Key Takeaways
- A large new cruise ship costs between about US$1 billion and US$2.5 billion to build. Mid-sized ships for 2,000 to 4,000 guests usually cost US$700 million to US$1 billion, and small expedition ships can come in under US$500 million.
- Star of the Seas is the most expensive cruise ship built so far. She was reported at €2.12 billion, about US$2.4 billion, when Royal Caribbean took delivery in 2025. Her sister Icon of the Seas cost €1.86 billion, or roughly US$2 billion.
- Cost per berth has climbed from about US$250,000 for Oasis of the Seas in 2009 to between US$350,000 and US$430,000 for the newest mega ships. LNG engines, bigger attractions and more space per guest explain most of the rise.
- A big ship spends around two and a half years in the shipyard and takes close to eight years from first design to first passengers. Almost all of them are built by four shipyard groups in Finland, Germany, France and Italy.
How much does a cruise ship cost to build?
A large new cruise ship costs between about US$1 billion and US$2.5 billion to build. The biggest ships afloat, Royal Caribbean’s Icon class, cost around US$2 billion each, and Star of the Seas was reported at €2.12 billion when she was delivered in 2025. Mid-sized ships for 2,000 to 4,000 guests usually come in between US$700 million and US$1 billion. A big ship takes around two and a half years to build once steel is cut, and closer to eight years from first design to first passengers.
The easiest way to compare ships of different sizes is cost per berth, which is the build price divided by the number of guests. In the late 2000s that was about US$250,000. For the newest mega ships it is now between US$350,000 and US$430,000.
Cruise ship build costs by ship
These are the most expensive cruise ships of the last two decades, plus the newest orders. Costs are as reported by the cruise line, the shipyard or the trade press at the time.
| Ship | Cruise line | Delivered | Shipyard | Reported cost | Guests (double) | Cost per berth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2025 | Meyer Turku, Finland | €2.12bn (≈US$2.4bn) | 5,610 | ≈US$430,000 |
| Disney Adventure | Disney Cruise Line | 2025 | MV Werften / Meyer Werft, Germany | US$1.8bn (Disney estimate) | 4,222 | ≈US$425,000 |
| MSC World class ships 7 and 8 | MSC Cruises | 2030 and 2031 | Chantiers de l'Atlantique, France | €3.5bn for two (≈US$2bn each) | about 5,400 | ≈US$375,000 |
| Icon of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2023 | Meyer Turku, Finland | €1.86bn (≈US$2bn) | 5,610 | ≈US$355,000 |
| Legend of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2026 | Meyer Turku, Finland | Not disclosed | 5,610 | n/a |
| Oasis of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2009 | STX Europe Turku, Finland | US$1.4bn | 5,606 | ≈US$250,000 |
| Symphony of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2018 | Chantiers de l'Atlantique, France | US$1.35bn | 5,518 | ≈US$245,000 |
| Utopia of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2024 | Chantiers de l'Atlantique, France | ≈US$1.35bn (estimate) | 5,668 | ≈US$240,000 |
| Wonder of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2022 | Chantiers de l'Atlantique, France | £1bn (≈US$1.35bn) | 5,734 | ≈US$235,000 |
| Queen Mary 2 | Cunard | 2003 | Chantiers de l'Atlantique, France | about US$800m | 2,620 | ≈US$300,000 |
Cost per berth is the build cost divided by guest capacity at two per cabin. Figures marked ≈ are converted to US dollars at roughly the exchange rate around delivery, so treat them as close estimates rather than exact prices.
What is the most expensive cruise ship ever built?
On reported figures, Star of the Seas is the most expensive cruise ship ever built. She cost €2.12 billion, which is roughly US$2.4 billion, and was delivered by Meyer Turku in Finland in July 2025. Her older sister Icon of the Seas cost €1.86 billion, about US$2 billion, in 2023. In Australian dollars, each of these ships cost somewhere around A$3 billion or more.
The third Icon class ship, Legend of the Seas, was handed over in June 2026. Royal Caribbean hasn’t published her price, but she is the same size as her sisters at around 250,800 gross tonnage and carries the same 5,610 guests at double occupancy, so expect a similar figure.
Disney Adventure is an unusual case. She was ordered as Global Dream for Genting’s Dream Cruises in 2016 for about €1.6 billion. When Genting and the MV Werften shipyard went broke in 2022, Disney bought the half-finished hull for €40 million and estimated the cost of completing it at US$1.8 billion. She finally sailed from Singapore in March 2026.
If you want the full list of the biggest ships by size, see our guide to here.
Why cruise ships cost so much
A modern cruise ship is a floating resort, power station, water treatment plant and small town in one hull. The main things that push the price up are:
- Size and capacity. More cabins mean more steel, more systems and more fit-out. Price rises roughly in line with guest numbers, which is why cost per berth is a useful comparison.
