Carnival, Royal Caribbean Share Private Island/Port Plans

The biggest cruise ships have become destinations as you’re essentially sailing around the ocean in a ship that’s the equivalent of a major Las Vegas resort casino. That’s a necessity, as once ships hit a certain size they can’t dock in many ports.

And while these mega-ships have more to do than you can accomplish on a week-long sailing, passengers still want to make stops. That’s a challenge as only ports like Nassau and Cozumel — destinations many frequent cruisers often stay on the ship for — can accommodate multiple big ships at a time.