Celebrity Cruises vs. Princess Cruises: A Cruise Line Comparison
Both Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises offer passengers an upscale cruise experience, adding modern accents and value to the typical onboard offerings. But, how do you decide between the two cruise lines?
Celebrity's ships are chic, swanky and, most recently, “edgy.” Young entrepreneurs, foodies and up-and-coming power couples gravitate towards the line's urbane onboard atmosphere and appreciate its partnership with brands like Apple and celebrity chefs such as Daniel Boulud.
Princess' ships take a more traditional yet still sophisticated approach, offering fresh trademarked Medallion (wearable) technology, fine dining from Rudi Sodamin and activities developed alongside Discovery Channel. Families, couples and friend groups of all ages can appreciate the line's simple refinement.
To help you decide which cruise line is the right fit for you, Cruise Critic pits Celebrity vs. Princess in a number of categories.
Celebrity vs. Princess: In a Nutshell
Celebrity Cruises: Swanky, Contemporary and High-Energy
Hip cruise line with a contemporary onboard vibe and an emphasis on trendy culinary experiences since its inception, high-energy entertainment and computer workshops (think macOS and iOS app lessons and retail).
Princess Cruises: Laidback, "Old School" and Innovative
Relaxed old-school cruise line, once without a lot of bells and whistles but lots of loyal guests, that's slowly becoming bolder and more innovative with Medallion tech, Magic Castle entertainment and other livelier activities.
Celebrity vs. Princess: Fleet Size, Ship Sizes and Ages
Celebrity Cruises' Fleet
16 ships, none built before 2000, and additional Celebrity Xcel on the horizon for 2025
Smallest: Celebrity Xploration (boutique expedition ship with 16 passengers), Celebrity Infinity (mainstream cruise ship with 2,170 passengers)
Largest: Celebrity Ascent (3,260 passengers)
Oldest in the fleet: Celebrity Millennium (2000)
Princess Cruises' Fleet
16 ships, one built before 2000, plus additional Star Princess coming in 2025
Smallest: Coral Princess (2,000 passengers)
Largest: Sun Princess (4,300 passengers)
Oldest: Grand Princess (1998)
Celebrity vs. Princess: Pricing (or Rather Value Proposition and Category)
Celebrity Cruises Pricing and Value
As an upscale line, Celebrity will cost more that standard Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean but also offers elevated dining for an exceptional value
Package pricing model extending to all-inclusive options; The Retreat serves as the line’s most expensive and best ship-within-a-ship experience
Prices include dining in several main dining room venues, but specialty restaurants incur an extra fee; most daily activities and nightly entertainment are included
Princess Cruises Pricing and Value
Costs follow industry standards, but, in general, upscale Princess and its value-adds are a mite higher than most mainstream cruise lines
Package pricing model extending to all-inclusive options in addition to bundled accommodations
Prices include dining in several main dining room venues, but specialty restaurants incur an extra fee; most daily activities and nightly entertainment are included
Celebrity vs. Princess: Demographics Onboard
Celebrity Cruises Demographics: Age Onboard Is Dropping Yet Is a Wide Range
Median age: mid-40s to mid-50s, but observed to be getting younger
All ships draw couples and groups of friends ages 30s to 70s overall
Families are more prevalent during holidays and peak travel times
Princess Cruises Demographics: Age Onboard Is Older and Rising
Median age: mid-40s to mid-50s, but observed to be getting older
Caribbean and Alaska cruises draw families, couples and groups of friends in the widest range of age brackets
Ships sailing longer and far-off itineraries draw the oldest 55-plus crowd
Celebrity vs. Princess: Itineraries, Destinations and Homeports
Celebrity Cruises: Convenient U.S. Homeports and a Myriad of Destinations
Regularly sails to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda and Mediterranean; U.S. homeports are conveniently available
Seasonally offers Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama Canal and Canada & New England itineraries
Far-off cruises visit Australia & New Zealand, Asia, Africa, South America, the South Pacific and beyond
Sails soft adventure cruises to the Galapagos on a trio of expedition- and yacht-style ships
Princess Cruises: Convenient U.S. Homeports, Top Line that Sails to Alaska and Robust Itineraries
Regularly navigates the California Pacific Coast, Caribbean and Europe; U.S. homeports are conveniently available
Seasonally offers Alaska (one of the most comprehensive regional programs in the cruise industry), Hawaii, Mexico, Panama Canal and Canada & New England itineraries
Far-off cruises visit Asia, Australia & New Zealand, South America and Tahiti & South Pacific
Even visits Antarctica on occasion and also offers world cruises
Celebrity vs. Princess: Cabins and Cabin Categories
