What is the difference in Princess cruise ships?

Grand Class differences One of the most significant is that five of the ships (Grand, Golden, Star, Sapphire and Diamond) have one less deck than the others. However, on board Grand and Diamond, there is still room for a nine-hole mini-golf course – a feature that is also found on Caribbean, Crown, Emerald and Ruby.



Princess Cruises organizes its fleet of 17+ ships into several distinct classes, each offering a unique scale and atmosphere. The newest and largest is the Sphere Class (e.g., Sun Princess, Star Princess), which debuted in 2024–2025. These are the line's first LNG-powered ships, accommodating 4,300 passengers and featuring a massive glass "Sphere" dome. The Royal Class (e.g., Discovery, Enchanted, Sky) includes six ships carrying about 3,660 guests; they are known for the "SeaWalk" glass walkway and extensive "MedallionClass" technology integration. The Grand Class represents the line’s core, with seven mid-sized ships (2,600–3,100 guests) that offer a more classic cruising feel and are small enough to visit a wider range of ports. Finally, the Coral Class consists of the fleet's smallest and oldest ships (Coral and Island Princess), designed specifically to fit through the Panama Canal locks, providing an intimate, destination-focused experience for around 2,000 passengers.

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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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The newest Princess cruise ship is Discovery Princess. As noted above, it debuted in March 2022. Measuring 145,000 gross tons, Discovery Princess is the biggest Princess cruise ship ever built and has more restaurants, bars, showrooms and deck-top pool space than many older Princess ships.

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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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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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More than 50 years later, the line is renowned for innovative ships, an array of onboard options, and an environment of exceptional customer service.

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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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The Sanctuary on Princess Cruises is an adults-only sun deck, an exclusive space that does not allow children under age 18. It's nestled on one of the ship's upper decks (forward or aft, depending on the ship), away from the main pools and directly above the Lotus Spa.

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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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You should make sure you have a wide array of clothing packed away in your suitcase, as cruises may require everything from a casual swimsuit to a formal tuxedo. Princess Cruises is smart casual, so pack clothing that adheres to that guideline.

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You can choose the Senior (Age 55+) box to see if a discount is available. If you're interested in learning more about which itineraries have senior discounts, call the cruise line to ask.

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Some cruise lines focus heavily on a region such as Europe, North America, or the Caribbean. Princess is truly global in nature. You can sail from ports in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. There are classic Caribbean trips, Alaska cruises, Mediterranean cruises, and even cruises to Antarctica.

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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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Royal Princess is a large cruise ship with a maximum capacity of 3,560 passengers, but crowds are usually not an issue here.

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