Length of a Cruise Ship Length Overall (LOA)

The cruise ship size is professionally referred to as LOA (length overall), meaning the maximum length between the two most distant points on its hull. LOA may also include the tip of the bowsprit - the pole, extending from the ship's prow, usually on tall sailing ships, yachts, and smaller boats. The bowsprit is the "winning" part of the ship when competing in a race, or during speed tests.

Another passenger cruise ship length measuring (though not included in this survey) is called LWL (loaded waterline length, or just waterline length). It excludes the total length, denoting only the length at the point where the vessel sits in the water. The LWL measure plays important role when assessing some ship properties, like hull speed (displacement speed), water displacement, the amount of paint needed for the ship's bottom, etc.

CONTINUING with Compare Size of Cruise Ships by Length and Width - a cruise ship sizes comparison survey, and the list of all big bigger biggest cruise ships of the world, measured both in meters and feet. The vessels are sorted by the names of their owners - the The World's Best Cruise Ship Companies and Lines.