It has been an arms race to add new features and even though Carnival has not tried to claim the "world's biggest cruise ship" title, it has added new, bolder features to its ship. Its Excel-class ships offer the Bolt roller coaster, a first-of-its-kind attraction at sea, and each new ship pushes the bar further.

Carnival Cruise Line currently has 27 cruise ships in service, the second most out of all the cruise lines in the world. Over the next nine years,

This might be one of the most annoying parts of cruising, and one cruise line has been more aggressive in fixing it than the other.

Many passengers, however, enjoy smaller ships and the ability to sail more interesting itineraries. Royal Caribbean has committed to building new smaller ships, under the working name Discovery Class, albeit without setting a date for placing an order for one.