RMS Queen Mary 2 in Cozumel, Mexico (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Although the largest cruise ship ever built to date is the Oasis of the Seas launched in October 2009, RMS Queen Mary 2 remains the largest ocean liner ever built. The RMS prefix stands for Royal Mail Ship, a designation used since 1840 for vessels that are authorized to carry mail under contract with the national postal service of the United Kingdom: Royal Mail. The RMS designation was viewed as a mark of quality because the mail was required to be on time.

A cruise ship is a floating hotel designed to operate in calm waters under normal conditions for mostly short-term pleasure trips. With strengthened hull and faster engines, an ocean liner is built to traverse the world’s seas with the ability to cover long distances while handling a wide range of weather conditions. Think of it as the Titanic versus the Love Boat.

The Queen Mary 2 cost almost a $1 billion and is 1,132 feet in length. She can accommodate 3,056 passengers and 1,253 officers and crew. On board facilities include five swimming pools, 15 restaurants and bars, and the first planetarium at sea. She is the current flagship of the Cunard Line.