Ezra Lebourgeois - Top Most Expensive Cruise Ships

Ezra Lebourgeois - Royal Caribbean International is by far and away the leader when it comes to the world's most expensive cruise ships, operating most of the top 10, including the whopping Allure and Oasis of the Seas. Ship-technology.com presents the costliest cruise ships ever built.

Allure of the Seas

Allure of the Seas is the most expensive cruise ship in operation. It is the latest cruise ship in the Oasis class, owned by Royal Caribbean International. About $1.4bn was incurred in the building this world class cruise ship. Allure of the Seas is the largest passenger ship ever constructed, stretching just two inches longer than its sister ship Oasis of the Seas. Allure of the Seas accommodates 6,296 guests as well as 2,384 crew members, and is loaded with features such as the first on-board Starbucks, a 1,380-seat theatre and ice skating rink.

Oasis of the Seas

The Oasis of the Seas of Royal Caribbean is the second costliest ship. The vessel entered service in December 2009. It was built by STX Europe (formerly Aker Yards) in Turku, Finland, at a cost of about $1.24bn. The Oasis of the Seas cruises Caribbean from its home port of Port Everglades in Florida. The ship offers an array of passenger features such as luxurious staterooms, a zip-line, a casino, a miniature golf course, night clubs, bars and lounges, Pool and Sports Zone, Entertainment Place and theme parks.

Norwegian Epic

Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) spent approximately $1.2bn on its new cruise ship Norwegian Epic. The cruise ship truly represents the "freestyle cruising" concept introduced by NCL. The Epic accommodates 4,100 passengers served by 1,753 crew.

The Norwegian Epic sails to the destinations in Caribbean and Europe. It offers more than 20 dining options, studio rooms for solo travellers and world-class live entertainment, fitness and sports facilities, aqua park, pools and hot tubs.

Disney Fantasy

Disney Fantasy is the fourth cruise ship in the expanding fleet of Disney Cruise Line. The ship was constructed at an estimated cost of $940m by Meyer Werft shipyards in Papenburg, Germany. The onboard facilities were exclusively designed to cater to families. The ship cruises on seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages. The 1,250 staterooms spread across the 14-deck vessel accommodate 4,000 passengers and more than 1,450 cast and crew members. The cruise ship features a magnificent three-deck atrium lobby, sweeping grand staircase, marble and stone inlay floor, fluted columns, lavish decorative murals and paintings.

Disney Dream

Disney Dream owned by Disney Cruise Line cost nearly $900m to build. The cruise ship was put into service in 2011 and now sails to the Bahamas. It offers 1,250 staterooms accommodating 4,000 guests and more than 1,458 crew. The cruise ship gives a glimpse of early 20th-century design as well as cruise-industry first features such as the AquaDuck, the first water coaster at sea. Disney Dream boasts of being a true family cruise liner offering one-of-a-kind venues and experiences for each member in the family.

Queen Mary 2

Queen Mary 2 (QM2) is a flagship and transatlantic ocean liner of Cunard Line. Built at a cost of more than $880m (£550m), QM2 is Cunard's only transatlantic ocean liner operating between Southampton and New York, after the retirement of Queen Elizabeth 2 in 2008. Queen Mary 2 also sails on an annual world cruise. The transatlantic ocean liner carries 2,620 passengers and 1,238 crew members. It features 1,347-seat Britannia Restaurant, 200-seat Queen's Grill, Royal Court Theatre, Winter Garden, 14 bars and clubs and health and fitness facilities.

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Ezra Lebourgeois - The 10 Biggest Cruise Ships in the World

10. MS Explorer of the Seas

The tenth place in this list of the 10 biggest cruise ships in the world is the MX Explorer of the Seas. The company responsible for its creation on the 1st of August, 1999 is the STX Finland Cruise Oy. The cruise ship is owned and operated by the Royal Caribbean International, just like most of the other vessels also included in this list. The water vehicle is capable of holding up to 3,114 passengers and crew at any given time. Its length is impressive, at 1,020 feet. The beam is 38 meters long. The overall weight of the ship, excluding its passengers, is 137,308 tons. Out of all the cruise ships that are owned by the Royal Caribbean International, the MS Explorer of the Seas is the 8th largest.

