Timeline of largest passenger ships

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This is a timeline of the world's largest passenger ships based upon internal volume, initially measured by gross register tonnage and later by gross tonnage. This timeline reflects the largest extant passenger ship in the world at any given time. If a given ship was superseded by another, scrapped, or lost at sea, it is then succeeded. Some records for tonnage outlived the ships that set them - notably the SS Great Eastern, and RMS Queen Elizabeth.

Timeline[]

19th century[]

Year completed Ship Tonnage Length Title held Status Image
1831 SS Royal William 1,370 GRT[1] 49 m (160 ft) 1831 – 1839[2] Sank in 1860 SS Royal William 1834 painting.png
1837 SS Great Western 1,340 GRT(as built)
1,700 GRT[3](post-1839) 		76.8 m (252 ft) 1839[4] Scrapped in 1856 The Steamer Great Western of Bristol RMG A7626.jpg
1839 SS British Queen 1,850 GRT[5] 75 m (245 ft) 1839 – 1840[6][7]
1841 – 1843 		Scrapped in 1844 The British Queen steam ship PY0213.jpg
1840 SS President 2,366 GRT[8] 74 m (243 ft) 1840 – 1841[9]
(Lost at sea in 1841) 		Sank in 1841 The steam ship President.jpg
1843[a] SS Great Britain 3,270 GRT[10] 98 m (322 ft) 1843 – 1853[11] Currently a Museum ship SS Great Britain by Talbot.jpg
1853[12] SS Atrato 3,466 GRT[13] 110 m (350 ft) 1853 – 1858[14][b] Sank in 1884 S.S. Atrato.jpg
1858 SS Great Eastern 18,915 GRT[15] 211 m (692 ft) 1858 – c. 1888
(Scrapped)[c] 		Scrapped between 1888-1891
1888 SS City of New York 10,499 GRT[18] 170 m (560 ft) c. 1888 – 1893[19] Scrapped in 1923 City of new york.jpg
1893 RMS Campania
RMS Lucania[d] 		12,950 GRT[20] 190 m (622 ft) 1893 – 1897[21] Campania: Sank in 1918

Lucania: Scrapped in 1909

1897 SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse 14,349 GRT[22] 200 m (655 ft) 1897 – 1899[23] Sank in 1914 Kaiser wilhelm der grosse 01.jpg
1899 RMS Oceanic 17,272 GRT[24] 215 m (704 ft) 1899 – 1901[25] Sank in 1914 RMS Oceanic (2).jpg

20th century[]

