There’s nothing that screams luxury like sipping on champagne while you’re treated to a soothing massage on the deck of a world-class cruise liner. With 314 cruise liners in the world, there are plenty of opportunities for you to enjoy this type of experience.
If you really want to live in the height of luxury on a cruise, however, you should hop aboard the most expensive cruise ship you can find. That way you can enjoy a luxurious cruise with some of the best amenities in the industry.
Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas is the world’s most expensive ($1.5 billion) cruise ship ever built. Although she was eclipsed by her newer sister ships such as Harmony of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas, Allure of the Seas was still managed to secure the second for “Best Cruises Overall” in the 2019 Cruise Critic Cruisers’ Choice Awards.
So, are you ready to learn more about the most expensive cruise ships? Let’s take a look at a few luxury cruise ships that really went above and beyond.
Here’s a list of the ten most expensive cruise ships in the world:
- Allure of the Seas
- Oasis of the Seas
- Harmony of the Seas
- Norwegian Epic
- Ovation of the Seas
- Disney Fantasy
- Disney Dream
- Queen Mary 2
- Norwegian Breakaway
- MS Independence of the Seas
1. Allure of the Seas
Royal Caribbean is known for its spectacular passenger ships, but none quite meets the standards of the Allure of the Seas. This cruise ship is worth $1.5 billion.
The ship is the second in the cruise line’s Oasis-class ship series. It first debuted in 2009 and measures 1181-feet long. The ship weighs more than 200,000 tons, making it a whopper of a cruise liner.
Even though the cruise ship itself costs a lot of money, it’s fairly reasonably priced all things considered. If you take a 7-night voyage on this boat, you can expect to pay about $800 for the week.
On the cruise, you’ll find a two-deck dance hall, a theater with room for more than 1,300 people, an ice skating rink, sports courts, and seven different themed areas of the ship. You’ll also find 25 dining venues, including a phenomenal buffet.
2. Oasis of the Seas
The Allure of the Seas’ sister ship, the Oasis of the Seas, is another one of the most expensive cruise ships you’ll find. This ship measures the same length as the Allure of the Seas although the amenities and features on this boat are a bit different.
The Oasis of the Seas cost $1.4 billion to make and can house 5,400 passengers and just under 3,000 crew members. The cruise ship feels a bit like a theme park thanks to the seven different themed areas onboard the ship.
You’ll find two-story loft suites, gorgeous promenades, and a ton of other features including:
- A zip-line
- Several lounges and bars
- A casino
- Several night clubs
- A miniature golf course
- A comedy club
- Volleyball courts
- Basketball courts
- Theme parks
- Five swimming pools
- A karaoke club
- Kids’ nurseries
You can experience just about everything under the sun, including world-class sports opportunities. And, you can get all that for rates as low as $50 per person per day!
3. Harmony of the Seas
Next up is the Harmony of the Seas. This is the third of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class cruise lines and was built in Saint-Nazaire, France.
Even though this ship was slightly cheaper to make than the Allure and the Oasis, coming in at a cost of $1.35 billion (same as one of its sister ships: Symphony of the Seas), the ship is actually the biggest in the world. And interestingly enough, Royal Caribbean has managed to keep the costs for this ship pretty low.
The Harmony of the Seas features some fantastic amenities for passengers as well, including three swimming pools, a water slide area, an ice skating rink, a basketball court, two rock-climbing walls, and an adults-only solarium.
Passengers also love browsing the many bars and eateries along the mall-style promenade. There they’ll find a variety of seafood dishes, international cuisine, and buffet options so that they never go hungry.
Depending on the season and destination, you can book a week-long trip on this ship for about $400. That makes it a fairly affordable choice for people who want to set sail in style.
4. Norwegian Epic
Fourth on our list is the $1.2 billion Norwegian Epic, which is owned and operated by Norwegian Cruise Line. This cruise line is part of STX Europe Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s F3 Project and sits in Saint-Nazaire, France.
When the ship was built it was a record-breaking vessel, clocking in as the world’s third-largest cruise liner. Today it’s been surpassed, but it still remains one of the most expensive vessels around the globe.
The Norwegian Epic is a mega-class ship that’s designed to compete with vessels owned by Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International. Coming in at more than 155,000 tons, we think that Norwegian accomplished its mission.
Onboard this vessel you can get rates as low as $15 per day per person! That makes it an extremely affordable way to cruise in luxury.
There are tons of amazing amenities to take advantage of as well, including:
- Suites for up to four people
- An adults-only sun deck
- A theater
- Mini-golf
- A water park
These are just a few of the luxuries that passengers can enjoy aboard this vessel.
5. Ovation of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International’s Ovation of the Seas is another cruise liner that is worth a huge amount of money. This ship cost $1 billion to make and was recently launched in 2016.
The ship weighs more than 160,000 tons and is roughly 1,140-feet long. The ship is in the cruise line’s Quantum-class of cruise ships and can house nearly 5,000 passengers and 1,500 crew members.
A voyage on Ovation of the Seas can cost you more than $6,000 if you choose to stay in one of the luxury suites. Or, you can sail for just $200 per person for budget, 4-night trips in a standard interior cabin.
