Cruise ships are a fantastic way of spending your vacation in a luxurious and leisurely way. But how much power does it take to move such a large vessel?
The answer is: a lot! Cruise ship engines are some of the most powerful in the world, capable of producing up to 120,000 horsepower (HP).
What Is HP?
HP is an acronym for “horsepower”—a unit of power measurement used primarily for engines and motors. One HP equals about 745.7 watts, or the amount of energy required to lift 550 pounds one foot in one second.
How Much Power Does a Cruise Ship Engine Have?
Cruise ship engine power can range from 40,000 HP to 120,000 HP depending on the size and type of cruise ship. Some cruise ships may even have multiple engines for additional power or redundancy. The larger the cruise ship, the more powerful its engine(s) will be.
Mega Cruise Ships
The largest cruise ships have some of the world’s most powerful engines with outputs of up to 120,000 HP. These massive vessels are capable of carrying thousands of passengers and crew members and require immense amounts of energy to move them through the water at speeds upwards of 20 knots (23 mph).
Smaller Cruise Ships
Smaller cruise ships typically have much less powerful engines—typically ranging from 40,000 HP to 70,000 HP. Although these smaller vessels can still carry hundreds or thousands of passengers and crew members, they aren’t as fast as their larger counterparts and may only reach speeds around 10 knots (11 mph).
Conclusion: To sum it up, how many HP is a cruise ship engine? It depends on the size and type of cruise ship—ranging from 40,000 HP to 120,000 HP for mega-ships—but all require immense amounts of power to move them through the water at high speeds.