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The sinking of the wilhelm gustloff.

A night of horror, and the worst maritime disaster of all time.

World War II is filled with events that can only be described in superlatives: the biggest, the bravest, the fastest, and so on.

And then there is something else World War II is filled with: “worsts.”

Consider what happened to the German ship Wilhelm Gustloff  on the evening of January 30, 1945, seventy-five years ago. Formerly a cruise liner for Hitler's "Strength Through Joy" program in the 1930's, and then a hospital ship during wartime, Wilhelm Gustloff was pulling different duty that long-ago night in the Baltic Sea. It was part of Operation Hannibal, the evacuation of German military personnel and civilian refugees from the ports of East Prussia, now cut off from Germany by the advance of Soviet armies deep into the province of East Prussia.

German refugees were on the road in the winter of 1944-45, great columns of men, women, and children, desperate to flee as the onrushing Soviets overran their homes. They were making for the coast, for the safety of the ports Pillau or Gotenhafen. Here, rumor had it, they would be evacuated to the west. The trek was a harrowing one, replete with sub-zero temperatures, blizzards, and Soviet air attacks. This was human misery on a grand scale, reminiscent of what had happened to Soviet civilians during the German invasion of 1941.

When they arrived in Pillau, these refugees found not salvation, but chaos. The last months of the Third Reich featured scenes of unimaginable confusion, and this was no exception. Nazi Party officials haggled with the Navy over who was in charge of Hannibal, about the precise start date, even about who was to be rescued first. The local “Reichs Defense Commissar,” Gauleiter Eric Koch, was an ardent Nazi who didn’t want to appear weak in the eyes of the Führer. He wanted the evacuation postponed as long as possible. Admiral Karl Dönitz felt that the earlier the evacuation took place, the better its chance of success, a reasonable assumption. When trains arrived from Danzig with the families of 500 high ranking Nazis in the civil administration, Koch wanted them prioritized for the evacuation ships, but Dönitz refused. While officials argued, refugees kept pouring into the port, until by mid-January, Pillau was bulging with some 100,000 desperate civilians.

Command squabbles delayed the departure of Wilhelm Gustloff until midday January 30, escorted only by a pair of torpedo boats. Even as it was preparing to depart the harbor, the ship was still picking up more human cargo, another 600 from the steamer Reval , for example. The ship, built to carry a few thousand people, was now bulging with some 7,000-10,000 people, including 4,000-5,000 children. The recorded numbers contradict one another, and we probably never will know how many people were on board the ship.

One thing is certain. Lying in wait in the dark waters of the Baltic Sea was the Soviet submarine S-13 under Captain Alexander Marinesko. As Wilhelm Gustloff steamed slowly to the west, Marinesko shadowed it, then, at 9 pm, fired a spread of four torpedoes. Three of them hit home, striking Wilhelm Gustloff on the bow, stern, and amidships. The jam-packed ship was soon a scene of horror, with explosions, fires, children blown overboard, passengers slipping and sliding on the icy deck, and tumbling into the sea. No help was at hand. Indeed, most of the ship’s actual crew was trapped in the forecastle, behind watertight doors that had locked automatically upon impact.

Not that it would have mattered much. Wilhelm Gustloff sank within an hour. Those who had not been killed by the initial blast or by the chaos on board after the attack froze to death in the icy Baltic. The dead numbered between 6,000-9,000. Once again, the figure depends on the initial figure for those on board. Choose either number, in fact, and the result is the same: even with 1,200 survivors picked up by rescue vessels, the sinking of Wilhelm Gustloff was the worst disaster in maritime history, at least four times bigger, in terms of human life, than the sinking of the Titanic.

Was it a war crime? Charges that Marinesko had violated the laws of war have arisen from time to time, but they’ve been difficult to sustain. He didn’t know he was looking at a refugee ship, and at any rate the presence on board of some 1,000 naval personnel, along with a couple of quad anti-aircraft guns, made Wilhelm Gustloff a legitimate target.

War crime or not, what happened to Wilhelm Gustloff was bad. In fact, we might say it was the worst.

Robert Citino, PhD

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The Gustloff Incident – History’s Deadliest (and Mostly Forgotten) Maritime Disaster

The RMS Titanic is by far the most famous ill-fated ship of all time. Yet the unlucky luxury liner, which went down with more than 1,600 on board, can’t touch the doomed Nazi cruise ship Wilhelm Gustloff when it comes to lives lost. Destroyed in action while carrying refugees amid the chaotic closing weeks of World War Two, the German vessel sank with several thousand more passengers than legendary British Cunard Liner. But despite the scope of the tragedy, few in the West know much about the event, which remains hands-down the worst maritime disaster in recorded history. Journalist and historian Cathryn J. Prince, author of the award winning 2013 book Death in the Baltic: The World War II Sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff , recently penned this piece about the epic tragedy for MilitaryHistoryNow.com. We’re happy to share it with you. 

By Cathryn J. Prince

On Jan. 30, 1945, history’s deadliest maritime disaster in peace or war occurred in the Baltic Sea. An estimated 10,000 people perished in the little-known incident that saw a Soviet submarine torpedo the German cruise ship  Wilhelm Gustloff off Leba, Poland.

A Ship Named Gustloff

When Adolf Hitler launched the Wilhelm Gustloff from the seaside city of Hamburg on May 5, 1937, hundreds of German workers and Nazi party officials gathered to witness the spectacle.

Flags and swastika banners festooned the quay and arms raised in the notorious Heil Hitler salute as the ship sailed forth showing an uneasy world the full industrial might of Nazi Germany.

The 200-foot long, 25,000-ton vessel was named for Wilhelm Gustloff , the late head of the Swiss Nazi Party who was gunned down a year earlier by a Yugoslavian Jew named David Frankfurter. The Third Reich chose to pay tribute to one of its foremost leaders in the form of the 25-million Reichsmarks flagship for Nazi Germany’s Kraft durch Freude (KdF)  or “Strength Through Joy Fleet”.

The KdF was a subsidiary of the Deutsche Arbeitsfront or German Labor Front. Nazi trade union chief Robert Ley , who also had a liner named for him, helped establish the KdF as a means to provide amenities to the German working class and their families.

The Wilhelm Gustloff, like   the  Robert Ley and other liners in the fleet,   was equipped with 22 lifeboats and featured 12 watertight transverse bulkheads. These measures were supposed to make the ship “absolutely secure.” (After the loss of the Titanic in 1912, no ship builder dared call any vessel, especially a cruise liner, “unsinkable.”)

The Skipper

The Wilhelm Gustloff’s maiden voyage took it to the Mediterranean with Captain Lübbe, 58, in command. The vessel had a compliment of 400 to serve an estimated 1,456 passengers. Just one day into the cruise, Lübbe died of a heart attack. A new captain came aboard to take command: Friedrich Peterson. The Wilhelm Gustloff would be his on the fateful night of Jan. 30, 1945.

The Soviet Sub Commander

Born in 1913 to a Romanian sailor and a Ukrainian woman, Alexander I. Marinesko was raised in Odessa, a port on the northwest shore of the Black Sea. He joined the Soviet merchant fleet as a young man and later transferred to the navy where moved up through the ranks of that country’s submarine corps. In 1943 he took command of the S-13 , a Russian-built S-Class sub . Although Marinesko enjoyed a successful career as skipper, in early 1945 he faced a court marshal following a forbidden New Year’s Eve tryst with a Swedish national. Desperate to salvage his career, the 32-year-old captain was determined to sink anything German. When he spied the Gustloff in his periscope on the night of Jan. 30, he ordered an attack without hesitation.

Human Cargo

By January 1945, civilians living in Eastern Prussia were growing increasingly frantic. The Red Army was coming and few expected the invaders to offer any quarter to Germans. Fearing the Russian onslaught, Nazi admiral Karl Dönitz commanded his vessels to evacuated as many civilians and military personnel from the region as possible. It would prove to be one of the Kriegsmarine final major efforts of the war. Virtually every available surface ship in the German navy participated in the mission, dubbed Operation Hannibal . Even the Reich’s merchant fleet joined in the boat lift.

The Wilhelm Gustloff was just one of 800 vessels, from mighty cruise liners down to small fishing boats, assigned to carry passengers from the Gulf of Danzig that January. Eventually, more than two million civilians were taken off the Courland, East and West Prussia, Pomerania and parts of Mecklenburg between Jan. 23 and the end of the war in May. Aside from the large ports – Danzig, Gotenhafen, Königsberg, Pillau – throngs of civilians tried their luck from smaller ports and fishing villages.

On Jan. 30, more than 10,000 refugees had been crammed aboard Wilhelm Gustloff in Gotenhafen. They hoped the ship would take them to safety in Kiel, a German Naval Base across the Baltic Sea. Shortly after midday, the liner put to see.

Surprise Attack

At around 8 p.m. that same evening, Hitler delivered a speech commemorating the 12th anniversary of the Nazi party’s rise to power. Radio stations throughout the Reich broadcast the event. On board the Wilhelm Gustloff, crewmen transmitted the speech live over the ship-wide PA system.