 9. MS Mariner of the Seas

The Mariner of the Seas, much like the previous Royal Caribbean International MS Explorer of the Seas, was also built by the STX Finland Cruise Oy. While both cruise ships share the same length, the beam of the MS Mariner is 0.6 meters longer. It is also heavier, at 138,279 tons. The Mariner of the Seas is the fifth voyager-class line from the Royal Caribbean International. It has sailed since the year 2003 and can carry up to 3,114 passengers. The MS Mariner of the Seas is also the 7th biggest cruise ship that Royal Caribbean owns.

8. Navigator of the Sea

The Navigator of the Sea, which is once again owned by the Royal Caribbean International, is a 4th voyager-class line. It was also built by the STX Finland Cruise Oy. The Navigator and the MS Mariner have many similarities in terms of length, beam height, maximum passenger capacity, and weight. The only difference is that the Navigator came out after the MS Mariner. The Navigator of the Sea has been voyaging the oceans since the year 2002.

7. Queen Mary 2 – Cunard Line

The Queen Mary 2 is one of the only two cruise ships in this list that do not belong to the Royal Caribbean International. This water vehicle belongs to Cunard Line, an American-British shipping company. It has sailed since the year 2004. The name has been given by none other than Queen Elizabeth II in the same year. Out of all the Cunard Line cruise ships, Queen Mary 2 is the largest, measuring 1,132 feet long. The beam sits at 135 feet. STX Europe, the company that has built the cruise ship, designed it to have a maximum capacity of up to 3,056 passengers.

6. MS Independence of the Seas

Royal Caribbean International owns and operates the 6th largest cruise ship in the world, named MS Independence of the Seas. The MS Independence stretches 1,111 feet long, with its beam length at 184 feet. Around 4,370 passengers can enjoy cruising the oceans while being on board the ship. The MS Independence of the Seas has a total weight of 154,407 tons, and it has been operating since the 2nd of May, 2008.

5. MS Liberty of the Seas

The MS Liberty of the Seas, much like many of the other cruise ships owned and operated by the Royal Caribbean International, also shares similarities with another cruise-line. In this case, the MS Liberty is comparable with the MS Independence of the Seas. These lines have the same length, beam, and maximum passenger capacity. The company has launched the cruise ship since May of 2007. What makes it better than the MS Independence of the Seas is that Royal Caribbean International has decided to incorporate a DreamWorks studio inside the ship. This year, the MS Liberty of the Seas is set to sail on a new route, starting from Barcelona all the way to Palma de Mallorca.

4. MS Freedom of the Seas

The MS Freedom of the Seas began her voyage career on the 4th of June, 2006. Like the MS Liberty of the Seas, this particular Royal Caribbean International cruise ship is also 1,111 feet long. The total number of passengers who can hop on board is 4,370. The company has spent around $800,000,000 to have the MS Freedom built. Since the 12th of May 2006, the MS Freedom of the Seas has been sailing officially as Christian.

3. Norwegian Epic

Norwegian Epic is the other one of only two cruise ships in this list that the Royal Caribbean International does not own. It belongs to the Norwegian Cruise Line company. The ship has been in operation since the 24th of June, 2010. It weighs 155,873 tons and stretches 1,089 feet. The ship can also carry up to 4,100 crews and passengers at any given time. One of the best things about this ship is that each of the cabins come with their very own balcony. The Norwegian Epic is also the Norwegian Cruise Line’s biggest cruise ship.

2. MS Oasis of the Seas

The MS Oasis of the Seas is the first ever oasis class that belongs to the Royal Caribbean International. Its body stretches at 1,187 feet long. The beam, on the other hand, stands at 198 feet tall. It is so big that it can house up to 6,296 passengers and crew. It used to be the largest of all cruise ships in the world until 2010. However, the MS Oasis of the Seas is still very impressive, despite being pushed back and renamed as the 2nd largest in the world.

1. MS Allure of the Seas

There is no denying the fact that the MS Allure of the Seas is the largest of all the cruise ships in the world. The MS Allure is also the one responsible for taking the throne from the MS Oasis of the Seas. The funny thing about this is that the MS Allure of the Seas is only 2 inches lengthier than the MS Oasis.

Source: therichest.com