The Best Mega-Ship Cruise Line Isn't Carnival Or Royal Caribbean

If you base your cruise ship opinions on advertising, you might think Carnival or Royal Caribbean has the biggest and best mega-cruise ships on the high seas. But a recent ranking shows that a different cruise line deserves that title. According to Condé Nast Traveler's 2026 Readers' Choice Awards, the honor goes to Princess Cruises. In 2024, Princess launched Sun Princess, followed by Star Princess in 2025. These ships are a big deal for Princess. They represent a new path forward for the cruise line as the first Sphere-class ships — the first mega ships for the company. 

The award reflects the opinions of Condé Nast readers. To decide the winners, the publication conducted a survey earlier this year that covered a variety of travel categories in addition to cruises, like cities and hotels. Award candidates were scored on a variety of criteria, and answers were averaged to determine the winners. In the case of the mega ship category, the newest (and largest) ships from Princess obviously made an impression on readers. Other cruise lines in the top five included Royal Caribbean, MSC, Carnival, and Norwegian.   

Princess Cruises' Sphere-class mega-ships utilize liquefied natural gas propulsion. In addition, they were each built with a first-of-its-kind glazed dome covering multi-tiered decks and more balcony cabins (1,500) than any other Princess ship.     

Cruise ship designs keep pushing boundaries, getting bigger each year. But despite their reputation as floating cities, not all cruise ships can be called mega ships. For the CNT award, the term was defined as ships that carry 4,000 passengers or more, plus crew. Sun Princess, for example, can carry a crew of 1,600 in addition to its 4,300-passenger load.    

The next largest type of vessels are large ships, followed by mid-size and small. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages for passengers, so it helps to know what you're getting into before you book so you don't end up hating your cruise vacation. Mega ships are so large that passengers can easily forget they are even at sea. And this is by design. For example, on MSC World Asia, you can explore an open-air theme park with an over-the-water swing. Aboard Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas, you can go indoor skydiving. And aboard all mega ships, you'll find upscale dining, luxury spa facilities, and countless opportunities for entertainment day and night.  

Of course, even mega ships have their pros and cons. On the bright side, you have seemingly endless entertainment, activities, and dining options — you could sail for a whole week and never eat the same thing or do the same thing twice. Plus, the sheer size of these ships creates a more stable sailing experience, so it doesn't even feel as if you've left land. On the other hand, those ships are often too large to visit some of the smaller (and often more interesting) ports of call; pools and buffet lines get unpleasantly crowded, and simple things like disembarking can turn into a hassle instead of a relaxing vacation experience. 

There is so much to do on many ships that some passengers choose to stay on the ship during port days. Needless to say, things have definitely changed since the old days when you could hang out on the bridge with the captain or go skeet shooting on the deck. While you can still sail on the world's oldest cruise line, the experience has evolved with the needs and demands of the industry.

It should be noted that CNT readers from different parts of the globe responded slightly differently to the awards survey. The U.K. site, Condé Nast Traveller, also publishes a yearly Readers' Choice Awards List. For 2026, that list placed Royal Caribbean in the top spot. That isn't surprising, since Royal Caribbean boasts the largest ship at sea. Icon of the Seas holds an impressive 7,600 passengers along with up to 2,350 crew members. 

But the award is not based solely on sailing the world's largest mega-ship. Instead, it reflects a combination of factors that make a trip a quality experience: the ship's design, the experiences available, and the service. One of Princess's two mega-ships, Star Princess, was also recognized on the Condé Nast Traveler's 2026 Hot List earlier this year, cementing its place as a powerhouse on the high seas.