debuting in late 2023, the ship features the cruise lines’ third roller coaster at sea, as well as a three-deck atrium. It’s powered via liquified natural gas and, at its debut, was the first such powered ship to operate out of Galveston, Texas.
Across its 17 passenger decks, the ship offers many of the celebrity-partnership dining brands that the cruise line has become known for, such as those from Guy Fieri and Shaq. Overall, the ship boasts more than 20 dining venues, more than 10 bars and lounges and more than 2,600 staterooms and suites.
Gross Tonnage: 183,521 GT
Length: 1,130 feet/345 meters
Width: 137 feet/42 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,362 (at double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 1,735
19. Carnival Celebration (Carnival Cruises)
Carnival Celebration (Photo Credit: Just dance / Shutterstock)
Another Carnival Cruises ship, Carnival Celebration entered service in 2022 and is very similar to Carnival Jubilee. Both of the ships feature the BOLT roller coaster, and both are fueled via LNG.
However, the theme-ing across the two ships differ just slightly, as Carnival Celebration really leans into its Miami connections, with an 820 Biscayne “neighborhood” that attempts to channel the vibes of Biscayne Bay.
Gross Tonnage: 183,521 GT
Length: 1,130 feet/345 meters
Width: 137 feet/42 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,362 (at double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 1,735
20. AIDAcosma (AIDA Cruises)
Photo Courtesy: Meyer Werft
AIDA Cruises, another Carnival Cruises brand, enters our list for the first time with the 20th-largest ship in the world, AIDAcosma. Delivered in 2021, the ship with its 20 decks is the sister ship to the just slightly older and slightly smaller AIDAnova.
The ship includes 17 restaurants and 23 bars, and features such as a rock-climbing wall, waterslides and an infinity pool.
Gross Tonnage: 183,200 GT
Length: 1,105 feet/337 meters
Width: 138 feet/42 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,228 (double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 1,551
21. AIDAnova (AIDA Cruises)
AIDAnova Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Karis48)
While AIDAnova ranks rather further down in terms of size, it launched in November 2018 with one big distinction: It was the first cruise ship ever powered by LNG.
While AIDA Cruises is owned by Carnival Corporation, it’s actually a German brand. This particular ship features 40 restaurants and bars, three water slides, a climbing garden, an escape room and the first TV studio at sea for AIDA (Studio X). Furthermore, cruisers can choose from more than 20 different types of staterooms.
Additionally, while this ship is currently the 18th-largest in the world, at the time of its launch in 2018, it was actually the fifth-largest in the world.
Another MSC Cruises ship, MSC Euribia launched in 2023. In addition to being LNG-powered, the ship features four pools, nine hot tubs, 19 decks (15 being public) and a public area ratio of 7.8 square meters (or 25 square feet) per passenger.
Gross Tonnage: 181,541 GT
Length: 1,087 feet/331.43 meters
Width: 141 feet/43 meters
Guest Capacity: 6,327 (at maximum occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 1,711
23. MSC Grandiosa (MSC Cruises)
MSC Grandiosa Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Gabriel S Fernandes)
ThisMeraviglia Plus-class cruise ship was the first of three such ships, and was launched in late 2019. (MSC Euribia is also in the Meraviglia Plus class, and the two ships are the same size by gross tonnage. However, MSC Euribia can fit more passengers, even with a lower crew capacity.)
MSC Grandiosa features 2,421 cabins across 19 decks (15 accessible to guests); four pools; nine hot tubs; and more than 20 dining and drinking options.
Yet another Meraviglia Plus-class cruise ship, MSC Virtuosa launched in 2021. Like its sister ships, the vessel has a similar size and guest capacity. It also offers 2,421 staterooms across 15 passenger decks, with four pools and nine hot tubs.
The second ship in the class, it was built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France.
