| 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 |
| Year | Ship | Company | Length Overall |
| 1838-1839 | Great Western | Great Western Steamship Co. | 212 feet (64.8 m) |
| 1839-1840 | British Queen | Br. & Am. Steam Navigation Co. | 254 feet (77.6 m) |
| 1840-1845 | President | Br. & Am. Steam Navigation Co. | 267 feet (81.7 m) |
| 1845-1854 | Great Britain | Great Western Steamship Co. | 322 feet (98.4 m) |
| 1854-1860 | Himalaya | P&O Lines | 373 feet (113.9 m) |
| 1860-1899 | Great Eastern | Great Steamship Co. | 689 feet (211.0 m) |
| 1899-1904 | Oceanic | White Star Line | 705 feet (215.3 m) |
| 1904-1907 | Baltic | White Star Line | 726 feet (221.7 m) |
| 1907 | Lusitania | Cunard Line | 787 feet (240.3 m) |
| 1907-1911 | Mauretania | Cunard Line | 790 feet (241.3 m) |
| 1911-1912 | Olympic | White Star Line | 883 feet (269.7 m) |
| 1912-1913 | Olympic/Titanic | White Star Line | 883 feet (269.7 m) |
| 1913-1914 | Imperator | Hamburg-Amerika Line | 919 feet (280.7 m) |
| 1914-1922 | Vaterland | Hamburg-Amerika Line | 950 feet (290.2 m) |
| 1922-1935 | Majestic | White Star Line | 955 feet (291.7 m) |
| 1935-1940 | Normandie | Compagnie Générale Transatlantique | 1,028 feet (314.0 m) |
| 1940-1962 | Queen Elizabeth | Cunard White Star Line | 1,031 feet (314.9 m) |
| 1962-2004 | France | Compagnie Générale Transatlantique | 1,035 feet (316.1 m) |
| 2004- | Queen Mary 2 | Cunard Line | 1,132 feet (345.0 m) |
| * After the Olympic's post-Titanic disaster refit, she actually surpassed the Titanic's 46,328 gross tons as she emerged with 46,359 gross tons before the Imperator entered service in June 1913. Thereby, she again became the largest ship ever built. |
| ** 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. |
