The Largest Passenger Ships in the World Since 1831

While cruise ships are incredibly popular vacation choices, many people don’t know the history of these unique ships. Most know that the RMS Titanic was the largest passenger ship in the world when it was completed in 1912, but do you know what ship overtook that title once the Titanic sank? How about the largest cruise ship in the world right now?

This unique illustrated timeline from HMY.com visualizes the largest passenger ships in the world since 1831. The timeline includes comprehensive information about each passenger ship including their gross tonnage, passenger capacity, port of registry, and important milestones related to each vessel. The visualization covers passenger ship history starting with the SS Royal William in 1831 all the way to the world’s current largest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas.

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The most notable thing about the timeline is its beautifully detailed illustrations of each passenger ship and the contrast between the smaller ships of the past and the massive cruise ships of today. It’s particularly evident when looking at the progress cruise ships have made in the last 20 years. In 1998, the Grand Princess was the biggest cruise ship in the world, with a gross tonnage of 109,000. When Symphony of the Seas became the world’s largest cruise ship in 2018, it had a gross tonnage of 228,081 — more than double the size of the Grand Princess. When looking at the Titanic compared to a modern cruise ship today, it’s clear just how much passenger ships have advanced.

Overall, this timeline blends beautifully detailed art with interesting statistics about cruise ships of the past to present a unique data visualization.