What are the differences between the Princess cruise ships?

The biggest difference between the two ships is the number of guests each one carries. Coral Princess accommodates just under 2,000 passengers, whereas up to 2,200 passengers can sail on board Island Princess after a refit saw the addition of more than 100 cabins.



As of 2026, Princess Cruises operates four primary classes of ships, each catering to different travel styles. The newest and largest is the Sphere Class (Sun Princess, Star Princess), which is approximately 20% larger than previous ships and features the first-ever "Dome" structure and a multi-story glass Piazza. The Royal Class (Sky Princess, Discovery Princess, etc.) focuses on high-end luxury and plusher staterooms like the Sky Suite, which can hold up to five people. The Grand Class (Diamond Princess, Sapphire Princess) represents the fleet's "mid-size" reliable core; these ships are smaller, allowing them to visit a wider range of ports while maintaining classic Princess features like the "Movies Under the Stars" outdoor screen. Finally, the Coral Class consists of the smallest and oldest ships (Coral Princess, Island Princess), which are favored for "destination-focused" itineraries like Alaska or the Panama Canal, where their smaller size allows for more intimate navigation of narrow waterways and smaller harbors.

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Loyalty Tiers and Accessing Your Benefits
  • Gold. After your first cruise1,2,3
  • Ruby. After completing 3 cruises or 30 cruise days1,2,3
  • Platinum. After completing 5 cruises or 50 cruise days1,2,3
  • Elite. After completing 15 cruises or 150 cruise days1,2,3


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As of this year, the newest Princess cruise ship is Discovery Princess. It sailed on its maiden voyage in March 2022. That said, Discovery Princess soon will be supplanted as the newest Princess Cruises vessel by Sun Princess — the first of a new class of vessels for the line.

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The wreck and sinking of the steamship Princess Sophia exactly a century ago has been called Alaska's worst maritime tragedy. As many as 353 passengers and crew died after the ship grounded on Vanderbilt Reef north of Juneau on Oct. 23, 1918, and then sank 40 hours later in stormy weather.

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Princess appeals to an older demographic than lines such as Carnival and Norwegian. The average age of passengers is around 57, and you'll usually see a lot of couples on board in their 50s, 60s and 70s. As noted above, these aren't people necessarily craving go-kart tracks and ropes courses at sea.

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Midship staterooms on the lowest passenger deck are the most excellent spot to be on a cruise ship in this instance because you don't feel the vessel sway as much.

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Platinum Membership Benefits Level up your perks after completing 5 cruises or 50 cruise days with Princess. In addition to all of the benefits at the Gold and Ruby levels, enjoy priority boarding in the cruise terminal, so you can experience your MedallionClass® vacation even quicker.

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What is the smallest Princess cruise ship? The smallest Princess cruise ship is the 2,000-passenger Coral Princess. Measuring just 91,267 gross tons, it's about 36% smaller than Discovery Princess, making it a significantly smaller vessel.

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^General Princess Plus Terms:The original Princess Plus package consists of Plus Beverage Package, Wi-Fi, and Crew Appreciation; the upgraded ($60 USD / $65 AUD) Princess Plus package includes all of the foregoing original package items plus Medallion shipping, Premium Desserts, Juice Bar, Fitness Classes, select ...

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The different colors of the Princess Medallion indicate one of two things: the number of cruises the guest has sailed with Princess, or how many days at sea they've spent with Princess.

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Category BF - Balcony Stateroom (Guarantee) Description: Balcony staterooms are impressive and offer the elegance of a balcony with fine patio furniture. They offer all the amenities of an interior stateroom, plus a spacious closet and desk.

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Larger than our Standard Balcony staterooms, Premium Deluxe Balcony cabins provide approximately 233 square feet of comfort, and an approximately 41 square foot balcony and includes all the same features of the Balcony stateroom, plus an additional sofa bed for lounging or sleeping a third passenger.

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Now, guests who completed the required Travel Checklist steps and have received their Medallion prior to their cruise are designated as Green Lane, while guests with an incomplete checklist, as well as those opting to pick up their Medallions during embarkation, are designated as Blue Lane.

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All passengers flying in a premium cabin get priority boarding. But the group you'll be assigned to depends on which class of service you're flying. Passengers in the front cabin board with Group 1.

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Staterooms on the Lower Decks The noisiest staterooms at sea located on the lower decks should be avoided when possible.

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Rear-facing balcony cabins are among the best balcony cabins on any ship. Often, their balconies are bigger than balconies on side-facing cabins and they also feel quiet. There are far fewer balcony cabins at the back of a ship than on the sides of a ship, so you don't hear a lot of noise from your neighbors.

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The cruise lines that attracted the oldest passengers were mostly river cruise lines. Among major ocean cruise lines, Holland America Line also attracted an older passenger base, with an average age of 64. The luxury brand, Oceania Cruises, had an average age of 64.1.

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