Aboard the ship, you’ll find some pretty incredible amenities, such as:
- A surf simulator
- An outdoor movie screen
- Four swimming pools
- A casino
- Four whirlpools
- Multiple lounges and bars
- Sports courts
There are tons of activities for guests to participate in onboard this ship, which is one of the many reasons why it’s so popular.
6. Disney Fantasy
There’s nothing quite like a Disney cruise, and when you understand the cost to build the ships it all starts to make sense. Disney poured $940 million into their Disney Fantasy, which is a ship that weighs 130,000 tons.
The ship is 138 feet wide and 1,120 feet long, making it a pretty massive boat. The ship features more than 1,200 staterooms which can house 2,500 passengers as well as an additional 1,500 crew members.
The ship has tons of amazing amenities, but most notable is the AquaDuck. The AquaDuck was the first water coaster at sea and remains one of the top attractions onboard. Other amenities include:
- Yoga, pilates, and aerobics classes
- 10 restaurants
- Character encounters
- Adults-only lounges
- Nightclubs and bars
- A kids club
- A spa
- Multiple pools and whirlpools
- Live nightly entertainment
If you want to set sail on the Disney Fantasy, you’ll pay a little under $600 per person per week. However, with all the amenities on board, it’s well worth the cost.
7. Disney Dream
A close runner-up to the Disney Fantasy is the Disney Dream. This cruise ship is another in the Disney cruise line series and costs $900 million.
The ship is 40% larger than Disney’s older cruise ships and has a gross tonnage of nearly 130,000. The ship is 137 feet wide and almost 1,200 feet long.
Just like the Disney Fantasy, this ship can hold up to 1,500 crew members. However, at maximum capacity, the Disney Dream can carry 4,000 passengers.
A three-night cruise on the Disney Dream costs about $500 per person, making it one of the more expensive cruises out there. You’ll get tons of amenities though, such as:
- Disney character encounters
- Live shows and entertainment on the deck
- Alcohol tastings
- Water coaster
- Sports courts
- High tea
- Multiple kids activities
These are just a few of the many activities you can enjoy aboard the boat. In addition to these, you can check out the nightclubs and lounges, enjoy some room service, or spend the day at the spa.
8. Queen Mary 2
The Queen Mary 2 is a ship that’s not owned by one of the larger cruise line corporations. Instead, the ship was designed by an expert group of British naval architects in 2003.
The ship was once the longest passenger ship in the world, but today has been outdone by some of the other vessels on this list. The ship weighs almost 150,000 tons and is worth $880 million.
Voyages on the Queen Mary 2 are quite a bit more expensive since many of them are transatlantic journeys. You can expect to pay about $1000 per person for a week-long trip on this boat.
Onboard, you’ll find tons of activities to participate in. Enjoy some of the live music performances at night.
Plus, you can enjoy other amenities such as high tea, children’s programs, multiple restaurants, bars and lounges, wine experiences, a planetarium, a library, sports events, and galas.
9. Norwegian Breakaway
Second-to-last is the Norwegian Breakaway. This cruise ship is run by the Norwegian Cruise Line and was completed in 2013.
The Norwegian Breakaway costs $840 million and weighs a little over 140,000. It’s home to 1,204 staterooms and 238 suites which together can hold up to 4,000 passengers.
The Norwegian Breakaway is a more affordable vessel, with short cruises starting at just $228 per person. However, you can always opt for one of the luxury suites and penthouses. Even though these rooms cost thousands of dollars, they also come with an in-room spa, personal butler, and free champagne.
Aboard the Norwegian Breakaway, guests can enjoy quite a few different amenities. There are twelve different bars, including a cigar bar and a cocktail lounge, as well as other entertainment options such as:
- A casino
- A nightclub
- Live music shows
- Live theater performances
- A movie theater
- A card room
- A jazz and blues club
- Outdoor promenades
- A comedy club
- A circus tent
- An adults-only outdoor zone
- A library
- An arcade
- A water park
- Kids areas
There are tons more to be explored once you board the Norwegian Breakaway. And, with low costs per person, it’s a popular choice for families.
10. MS Independence of the Seas
Last but not least on our list is the MS Independence of the Seas, which costs $828 million and is operated by Royal Caribbean cruise lines. This ship has been in service since 2008 and features 15 decks.
The MS Independence of the Seas can house over 4,000 passengers as well as support nearly 1,400 crew members. The ship weighs more than 150,000 tons and is one of the largest passenger vessels to have been built.
The ship measures 1,112 feet long and has a cruising speed of about 25 miles per hour. The ship mostly runs cruises out of Florida and England, although voyages take passengers all over the world.
A four-day trip on this boat will usually set you back about $150 per person. It’s an extremely affordable way to vacation for anyone who’s wanting to go on a cruise without running up a huge bill.
Amenities on board the MS Independence of the Seas include:
- A virtual reality trampoline
- A laser tag arena
- An escape room
- An observatory
- Two water slides
- A kids’ aqua park
- Bars and restaurants
There are countless other amenities and activities that you can take advantage of when sailing on this ship. That makes it a fantastic choice whether you’re a first-time cruiser or you’ve had years of sailing experience.
Set Sail on the Most Expensive Cruise Ship
Now that you have a better idea of what the most expensive cruise ship is, you’re ready to set sail on the seven seas! It’s a great way to explore the world in luxury and style.
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