A short distance away, the commander of the Russian submarine S-13 had spotted the slow-moving liner and moved in for the kill.

At 9 p.m. local time, just as the Fuhrer reached the end of his fevered address, Captain Marinesko ordered the S-13 to fire all four of her tubes at the German vessel. One of the torpedoes became lodged in the launching tube, its primer fully armed. The slightest jolt threatened to detonate the warhead, destroying the submarine. The crew gingerly disarmed the weapon, which had marked with the words “For Stalin”.

The other three torpedoes found their target. The first punched through the bow. The second blasted a hole near the swimming pool where 373 members of the Women’s Naval Auxiliary had taken refuge — most of the young women died instantly. The third torpedo struck the Wilhelm Gustloff amidships, near the engine room. The blast disabled the engines and cut the ship’s power. It also extinguished the lights and silenced the vessel’s communications system.

Over the next 90 minutes, the ship sank.

Today, the Wilhelm Gustloff lies on the sandy bottom of the Baltic Sea. Although the tally of dead and living wouldn’t come until years after the war, it’s now known that fewer than 1,000 survived. Almost six times as many men, women and children perished in the attack than were lost during the April 15, 1912 sinking of the Titanic . And so on Jan. 30, 1945 the Wilhelm Gustloff became the worst maritime disaster in history.

SOURCES Death in the Baltic: The WWII Sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff (Palgrave Macmillan).

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12 thoughts on “ The Gustloff Incident – History’s Deadliest (and Mostly Forgotten) Maritime Disaster ”

It seems rather callous for the Russians to recognize the event with a postage stamp. Killing 10,000 civilians is hardly an accomplishment worthy of celebration 50 years after the end of the war.

I agree. That’s why I added the image to the article. But to be fair to the Russians, the US issued a stamp in 1995 to commemorate the Enola Gay, much to the unhappiness of Japan.

Those “civilians” consisted mostly of the members of the Nazi auxilary military services. For example, mentioned in this article “children” was Kriegsmarine cadets.

There is always cause and effect (Newton). May be, just may be, the Germans should not have invaded the Soviet Union, not starved 1.2 million civilians at the siege of Leningrad, not starved to death 3 million Russian POWs, not ruined the Ukrainian countryside by burning down farm, carrying off animals, carrying off people turned forced labourers in Germany, not being quite so beastly to Jews, Gypsies, Jehovas Witnesses, etc. They robbed everybody of everything, did they really expect to be treated with kid gloves?

As well as civilians the ship was carrying nearly 1,000 members of the German U-boat training arm, and she was also fitted with light anti-aircraft weapons

At 1945 Gustloff had not been a civilian ship – she was requisitioned by Kriegsmarine in 1939 and was carrying Kriegsmarine colors since 1940.

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Regardless of a person’s opinions and loyalties – it is always the civilians who suffer from the endless wars waged across the world. In an interview at Nuremberg with Hermann Goring he spoke of how a country’s people were enlisted to support a war, and that it was always the same method throughout history. Tell your people that “our” way of life is in jeopardy because of a perceived enemy.

I would like to politely point out that the Titanic was built and operated and by the White Star Line, not the Cunard Line. May your nights and days be auspicious – thank you.

I would like to politely point out that the Titanic was built, owned and operated by the White Star Line, not the Cunard Line. You were incorrect in the article’s introduction but correct later in the latter part of the article proper. May your nights and days be auspicious. Thank you.

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The sinking of the mv wilhelm gustloff is the single largest maritime disaster in history.

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In January 1945 a German transport ship carrying thousands of civilian refugees from northern Europe was sunk in the Baltic Sea. She was torpedoed by a Soviet submarine and went down with an enormous amount of lives. To this day, the event remains the largest loss of life in a single ship sinking in history. This vessel is MV Wilhelm Gustloff.

Although at the time of sinking Wilhelm Gustloff was a transport ship, she was originally designed as a cruise ship.

The ship was designed and built for the Kraft durch Freude (Strength Through Joy) organization. This state-operated organization was a Nazi effort to improve their public image and show off the benefits of Nazism. It offered workers affordable leisure opportunities like holidays, resorts, and cruises. Formed in 1933, it was actually a highly successful operation throughout the 1930s, becoming the largest tourism organization in the world . Its success continued until WWII began.

Wilhelm Gustloff was built to carry out cruises and other activities for people using the Strength Through Joy organization. It was laid down in August 1936 and completed on March 15, 1938. The vessel was the organization’s fleet flagship.

Originally she was to be named Adolf Hitler, but Hitler decided that it would be named after Wilhelm Gustloff , a high-ranking Nazi who had been recently assassinated. He made the decision after sitting next to Gustloff’s widow at the memorial service.

When complete she displaced over 25,000 tons and measured 208.5 m (684 ft 1 in) in length.

She started her first passenger voyage in late March 1938. On April 4 Wilhelm Gustloff received an SOS call from the small coal freighter Pegaway taking on water in a storm. The large vessel made her way to the Pegaway and lowered an oar-powered lifeboat to collect the stranded crew.

However, the rough seas battered the small, engineless lifeboat, a situation that also became an emergency. Wilhelm Gustloff lowered a second lifeboat – powered by an engine – which successfully collected both the crew of Pegaway and the crew from the first lifeboat.

Her official maiden voyage began on April 21, with the ship participating in a group cruise to the Madeira Islands. Shortly into the voyage the ship’s captain suddenly died of a heart attack. Captain Carl Lübbe was replaced by Friedrich Petersen.

Wilhelm Gustloff spent the next year on cruises all over Europe, transporting more than 80,000 passengers.

In September 1939 Wilhelm Gustloff’s career as a cruise ship ended, as she operated as a hospital ship until November 1940. She was then painted in a standard naval grey color and functioned as a barracks ship for U-boat crews in the port of Gdynia, Poland. She remained moored up here for the next four years.

Wilhelm Gustloff’s next, and final major action came in January 1945. The war was all but over for Germany, and it was now a case of trying to escape from the claws of the rapidly approaching Red Army. Operation Hannibal was a major German operation that evacuated around 1 million German civilians and soldiers across the Baltic Sea to the relative safety of Germany and its occupied territories.

Wilhelm Gustloff was loaded with civilians, soldiers, SS officials, and their families as well as scientists at Gotenhafen. She left the port on January 30.

The exact number of people on board the ship on this voyage is unknown, but the estimates are staggering. According to the ship’s own lists, she had over 6,000 people on board (she was designed to carry a maximum of less than 1,500). However, the urgency of the evacuation meant most vessels fled with far more passengers than were officially counted. One estimate states that 10,580 were on board, 9,000 of which were civilians.

After leaving the port the ship’s crew disagreed with the best course of action to ensure she arrived at her destination safely. Wilhelm Gustloff’s captain (the same man who took command on the Madeira Islands cruise) decided to travel in deep waters, and switch on the vessel’s lights to prevent collisions in the dark.

Soon into the journey the Soviet Stalinets-class submarine S-13 found Wilhelm Gustloff and tailed her for two hours. She fired four torpedoes at the overloaded ship at around 9 pm. One torpedo became lodged in its tube, but the other three launched successfully. All three struck Wilhelm Gustloff, causing instant mayhem inside. Remember, the ship had over four times more people on board than the Titanic, while being significantly smaller.

The ensuing panic among passengers trying to escape trapped many inside the doomed vessel. She quickly started listing to port, trapping even more.

The temperature that night was between -18 °C and -10 °C, with ice floes on the surface of the sea. The ice-cold conditions froze her lifeboats in place, stopping them from even being deployed.

Those who were able to escape the ship were met with the hypothermia-inducing temperatures of the ocean.

In all, around 9,600 people died in the disaster. This makes the destruction of Wilhelm Gustloff the largest loss of life in the sinking of any single ship.

Less than a week after the sinking, S-13 sank another ship, General von Steuben, killing a further 4,500 people.

The Deadliest Disaster at Sea Killed Thousands, Yet Its Story Is Little-Known. Why?

In the final months of World War II, 75 years ago, German citizens and soldiers fleeing the Soviet army died when the “Wilhelm Gustloff” sank

Francine Uenuma

History Correspondent

By the time the Soviet Union advanced on Germany’s eastern front in January of 1945, it was clear the advantage in World War II was with the Allies. The fall of the Third Reich was by this point inevitable; Berlin would succumb within months. Among the German populace, stories of rape and murder by vengeful Soviet forces inspired dread; the specter of relentless punishment pushed many living in the Red Army’s path to abandon their homes and make a bid for safety.

The province of East Prussia , soon to be partitioned between the Soviet Union and Poland, bore witness to what the Germans called Operation Hannibal, a massive evacuation effort to ferry civilians, soldiers and equipment back to safety via the Baltic Sea. German civilians seeking an escape from the advancing Soviets converged on the port city of Gotenhafen (now Gdynia, Poland ), where the former luxury ocean liner Wilhelm Gustloff was docked. The new arrivals overwhelmed the city, but there was no turning them back. If they could get to the dock and if they could get on board, the Gustloff offered them a voyage away from besieged East Prussia.

