Get Quartz in your inbox

Free daily briefing on global business news.

5 cruise ships that take “bigger is better” to another level

The world’s biggest cruise ships are floating resorts, with roller coasters, water parks, dining scenes and entertainment to fill an entire vacation

Alonso Reyes / Unsplash

Cruise ships used to be a way to get somewhere. These days, some of them are practically destinations of their own.

The biggest ships in the world are less like traditional ocean liners and more like floating resorts. They have multiple pools, theaters, restaurants, bars, water parks, and enough entertainment to fill an entire vacation without ever stepping ashore. 

That sheer scale is part of the appeal. A large cruise ship can offer something for nearly everyone in a traveling group, whether that means spending the afternoon at a pool, watching a show, trying a new restaurant, or sending the kids off to a dedicated activity area. It also means there is plenty to explore. Even after several days on board, passengers may still find restaurants, entertainment spaces or other features they have not seen.

Reader’s Digest rounded up some of the biggest cruise ships and they show how much the cruise industry has changed. Size is no longer just about passenger capacity. Cruise lines are using additional space for attractions, neighborhood-style layouts, balconies, restaurants and increasingly elaborate entertainment. Some ships also incorporate technologies and fuel systems designed to reduce their environmental impact.

Of course, bigger is not automatically better for every traveler. A ship carrying thousands of passengers is a very different vacation from a smaller vessel built around a quieter atmosphere. However, if the idea of spending a week on a floating city sounds appealing, these ships make a strong case for going big.

Here are five of the biggest cruise ships, along with the features that make each one stand out.

1. Wonder of the Seas turns the ship itself into a vacation

Hugh Whyte / Unsplash

Royal Caribbean $RCL -0.05%’s Wonder of the Seas measures 1,188 feet long and 215 feet wide, with room for up to 7,084 guests, according to Reader’s Digest. That makes it less a conventional cruise ship than a floating resort packed with enough activities to keep passengers busy for days.

The ship has 16 guest decks and 2,204 crew members, along with more than 10 bars and 20 dining destinations. Nine of those dining options are complimentary, giving passengers plenty of ways to eat without constantly adding another specialty restaurant to the bill.

According to Reader’s Digest, what makes Wonder particularly striking is how much variety has been squeezed onto the ship. There is a real carousel on the Boardwalk, a dry slide that twists down 10 decks, surfing simulators, a laser tag arena, an ice skating rink and a zip line that crosses........

© Quartz