What Are Megaships?

If you're deciding what kind of cruise ship you'd like to travel upon, you may have come across the term "megaship."

So, what is a megaship?

Well, it's a very big cruise ship. Okay, you want more than that.

The term megaship came into common usage in the late 90s, and it refers to ships that are at least 80,000 GRTs. (GRT stands for gross registered tons, a figure that includes the enclosed, interior, revenue-producing areas on a vessel; 1 GRT represents 100 cubic feet of space). Today today cruise ships can be up to twice that size.

Megaships carry from around 1,750 to 3,000 passengers.

They are designed to give you the all-entertainment-available mega-resort feel with all sorts of activities for families, couples, singles, and just about anybody who enjoys mainstream festivities. These ships usually include fitness centers, swimming pools, casinos, multiple dining venues, theaters, and more.

Most of the ships belonging to the popular cruise lines (Carnival, Celebrity, Costa, Disney, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess, and Royal Caribbean) are megaships. In short, these are the big boys you see in the television commercials.