“They said to have a ticket to the Gustloff is half of your salvation,” ship passenger Heinz Schön recalled in an episode of the early 2000s Discovery Channel series “ Unsolved History .” “It was Noah’s Ark.”

The problem, however, was that the Soviet navy lay in wait for any transports that crossed their path and sank the Gustloff 75 years ago this week in what is likely the greatest maritime disaster in history. The death toll from its sinking numbered in the thousands, some put it as high as 9,000 , far eclipsing those of the Titanic and Lusitania combined.

Most of the Gustloff ’s estimated 10,000 passengers—which included U-boat trainees and members of the Women’s Naval Auxiliary—would die just hours after they boarded on January 30, 1945. The stories of the survivors and the memory of the many dead were largely lost in the fog of the closing war, amid pervasive devastation and in a climate where the victors would be little inclined to feel sympathy with a populace considered Nazis—or at the very least, Nazis by association.

Before the war, the 25,000-ton Wilhelm Gustloff had been used “to give vacationing Nazis ocean-going luxury,” the Associated Press noted shortly after its 1937 christening, part of the “Strength Through Joy” movement meant to reward loyal workers. The ship was named in honor of a Nazi leader in Switzerland who had been assassinated by a Jewish medical student the year before; Adolf Hitler had told mourners at Gustloff’s funeral that he would be in “the ranks of our nation’s immortal martyrs.”

The realities of war meant that instead of a vacationing vessel the Gustloff was soon used as a barracks; it had not been maintained in seaworthy condition for years before it was hastily repurposed for mass evacuation. Despite having earlier been prohibited from fleeing, German citizens understood by the end of January that no other choice existed. The Soviet advance south of them had cut off land routes; their best chance at escape was on the Baltic Sea.

Initially German officials issued and checked for tickets, but in the chaos and panic, the cold, exhausted, hungry and increasingly desperate pressed on board the ship and crammed into any available space. Without a reliable passenger manifest, the exact number of people onboard during the sinking will never be known, but what is beyond doubt is that when this vessel—built for less than 2,000 people—pushed off at midday on the 30th of January, it was many times over its intended capacity.

Early on, the ship’s senior officers faced a series of undesirable trade-offs. Float through the mine-laden shallower waters, or the submarine-infested deeper waters? Snow, sleet and wind conspired to challenge the crew and sicken the already beleaguered passengers. Captain Paul Vollrath, who served as senior second officer, later wrote in his account in Sea Breezes magazine that adequate escort ships were simply not available “in spite of a submarine warning having been circulated and being imminent in the very area we were to pass through.” After dark, to Vollrath’s dismay, the ship’s navigation lights were turned on—increasing visibility but making the massive ship a beacon for lurking enemy submarines.

Later that evening, as the Gustloff pushed into the sea and westward toward relative safety in the German city of Kiel, Hitler delivered what would be his last radio address and commanded the nation “to gird themselves with a yet greater, harder spirit of resistance,” sparing none: “I expect all women and girls to continue supporting this struggle with utmost fanaticism.” His futile exhortations were carried on the airwaves—and broadcast on the Gustloff itself—12 years to the day of when he formally assumed power on January 30, 1933 .

Soon the nearby Soviet submarine S-13 , under the command of Alexander Marinesko, who was in a tenuous position with his own chain of command after his mission was delayed by his land-based alcohol consumption habits, spotted the large, illuminated ship. It presented an easy target for a commander who could use a boost to his reputation. “He thought he would be a real hero for doing it,” says Cathryn J. Prince , author of Death in the Baltic: The World War II Sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff .

Shortly after 9 p.m., the S-13 unleashed three torpedoes, each inscribed with messages conveying the Soviets’ desire for revenge for the suffering inflicted on the Soviet populace by Nazi forces earlier in the war. These explosions impacted crew living quarters, the swimming pool area that housed members of the Women’s Naval Auxiliary, and finally the engine room and lower decks, dealing the ship its fatal blows and trapping many occupants with no means of escape.

The Gustloff was soon the scene of a mad scramble for survival. Even for those who could get off the mortally wounded ship and seek safety in the open water, the sheer number of passengers far exceeded the capacity of the life rafts. Survivor Horst Woit, who was just 10 years old, saw people—many of them children—trampled to death in an effort to get up the stairs and on to an available lifeboat (the ship was tilted toward the port side, so none of the lifeboats on the starboard side were accessible). After cutting the ropes with a knife he had taken from his uncle’s uniform, Woit was one of the lucky few on a boat moving away from the Gustloff . “A lot of the people jumped. And then they all tried to get on to the lifeboat and of course they pull you over and they get hit in the head with a paddle, and they get hit on the hands,” Woit told BBC Witness . “[It was] just gruesome, just awful. Most of them died.”

Mere feet separated the spared and the doomed. “Perhaps the decision not to take any more people and leave them to their fate was the hardest I ever had to make,” Vollrath wrote. “Here was comparative safety inside the boat, on the other side certain death.”

For those who remained on deck, it was becoming apparent that death in the freezing water was imminent. Schön, who ultimately devoted years to studying the shipwreck he had survived, later recounted in a documentary on the National Geographic Channel the agonizing decision of a father hanging off the listing ship—still wearing his swastika arm band—to shoot his wife and children. He ran out of bullets when he put the gun to his own head. “And then he let go and slide after his dead wife and his children across the icy, snow-covered deck, and over the side,” Schön recalled.

As German rescue boats summoned by the Gustloff’ s crew approached to pick up survivors, they faced the same dilemma as those in lifeboats: who to pick up, and when to stop. They, too, were at risk from the S-13 . Torpedo boat commander Robert Hering, aboard the T-36 , had to make the decision to leave many more behind when his boat was at full capacity. He then had to take evasive maneuvers to avoid suffering the same fate as the Gustloff.

Just over an hour after the S-13 ’s torpedoes hit, the Gustloff sunk into the sea.

By the next morning, the waters surrounding the Gustloff were filled with bodies, many of them those of children whose lifejackets caused them to float upside down. Only one known survivor emerged from the floating graveyard—an infant wrapped tightly in blankets aboard a lifeboat, surrounded by deceased passengers. (The officer who found the infant would adopt and raise the boy ). Of the passengers who had boarded the previous day a mere fraction—roughly 1,000—had survived.

Despite the magnitude of the tragedy, in the frenzied closing months of the war it would receive little attention. This may be partially attributed to the sheer pace and staggering death tolls happening across the European theater. Yet neither side—a Nazi Germany near defeat, nor a Soviet Union on its way to brutal victory—had an incentive to widely broadcast the deaths of so many citizens. It would be weeks before word of the Gustloff reached the United States, and then only a few short wire stories appeared citing snippets from Finnish radio broadcasts.

Furthermore, the Gustloff , though its toll is considered the highest, was not the only ship to go down in the Baltic during Operation Hannibal. Weeks later, the General von Steuben was also sunk by Marinesko (the credit he sought was slow in coming—his reputation didn’t recover in his lifetime, but he would be posthumously celebrated for his wartime actions.) In the spring, the sinking of the Goya would add another 7,000 to the Baltic toll; the Cap Arcona was sunk by British forces with 4,500 concentration camp prisoners on board .

In context, the Gustloff was another tragedy in a war full of losses. By then, “there was a stigma about discussing any sort of German suffering during the war after everything the Nazis did to the rest of Europe,” Edward Petruskevich, curator of the online Wilhelm Gustloff Museum , writes in an e-mail. “The Gustloff was just another casualty of war along with the countless other large ships sunk on the German side.”

Even if the details of the Gustloff or other German ships had been more widely or immediately known, considering the reigning public sentiment in the United States and other Allied countries it may not have elicited much sympathy. After years of total war, the fall of the Third Reich meant that German civilians also found themselves on the other side of a Manichean divide.

“I think there was that inability to look at the humanity of people who were the foe,” says Prince.

But whatever category those Wilhelm Gustloff victims fit into—U-boat trainees, Women’s Naval Auxiliary Members, Hitler Youth, reluctant conscripts, German civilians, mothers and children—they were part of a maritime tragedy that has yet to be rivaled in scale. In little over an hour, Vollrath wrote, the Gustloff had “dragged love, hope, and wishes down to the bottom of the sea.”

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Unfinished and unwanted 9,000-passenger cruise ship to be scrapped

Lower hull of Global Dream II to be disposed of after shipbuilder filed for bankruptcy

What was meant to be one of the world’s largest cruise ships is being prepared for its maiden voyage – to a scrapyard.

Global Dream II , which was designed to hold more than 9,000 passengers, had almost been completed at a shipyard on Germany’s Baltic coast. However, the shipbuilder MV Werften filed for bankruptcy in January 2022 and the administrators cannot find a buyer for Global Dream II.

The German cruise industry magazine An Bord reported that the lower hull of the liner is to be disposed for scrap price.

The administrator Christoph Morgen reportedly told a press conference on Friday that the ship needed to be moved out of MV Werften’s Wismar shipyard by the end of the year because the yard had been sold to Thyssenkrupp’s naval unit, which plans to build military vessels there.