Celebrity Cruises: Infinite Verandas, The Retreat, Aqua Class Cabins and Beyond
Offers a large variety of cabin categories, from inside staterooms without windows to palatial suites with exclusive access to private venues; specific to Edge-class ships are uniquely available Infinite Verandas that push the inside of the room all the way to a convertible balcony
While not on all ships, The Retreat is the top tier of Celebrity accommodations extending to a ship-within-a-ship of an exclusive lounge, restaurant and sun deck reserved only for guests therein
Other shared suite perks extend to the likes of priority embarkation and disembarkation, a free welcome bottle of champagne, reserved theater seating, included Wi-Fi access and complimentary premium beverages
Spa-inspired Aqua Class cabins (on most Celebrity ships) afford private access to the health-centric Blu restaurant, spa thermal suite, complimentary fitness classes, discounted treatments, spa concierge, pillow menu and more
Similarly, Concierge Class accommodations tack on other special services and amenities
Princess Cruises: MedallionClass, Mini-Suites and Signature Collection Suites
Large selection of stateroom categories, from usual inside cabins to spacious suites; all are considered MedallionClass with contactless boarding, keyless entry and ship-wide wayfinding
Distinctive cabin choices include Princess’ signature mini-suites, extending to those with cabanas first aboard Sun Princess; another staple amenity from the line is the Princess Luxury Bed developed by a board-certified sleep expert
Suite perks on all ships include dinner on the house at an alternative restaurant on embarkation night, priority disembarkation at tender ports, included laundry service, complimentary initial mini-bar setup and free bottled water
In its own form of a ship-within-a-ship, Signature Collection suites beginning on Sun Princess offer private access to the Signature Restaurant, Signature Lounge and Signature Sun Deck
Celebrity vs. Princess: Dining Options
Celebrity Cruises: Michelin-Starred Chef and a Variety of Choices, Including Le Petit Chef and the Magic Carpet
Following its Aqua Class ethos, dining on Celebrity can skew as health conscious or as decadent as desired, ranging from included main restaurants (multiple themes on Edge-class ships) to specialty dining rooms with a surcharge
Globally-inspired menus are developed by Michelin-starred chef Cornelius Gallagher, and leading the upper crust of specialty dining is famed chef Daniel Boulud
Several alternative restaurants are available on each ship (varies by vessel), with only a handful included in the cruise price
Only on Celebrity will you find the animated Le Petit Chef experience, as well as The Magic Carpet for cantilevered al fresco dining
Princess Cruises: Complimentary Dining, Casual Dining and Specialty Dining Categories
Dining options on Princess are broken down into three categories: Complimentary Dining (main restaurant, buffet, International Cafe, etc.), Casual Dining (small fee for pizzeria and pub fare) and Specialty Dining (surcharge for premium Italian, seafood and steakhouse offerings)
Showcased cuisine is crafted by head of Princess culinary arts and cruise industry veteran Rudi Sodamin
Fresh on select Princess ships is 360: An Extraordinary Experience, pairing local cuisine with immersive regional imagery; Good Spirits At Sea further showcases regional beverages onboard
Only on Princess can you have food and beverages delivered to wherever you are onboard thanks to the OceanNow function of said wearable Medallion and its accompanying mobile app
Celebrity vs. Princess: Pool Deck Fun
Celebrity Cruises: Two to Three Pools on Nearly Every Ship, Whirlpools in the Retreat and Wet Zone for Kids
Two to three pools on every ship (except on expedition ships) including one in the adults-only Solarium; plus half a dozen or so whirlpools on each ship and in said Solarium
The Retreat ship-within-a-ship comes with its own exclusive pool and/or whirlpools
Select Solstice-class ships have a Wet Zone vertical splash area for kids
The pool deck is used mostly for lounging and not boisterous poolside activities (don’t expect belly flop contests on Celebrity)
Princess Cruises: Three Pool on Every Ship, Several Hot Tubs, The Sanctuary and Movies Under the Stars
At least three pools on every ship, including a quieter aft pool and (on select ships) a pool beneath a retractable roof; most ships have at least half a dozen hot tubs as well
The adults-only Sanctuary (some of which have a pool) offers cruisers a quiet pool/sun deck alternative
Films shown daily on the sun deck as part of the line's Movies Under the Stars, and certain ships also stage bonus fountain shows around the pool
When sailing in the Caribbean, silly games are played poolside on sea days
Celebrity vs. Princess: Sports Deck Fun
Celebrity Cruises: Jogging Tracks, Basketball Courts, The Lawn Club and Unique Classes
All ships have a half-ship jogging track and basketball courts (except Celebrity Edge and its sister ships, which do not have a court); but the Edge class track uniquely meanders around several levels like a sporty Möbius strip