Entering service in 2021, Carnival Mardi Grasmade waves as the very first passenger cruise ship in the Americas to be powered by liquified natural gas. Otherwise, it included a ton of Carnival-specific features, such as restaurants from Guy Fieri, Emeril Lagasse and Shaquille O’Neal.
The ship is made up of six themed areas, and introduced myriad first-ever concepts for Carnival Cruises. For example, in addition to the multiple new restaurants and bars, the ship also features the first roller coaster at sea, BOLT. With its jaw-dropping thrills, BOLT measures in at 800 feet long, with a track that sits nearly 200 feet above sea level, taking riders on a journey at speeds that reach up to 40 miles per hour.
Of course, all the other fan-favorite Carnival venues are still aboard the ship, but Mardi Gras really took Carnival Cruises into a new era of cruising with brand-new additions such as these.
Gross Tonnage: 180,800 GT
Length: 1,130 feet/345 meters
Width: 137 feet/42 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,270 (at double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 1,735
26. Sun Princess (Princess Cruises)
Sun Princess Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: GEORGE STAMATIS)
Sun Princess, when it debuted in 2024, was the most modern and the largest of Princess Cruises’ ships to date. The lead ship in the Sphere Class, it introduced stand-out features such as The Dome (a literal glass dome that sits on the top of the ship) and The Sphere (a nine-deck glass sphere).
This was also the first Princess Cruises ship to be LNG-powered, and it featured new stateroom categories (like the Sanctuary Collection), as well as more than 30 restaurants and bars.
Gross Tonnage: 177,882 GT
Length: 1,133 feet/345 meters
Width: 139 feet/42 meters
Guest Capacity: 4,300 (at double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 1,600
27. Star Princess (Princess Cruises)
Star Princess
Star Princess is the second ship in the Sphere Class, and sister ship to Sun Princess. Debuting in 2025, it’s just a tad smaller than its predecessor, though not to any degree that the average cruiser would notice.
The two ships are otherwise pretty much identical, with only a few tweaks made to improve upon the cruising experience. Star Princess, for example, has a larger Irish pub and a non-smoking casino.
Gross Tonnage: 177,800 GT
Length: 1,133 feet/345 meters
Width: 139 feet/42 meters
Guest Capacity: 4,300 (at double occupancy)
Crew Capacity: 1,600
28. MSC Meraviglia (MSC Cruises)
MSC Meraviglia in New York (Photo Credit: Wirestock Creators)
In 2017, MSC Meraviglia debuted as the most futuristic and entertainment-packed MSC Cruises ship yet. The vessel launched a partnership with Cirque du Soleil, for exclusive, cruise ship-designed performances. The ship’s design grouped all of the family and children’s facilities into one area, for greater convenience. Additionally, the ship upgraded the MSC Yacht Club, for three decks with nearly 100 stateroom options.
MSC Meraviglia also offers 12 dining options and boasts a 315-foot promenade with a 262-foot LED sky.
Gross Tonnage: 171,598 GT
Length: 1,036 feet/315.83 meters
Width: 141 feet/43 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,714 (at maximum capacity)
Crew Capacity: 1,536
29. MSC Bellissima (MSC Cruises)
MSC Bellissima Docked in Valletta (Photo Credit: revers)
A member of the Meraviglia class, and following MSC Meraviglia with a 2019 launch, MSC Bellissimais the same size by GT as its predecessor, but holds slightly fewer guests.
Still, it offers many of the same great features, like the huge galleria/promenade, while also introducing its own firsts — notably Zoe, a voice-activated, digital cruise assistant that any cruiser can access from within their cabin.
Gross Tonnage: 171,598 GT
Length: 1,036 feet/315.83 meters
Width: 141 feet/43 meters
Guest Capacity: 5,655 (at maximum capacity)
Crew Capacity: 1,595
30. MSC Seashore (MSC Cruises)
Photo Courtesy: MSC Cruises
Finally, rounding out our list of the top 30 largest cruise ships in the world is another MSC Cruises vessel: MSC Seashore. A member of the Seaside EVO-class, it first set sail in 2020. One of just two ships in this class, MSC Seashore is designed to bring the outdoors in, as much as possible, with tons of outdoor public spaces.