Demand for cruise ships has collapsed since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Global Dream II and its sister ship Global Dream – which is not being scrapped for now – would have been the world’s largest cruise ships by passenger capacity when complete.

At 208,000 tons they would have been jointly the sixth largest cruise ships by size, just behind Royal Caribbean’s five Oasis-class ships.

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This is CruiseMapper's list of major shipbuilding (marine vessel manufacturing) companies, which are also the world's largest cruise shipbuilders. Learn here what are the largest shipbuilding countries, which is the largest shipbuilding company and which is the largest shipbuilding yard.

The world's largest shipbuilding companies are based in South Korea. Combined they have a global market share of over 53% (data 2011) and a leading position in the production of high-tech vessels - cruise ships, supertankers, LNG carriers ("liquefied natural gas"), drillships (for scientific drilling or offshore drilling of oil-gas wells) and large-sized container ships.

Being the largest shipbuilding country, South Korea and its shipbuilding yards boast huge capacity, extremely high efficiency and top-quality of products and services. The world's largest shipbuilding yard is located in Ulsan (Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co Ltd). Operated by Hyundai Heavy Industries/HHI, the company produces a brand new USD 80+ million vessel every week. However, most of the world's best cruise ships are built in Europe - by Fincantieri and Meyer Werft .

Germany's largest shipbuilder is MV WERFTEN (3x shipyards owned by GHK).

The world's largest cruise liners ( Royal Caribbean 's Oasis-class) are built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique (fka STX France).

This article is integrated with shipbreaking .

List of the world's largest shipbuilding companies

Note: All "website" links are external and redirect to the company's official website).

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI)

Hyundai Heavy Industries (hyundai.eu, 1972-founded, headquarters in Ulsan, Gyeongju, South Korea ), the world's largest, with revenue USD 19,7 billion (2010) and 26,000 employees (2011).

On March 8, 2019, HHI Group and KDB (Korea Development Bank) signed an agreement HHI to acquire the Korean company DSME (Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering). The definitive agreement followed the HHI-KDB agreement signed on January 31, 2019.

Samsung Heavy Industries

Samsung Heavy Industries (shi.samsung.co.kr, 1974-founded, headquarters in Seoul South Korea ), revenue USD 14,3 billion (2010), 13,000 employees (2011). Samsung shipbuilding also has 2 big ship-block manufacturing plants in China (Ningbo and Rongcheng), and its South Korean largest yard in Geoje has the world's highest dock turnover rate and production efficiency for building mostly ultra-large ships.

Samsung is the leader in making LNG tankers and drillships. Samsung is currently building one of the world's most expensive luxury ships - the 108,000-ton Utopia (of Utopia Residences). At the cost of USD 1,1 billion for only 199 luxury apartments, the 2017-ordered residential ship Utopia is scheduled for launch in 2021.

Daewoo Shipbuilding

Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (dsme.co.kr, 1978-founded, headquarters in Seoul South Korea ), revenue USD 11,4 billion (2010), 25,000 employees (2011). The Daewoo company got in 2011 the largest single defense contract by a South Korean firm - USD 1,07 billion for 3 submarines for Indonesia.

Other big Daewoo deals are: (2011) 10 large container ships for Maersk (capacity 18,000 containers each) with an option for 20 more vessels of this new "Triple E" class, and (2012) a USD 710 million contract with the Britain's Ministry of Defence for 4 naval ships (fast fleet tankers, 37,000 tons each).

STX Shipbuilding

STX Offshore and Shipbuilding (stxons.com, 1962-founded, headquarters in Jinhae, South Korea), revenue USD 14,8 billion (2010), the world's 4th largest shipbuilder (a subsidiary of the holding STX Corporation), shipyards in Busan and Jinhae (South Korea). STX has more than 700 big ships built in its shipyards over the last 40 years, among which the world's largest passenger ship ever built - the Oasis ship of Royal Caribbean cruise company.

STX operates a total of 15 shipyards located in Brazil, Europe (Finland, France, Norway, Romania) and Vietnam.

Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries

Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (hshi.co.kr, 1998-founded, headquarters in Samhoeup, Yeongam, South Korea, a subsidiary company of Hyundai Heavy Industries Group), the world's 5th largest shipbuilder, producing approx 40 ships per year in its yard in Samho-eup (South Korea).

Hyundai Mipo Dockyard

Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (1975-founded, hmd.co.kr) is currently the world's largest shipbuilders, with ~50% share in the production of general cargo ships/Product Carriers. The current facility (in Ulsan) was inaugurated in 1982.

The company specializes in shipbuilding (~96% of the business), as well as vessel conversions/refits and drydock repairs (~4%).

In the period 1982-2015, the company repaired/converted ~11000 and built/delivered 700+ vessels, at a rate of ~70 units annually. By annual GT tonnage delivered, the company is ranked the world's 4th-largest.

Vessel types include cable and pipe laying ships, reefer (refrigerated cargo) ships, containerships, Ro-Ro/Ro-Pax ships (vehicle carriers and passenger ferries), supply and special vessels, drill ships.

Hanjin Heavy Industries

Hanjin Heavy Industries (hanjinsc.com, 1937-founded, headquarters in Busan South Korea ), a subsidiary of Hanjin Group (shipping, logistics, air). Main products and services - LNG and LPG ("Liquefied petroleum gas") ships, container ships, icebreakers and hovercrafts, marine police and Naval Ships, cable-laying.

Chantiers de l'Atlantique (STX France)

STX France (chantiers-atlantique.com, 2004-founded, headquarters in Oslo Norway ), was an STX subsidiary that combined the activities of two Finnish shipbuilding companies (Aker and Kvaerner) and with a majority stake of the shipyards in St Nazaire (Chantiers de l'Atlantique) and in Lorient.

Main business divisions and products are cruise ships and ferries by STX France Cruise SA (St Nazaire and Lorient shipyards) and STX Finland Cruise Oy (shipyards at Helsinki , Turku , Rauma ), and offshore and specialized ships (subsea support-, arctic-, fishing-, research- and coast guard vessels) at the yards in Norway, Vietnam, and Brazil, while hulls are often constructed in Romania. The Vietnam yards serve primarily the Asian market. Other operations are provided by STX Norway Floro AS (advanced chemical tankers, juice carriers, LNG ships, cabins).

In 2018, STX France was acquired by Fincantieri and renamed to the original "Chantiers de l'Atlantique".

Oasis-class ( world's largest passenger ships ) are constructed by this French company.

For STX France-tagged CruiseMapper news follow this link .

• Fincantieri

Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani (fincantieri.com, 1959-established, Trieste Italy -headquartered) is one of Europe's largest shipbuilding companies and the biggest in the Mediterranean, with revenue USD 3,1 billion (2010) and ~20,000 employees (2010).

Main products and services include merchant and passenger ships, offshore and naval vessels, ship conversion and ship repair. The company has 8 shipyards, 2 design centers, 1 research center. Fincantieri also is among the leading mid-sized ships building companies in the USA with 2 shipyards located in Wisconsin (plus a production plant) and a repair yard in Ohio, making vessels also for the US Navy and US Coast Guard.

For FY17 (the fiscal year 2017) Fincantieri reported EUR 53 million net income and over EUR 5 billion revenues. For FY16 these numbers were, respectively, EUR 25 million and EUR 4,4 billion. As of April 2018, the company had ship orders for EUR 26 billion (a total of 106 vessels, of which 26 cruises). The money covered 5 years of work, with 106 ships, including 26 cruise ships.

In 2017, Fincantieri signed an agreement to purchase a 50% share capital of STX France. Also in 2017 was signed MoA with CSSC (China State Shipbuilding Corporation) and Carnival Corporation for building 2 cruise liners (plus 4 optional) in China.

In 2017, Fincantieri became the majority shareholder of VARD Norway (smaller expedition shipbuilding company). In 2018, VARD Holdings was delisted as Fincantieri moved for full ownership of the company.

In 2017, the company delivered 5 cruise ships, the largest of which was MSC Seaside . In 2017, Fincantieri signed 11 shipbuilding orders - 1 for Holland America, 1 for Princess, 2 for MSC, 4 for NCL Norwegian, 2 for Viking, 1 for Silversea. Polar-class newbuilds were also ordered by Coral Expeditions and Compagnie du Ponant.

For January-June 2018, Fincantieri reported a net income EUR 21 million on half-year revenues EUR 2,5 billion. For the same period in 2017, these numbers were EUR 13 million and EUR 2,3 billion, respectively. In August 2018, Fincantieri signed with France deal for purchasing 51% of STX France. The shipyard in St Nazaire was renamed back to "Chantiers de l'Atlantique". There is a possibility for a defense merger between Fincantieri and Naval Group (French military shipyards operator),

Fincantieri's 2018 order book included 5 cruise ship deliveries plus 24 ships on order, in addition to the Vard and STX France newbuilds. Fincantieri's 2020-2024 order book had 29 cruise ships (total 41 through 2027).