Date completed Ship Tonnage Length Title held Status Image
11 July 1901 RMS Celtic 20,904 GRT[26] 214 m (701 ft) 1901 – 1903[27][28] Scrapped in 1929
31 January 1903 RMS Cedric 21,035 GRT[29] 210 m (700 ft) 1903 – 1904[28] Scrapped in 1932 File:RMS Cedric.jpg
23 June 1904 RMS Baltic 23,876 GRT[30] 222 m (729 ft) 1904 – 1906[30][31] Scrapped in 1933 File:RMS Baltic.jpg
10 May 1906
(entered service) 		SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria 24,581 GRT[32] 206.5 m (677.5 ft) 1906 – 1907[33] Scrapped in 1930
7 September 1907
(entered service) 		RMS Lusitania 31,550 GRT[34] 240 m (787 ft) 1907[35][36] Sank in 1915 RMS Lusitania coming into port, possibly in New York, 1907-13-crop.jpg
7 November 1907 RMS Mauretania 31,938 GRT[34] 240 m (790 ft) 1907 – 1911[36][37] Scrapped in 1935
31 May 1911 RMS Olympic 45,324 GRT[38] 269.0 m (882.5 ft) 1911 – 1912[39][40]
1912 – 1913[39][41] 		Scrapped between 1935-1937
31 March 1912 RMS Titanic 46,328 GRT[42] 269.1 m (882.9 ft) 1912
(Sank)[43] 		Sank in 1912
June 1913 SS Imperator 52,117 GRT[44] 276 m (906 ft) 1913 – 1914[41][44] Scrapped in 1938
14 May 1914
(entered service) 		SS Vaterland 54,282 GRT 290 m (950 ft) 1914 – 1922[45][46] Scrapped in 1938
12 May 1922
(entered service) 		RMS Majestic 56,551 GRT 291 m (956 ft) 1922 – 1935[46][47] Sank in 1939, scrapped in 1943
29 May 1935
(entered service) 		SS Normandie 79,280 GRT (as built)
83,404 GRT (final size)[e] 		314 m (1,029 ft) 1935 – 1936[49]
1936 – 1946[48]
(Destroyed by fire) 		Sank in 1941, scrapped in 1946
27 May 1936
(entered service) 		RMS Queen Mary 80,774 GRT 310.7 m (1,019.4 ft) 1936[50] Currently a Hotel ship
16 October 1946
(entered service) 		RMS Queen Elizabeth 83,673 GRT 314 m (1,031 ft) 1946 – 1972
(Destroyed by fire) 		Sank in 1972, scrapped in 1974
3 February 1962
(entered service) 		SS France (1962-1980)
SS Norway (post-1980) 		66,343 GRT(as built)
76,049 GT (post-1990)[f] 		315 m (1,035 ft) 1972 – 1979
1980 – 1987
1990 – 1995 		Scrapped in 2008
26 November 1968 RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 70,327 GT 294 m (963 ft) 1979 – 1980[citation needed]}}
(Surpassed by SS Norway)[g] 		Currently a Hotel ship Osaka RMS Queen Elizabeth2 06bs.jpg
18 December 1987 MS Sovereign of the Seas 73,529 GT[51] 270 m (880 ft) 1987 – 1990
(Surpassed by SS Norway) 		Scrapped in 2020 Sovereign of the Seas Nassau Bahamas (244161813) (cropped) (cropped).jpg
26 June 1995 Sun Princess 77,499 GT 261 m (857 ft) 1995 – 1996 In service as Pacific World Sunprincess suvafiji1.jpg
24 November 1996
(entered service) 		Carnival Destiny 101,353 GT 272 m (893 ft) 1996 – 1998 In service as Carnival Sunshine Carnival Destiny Miami 12-22-11 (cropped).JPG
27 May 1998
(entered service) 		Grand Princess 109,000 GT 290 m (951 ft) 1998 – 1999 In service Grand Princess (ship, 1998) IMO 9104005, in Split, 2011-10-13.jpg
29 October 1999 Voyager of the Seas 137,276 GT 310 m (1,020 ft) 1999 – 2000 In service Voyager of the Seas in Sydney.jpg
28 September 2000 Explorer of the Seas 137,308 GT 310 m (1,020 ft) 2000 – 2002 In service Explorer of the Seas, Fremantle, 2015 (03).JPG

21st century[]

Date completed Ship Gross tonnage Length Title held Status Image
18 November 2002 Navigator of the Seas 139,999 GT[52] 311 m (1,020 ft) 2002 – 2003 In service Navigator of the Seas 2014 Galveston 3.JPG
22 December 2003 RMS Queen Mary 2 148,528 GT[53] 345.03 m (1,132.0 ft) 2003 – 2006 In service RMS Queen Mary 2 in Trondheim 2007.jpg
24 April 2006 MS Freedom of the Seas 154,407 GT[54] 338.774 m (1,111.46 ft) 2006 – 2007[h] In service MS Freedom of the Seas in its maiden voyage.jpg
19 May 2007 Liberty of the Seas 155,889 GT[55] 338.92 m (1,111.9 ft) 2007 – 2009 In service Liberty Of The Seas GC 12-22-16.jpg
28 October 2009 Oasis of the Seas 225,282 GT[56]
(Initially) 		360 m (1,180 ft) 2009 – 2016[i] In service Oasis of the Seas.jpg
13 May 2016 Harmony of the Seas 226,963 GT[60] 362.12 m (1,188.1 ft) 2016 – 2018 In service Harmony of the Seas (ship, 2016) 001.jpg
23 March 2018 Symphony of the Seas 228,081 GT[61] 361.011 m (1,184.42 ft) 2018[j] – In service SymphonyOfTheSeas (cropped) 02

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Sources have the "Great Britain" as the "world's largest" ship from her launch year.
  2. ^ While the Great Republic was concurrently larger (at 4,555 GRT), she was not a passenger ship.
  3. ^ "Great Eastern" was sold for scrap in 1888 but the breaking up was not completed until 1891.[16][17]
  4. ^ The Campania and Lucania had the same GRT.
  5. ^ The tonnage was increased on Normandie in August 1936 to reclaim the title of "largest ship" from the Queen Mary.[48]
  6. ^ In 1980, the ship's new owner refurbished the former ocean liner into a cruise ship, increasing tonnage. In a second refurbishment in 1990, the tonnage was increased again to 76,049 GT.
  7. ^ Queen Elizabeth 2 temporarily held the title from 1979 to 1980 due to the France being out of service and in dry dock to be converted to the Norway.[citation needed]
  8. ^ "Freedom of the Seas" never held the title of "largest passenger ship" after 2007. While she was later extended to match her sister ship "Liberty of the Seas" (in 2015), by this time the title had passed on to "Oasis of the Seas".
  9. ^ Oasis was initially launched at 225,282 GT.[57] This was tied a year later by Allure of the Seas, although the latter was 50 mm (2.0 in) longer.[58] Oasis of the Seas was expanded to 226,838 GT in November 2019.[59]
  10. ^ This record is expected to be broken by "Wonder of the Seas" sometime in 2022.[62]