The ship encompasses 20 decks (with 15 open to guests), five pools, multiple hot tubs, myriad dining options, and 2,270 cabins.
Carnival Cabins include most amenities guests may need during their time onboard, but they do not have digital alarm clocks.
One guest wrote to Brand Ambassador John Heald to ask that digital alarm clocks be added to cruise cabins.
The cruise line has no plans to supply digital clocks at this time, and most guests feel that they are unnecessary in the era of smart technology.
Carnival cruise cabins nearly have everything, including comfy beds, linens, a television, storage space, the occasional towel animal, and more. But what these inclusive accommodations do not possess is a clock.
However, at least one Carnival cruiser thinks that this should change and brought the matter to Brand Ambassador John Heald on his public Facebook page.
Specifically, the cruiser believes that every room should have a digital clock that can also function as an alarm clock.
“Please put a digital clock in all the rooms John Heald. We need wake up alarm calls and to see what the time it is. This is not easy when you are in an inside room. Just saying,” the cruiser wrote.
Currently, Carnival guests are able to use their cell phones as alarm clocks. Guests should just make sure to switch their phones to airplane mode and join the onboard WiFi network to avoid excessive roaming charges.
If relying on your phone, it’s also important to make sure your phone is in the correct time zone, especially if the time zone is shifting. Phones are supposed to use GPS to update their time zone automatically, but you may need to do this manually in your system settings.
As an alternative (or additional) option, Carnival Cruise Line also provides wake-up calls, which can be easily set up using the in-cabin phones.
Would Carnival Consider Digital Clocks?
Showing off his classic sense of humor, John Heald replied to the guest’s message with comedy rather than a serious answer.
He did not indicate if the cruise line would ever consider adding digital clocks onboard, nor has Cruise Hive seen any sign of this being in the works anywhere else.
“I will speak to the beards and ask them to place an alarm clock in all the cabins that has my voice that shouts ‘GET OUT OF BED YOU LAZY SOD’ instead of beeping. You are all in for a rude awakening,”Heald quipped.
There are several logistical concerns that could make digital clocks an impractical addition, the first of which is cost. A basic digital clock can cost as little as $6 USD, but that adds up when you consider that every Carnival ship has hundreds, if not thousands, of staterooms.
The largest ship in operation, Carnival Jubilee, has 2,681 guest cabins. Putting a clock in each of those rooms at $6 each would cost over $16,000, and that’s just for one of Carnival’s 29 ships.
Time changes are also a potential issue. Guests would either have to adjust the clocks themselves to keep them accurate, which leaves plenty of room for user error, or it would be one more task for the busy room stewards.
Would Guests Want Digital Clocks in Cruise Cabins?
Always open to feedback, Heald asked his followers for their thoughts on if they would want digital clocks in their staterooms. As of the time of publication, he had received more than 680 responses.
In the era of smart technology, the majority felt that digital clocks weren’t necessary. Most couldn’t imagine traveling without their phones or smart watches and would automatically reference their smart devices, if only out of habit.
“If only people had a way to tell time by wearing something on their wrist or another device that could tell time. Maybe a phone or similar device,”one rather sarcastic cruiser replied.
“I use my watch or phone for the time. If there’s a clock in my cabin, I’m unplugging it and putting it in the closet. I don’t want the clock glaring at me,” another stated.
As a compromise, some guests suggested bringing portable, battery-operated alarm clocks from home for passengers who feel like they really need a physical alarm clock. There is nothing on Carnival’s Prohibited Items List restricting clocks, making this a reasonable alternative.
Barcelona’s mayor plans to double tourist taxes on cruise guests in the coming months.
The fee increase on day visits was already approved but was to have taken effect gradually over several years.
