Ranking the Biggest Norwegian Ships by Size 

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Norwegian Cruise Line is the fourth largest in the world. Moreover, its ships enjoy immense popularity thanks to their extraordinary features. But when it comes to occupancy, how big is their game? Here, we analyze Norwegian ships by size to find out which one is the biggest of them all.

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Why Size Matters at Sea 

Well, the simple reason is that the bigger the ship is, the more people it can board. Here we take into account the gross tonnage and length to determine the size of the ship, and we also take the record of the maximum capacity of the ship, including passengers and crew members. Now, let’s take a look at the biggest Norwegian Ships. 

Norwegian Encore

Norwegian Encore (50457027348)
Image by: Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons 

Encore is the biggest Norwegian Cruise Ship. It belongs to the Norwegian cruise lines and was launched in 2019. The Encore has a gross tonnage of 169,116 GT. Meanwhile, she is 333 meters in length and can accommodate about 5,733 passengers. Moreover, this cruise ship is one of the best active ships in the popular cruise line.  

Specification  Details 
Gross Tonnage  169,116 GT 
Length  1,094 ft (333 m) 
Max Speed  26 mph (23 kn) 
Years Served  2019 – Present 
Passenger Capacity  3,998 
Crew Members  1,735 
Total on Board  5,733 
Total Staterooms  2,043 
Flagged Country  Bahamas 
Ship Cost  $1 billion

Norwegian Bliss

Norwegian Bliss in Seattle, WA in May 2022.
Image by: Sea Cow, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons 

Norwegian Bliss is one of the Encore’s sister ships. This humongous ship had its maiden voyage on June 2nd, 2018. Bliss has a gross tonnage of 168,028 and measures 333 meters in length. On the other hand, it has a capacity of taking 5,720 people on board. Meanwhile, the Bliss belongs to the Norwegian Breakaway Plus Class. 

Specification  Details 
Gross Tonnage  168,028 GT 
Length  1,094 ft (333 m) 
Max Speed  26 mph (23 kn) 
Years Served  2018 – Present 
Passenger Capacity  4,004 
Crew Members  1,716 
Total on Board  5,720 
Total Staterooms  2,043 
Flagged Country  Bahamas 
Ship Cost  $920 million 

Norwegian Joy

Norwegian Joy
Image by: Arno Redenius, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons 

If you rank the Norwegian ships by size, then the Norwegian Joy would easily be the third in the rankings. The cruise ship was first launched in 2017 and has been among the active ships of the Norwegian Cruise Line. Notably, the Joy has 167,725 gross tons and has a length of 333 meters. Also, she can hold around 5,625 passengers. The cruise ship is a part of Norwegian’s Breakaway Plus Class. 

Specification  Details 
Gross Tonnage  167,725 GT 
Length  1,094 ft (333 m) 
Max Speed  26 mph (23 kn) 
Years Served  2017 – Present 
Passenger Capacity  3,804 
Crew Members  1,821 
Total on Board  5,625 
Total Staterooms  1,902 
Flagged Country  Bahamas 
Ship Cost  $806.05 million

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Norwegian Escape

Cruise ship, Norwegian Escape, leaving the West Turning Basin at Port Canaveral, Florida USA.
Image by: Photo: Gordon Leggett / Wikimedia Commons 

The Escape is one of the biggest Norwegian ships in service right now. This cruise ship has been around since 2015, and it has a length of 326 meters. Meanwhile, Norwegian Escape is ranked 4th in Norwegian ships by size, with 167,725 gross tons. Notably, it has a total capacity of 5,999 passengers.  

Specification  Details 
Gross Tonnage  167,725 GT 
Length  1,069 ft (326 m) 
Max Speed  26 mph (23 kn) 
Years Served  2015 – Present 
Passenger Capacity  4,266 
Crew Members  1,733 
Total on Board  5,999 
Total Staterooms  2,175 
Flagged Country  Bahamas 
Ship Cost  $806.05 million

Norwegian Luna  

The Luna comes in 5th in our list of the biggest Norwegian ships. It has a size of 156,300 gross tons and 322 meters in length. Luna is one of the newest cruise ships offered by Norwegian Cruise Line, and she has yet to make her debut. The ship comes under the Norwegian’s Prima Plus Class and can hold 4,938 passengers.  

Specification  Details 
Gross Tonnage  156,300 GT 
Length  1,056 ft (322 m) 
Max Speed  25 mph (22 kn) 
Years Served  2026 – Present 
Passenger Capacity  3,550 
Crew Members  1,388 
Total on Board  4,938 
Total Staterooms  1,813 
Flagged Country  Bahamas 
Ship Cost  $850 million

Norwegian Aqua

Norwegian Aqua
Image by: Oleg Yunakov, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons 

The Norwegian Aqua is a fairly new addition to the Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet. It made its debut in 2025 and has been a prominent member of the Cruise line. Aqua comes with a size of 156,300 gross tons and a length of 322 meters. It belongs to the Norwegian Prima Plus Class and can hold around 4,959 passengers. If you rank Norwegian ships by size, then Aqua is undoubtedly among the best. 

Specification  Details 
Gross Tonnage  156,300 GT 
Length  1,056 ft (322 m) 
Max Speed  25 mph (22 kn) 
Years Served  2025 – Present 
Passenger Capacity  3,571 
Crew Members  1,388 
Total on Board  4,959 
Total Staterooms  1,813 
Flagged Country  Bahamas 
Ship Cost  $850 million

Norwegian Epic  

Norwegian Epic (4820516591)
Image by: Johann Visagie from Leipzig, Germany, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons 

The Norwegian Epic is one of the biggest and oldest among the lot. Epic was launched in 2010 and comes with a total size of 155,873 gross tons. The Norwegian cruise ship has a total length of 329 meters, and the total capacity is around 5,824. This ship is included in the Epic Class and is one of the biggest Norwegian cruise ships. 

Specification  Details 
Gross Tonnage  155,873 GT 
Length  1,081 ft (329 m) 
Max Speed  25 mph (22 kn) 
Years Served  2010 – Present 
Passenger Capacity  4,100 
Crew Members  1,724 
Total on Board  5,824 
Total Staterooms  2,114 
Flagged Country  Bahamas 
Ship Cost  $1.2 billion

More On Norwegian Ships

What are Norwegian’s newest ships?

The Norwegian Aqua is the newest ship of the Norwegian Cruise Line, and it is part of the Prima Class and began sailing in 2025.

What is Norwegian’s biggest ship?

The Norwegian Encore is the biggest ship in Norwegian Cruise Line’s Fleet.

Which is the smallest NCL ship?

The smallest NCL ship is the Norwegian Spirit. She has 75,904 Gross Tons and is approximately half the size of the Encore.

Vincent Meyers

Vincent Meyers is a passionate travel writer with around four years of experience, now setting sail into the world of cruise travel. With a background in automotive and sports journalism, he brings a sharp eye for detail and a knack for storytelling to every voyage he covers. Whether he's breaking down the best cruise itineraries, exploring onboard experiences, or guiding first-time cruisers, Vincent delivers practical insights with an adventurous spirit.

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