Skip to content

Take a Look Inside the World's Largest Cruise Ship's Most Expensive Suite

April 02, 2018
3 min read
Symphony of the Seas
Take a Look Inside the World's Largest Cruise Ship's Most Expensive Suite
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.

The world's largest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas, is setting sail on its maiden voyage this week, departing out of Barcelona on Friday.

The brand-new Royal Caribbean Oasis-class vessel beat out sister ship Harmony of the Seas as the current world-record holder for largest cruise ship, also owned by Royal Caribbean. The newly commissioned ship cost $1.35 billion to build, making it the most expensive cruise ship ever created.

Launch of Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International's newest and largest ship. Central Park.

Passengers on board the 228,081-ton ship have the opportunity to experience a number of other superlatives as well: The 1,188-foot-long ship has a maximum capacity of 6,680 guests across 2,759 staterooms, with 2,200 crew.

Launch of Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International's newest and largest ship. Ultimate Abyss

But the most luxurious experience on board the world's most superlative ship will undoubtedly be the Ultimate Family Suite. The most expensive room on board offers up a whopping 1,346 square feet of space, spread out across two levels of the ship. The suite also offers ping-pong and air hockey tables, as well as a slide between the two floors for a fun, quicker way to get downstairs.

(It's not the largest suite on a cruise ship, however: Norwegian offers megasuites that measure a whopping 6,694 square feet.)

Parents can relax in the full-size whirlpool hot tub on the balcony which offers private views of the ocean, while kids can veg out in the 3D cinema room with a popcorn machine, or play for hours with the Lego wall in the suite. There's no need to interact with anyone else on board: The suite, which can sleep up to eight, comes with its own private butler.

Launch of Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International's newest and largest ship. Ultimate Family Suite.

The "ultimate" family experience begins at $50,000 for a family of four over a seven-day cruise: A hefty chunk of cash, to be sure, but one that potentially could be a gold mine of points-earning potential.

The Symphony of the Seas will sail across the Mediterranean this summer, with stops in Spain, France and Italy. Come November, the ship will make its way to Miami for Caribbean-bound routes.

This story and headline were updated to reflect that the Ultimate Family Suite is not currently the largest suite on a cruise ship.

Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts

All photos courtesy Royal Caribbean

TPG featured card

Rewards rate
5X milesEarn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
2X milesEarn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
Intro offer
Open Intro bonus
Enjoy a $250 travel credit & earn 75K bonus miles
Annual fee
$95
Regular APR
19.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
Recommended credit
Open Credit score description
670-850Excellent, Good

Pros

  • Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
  • You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
  • Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners

Cons

  • Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
  • LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
  • Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
  • Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
  • Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
  • Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
  • Top rated mobile app