In November 2020, Fincantieri signed a EUR 125 million (~USD 150 M) propulsion order with ABB (Azipod electric propulsion systems). The equipment was for 5 newbuild cruise vessels (2 Azipod units per ship) and with total power output 178 MW (238,700 HP). The order included Fincantieri's largest and most powerful Azipod units (20 MW each) to be installed so far. The ordered vessels were scheduled to enter service in the period 2023-2026. The Fincantieri-ABB propulsion deal was signed by Juha Koskela (ABB's Division President) and Luigi Matarazzo (Fincantieri's Director Merchant Ships Division).

The list of Fincantieri-owned shipbuilding yards includes Monfalcone (near Trieste ), Marghera ( Venice ), Sestri Ponente ( Genoa ), Ancona , Castellammare di Stabia ( Naples ), Palermo (Sicily) . In addition to these merchant shipbuilding yards are the naval shipyards Riva Trigoso (Genoa) and Muggiano ( La Spezia ).

Due to the Coronavirus crisis (reduction in man-hours), in 2020 Fincantieri sustained a loss of EUR 245 million (~USD 300M) on revenues EUR 5,2 billion (~USDT 6,25B). The numbers for 2019 were EUR 148M loss on revenues EUR 5,8B. In 2020, cruise shipbuilding accounted for EUR 3,3B (~USD 3,97B) of all revenues (EUR 3,6B in 2019). In 2020-H2 Fincantieri delivered 4 (of 7 planned) cruise liners and none of the ship orders were canceled. For deliveries in 2021 were scheduled 7 ships.

As of January 2021, Fincantieri's order book included 116 vessels (EUR 35,7B/USD 42,3B), of which 48 cruise ships.

For 2021-Q1 Fincantieri reported revenues EUR 1,6 billion (~USD 1,94B) and EBITDA EUR 101 million (~USD 123M) - in comparison to 2020-Q1's EUR 1,3B (revenues) and EUR 72 M (EBITDA). The company's COVID-related expenses in 2020 were EUR 14M. Fincantieri's order book (in 2021) included 98 ships (total value ~EUR 34,4 billion / ~USD 41,8B), 6 cruise ships were delivered in 2021, 8 were scheduled for 2022, 9 for 2023, 5 for 2024, 5 for 2025, 4 for 2026 and beyond.

As of 2023, Fincantieri has over 40% cruise shipbuilding market share and ~120 vessels built between 1990-2022 (~1/3 of the global fleet). As of October 2022, the company had 28 units scheduled for deliveries in 2023-2028.

Fincantieri plans to participate in the design and construction of a new cruise ship repair-maintenance and conversation yard in Port Progreso (Yucatan Mexico) , with an exclusive 40-year concession for the facility.

In July 2023 Fincantieri signed an agreement with the nuclear energy company "newcleo Ltd" (2021-founded, subsidiary of the 2015-founded Hydromine Nuclear Energy SARL) for a feasibility study for implementing nuclear power (lead-cooled SMRs/small Modular Reactor, capacity 30 MW) on ships. The nuclear reactor (power output 30 MW/40230 hp) requires refueling once every 10-15 years.

In September 2023, Fincantieri secured a EUR 800 million package for 5 years (3-year grace period) which was 70% guaranteed by the Italian export credit agency SACE. The lending banks included France's BNP Paribas, Germany's Deutsche Bank, Spain's Santander Bank and CaixaBank, and Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, Banca Popolare di Milano, and BPER Banca.

For Fincantieri-tagged CruiseMapper news follow this link .

Meyer Werft (Germany)

Meyer Werft GmbH (meyerwerft.de, 1795-founded, headquarters in Papenburg Germany , 2300 employees), a private family-owned company, one the largest shipbuilding companies in Germany, in 2009 merged with Neptun Werft (Rostock) to become part of the Meyer Neptun Group.

The main products include livestock and passenger ferries and Ro-Ro ships (for wheeled cargo), gasoline tankers and container ships, luxury cruise liners. The company has some of the world's biggest and most modern shipbuilding yards and the two world's largest roofed dry docks (length 370 and 504 m).

The company's current biggest cruise ship orders include the newest NCL ships of 144,00 tons each - Norwegian Breakaway (2013) and Norwegian Getaway (2014), and the newest Royal Caribbean ships called Project Sunshine (158,000 tons each), scheduled for 2014 and 2015.

For Meyer Werft-tagged CruiseMapper news follow this link .

MV WERFTEN (Germany)

MV WERFTEN (mv-werften.com) was a new German shipbuilding company wholy-owned by GHK-Genting Hong Kong Corporation. The shipbuilder incorporated the three Nordic Yards in Germany's Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state (the shipyards in Rostock , Stralsund , Wismar ) owned by GHK between April 2016-January 2022.

The company is managed in Wismar and has the capacity to build 3 large-sized cruise ships per year. Lloyd Werft yards in Bremerhaven, Germany (bought by Genting in September 2015) focus on repairs, ship conversion, and megayachts building.

Genting Group (GHK's parent company) invested EUR 100+ million in MV WERFTEN, including for a thin-plate laser welding line, cruise cabin module factory, new covered block-building hall, upgraded manufacture control systems, new offices, and facilities.

In June 2021, GHK's President and CEO (Colin Au) officially announced that MV WERFTEN will start building Universal-Class cruise ships for premium hotel brands - like Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Accor. Construction was planned to start in 2023, with the first vessel to be completed in 2025.

• The vessels will be "designed like airplanes" - with function prioritized over the form, more simple design and standardized modules (hull and superstructure blocks, cabins) to speed the production process and reduce the building cost.
• GHK's "hotel ships" are LNG-powered , with GT ~90,000 tons (volume), LOA length 286 m (938 ft), max passenger capacity ~2000 (~1000 staterooms), 15 decks, with COVID-safe features (~20% more spacious interiors due to fewer guests), cabins convertible into sitting/dining rooms, deeper cabin balconies, no-touch technologies (voice and facial recognition).
• The design is actually based on passenger capacity varying between 1000-4000, depending on the requested by the hotel brand class - Luxury, Premium, or Contemporary.
• The propulsion is based on two ABB-Azipod thrusters, with combined power output 30 MW (40230 HP). On December 12, 2019, ABB signed with GHK a contract (EUR 157 million) to supply the 6x units with power-propulsion-digital equipment, including ABB Ability (real-time remote monitoring by ABB experts). However, back then, the plans were the 6x ships to be delivered in 2023-2024. The ABB-GHK deal was signed by Gustaf Gronberg (GHK's Executive VP, Marine Operations and Newbuilding) and Peter Terwiesch (ABB's President of Industrial Automation). The ceremony was attended by Peter Fetten (MV Werften's President and CEO) and Juha Koskela (ABB's Managing Director, ABB Marine and Ports).
• For the first time, GHK's Universal-Class was announced in December 2019 as a plan for a separate fleet of midsize vessels to be chartered to global passenger shipping and travel brands. The planned 6x units will be built by MV Werften (GHK's wholly-owned shipbuilding company. Currently, as shipowner GHK owns the cruise brands (Chinese subsidiary companies) Star Cruises and Dream Cruises.

During the Coronavirus crisis (2020-2021), MV Werften received ~EUR 2 billion (USD 2,39B) financial assistance from the German government, including EUR 300M (Economic Stabilization Fund grant) and EUR 1,6B (loan for Global Dream/Disney Adventure 's construction). As of 2021, GHK had 23 ships built in Germany, with Global Dream (GT 208,000) being Germany's ever-biggest passenger ship.

On January 10, 2022, MV Werften filed for bankruptcy protection, after failing to pay the December 2021 salaries to ~2000 employees. Reportedly, the company had a "liquidity gap" EUR 148 million (~USD 168M/~GBP 123M). On January 19th, GHK also filed for bankruptcy.

On June 16, 2022, MV Werften Wismar was sold to the shipbuilding company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems GmbH (2005-founded, headquartered in Kiel Germany ) which planned to start there construction of naval vessels (corvettes, frigates, submarines) from 2024.

For MV Werften-tagged CruiseMapper news follow this link .

China's shipbuilding companies

The first built specifically for China cruise ship could be delivered by 2021, according to SWS (Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co Ltd). The Chinese state-owned company started negotiations with the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri which provides technical support.

In October 2015, a USD 3,9 billion agreement was signed between the two state-owned companies - CSSC (China State Shipbuilding Corp) and China Investment Corp - and the world's largest cruise company Carnival Corporation & plc under which the three parties set up a new, Hong Kong-based joint venture Chinese cruise line company (still unnamed) that will place shipbuilding orders with the SWS.

• In April 2018 was announced that China's government plans to merge the country's two largest shipbuilders - CSSC (China State Shipbuilding Corporation) and CSIC (China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation) into a single company. The two Chinese companies reported in 2017 combined revenue of over USD 81billion. Their products range from aircraft carriers to cargo and passenger ships, oil and gas carriers, container ships .
• The giant corporation that would result from the merger would have over twice the combined annual revenue of the Korean shipbuilders Hyundai, Daewoo and Samsung, ranked the world's 3 largest by market value.

