Year |
Ship |
Company |
Gross Tonnage |
| 1838-1839 | Great Western | Great Western Steamship Co. | 1,340 |
| 1839-1840 | British Queen | Br. & Am. Steam Navigation Co. |
1,862 |
| 1840-1845 | President | Br. & Am. Steam Navigation Co. |
2,366 |
| 1845-1854 | Great Britain | Great Western Steamship Co. | 3,270 |
| 1854-1860 | Himalaya | P&O Lines | 3,438 |
| 1860-1901 | Great Eastern | Great Steamship Co. | 18,915 |
| 1901-1903 | Celtic | White Star Line | 21,035 |
| 1903-1904 | Cedric | White Star Line | 21,035 |
| 1904-1906 | Baltic | White Star Line | 23,884 |
| 1906-1907 | Kaiserin Auguste Victoria | Hamburg-Amerika Line | 24,581 |
| 1907 | Lusitania | Cunard Line | 31,550 |
| 1907-1911 | Mauretania | Cunard Line | 31,938 |
| 1911-1912 | Olympic | White Star Line | 45,324 |
| 1912-1913 | Titanic | White Star Line | 46,328 |
| 1913 | Olympic * | White Star Line | 46,359 |
| 1913-1914 | Imperator | Hamburg-Amerika Line | 52,226 |
| 1914-1922 | Vaterland | Hamburg-Amerika Line | 54,282 |
| 1922-1935 | Majestic | White Star Line | 56,551 |
| 1935-1940 | Normandie ** | Compagnie Générale Transatlantique |
79,280 |
| 1940-1997 | Queen Elizabeth | Cunard White Star Line | 83,673 |
| 1997 | Destiny | Carnival Cruise Line | 101,353 |
| 1997-1999 | Grand Princess | Princess Cruises | 109,000 |
| 1999-2000 | Voyager of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 137,276 |
| 2000-2004 | Explorer of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | 137,308 |
| 2004-2006 | Queen Mary 2 | Cunard Line | 148,528 |
| 2006-2008 | Freedom of the Seas |
Royal Caribbean | 154,407 |
| 2007-2008 | Liberty of the Seas |
Royal Caribbean | 154,407 |
| 2008- | Independence of the Seas |
Royal Caribbean | 160,000 |
** The Queen Mary had a gross tonnage greater than the Normandie’s original 79,280 tons, but before the Queen Mary entered service, the Normandie had her tonnage increased to 83,423 tons. Therefore, the 81,235-ton Queen Mary never was the largest ship in the world.
