How Many Passengers Can the Largest Cruise Ship Hold?

By Michael Ferguson

The largest cruise ship in the world is Royal Caribbean International’s Symphony of the Seas. This behemoth of a ship was launched in April 2018 and, at 228,081 gross tons, it currently holds the title of world’s largest cruise vessel.

It stretches over 1,188 feet long, has a deck height of almost 200 feet, and has 18 decks for passengers to explore. Just how many people can this massive ship hold?

The Symphony of the Seas has a total capacity for 6,680 passengers. However, due to current regulations regarding social distancing and other safety protocols in place to guard against COVID-19 transmission, Royal Caribbean International has downsized that capacity to around 5,600 guests. That still makes it one of the largest ships ever built when you consider its size and weight.

The Symphony of the Seas also holds an impressive crew compliment. With more than 2,200 crew members on board at any given time (including staff such as chefs, waiters and housekeeping), it is one of the most heavily staffed cruise ships in existence. All together, this means that there can be up to 8,800 people on board at any given time: passengers plus crew combined!

The Symphony of the Seas is truly a marvel of modern engineering. The sheer scale and size of this ship are awe-inspiring – from its 18 decks towering above the waterline to its 2,200+ crew compliment scurrying about below deck – it truly is a sight to behold! And with a capacity for over 6,000 passengers – or 8800 people when you include crew – it is no surprise that it has been dubbed “the world’s biggest cruise ship” by many news outlets.

Conclusion:

The world’s largest cruise ship – Royal Caribbean International’s Symphony of the Seas – can hold up to 6,680 passengers when operating at full capacity. Due to current safety protocols regarding COVID-19 transmission however, Royal Caribbean International has downsized that capacity to around 5,600 guests. With over 2200 crew members on board as well however this massive ship can still hold up to 8800 people at any given time – making it one of the most heavily staffed vessels ever built!