You can read CruiseMapper news related to shipbuilding and shipbuilders grouped at the following tag links:

• shipbuilding
• Meyer Turku
• Meyer Werft

You will find interesting information regarding cruise ship designs at our survey on cruise ship construction .

Where are cruise ships built?

• Who built rms Titanic ship (1912, Belfast) - (for White Star Line) "Harland and Wolff" (England)
• Who built the battleship Bismarck (1939) - Blohm-Voss (Hamburg, Germany)
• Who built the battleship HMS Hood (1918) - "John Brown & Co"
• Who built the world's largest yacht? my Eclipse (2010) was constructed by Blohm-Voss (Hamburg). The cost to build is USD 485 million. Yacht's current owner is the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.

While high fuel prices and economic stagnation are a damper for the passenger shipbuilding industry, they are actually attracting new cruisers because of the industry's value per price indices and total costs of alternative vacations.

This article is integrated with CruiseMapper's list of the world's largest cruise companies .

Splash Travels

Monsters of the Sea: The World's Biggest Ships

Posted: 30 April 2024 | Last updated: 30 April 2024

Monsters of the Sea

The ocean has always been a stage for the world’s greatest engineering feats.

From massive oil tankers and shipping container vessels to colossal cruise ships with amusement parks on board—these are some of the biggest ships the world has ever seen.

Seawise Giant

The Seawise Giant was a ULCC supertanker, and the longest self-propelled ship in history. It was built between 1974 and 1979 by Sumitomo Heavy Industries in Japan.

Seawise Giant: Weight Capabilities

The Seawise carried the greatest deadweight tonnage every recorded. Full loaded, her displacement was 657,019 tons.

Seawise Giant: Size

The Seawise Giant had a laden draft of 24.6 m (81 ft) and a length of 1,504.10 ft—longer than the height of many of the world's tallest buildings. Her size made her incapable of navigating the English Channel, the Suez Canal or the Panama Canal.

Seaswise Giant: Lifespan

The Seawise Giant served as an oil tanker shuttling large shipments from the Middle East to the USA. However, in 1988 it was a target of Saddam Hussein’s force and it sank.

In 1991 though, it was salvaged, fixed and put back to work until 2004 when it was deemed to difficult to maneuver and became a storage facility in Norway until it was sold for scrap in 2010.

In 2023, Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd (OOCL) introduced the first 24,188 TEU mega vessel to its fleet—a shipping container ship.

OOCL Spain: Size & Weight Capabilities

The OOCL Spain is just shy of 400 meters long (1312.34 ft) and is capable of carrying up to 235,341 tons, putting it in the ranks of the world's largest shipping vessels.

OOCL Spain: Significance

The OOCL is one of the few ships in the world with a carrying capacity of over 24,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units or standard shipping containers), giving it a significant presence in the shipping world.

MSC Irina, MSC Loreto, and MSC Michel Cappellini

The current largest capacity shipping container ship in the world goes to the MSC Irina, along with its twins: the MSC Loreto and MSC Michel Cappellini.

These magnificent vessels have a carrying capacity of 24,346 TEU. As some of the largest ships ever constructed, these additions to the MSC fleet significantly add to their staggering logistical potential.

Significance

With the combination of these three mega-ships, the MSC company can ship 22.5 million TEU every year, combined with its fleet of over 700 ships of all sizes.

MSC currently holds the record for largest shipping vessel in the world.

Another MSC vessel breaking world records is the MSC Gülsün. Known for its length, capacity, and speed capabilities.

MSC Gülsün: Capabilities

The MSC Gülsün has a total length that's just shy of 400 meters. It has a deadweight carrying capacity of 228,149 tons and a top speed of 21 knots.

MSC Gülsün: Accommodations

When fully loaded, the MSC Gülsün can accommodate 23,756 shipping containers, and includes 2,000 refrigeration slots to ensure the safety of temperature-controlled goods.

MSC Gülsün: Engine

In order to be able to transport such massive amounts of goods across the globe, the ship needs a great deal of power.

The MSC Gülsün is equipped with a MAN Diesel 11G95ME-C engine. One of the largest in the world , the engine measures approximately 22 meters in length and 18 meters in height.

Icon of the Seas

The Icon of the Seas is owned and operated by Royal Caribbean, and is currently the largest cruise ship in the world.  In fact, it is five times the size of the Titanic. It set out on its maiden voyage in January of 2024—breaking several world records.

Icon of the Seas: Capacity

The Icon of the Seas has 20 decks, 18 of which are solely dedicated to guests. There are over 2,800 different rooms of varying sizes and can accommodate a total of 5,610 guests (not including staff).

Icon of the Seas: Size & Engine Capabilities

The Icon of the Seas is 364.75 metres (1,196.7 ft) in length. It has six multi-fuel Wärtsilä engines; these can be powered with both LNG and distillate fuel.

Icon of the Seas: Record Breaking Features

This magnificent cruise ship boasts the tallest waterfall, the tallest water slide, the largest swim up bar, and the largest waterpark of any cruise ship. It also has the first suspended infinity pool of any ship.

Icon of the Seas: Other Features

It also has a diving dome, an art installation, an ice-skating rink, a family neighborhood, a casino, zip lines, seven pools and six waterslides.

USS Gerald R. Ford

The USS Gerald R. Ford is an American aircraft carrier, and an engineering wonder. Debuting in 2023, it’s the leading modern warship of its class, and the world's largest aircraft carrier.

USS Gerald R. Ford: Size and Capabilities

It measures about 333 meters in length, and can hold over 4,500 crew members and support staff, a full wing complement (75 aircraft), and support ground vehicles.

USS Gerald R. Ford: Design

The USS Gerald R. Ford was designed with advanced new weapons systems and a new electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) that allows for a greater variety of planes to be launched from its deck.

Symphony of the Seas

Another record-breaking cruise ship by Royal Caribbean is the Symphony of the Seas. This ship is designed with luxurious entertainment in mind.

Symphony of the Seas: Capacity

The Symphony of the Seas has 18 decks, 24 elevators, and can accommodate a whopping 6,680 guests and 2,200 staff members.

Symphony of the Seas: Engine Capabilities

The Symphony of the Seas has six engines in total: three 16-cylinder Wärtsilä 16V46D and three 12-cylinder Wärtsilä 12V46D engines.

Each engine is approximately the size of a shipping container and all work together to power the colossal ship.

Symphony of the Seas: Features

The Symphony of the Seas boats an array of luxury amenities, such as spas, gardens, several pools and waterslides, an amusement park, playgrounds, theaters, and so much more.

Wonder of the Seas

Royal Caribbean did it again with another colossal cruise ship breaking records. The Wonder of the Seas surpasses the previous cruise ship mentioned, Symphony of the Seas, in size. It’s often referred to as a “floating city.”

Wonder of the Seas: Capacity

The Wonder of the Seas measures 1,188 feet (362 m) in length and has a gross tonnage of 236,857 across 18 decks. It has a guest capacity of 5,734 and a crew of 2,300.

Wonder of the Seas: Features

The Wonder of the Seas has everything you could possibly imagine.

There are eight different neighborhoods on board, each boasting impressive amenities such as: a waterpark, a playground, a full-size basketball court, a zip line, a theater, rock-climbing walls, dog parks, and an on-board central park with more than 10,000 plans and flowers.

Dockwise Vanguard/BOKA Vanguard

The Dockwise Vanguard—also known as the BOKA Vanguard—is a semisubmersible heavy-lift ship, and is the largest vessel of its kind ever built. It’s like the biggest and baddest tow truck of the sea.

Dockwise Vanguard: How It Works

The Dockwise Vanguard operates by taking on water as a ballast, allowing it to sink slightly and creating a space in its docking bay where it can then maneuver a ship in to secure it.

Once secured, the ship pumps out the ballast and lifts the other ship out of the water, safely within the Dockwise Vanguard.

Dockwise Vanguard: Size

The ship has a flat, bow-less deck measuring 70 by 275 m (230 by 902 ft), allowing cargo longer and wider than the deck. Her deck is 70% larger than the MV Blue Marlin, the third-largest heavy-lift ship.

She can lift and transport cargoes up to 110,000 tons.

Dockwise Vanguard: Significance

The Dockwise Vanguard may not be the largest vessel in the water, but the sheer fact that it can carry vessels bigger than itself is amazing enough—including the insanely large cruise ships mentioned in this list.

Evergreen Ever Apex

The Evergreen Ever Apex is Evergreen’s latest addition, launched in 2022. While it matches the same size and capabilities of it’s A-type siblings, it does have notable changes.

Evergreen Ever Apex: Size & Capabilities

The Ever Apex is just shy of 400 meters in length and is capable of carrying approximately 225,000 tons—which is the equivalent of hauling the weight of 45,000 elephants.

Evergreen Ever Apex: Significance

Evergreen’s A-type vessels are known as the largest of their kind in the world, carrying massive amounts of weight seamlessly through the sea. The Ever Apex is no different than its siblings, standing as a testament to human engineering.

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Icon of the seas: the best dining, amenities and more on royal caribbean's new ship.

This family-friendly megaship features plenty of activities, entertainment and restaurants.