Guests embarking or debarking in Barcelona are not subject to the tax increase.
Barcelona can be a phenomenal destination for cruise guests to explore, rich in history, art, culture, music, and so much more. Doing so will be a bit more expensive in the coming months, however, as the city’s mayor plans to double the tax on cruise ship passengers in the hopes of discouraging their visits altogether.
According to El País, Jaume Collboni announced on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, that he wants to completely eliminate cruise ship guests visiting Barcelona as a day stop, rather than a homeport.
To do so, he plans to double the tourist tax, impacting guests from the current €4 (approximately $4.66 USD) to €8 ($9.32 USD) over the next few months. Originally, the fee increase was planned incrementally over the next few years, but now it will come into effect much sooner.
“I want to discourage cruise ship passengers from coming to Barcelona,”Collboni, who is seeking reelection as Barcelona’s mayor, stated outright.
While just a few dollars may not be much of a pinch to individual cruise guests, the impact to cruise lines could be staggering.
In May 2026, for example, one of the largest cruise ships visiting Barcelona is MSC Cruises’ MSC World Europa. The 215,900-gross-ton ship can welcome 6,762 guests per sailing.
At €8 per passenger, that would be an extra €27,048 per sailing above the existing €4 fee, or roughly $31,500 in extra fees the ship would need to pay to visit Barcelona for the day.
Cruise Ships Docked in Barcelona, Spain (Photo Credit: Fernando M. Elkspera)
Individual cruise lines would have to decide whether to assess the extra fee on guests at the time of booking or as a fee on their shipboard accounts. In many cases, cruise lines absorb these types of fees on existing bookings that are already paid in full, which could mean a significant impact on profit margins.
Barcelona has been fighting growing cruise traffic for several years, and it is not the only city to do so. Many different cities in separate cruise regions likewise prefer to limit the number of cruise guests who can visit.
This can be done in several ways. Some ports prefer to limit the overall number of ships that may visit, while others put capacity caps on the number of guests those ships may carry, welcoming smaller vessels that might stay longer and contribute more substantially to the local economy without overwhelming local infrastructure.
Adjusting the seasons when cruises may visit is a popular tactic for sailing regions such as Maine or Alaska, which only see cruise visits during certain months of the year.
The bans, limits, and caps are often challenged in local and regional courts, with different businesses and cruise lines fighting back at restrictions.
It can take years to work out the details of capacity limitations. In the meantime, cruise lines may either keep scheduling ships to visit ports despite the controversy and risk itinerary disruptions if bans are passed, or else they may pivot away from some ports altogether in favor of more welcoming destinations.
For now, guests booked with sailings that visit Barcelona as a day port may want to be sure their cruise budget can accommodate increased fees, or else be flexible with their travel plans if the port is removed from their itinerary.
Princess Cruises is removing Istanbul embarkations from multiple 2027 Mediterranean sailings.
Guests are sharing notices of schedule changes taking place on Enchanted Princess and Sun Princess.
New embarkation ports are Trieste, Italy, and Athens, Greece.
A planned overnight stay in Istanbul is disappearing from multiple 2027 Princess Cruises sailings, leaving some booked guests rethinking long-planned Mediterranean vacations.
Passengers booked on the September 14, 2027, Enchanted Princess voyage from Istanbul have learned the ship is moving embarkation to Trieste, Italy, reshaping the Eastern Mediterranean portion of the sailing.
“Please be advised that due to deployment changes, your Enchanted Princess voyage will now embark in Trieste (for Venice), Italy, on September 14, 2027, rather than in Istanbul, Turkey,” read a notice from the cruise line.
Princess also told guests the 3,660-guest ship would no longer call on Kusadasi, Turkey, or Rhodes, Mykonos, or Crete (Chania), Greece. Those ports are being replaced with Zadar, Croatia; Bar and Kotor, Montenegro; and Corfu, Greece.
Guests who shared the notices online said the itinerary change communication did not mention compensation or future cruise credits.
