How Fast are Cruise Ships
Modern technologies allow the fastest cruise ship in the world to be also one of the world's biggest passenger cruise ships. The Cunard's Transatlantic cruise liner Queen Mary 2 weights almost 151,500 tons, with cruising speed of over 29 knots (33,5 mph, or 54 km/h). This unique vessel is the only one currently operational Atlantic ocean cruise liner, and sails weekly in luxury and style the huge distance between the Great Britain's maritime capital Southampton, and New York City - the world's financial capital - almost 3,000 nautical miles, or about 3,400 statute (normal) miles (5,500 km), for less than 7 days. The most popular of the Cunard's queens has an exterior deck space of 14,200 square meters for passengers to enjoy the "fastest sea ride" ever, and, of course, transparent wind-screens, to shield them at the high speeds.
The world's second fastest big cruise ship is MS Grand Voyager of the fleet of Iberocruiceros (a Carnival's brand), sailing the Mediterranean Sea regularly with service speed of 28 kn (32 mph - 51,5 km/h) - but weights "merely" 24,400 tons. In comparison, the largest cruise ships in the world - the Royal Caribbean's Allure and Oasis (almost 225,300 tons each), travel with an average speed of 20 knots (23 mph - 37 km/h), and top speed of 22,5 kn (26 mph - 42 km/h).
Generally, the cruise travel ships don't have to be fast, but with good passenger capacity, stable, safe, comfortable, regular, and fuel-efficient. For the bigger ones, the optimum speed is 20-22 kn (23 mph - 37 km/h). The bigger passenger ships have a large draft (the "invisible" part of the vessel, beneath the waterline), which causes huge resistance, and hampers "fast and furious" performances. In return for it, the drafts of 23-30 ft (7-9 m) allow smooth rides when traveling even with 25-27 mph (over 40 km/h). The vessel's close to top speed cruising is generally used when avoiding storms (especially during the Caribbean summers), during tests, and sometimes when assisting other vessels.
The cruise passenger ship speed is measured in knots (kn), 1 knot meaning 1 nautical mile per hour. Cruise help - for the "normal" speed values, multiply knots by 1,15 (mph), or 1,852 (km/h). Below, you may compare the avr passenger ship speed in the huge fleets of several big cruise ship companies and lines. For more and detailed ship information and data - Average and Top Speed of a Cruise Ship.
| Line |
Min-Max Tonnage (GT) |
Min-Max Speed in knots | - in miles per hour | - in kilometers per hour | notes |
| AIDA | 38,500 - 71,000 | 19,5 | 22,4 | 36 | |
| Azamara | 30,300 | 18 | 21 | 34 | |
| CARNIVAL | 70,400 - 128,300 | 19,5 - 22,5 | 22,4 - 26 | 36 - 42 | |
| Celebrity | 70,600 - 122,000 | 21,5 - 24 | 25 - 28 | 40 - 45 | MS Xpedition (2,850GT, 13,5kn |
| Costa | 53,000 - 114,500 | 20 - 23 | 23 - 26,5 | 37 - 42,5 | Allegra and Marina are smaller |
| Crystal | 51,000 - 68,900 | 22 | 25,3 | 41 | |
| Cunard | 90,000 - 151,400 | 23,7 - 29,3 | 27 - 34 | 43,5 - 55 | RMS Queen Mary 2 |
| Disney | 83,300 - 124,000 | 22 - 24 | 25,3 - 28 | 41 - 45 | |
| HAL | 55,500 - 86,800 | 20 - 22 | 23 - 25,3 | 37 - 41 | |
| iberoCRUICEROS /iberojet | 46,000 - 47,000 | 20 - 28 | 23 - 32 | 37 - 51,5 | MS Grand Voyager |
| LOUIS | 11,200 - 40,900 | 17 - 21 | 19,5 - 24 | 31,5 - 38,5 | |
| MSC | 35,100 - 138,000 | 21 - 23 | 24 - 26,5 | 38,5 - 43 | |
| NCL | 77,100 - 153,000 | 21 - 24,5 | 24 - 28 | 38,5 - 45 | |
| Oceania | 30,300 - 65,000 | 18 - 20 | 21 - 23 | 34 - 37 | |
| P&O | 30,300 - 113,700 | 18 - 24 | 21 - 28 | 34 - 45 | |
| P&O Australia | 47,300 - 70,300 | 19,5 - 21,5 | 22,4 - 25 | 36 - 40 | |
| Princess | 30,300 - 115,900 | 18 - 22,5 | 21 - 26 | 34 - 42 | |
| Pullmantur | 33,200 - 73,200 | 18 - 21 | 21 - 24 | 34 - 38,5 | |
| ROYAL CARIBBEAN | 69,100 - 225,300 | 21 - 24 | 24 - 28 | 38,5 - 45 | |
| Star Cruises | 3,300 - 75,300 | 16,5 | 19 | 30,5. |