- Engines and fuel. Icon, Star and Legend of the Seas, Sun Princess and the MSC World class all run on liquefied natural gas. LNG tanks and dual-fuel engines cost more than traditional diesel set-ups.
- Water parks, FlowRiders, ice rinks, theatres and multi-deck atriums add engineering and cost that a simpler ship doesn’t need.
- Space per guest. Luxury and expedition ships carry far fewer guests in the same space, so their cost per berth is much higher even if the total price is lower.
- Shipyard and timing. Only a handful of yards can build large cruise ships, and their order books are full into the 2030s. Prices are usually fixed in euros when the contract is signed, years before delivery.
How long does it take to build a cruise ship?
Icon of the Seas is a good example. Royal Caribbean first revealed the Icon project in 2016. Steel was cut at Meyer Turku in June 2021, the ship was delivered in November 2023 after about 900 days of construction, and she took her first paying guests in January 2024. That is around two and a half years in the yard and nearly eight years from concept to cruise.
Smaller ships are quicker, but even a mid-sized ship usually spends 18 months to two years in the yard after the design is signed off.
Where are cruise ships built?
Almost every large cruise ship comes from one of four shipyard groups in Europe:
- Meyer Turku in Finland, which built the Icon class and the original Oasis of the Seas
- Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, which also finished Disney Adventure at Wismar
- Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, which built most of the Oasis class, Queen Mary 2 and the MSC World class
- Fincantieri in Italy, which builds for Princess, Carnival, Holland America, Viking and many others, including Sun Princess and Star Princess at Monfalcone
How cruise ship costs have changed
More than 20 years ago, about US$300,000 per berth bought you Queen Mary 2, one of the most luxurious ocean liners ever built. By 2009, Royal Caribbean was paying about US$250,000 per berth for Oasis of the Seas, and the following Oasis class ships stayed close to that level for more than a decade.
The jump came with the Icon class. Per berth, Icon of the Seas cost around 40% more than Oasis, and Star of the Seas more again. Some of that is inflation and a weaker US dollar against the euro. The rest is LNG power, bigger attractions and more space per guest. MSC’s two latest World class orders, signed in November 2025 for €3.5 billion, show prices for 2030s deliveries are not coming down.
How much does it cost to refit a cruise ship?
Building new is not the only option. A major refurbishment of a large ship typically costs somewhere between US$80 million and US$150 million. Carnival spent about US$155 million in 2013 turning Carnival Destiny into Carnival Sunshine, and Royal Caribbean’s Royal Amplification program has put more than US$100 million into Allure of the Seas. For an older ship that still has decades of life, that is far cheaper than a new US$2 billion hull.
How much is a used cruise ship worth?
Much less than a new one. A cruise ship built in the 1980s or 1990s that a major line no longer wants can sell for as little as US$10 million to US$20 million, although it will usually need an expensive refit before it can sail again. Newer second-hand ships sell for far more, and the price depends on age, condition, engines and whether the ship meets current environmental rules.
Very few individuals ever buy one. Most used ships go to smaller cruise lines, to charter operators, or to the breakers once repairs stop making sense.
How much does it cost to run a cruise ship?
Running costs are large but much less talked about. Industry estimates put fuel use for a big ship at roughly 140 to 250 tonnes a day, and crew, food, port fees and maintenance add a lot on top. For the cruise lines, the build cost is spread over a ship life of 30 years or more, which is how a US$2 billion ship can still make money.
Looking for the cost of a cruise holiday?
This article is about what it costs to build a ship. If you want to know what a cruise costs to book, read our guide here.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Icon of the Seas cost?
Icon of the Seas cost €1.86 billion to build, which is about US$2 billion. She was delivered by Meyer Turku in November 2023 and started sailing from Miami in January 2024.
Is there a cruise ship that cost more than US$2 billion?
Yes. Star of the Seas was reported at €2.12 billion, about US$2.4 billion, making her the most expensive cruise ship built so far.
How much does a small cruise ship cost?
Expedition and luxury ships for a few hundred guests usually cost between US$150 million and US$500 million. Their total cost is lower, but cost per berth is far higher than on a mega ship because each guest gets much more space and the ship is built for polar or remote waters.
Can you buy a cruise ship?
You can, but very few private buyers do. Older ships come up for sale from time to time for tens of millions of dollars, and then need crew, insurance, refits and somewhere to berth, which costs far more over time than the purchase price.
Why do cruise lines keep building bigger ships?
A larger ship spreads fixed costs like crew, fuel and port fees across more guests, and gives the line room for attractions that sell cruises. That is why the cost per berth can rise while the cruise line still comes out ahead.