The affected sailing was part of a longer Mediterranean deployment for the 145,000-gross-ton Enchanted Princess, which had been scheduled as a 31-night “Best of the Mediterranean” voyage from September 4 to October 5, 2027, sailing from Athens (Piraeus), Greece, to Trieste.
Sun Princess in Europe (Photo Credit: Oleh Gold)
Istanbul was scheduled as a multi-day call from September 13 to 15, allowing new passengers to embark for the next segment. That larger sailing, which included Kusadasi before and after Istanbul, is also affected by the redeployment.
For many guests, the change is more than a routine port swap, with one passenger describing it as “a whole different cruise.”
More Istanbul Departures Disappear
The change appears to be part of a broader redeployment of Enchanted Princess in 2027, although Princess Cruises has not publicly announced the removal of Istanbul from itineraries.
A Reddituser shared what was described as a notice sent to travel advisors from Princess Cruises, indicating that select 2027 Mediterranean voyages for Enchanted Princess and sister ship Sun Princess are being adjusted.
According to the shared notice, the deployment adjustment “is due to Athens (Piraeus) port availability and commercial considerations related to Istanbul turnaround.”
Additional passengers reported receiving changes affecting May 22 and June 1, 2027, sailings on Enchanted Princess that had originally been scheduled to embark in Istanbul but now begin in Athens. The change also includes a new port stop in Heraklion.
Additionally, a passenger scheduled to sail July 4, 2027, from Istanbul on the 177,882-gross-ton Sun Princess received a notice that the vessel has also been revised to sail from Athens instead.
Port timetables still list several 2027 Enchanted Princess and Sun Princess sailings with Istanbul embarkations, but Princess Cruises’ own booking system no longer shows Istanbul as a departure option for new bookings.
Redeployment and itinerary adjustments more than a year in advance are common in the cruise industry, particularly when cruise lines are balancing port availability, turnaround logistics, and deployment planning across multiple ships and regions.
David Rush was a guest aboard Disney Wonder when he set a world record for breaking toothpicks in February 2025.
The attempt has not yet been verified due to a submission backlog, but is a significant leap over the previous record.
Rush seeks to break a different world record every week, even when in the middle of the ocean on a cruise.
A Disney cruise is full of activities, from trivia and crafts to entertainment, games, and music. Multiple sea days can start to drag on any cruise, however, so what should a guest do if their itinerary includes not just one or two, but 11 days at sea?
For David Rush, the answer is simple: break a world record for snapping wooden cocktail sticks.
While Rush and his family didn’t plan to be on a Disney cruise at the time, it turns out the 15-night sailing from Australia to Honolulu, Hawaii would help with another family goal, that of visiting all 63 US National Parks (the last one on their list being the National Park of American Samoa).
The easiest way for the family of four to reach the national park was onboard the ship with a port visit to American Samoa, but the transpacific itinerary ultimately included a total of 11 sea days between time in the South Pacific and North Pacific.
Rush did not specifically identify which Disney ship was the site of his record attempt, but Disney Wonder is the only ship in the magical fleet to have been in Australia in 2025, the year he made his attempt (more on the timing later!).
The ship’s February 10, 2025 departure from Sydney was the repositioning leg to Honolulu in preparation for the ship to sail first in California then in Alaska. On February 17, the ship did stop in Pago Pago, the capital of American Samoa.
To fill part of the time at sea, Rush decided to work on breaking the Guinness World Record for most cocktail sticks (toothpicks) snapped in 60 seconds.
Planning the Record Attempt
Disney Cruise Line was not affiliated with Rush’s attempt on the record, but his preparations and practice did attract attention onboard.
“What started as me messing around quickly turned into a full-blown event on the ship. A crowd of passengers gathered to watch, and I had to recruit official timers and witnesses to make sure everything was completely legit,”he described.“The ship’s onboard celebrity juggler, James Bustar, even stepped in to help judge.”
