Passenger Ships

From mega cruise ships carrying 7,000 passengers to polar expedition vessels and high-speed ferries — the complete passenger shipping sector.

Ocean Cruise Ships

505 vessels

RoPax Ferries

1,840 vessels

Largest Ship

236,857 GT

Max Capacity

7,600 passengers

Vessel Types by Segment

Mega Cruise Ship

Largest passenger vessels — floating resorts with multiple entertainment facilities

Capacity: 3,000–7,000 paxGT: 100,000–230,000 GT

Icon of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas

Large Cruise Ship

Standard modern cruise ships on major Caribbean, Mediterranean, European routes

Capacity: 1,500–3,000 paxGT: 60,000–100,000 GT

Carnival Vista, MSC Bellissima

182

Mid-size Cruise Ship

Premium and luxury segment — access to smaller ports, more personalized service

Capacity: 500–1,500 paxGT: 25,000–60,000 GT

Azamara Journey, Viking Star

210

Expedition Vessel

Ice-strengthened Polar Class — Antarctica, Arctic, remote destinations

Capacity: 100–400 paxGT: 5,000–25,000 GT

National Geographic Resolution, Greg Mortimer

RoPax Ferry

Carries both passengers and vehicles — backbone of short-sea ferry networks

Capacity: 500–3,500 paxGT: 15,000–70,000 GT

DFDS vessels, Stena Line

1,840

High-Speed Ferry

Catamaran, hydrofoil, or monohull HSC — 30–50 knots service speed

Capacity: 200–900 paxGT: 500–5,000 GT

WaveAce catamarans, HSC Luciano Federico L

820

River Cruise Ship

Purpose-built for inland waterways — low air draft for bridges, shallow draft

Capacity: 100–200 paxGT: 1,200–4,000 GT

Viking Longships, AmaWaterways

460

Major Operators

Carnival Corporation

92 ships

Carnival, Princess, Holland America, Cunard, P&O, AIDA, Costa, Seabourn

Royal Caribbean Group

65 ships

Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Silversea

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings

30 ships

Norwegian, Oceania, Regent Seven Seas

MSC Cruises

23 ships

MSC Cruises

Viking

95 ships

Viking Ocean, Viking River

DFDS

43 ships

DFDS

Key Regulations

SOLAS Chapter III

Life-saving appliances — lifeboats, liferafts, EPIRBs

SOLAS Chapter IV

Radiocommunications — GMDSS requirements

ISM Code

Safety management system — SMS required

MLC 2006

Crew welfare, working hours, living conditions

STCW

Passenger ship safety familiarization training