Icon of the Seas

Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International

Key Takeaways

• Icon of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world, with 18 passenger-accessible decks, eight different neighborhoods and 2,805 staterooms.
• Think of Icon of the Seas as an all-in-one adventure vacation contained on a ship. Young families and energetic travelers will enjoy it most.
• Itineraries originate from Miami , sail to destinations around the Caribbean and include a stop at Royal Caribbean's private island , Perfect Day at CocoCay.

If you have any degree of interest in traveling or cruising, chances are you've heard the buzz around Icon of the Seas. Another record-breaking ship by Royal Caribbean International , Icon of the Seas debuted on Jan. 27, 2024, as the largest cruise ship in the world. It is epic in every sense, featuring 18 cruiser-accessible decks and stretching 1,196 feet from bow to stern.

With greatest-of-all-time soccer player Lionel Messi as the ship's godfather, the Icon of the Seas is truly iconic. Messi brought the entire Inter Miami team along for the opening ceremony and the big reveal of the team's new Royal Caribbean-sponsored jerseys. I was fortunate enough to attend this star-studded ceremony as part of the press preview sailing in the days leading up to the ship's grand debut to the public. It was everything I thought it would be and more, and nobody could have been more appropriate than Messi to send this ship on her maiden voyage.

Boarding a ship of this size can seem overwhelming, but not when you understand the layout. Icon of the Seas is broken up into eight distinct neighborhoods: AquaDome, Central Park, Thrill Island, Chill Island, Royal Promenade, The Hideaway, Suite Neighborhood and Surfside, a neighborhood built for young families looking for nonstop fun and kid-approved eats and treats.

In addition to these public areas, there are 2,805 staterooms spread across 12 decks. Icon of the Seas' capacity maxes out at 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew members, but with the plethora of public spaces and variety of things to do and see, you can choose your own adventure without encountering more crowds than you want to.

Find your perfect cruise

Skye Sherman

Icon of the Seas itinerary

During its inaugural 2024-2025 cruising season, Icon of the Seas offers seven-night eastern or western Caribbean adventures from Miami, stopping at a variety of tropical destinations. All sailings include a stop at Royal Caribbean's award-winning private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, in the Bahamas . Other destinations include Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis ; Roatan, Honduras; and Cozumel, Mexico .

During the 2025-2026 cruising season, new destinations will include Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic ; San Juan, Puerto Rico ; Labadee, Haiti; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas (part of the U.S. Virgin Islands ). All sailings will originate from Miami.

No matter your Icon of the Seas itinerary, you'll visit beautiful places – but you can expect to feel torn about spending any time off the ship, because it's just that jampacked with things to do.

Who should sail on Icon of the Seas?

Icon of the Seas appeals not so much to a demographic as to a psychographic; you're going to need to be someone who likes to live life in all caps. Royal Caribbean set out to create "the world's best vacation" contained on a ship, so Icon of the Seas is for anyone who would enjoy the combination of a beach trip, a resort stay, a water park adventure and island-hopping.

Fun-loving travelers and families with kids of varying ages will do best on this ship; it feels a little bit like Disney World with over-the-top everything and a truly massive sprawl. Older travelers who prefer a more quiet, refined experience may want to opt for a less kid-friendly ship. Still, even couples without children will find plenty of fun adult-friendly things to do and romantic places to tuck in.

The Royal Promenade can be quite loud and buzzy, but simply relocating to another onboard neighborhood can completely shift the vibe. Also, keep in mind that the ship really is huge, and walking from end to end can be a hike, so those with limited mobility or endurance might want to look into a smaller ship.

Icon of the Seas prices are high in its opening season, but cruisers with big dreams and small budgets can expect rates to drop by the time the next ship in the series debuts.

The stateroom

With a ship this overstimulating, it's imperative that your stateroom is a haven. Luckily, Icon of the Seas offers peaceful rooms, many of which feature ocean or Central Park neighborhood views. Cruise ship accommodations are stereotypically compact – even cramped – but the floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows in Icon of the Seas' cabins (with the exception of the windowless interior rooms) lend an airy, open feel. The cabin layouts are also optimized to provide the maximum amount of storage, floor space and comfort.

Stateroom decor is mildly nautical- and tropical-themed, with calming hues that mimic the scenery outside your window (think blues, beiges and whites). High-tech elements include smart TVs, LED mirrors and the ability to control many aspects of your room from an app.

My husband and I stayed in an Ocean View Large Balcony Stateroom, a 204-square-foot refuge from the hustle and bustle of the ship (the balcony adds another 65 to 70 square feet). This room type can sleep up to four people with a sofa bed for one or two; the room also features twin beds that convert to a king bed for couples.

My husband is 6 feet, 3 inches tall, and we were comfortable in our room, even though our quarters included a large bed, a bathroom, a sofa and a desk. We loved sitting on our private balcony and watching the deep blues of the Atlantic Ocean flow by.

If money is no object, the Ultimate Family Townhouse – an over-the-top eight-guest, three-story pad with a private whirlpool on the balcony, three bathrooms, a slide that connects the second and main levels, an in-suite cinema, a dining room and a kitchenette – looks epic. But keep in mind, it costs nearly $100,000 for the week.

The Sunset Corner Suites (about one-fifth of the cost of the Ultimate Family Townhouse, but still expensive) are also pretty sweet, with a wraparound balcony and a bed facing the sea.

Luckily, not all rooms break the bank; with four main stateroom categories (suite, balcony, ocean view and inside) and 28 subcategories, there's something for everyone.

Best amenities on Icon of the Seas

It's almost impossible to run out of things to do aboard Icon of the Seas.

For thrill-seekers, the largest water park at sea – Category 6 – features the Frightening Bolt (the tallest waterslide on a ship) and the Pressure Drop (the first open freefall waterslide on a cruise vessel).

If you've tired of the seven swimming pools, six waterslides, laser tag, mini-golf, rock climbing wall, escape room, sports courts, outdoor decks, theater, spa and all-day programming, simply take a stroll down the Royal Promenade for Las Vegas -style people-watching. The Royal Promenade has 15 restaurants, bars and lounges, as well as a Starbucks that seems to have a line no matter what time you go. The neighborhood feels a bit like a shopping mall … if a shopping mall had floor-to-ceiling ocean views made possible by the world's largest kinetic art sculpture.

The Pearl, a feat of engineering, is one of the most unique aspects of the ship's design. This art piece is actually a load-bearing structure supporting three decks, but it looks and feels like an interactive art experience designed solely for the enjoyment of guests. The multisensory immersive structure has 3,000 kinetic panels and moody ever-changing lighting. It is one of the first things guests will see when they walk on board, as it stretches from the Royal Promenade up to Central Park.

My husband and I spent most of our time at the FlowRider surf simulator – his favorite amenity – but we made sure to leave time for Taylor Swift trivia at Spotlight Karaoke and the superhuman stunts of the Aqua Theater show, a must on any Icon of the Seas voyage. The ship even has a massive ice arena called Absolute Zero for ice skating (the 20-minute sessions are complimentary) and impressive shows.

We also loved lounging in The Overlook Bar & Pods, an area at the very front of the ship (behind the AquaDome) that features two levels of floor-to-ceiling wraparound windows. It felt airy and open, which can't be said about many cruise ship interiors.

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Best dining venues on Icon of the Seas

There are more dining options aboard Icon of the Seas than you can fit in on a seven-night cruise – but you can give it the old college try. Thirteen of the dining venues are complimentary, while 14 are specialty restaurants (which cost extra; fees vary). There are also 18 bars and lounges.

The best meal we experienced on the ship was at the Chops Grille specialty eatery. When we spotted Royal Caribbean CEO Jason Liberty and a group of bigwigs at a table next to us, we knew we were in the right place. We loved sitting outside and enjoying the breezes of Central Park while we chowed down, but you can eat indoors for an elegant steakhouse experience and a view of the open kitchen and butcher's display, which shows off specialty cuts like high-grade wagyu and bone-in tomahawks.

While I'd never turn down a swanky steak dinner, grabbing quick poolside bites at El Loco Fresh and indulging in some food hall-style grazing at AquaDome Market were equally enjoyable. We also had no complaints eating several meals at Windjammer, the classic complimentary cruise ship buffet.

Even though we don't have children, we stopped into Surfside Bites for a very kid-friendly meal, complete with soft serve ice cream cones from Sprinkles (because no cruise is complete without soft serve). We didn't try anything from the open-air, lemonade stand-inspired Lemon Post bar, but its menu of cocktails and mocktails looked delicious.

And since you're on vacation, be sure to check out the milkshake bar Desserted, where the sugary creations are as photo-worthy as they are decadent. They're worth the upcharge.

Best excursions on Icon of the Seas

Depending on what's on your Icon of the Seas itinerary, you may be able to book activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, tropical jungle adventures, visits to Mayan ruins, volcano hikes, rainforest zip lining, relaxing beach days or cultural immersion tours.

Note that Royal Caribbean features the same options on many of its other Caribbean cruises; none of the excursions on offer are exclusive to Icon of the Seas.