The Lawn Club, a sizable Central Park-style space with real grass flanking the funnels, offering lawn bowling and bocce, is available on all Solstice-class ships
Three Solstice-class ships also offer hot glass demonstrations and classes in a covered area of The Lawn Club
Princess Cruises: Jogging Tracks, Shuffleboard and On-Ship Golf Activities
All ships offer shuffleboard and a jogging track; most also feature a basketball court
All ships provide some type of golf activity onboard from a practice cage to a nine-hole putting course (varies by ship)
A bonus ropes course and water park was introduced on Sun Princess
Celebrity vs. Princess: Indoor Fun
Celebrity Cruises: Dance Classes, Trivia, Wine Tastings, Tech Classes and the Grand Plaza
Daily activities can include dance classes, trivia, bingo, wine tastings and themed lectures
The Celebrity iLounge on all ships offers numerous Apple computer classes on website creation, blogging, Photoshop and other desktop and mobile skills
The Grand Plaza on Edge-class ships is the central location for social gatherings, martini mixology and other entertainment and activities
Princess Cruises: Dance Classes, Bingo, Trivia and Arts & Crafts
Daily schedules might include arts and crafts, dance classes, trivia, bingo, etc., all of which can be easily viewed from the Princess Cruises app
Destination-specific lectures and programs (like North to Alaska) are offered on sailings in Alaska, Hawaii, Asia and the South Pacific
Select ships have a multi-deck, piazza-style atrium, serving as a hub for activities, entertainment and dining
Celebrity vs. Princess: Nightlife
Celebrity Cruises: Cirque du Soleil-Inspired Shows, Live Music and Al Fresco Live Entertainment
Theater productions include stylized, revue-style production shows, Cirque du Soleil-inspired acrobatic shows and one-off comedy, magic and other cabaret acts
Nightly variety of live music, as well as DJ'd dance parties
Celebrity embraced al fresco live entertainment when it debuted the Solstice-class ships, continuing with Edge-class ones, and bright outdoor screens display films and other programming
The line famously added Eden to its Edge-class ships to bring provocative interactive entertainment onboard that has since been tamed down some
Princess Cruises: Musical Revue-style Shows, Movies Under the Stars, Live Music and The Love Boat
The theater stages musical revue-style shows, as well as one-off comedy and magic acts; besides performances curated by Stephen Schwartz, entertainment also extends to edgy digital performances and aforementioned Movies Under the Stars
Live music available nightly in almost every bar and lounge; all ships have a nighttime dance club
A permanent Magic Castle at sea was introduced on Sun Princess in the form of the speakeasy-esque Spellbound bar and performance venue
Princess is also known for theme cruises, highlighting its “The Love Boat” pedigree and more
Celebrity vs. Princess: Family Focus
Celebrity Cruises: Camp at Sea Kids Club and Small Selection of Family-Friendly Cabins
The children's club, Camp at Sea, comprises four age-specific subgroups for kids: Shipmates (3 to 5), Cadets (6 to 9) and Captains (10 to 12) and Teens (13 to 17)
Infants must be at least six months old (or 12 months old on certain sailings)
Very small selection of family-friendly cabin choices
Princess Cruises: Camp Discovery Kids Club and Kids' Splash Pool on All Ships
Camp Discovery is divided into three age brackets: The Treehouse (3 to 7), The Lodge (8 to 12) and The Beach House (13 to 17); each group has its own distinctive space
Onboard and shore excursions programming for kids is provided through a partnership with the Discovery Channel, primarily themed around TV shows from the Discovery, Animal Planet, Learning and Science channels
A kids' splash pool is available on all ships; select ships also have teen-only hot tubs
Select ships feature two-room family suites
Celebrity vs. Princess: Tradition and Innovation
Celebrity Cruises: Innovations on Edge-Class Ships Along with Traditional Lawn Club and Le Petit Chef
Celebrity's recent innovations are found mainly on its latest Edge-class ships, including said Magic Carpet and Infinite Veranda cabins, as well as The Retreat and Eden
Solstice-class ships still feature The Lawn Club, a half-acre of real grass on a top deck, and Le Petit Chef, across the fleet, takes projection mapping to the next level to elevate the line’s cuisine
Princess Cruises: Tradition Is Palpable but Innovative Medallion Tech and Entertainment Are Changing Things
Tradition used to be the name of the game on Princess where multiple main dining rooms, limited extra-fee specialty restaurants and musical theater shows with a minimum of special effects were commonplace
However, Princess is gaining a greater reputation for its very innovative Medallion tech and now high-tech entertainment that are definitely pushing the boundaries into some of the most modern offerings at sea