References[]

  1. ^ Boileau, John (2006). Samuel Cunard: Nova Scotia's Master of the North Atlantic. Formac Publishing Company Limited. p. 44. ISBN 978-0-88780-712-1.
  2. ^ John Wilton Cuninghame Haldane (1905). Life as an engineer: its lights, shades and prospects. E. & F. N. Spon. p. 27. Royal William largest launched 1831.
  3. ^ Freeman Hunt (1844). Merchants' Magazine and Commercial Review, Volume 10. New York City: 142 Fulton Street. p. 383.
  4. ^ Anchor Line (1872). A Souvenir of the Anchor Line Agents Excursion on the Steamer California, 14 August 1872. D. Appleton & Company. p. 87.
  5. ^ Corlett, Ewan (1975). The Iron Ship: the Story of Brunel's ss Great Britain. Conway.
  6. ^ Hereward Philip Spratt (1951). Transatlantic Paddle Steamers. Brown, Son & Ferguson. p. 36. At the time of her launch, the "British Queen" was the largest vessel afloat
  7. ^ International Marine Engineering, Volume 15. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Company. 1910. p. 418.
  8. ^ Gerhard Falk (2013). Twelve Inventions which Changed America: The Influence of Technology on American Culture. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 8. ISBN 9780761860808.
  9. ^ Robinson, Robb (January 2009). "The Cookman Story: Reform in Hull and the United States" (PDF). FAR HORIZONS – to the ends of the Earth. Maritime Historical Studies Centre, University of Hull. Retrieved 27 December 2009. In March 1841 the liner, SS President, then reputedly the largest steamship in the world, disappeared without trace in the vast tracts of the still wintry Atlantic, sometime after leaving New York en route for Liverpool. The SS President was the first steamship to founder on the transatlantic run and there was universal lamentation for the 136 crew and passengers.
  10. ^ William L. Garrison & David M. Levinson (2005). The Transportation Experience: Policy, Planning, and Deployment. Oxford University Press. p. 210. ISBN 9780195346732.
  11. ^ Wynford Davies (2012). SS Great Britain: Transatlantic Liner 1843. Seaforth Publishing. p. 10. ISBN 9781848322882.
  12. ^ "Atrato (1013926)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  13. ^ "Atrato". clydeships.co.uk. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  14. ^ "The" Illustrated London News. Elm House. 1853. p. 352.
  15. ^ Dawson, Philip S. (2005). The Liner. Chrysalis Books. p. 37. ISBN 978-0-85177-938-6.
  16. ^ Gillian Dale (2005). BTEC National Travel and Tourism. Heinemann. p. 2. ISBN 9780435446451.
  17. ^ Frank Braynard & Robert Hudson Westover (2002). S.S. United States. Turner Publishing Company. p. 13. ISBN 9781563118241.
  18. ^ "City of New York". clydeships.co.uk. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  19. ^ "S/S City of New York (3), Inman Line". www.norwayheritage.com. Retrieved 18 September 2019. At the time of her launch the City of New York was the largest passenger steamer afloat.
  20. ^ Mark Chirnside (2015). RMS Olympic: Titanic's Sister. The History Press. p. 9. ISBN 9780750963480.
  21. ^ Neil McCart (1990). Atlantic Liners of the Cunard Line: From 1884 to the Present Day. Stephens. p. 22. ISBN 9781852600655.
  22. ^ Congressional Edition, Volume 5796. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1909. p. 114.
  23. ^ Marine Engineering/log, Volume 1. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Company. 1897.
  24. ^ William H. Miller (2001). Picture History of British Ocean Liners, 1900 to the Present. Courier Corporation. p. 8. ISBN 9780486415321.
  25. ^ "R.M.S. Oceanic (II)". Jeff Newman. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  26. ^ "Celtic (1113476)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  27. ^ Roberts, Chalmers (August 1901). "The Biggest Ship". The World's Work: A History of Our Time. II: 1176–1179. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  28. ^ Jump up to: a b Wade Sisson (2011). Racing Through the Night: Olympic's Attempt to Reach Titanic. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781445608914.
  29. ^ "Cedric (1115354)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  30. ^ Jump up to: a b Paul Oldfield (2017). Victoria Crosses on the Western Front: Third Ypres 1917: 31 July 1917 – 6 November 1917. Pen and Sword. ISBN 9781473884854.