To set up for the record, Rush arranged the cocktail sticks along the edge of a bar for easy grabbing in a straight, smooth line. He had already broken a similar record previously, so he knows the rhythm and plan necessary to make it work.
The “60 seconds of chaos” commenced, with Rush hyper focused on snapping each stick cleanly. If even a sliver remained connected between fragments, that pick would be disqualified and not count toward the record total.
When the timer finished, and after painstaking verification of each clean break, a total of 84 toothpicks thoroughly snapped the previous record of 58.
Not Quite Confirmed Yet
More than a year after the attempt, however, Rush has not yet received confirmation of his achievement. Guinness World Records is very backed up with verification of these types of records, so the “official” count remains at 58, set by Harrison Niswander in Huntington, Indiana in November 2020.
Because Rush seeks to break a different world record every week, he’s familiar with the verification process and how long it may take when attempts are submitted individually. To date, he has broken more than 350 Guinness World Records.
While many cruise ships are record-breakers in terms of size, amenities, and other statistics, Rush’s attempt actually isn’t the first world record onboard a ship.
Cruise Hive reported in February 2026 that Princess Cruises broke the record for eight hours of margarita sales onboard Regal Princess. MSC Cruises also holds a fun record, that of the longest line of LEGO ships in a row, which was set onboard MSC World America as the ship prepared to make her debut.
A Virgin Voyages passenger tipped a crew member $5,000.
The crew member was visibly emotional in the widely shared video.
The video has sparked new discussions of the importance of tipping on cruises.
A routine conversation between a cruise passenger and a member of the housekeeping crew aboard a Virgin Voyages ship turned emotional after the guest unexpectedly handed the crew member $5,000 in cash.
The viral video, originally shared on Instagram by Bobby Rivass, shows him asking the crew member, identified as Jinky, what the largest tip she has received during her current contract had been. She responded that her biggest gratuity so far was $300.
Then the cruise guest handed her a thick stack of cash totaling $5,000, causing the stunned Jinky to say “oh no, please no” and ask “it’s for real?” while beginning to cry in the clip.
Rivass told her the money was for her hard work and explained that he had won the cash in the ship’s casino. “It’s better in your hands than in mine,” he said as he hugged Jinky and thanked her for her hard work.
Jinky said she planned to share the tip with her crew partner, Iwayan.
The video quickly gained traction online, with thousands of comments praising both the generosity of the guest and the demanding work cruise ship members perform behind the scenes every day.
Many commenters pointed out how significant a $5,000 tip could be for crew members supporting families back home, even noting that the amount could represent a substantial portion of an annual salary in some countries.
Jinky is believed to be from the Philippines, one of the largest sources of cruise ship labor globally.
Why Tipping Remains a Part of Cruise Culture
The viral Virgin Voyages video reignited a long-running debate across the cruise industry about how crew members are paid, where gratuity money actually goes, and whether passengers should still hand over extra cash, even after paying automatic service charges.
Virgin Voyages built much of its early reputation around a “no tipping” model, advertising that gratuities were included in the cruise fare.
In September 2025, however, the cruise line introduced three airline-style fare tiers, Base, Essential, and Premium, while also unbundling gratuities from the cruise fare and listing them separately for the first time.
Passengers booking under the new system can either prepay gratuities at $20 per person, per night before sailing or pay $22 per person, per night onboard.
Virgin Voyages maintains that the overall vacation cost has not increased and says the move was intended to create more transparency around where gratuity money goes.
The pricing mirrors other industry-wide policies with most major cruise lines automatically charging daily gratuities from roughly $16 to $25 per person, depending on the cruise line and cabin category.
Social media and Cruise Hive boards are filled with debates over whether passengers should remove automatic gratuities and tip crew directly instead.
Former crew members and workers have repeatedly said direct cash tips are often preferred because they go straight to the employee rather than into broader tip pools shared among departments.