Because our press preview sailing only visited Perfect Day at CocoCay, we did not experience any of the shore excursions. Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas was plenty of fun, even though we didn't plan anything in advance.

If we had made plans, we would have liked to check out the Up, Up and Away tethered hot air balloon, which wasn't running that day, and the overwater cabanas at Coco Beach Club, which were all booked. Thrill Waterpark (which features the tallest waterslide in North America), Oasis Lagoon (the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean) and the adults-only Hideaway Beach are other highlights of Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Overall impressions of Icon of the Seas

Royal Caribbean seems to be focused on superlatives. It has the biggest, best, tallest, largest and most of everything – especially when it comes to Icon of the Seas. If you like jampacked, adventurous vacations that squeeze a lot of adventure and relaxation into one memorable week, Icon of the Seas is probably for you.

While I love seeing Royal Caribbean push the limits of what cruises can be, the ship may almost be too big for some. It's an all-out Vegas-esque vessel that feels more like a floating city; you will probably forget (more than once) that you're not on dry land.

That's not necessarily a bad thing – if Icon of the Seas looks fun to you, it probably will be – but my husband and I tend to gravitate more toward authentic, immersive, on-the-ground cultural experiences when we travel. While Icon of the Seas is a lot of things, it's not that. We had a fantastic time and have already started planning a future Royal Caribbean cruise with a group of friends and family, but we also sympathize with the anticruisers of the world. Vacationing does not a traveler make.

Still, the shows are entertaining, the service is attentive, the music is jamming, and the architecture and design are incredibly impressive. I have no real complaints and suspect that most cruisers will have the time of their lives on Icon of the Seas – exactly as the minds at Royal Caribbean envisioned when they dreamed up this iconic ship.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Skye Sherman has been cruising since childhood, when her parents took her on her first cruise through the Caribbean. She has sailed various ocean cruise lines, gone off the grid for a six-day riverboat expedition deep into the Amazon River and even planned a European river cruise with 48 of her closest family and friends. She's a fourth-generation Floridian and hopes to visit every country in the world during her lifetime. She covers travel and lifestyle topics for major publications including U.S. News & World Report.

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Tags: Travel , Cruises , Royal Caribbean Cruises

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Ukraine war latest: Russia's troops 'partially pushed back' from key town, Ukraine claims - as Putin's offensive 'appears to slow'

The Ukrainian president has cancelled visits to Spain and Portugal after Moscow's forces began a new offensive in the northeast of the country. Submit your question on the war for our experts to answer in the box below.

Wednesday 15 May 2024 21:46, UK

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• Ukraine 'partially pushes back' Russian troops from Kharkiv town
• Russian offensive in Ukraine 'going to plan', Putin says
• Analysts say Russian offensive 'appears to have slowed'
• Situation there 'extremely difficult'
• Zelenskyy postpones all foreign visits due to 'situation in Kharkiv'
• US announces $2bn in extra aid for Ukraine
• Russia downs missiles launched at Crimea
• Analysis:  Putin's 'baffling' reshuffle explained
• Live reporting by Lauren Russell

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Vladimir Putin has landed in Beijing for a two-day state visit to China, in what marks a significant show of unity between the two allies.

He was greeted by Chinese officials as he stepped off the plane in the early hours of the morning local time.

Mr Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are not expected to announce any major deals during his visit - but the trip is a sign of the two countries' deepening "no limits" partnership.

Ahead of the visit, the Kremlin said Mr Putin and Mr Xi will "have a detailed discussion on the entire range of issues related to the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation and determine the new directions for further development of cooperation between Russia and China".

We're pausing our live coverage for the day - thanks for following along.

We'll mark any major moments in the blog in the meantime, and will resume our rolling updates tomorrow. 

 By Ivor Bennett , Moscow correspondent 

You've heard of the transatlantic Special Relationship. 

This is the "no limits" partnership - a term coined when Vladimir Putin visited Beijing in February 2022.

It was just days before he ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

A lot's changed for Russia since then, of course. It’s now an international pariah. One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is China’s support.

Why? For one, Presidents Xi and Putin share a similar outlook. Both oppose external "interference" in domestic affairs, and long for a "multipolar" world.

There are economic benefits for both, too. But this is not an equal partnership. The power lies with Beijing.

"Because of the war, Russia is in desperate need of any kind of partnership", said Alexandra Prokopenko, a Berlin-based fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, adding that Beijing had provided "a real lifeline" for Moscow.

"China is not only a market for Russian oil and gas, which is the major source of the currency for the Russian budget, but also China’s become a very important source of imports to Russia," she said.

Putin won't like being the junior partner, but it’s a role he’s clearly willing to accept, given the benefits.

Last year, trade between the two nations soared to $240 billion - an increase of more than 25%.

Cheap energy flows one way; cars and telephones come back. But the West fears that's not all Russia’s importing.

The US and others believe Chinese products and dual-use goods, like machine tools and microelectronics, are also fuelling the Kremlin's war machine, by filling critical gaps in its military-industrial.

China denies supplying any actual weaponry, and maintains a neutral stance on Ukraine.

But the assertions have done little to dampen suspicions with US secretary of state Antony Blinken reiterating his "deep concern" today.

Putin's entourage might also raise eyebrows. He’ll be accompanied by his new defence minister, Andrei Belousov, with Putin widely expected to push for more support for Russia's militarised economy.

But despite the "no limits" characterisation of the relationship, analysts say it does have boundaries.

"China knows red lines," Prokopenko said, referring to Washington’s concerns over the extent of Beijing's support.

In her view, the partnership between Xi and Putin should be viewed "as part of a big, big game between the US and China".

In that sense, then, this visit is likely to be more symbolic than anything else. It's the first foreign trip of Putin's new presidential term and signals his priorities.

But in terms of the optics - two strongmen leaders defying Western pressure - one of them is clearly stronger than the other.

These images show Vladimir Putin chairing a security council meeting. 

Former defence minister and new secretary of the council Sergei Shoigu was in attendance - pictured in the first image next to chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov.

Earlier today, Volodymyr Zelenskyy postponed all foreign trips due to the situation in the Kharviv region.

Russia has also claimed to have taken three more settlements in the country - two of which are in the Kharkiv region.

The offensive by Moscow started at the end of last week, and today our military analyst Michael Clarke says Russia has already achieved some of what it intended to do. 

He says by targeting the Kharkiv region Moscow's main goal is to "draw Ukrianian forces from elsewhere". 

"The Russians are trying to stretch the Ukrainian forces all the way round the front.

"If the Russians get to the village of Lyptsi then they can put Kharkiv under artillery barrage, because it is within range of normal artillery weapons.

"More importantly, the village of Vovchansk, may mark the beginning of a bigger offensive that could go southwards or maybe eastwards to link up with other forces."

Despite fierce fighting in Vovchansk, Clarke says the Ukrainians have slowed Russian advances down, by redirecting their best units from the south.

"Parts of their best brigades have been sent north to stem the tide," he says.

"But the Russians have already achieved what they wanted, which is to draw off some of the best troops and equipment which are fighting in Chavis Yar down in the south, which really mattered to the Ukrainians."

Watch Clarke's full analysis here:

Finland will change its legislation to allow thousands of reservists to patrol the country's border with Russia, should there be a sudden wave of migrants. 

"With the changed security situation, we need to complement existing methods with new ways to maintain border security," defence minister Antti Hakkanen said in a statement.

Finland, which joined NATO in April last year, has accused Moscow of weaponising migration against the Nordic nation, which the Kremlin denies. 

Finland shut its 1,340km-long border with Russia late last year amid a growing number of arrivals from countries such as Syria and Somalia via Russia.

Away from Kharkiv, and Ukraine has denied Russian claims of progress in the Zaporizhzhia region. 

The Ukrainian military dismissed reports that Moscow's forces had taken control of the village of Robotyne in the southern part of the region. 

"This information is not true," military spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk was quoted by Ukrinform agency as saying.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has condemned the assassination attempt on Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico. 

Russia's offensive in northern Kharkiv has been the focus of much of the reporting on the war in Ukraine over recent days.

Sky News military analyst Michael Clarke has said the aim of Moscow is to draw Ukraine's forces to that area from the south, thus stretching the country's military resources.

And the latest analysis from US thinktank the Institute for the Study of War suggests that the pace of the offensive "appears to have slowed over the past 24 hours".

The group's experts said the pattern of Russian offensive activity in the area was consistent with assessments that Vladimir Putin's forces are prioritising the creation of a "buffer zone" in the international border area over a deeper penetration of Kharkiv Oblast.

It said several Ukrainian military officials reported yesterday that they believed the situation in Kharkiv Oblast was slowly stabilising.

"Drone footage purportedly from Vovchansk shows Russian foot mobile infantry operating within the settlement in small squad-sized assault groups, consistent with Ukrainian reports," the analysis added.

Two people have been killed after a Russian air attack on infrastructure in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, the regional governor has said.

Serhiy Lysak said on  Telegram that there were a number of people who had been injured, but gave no other details.

Dnipro is Ukraine's fourth-largest city, it sits on the Dnipro River  and is around 300 miles from Kyiv.

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