  31. ^ Mark Chirnside (2015). RMS Olympic: Titanic's Sister. The History Press. ISBN 9780750963480.
  32. ^ Anne Sinkler Whaley LeClercq (2012). Elizabeth Sinkler Coxe's Tales from the Grand Tour, 1890-1910. Univ of South Carolina Press. ISBN 9781611172102.
  33. ^ Labor Unions (1906). The American Marine Engineer, Volumes 1-2. p. 24.
  34. ^ Jump up to: a b Hugh Chisholm (1911). The Encyclopaedia Britannica. 24. Encyclopaedia Britannica Company. p. 885.
  35. ^ J. Kent Layton (2010). Lusitania: An Illustrated Biography. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781445623702.
  36. ^ Jump up to: a b Engineering News (1914). The Cunard Liner "Aquitania". 71. McGraw-Hill. p. 1317.
  37. ^ William H. Miller (1981). The Great Luxury Liners, 1927-1954: A Photographic Record. Courier Corporation. ISBN 9780486240565.
  38. ^ Chirnside, Mark (2011). The 'Olympic' Class Ships. The History Press. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-7524-5895-3.
  39. ^ Jump up to: a b Chirnside, Mark. "RMS Olympic Specification File". Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  40. ^ Caroline Rochford (2016). Titanic's Big Sister... and how she nearly sank. Forgotten Songs and Stories of the Sea: A Treasury of Voices from our Maritime Past. Pen and Sword. p. 106. ISBN 9781473878655.
  41. ^ Jump up to: a b Adam Scott (1913). Some Notes On The Increase In Size. Cassier's Engineering Monthly. 44. Wendell Lansing Company. p. 115.
  42. ^ Proceedings - Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Institution of Mechanical Engineers. 1912. p. 553.
  43. ^ Ballard, Robert D. (1987). The Discovery of the Titanic. New York: Warner Books. ISBN 978-0-446-51385-2.
  44. ^ Jump up to: a b J. Kent Layton (2009). "Imperator". AtlanticLiners.com. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  45. ^ The Steamship Vaterland. Electrician and Mechanic. 28. Modern Publishing. 1914. p. 729.
  46. ^ Jump up to: a b Majestic - The Latest and Largest of Ships. Scientific American. 127. Munn & Company. 1922. p. 10.
  47. ^ The Floating Palace from France. American Architect and Architecture. 147. American Architect. 135. p. 29.
  48. ^ Jump up to: a b Super Liners. 103. Life magazine. 1936. p. 13. By August, the Normandie, having increased her tonnage, was again the World's Largest Liner
  49. ^ Normandie's End. Life Magazine. 21. Time Incorporated. 1946. p. 38.
  50. ^ Peter Plowman (2003). The Third Convoy. Across the Sea to War. Rosenberg Publishing. p. 114. ISBN 9781922013132.
  51. ^ "Sovereign (G107405)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Germanischer Lloyd. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  52. ^ "Navigator of the Seas (22759)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  53. ^ The Motor Ship, Volume 85. IPC Industrial Press Limited. 2004. p. 9.
  54. ^ "2016-2017 Royal Caribbean Fleet Guide" (PDF). Royal Caribbean International. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  55. ^ "Liberty of the Seas (26180)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 13 May 2007.
  56. ^ Sam Dodge, Ana Franca, and Mark Oliver. "Oasis of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, in numbers". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 March 2020.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  57. ^ "Oasis Of The Seas / Allure of the Seas". Royal Caribbean International. 2010. Archived from the original on 20 June 2010. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
  58. ^ Goldstein, Adam (1 November 2010). "Is a Small Difference a Big Deal?". Sea Views. Royal Caribbean International. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  59. ^ "Oasis of the Seas (27091)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  60. ^ "Harmony of the Seas (33249)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  61. ^ "Symphony of the Seas (34719)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  62. ^ Mathisen, Monty (10 August 2020). "Royal Caribbean Newbuilds Will Be Delayed". www.cruiseindustrynews.com.
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