Critics argue removing pooled gratuities hurts behind-the-scenes workers like galley staff and laundry crews who also rely on shared tip distributions.
Despite automatic charges, cash tipping remains common with viral stories over the years highlighting extreme generosity, such as the case of Rivass and Jinky.
A German tourist has successfully sued his tour company for chair hogs at a resort in Greece.
While a cruise line was not involved in this lawsuit, this could be a precedent for similar legal action.
Most cruise lines have policies limiting lounger reservations, but enforcement is inconsistent.
Lounging by the pool is the perfect cruise activity for thousands of guests every week, but thousands more get frustrated and angry when they can’t find that ideal lounger in the right spot. While cruise ships do have hundreds of loungers available, chair hogs often “reserve” prime loungers for hours with little regard for sharing with other guests.
On sea days, in particular, every lounger by cruise ship pools or in adult-only areas may be reserved very early, with no further seats available throughout the day.
Using towels, books, hats, or even pieces of fruit to claim a chair, often in the wee hours of the morning, is a common tactic by inconsiderate guests. Cruise lines do set time limits for such claims, but guests often report a lack of enforcement of official policies.
One recent lawsuit might have the potential to change that, however. According to the BBC, a German tourist filed a lawsuit against his tour company because he was unable to enjoy a lounger during a hotel resort vacation in Greece.
Like cruise lines, the resort had a policy banning reserving loungers with towels, but the policy was not enforced. Each day, the tourist, who has not been further identified, searched for loungers for his family of four for 20 minutes as early as 6 a.m., but was unsuccessful.
Arguments included the idea that the tour company failed to ensure the resort’s ban on lounge reservations was enforced, which impacted the overall quality of the vacation experience.
Judges agreed, and the court awarded the man a refund of €986.70 (approximately $1,150 USD) on his €7,186 ($8,371 USD) holiday package. This roughly 14% refund might just take the sting out of not getting a lounger for those poolside days.
Could Cruise Lines Be Sued Over Loungers?
While this particular lawsuit does not involve a cruise line, it could serve as a wake-up call to cruise lines about their lounge reservation policies.
Most cruise guests have seen chair hogging in action, when a lounger is “reserved” with a towel or other simple item. Some chair hogs have gotten even more creative, such as tying chairs together to rope them off or, as Cruise Hive recently reported, using a mannequin to create the (not very good) illusion that the lounger is in use.
Chair Hog Carnival Enforcement
These incidents happen on every cruise line, every sailing length, and every size of ship. With larger and larger ships hosting thousands of guests on each sailing, prime loungers can be even more coveted and hard to secure.
Typically, cruise lines have a limit to how long any lounger can be reserved. Carnival Cruise Line, for example, has crew members who note when loungers are reserved and work to enforce a 40-minute time limit.
“Shipboard team members, the ‘ChairShare Team’ monitor sun lounger usage and if they observe a seat that contains a towel or personal belongings (flip-flops, books, etc.) but appears to be unoccupied, a sticker is placed on the chair indicating the time the sticker was placed and when personal items will be removed,”the official policy reads.
“If the chair remains unoccupied for 40 minutes, the contents are removed and held for the guest’s safekeeping.”
Announcements are made over the public address system, printed in the daily FunTimes newsletter, and posted in the Carnival Hub app to ensure everyone is aware of the policy. Signage is also posted near pool and sundeck areas.
For Royal Caribbean, the policy states, “If a pool chair is left unattended for more than 30 minutes with no signs of any guests returning, our crew will remove any belongings and place them in the lost and found.“
Similar policies are in place on most major cruise lines. In practice, however, such time limits are not always enforced and crew members may be reluctant to remove guests’ personal possessions in case doing so sparks a more unpleasant confrontation.
Nevertheless, if guests could successfully sue cruise lines that fail to enforce their own lounger reservation policies, perhaps chair hogs would be more strictly monitored and loungers might become more available to everyone.
