Princess Cruises: The Complete Fleet Guide (2026)

Fleet at a glance

Princess runs 17 ships that group cleanly into four classes — from the brand-new Sphere-class flagships down to the small, characterful Coral-class pair. The good news for planning: the Princess experience is consistent, so the real choice is how new a ship you want and where it sails. Here they are, biggest to smallest.

Class	Ships	Size	Guests
Sphere	Sun, Star	~178k GT	~4,300
Royal	Royal, Regal, Majestic, Sky, Enchanted, Discovery	~142–145k GT	~3,600
Grand	Caribbean, Crown, Emerald, Ruby, Grand, Diamond, Sapphire	~109–116k GT	~2,600–3,140
Coral	Coral, Island	~92k GT	~2,000

Princess is early in a fleet renewal. Sun Princess (2024) and Star Princess (2025) delivered its biggest design leap since 2013, and the line has ordered three all-new, roughly 183,000-GT Voyager-class ships, expected in late 2035, 2038 and 2039. For now the fleet stands at 17. As always, only confirmed dates are worth planning around.

Guest numbers are approximate double-occupancy (lower-berth) capacities; each ship carries more at maximum occupancy.

How Princess scores

Princess's identity is clear: a relaxed, grown-up, destination-led experience. It's one of the best lines afloat for couples and for genuine downtime, with real strength in Alaska and long, port-rich itineraries. The honest trade-offs are a lighter family offering and main-stage entertainment that trails the big splashy lines.

Seabound Fit Profile · Princess Cruises 1–10 scale

These are fit scores, not review scores. A lower families score means the experience is less suited to travelers who want a kid-focused, activity-packed ship — not that the ship is lower quality.

Families6

Couples9

Food8

Entertainment6

Value8

Relaxation9

Luxury7

Accessibility7

Two honest caveats. On entertainment: Princess's dining, enrichment, Movies Under the Stars and the Sphere-class Dome are genuinely good, but the main-stage production shows lag the big-budget lines — this isn't the ship for nonstop spectacle. On families: Princess works well for multigenerational trips and has solid youth centers, but it lacks the waterparks and kid-first energy of the family-focused lines, so the score reflects fit, not quality.

Class by class

Four classes, spanning nearly three decades of design. Newer ships add venues, dining and technology; older ones offer the same destinations, a calmer feel and often lower fares.

◆ Largest & newest · 2024–2025

Sphere Class

The new flagships — and a real step up.

~178k GT~4,300 guests2 shipsLNG-powered

Sun Princess (2024) and Star Princess (2025) are Princess's biggest ships by a wide margin — about 21% larger than anything before them — and its first LNG-powered vessels. They headline the glass-domed, three-deck Dome (a light-filled lounge and pool by day, a theater by night), an expanded Piazza, the fleet's widest choice of dining and bars, and the premium Sanctuary Collection suites. More lively and venue-rich than any other Princess ship, while keeping the brand's calm core.

Best for

Anyone who wants the newest, most complete Princess experience — the most dining, the Dome, and the top premium accommodations.

Skip if

You want the lowest fare, or a small, traditional ship on a niche port-rich itinerary.

Seabound Fit Profile

Families7

Couples9

Food9

Entertainment7

Value7

Relaxation9

Luxury8

Accessibility8

◆ Modern core · 2013–2022

Royal Class

The heart of the fleet.

~142–145k GT~3,600 guests6 ships

Royal, Regal, Majestic, Sky, Enchanted and Discovery Princess (2013–2022) are the modern backbone of the fleet: large, refined ships with the signature piazza-style atrium, generous pool decks, plenty of dining and entertainment venues, and — on several — the glass-floored SeaWalk cantilevered over the sea. Newer members (Sky, Enchanted, Discovery) feel close to current, without the top-of-fleet Sphere premium.

Best for

Most travelers — a modern, full-featured Princess ship with strong itinerary range and better value than the newest hulls. A great first Princess cruise.

Skip if

You specifically want the Dome and newest venues (Sphere) or the lowest possible fare (Grand/Coral).

Seabound Fit Profile

Families6

Couples9

Food8

Entertainment6

Value8

Relaxation9

Luxury7

Accessibility7

◆ Traditional Princess · 1998–2008

Grand Class

Classic Princess, softer pricing.

~109–116k GT~2,600–3,140 guests7 ships

The Grand-class group — Caribbean, Crown, Emerald and Ruby (mid-2000s), plus the original Grand, Diamond and Sapphire — is traditional Princess: comfortable, well-run and a little dated, but visiting the same destinations for often noticeably lower fares. Diamond and Sapphire were built for and are popular in the Japan/Asia market. These ships trade the newest design for a familiar, easygoing feel. (Some references subdivide these seven ships into separate sub-classes; we group them together for reader clarity.)

Best for

Value-minded and itinerary-first travelers who care more about where the ship goes and a relaxed feel than the newest hardware.

Skip if

You want current design, the widest dining choice, or the most reliable MedallionClass experience.

Seabound Fit Profile

Families6

Couples8

Food7

Entertainment6

Value8

Relaxation8

Luxury5

Accessibility6

◆ Smallest & oldest · 2003

Coral Class

The small, far-roaming Princess ships.

~92k GT~2,000 guests2 ships

Coral and Island Princess (2003) are the smallest and oldest ships in the fleet — narrow enough to transit the original Panama Canal locks, which makes them Princess's specialists for classic Panama Canal crossings and other long, off-the-beaten-path voyages. Fewer venues and a dated feel, but an intimate scale, easy pace and typically the most approachable fares.

Best for

Destination purists after the Panama Canal, long voyages and a quiet, small-ship feel at a friendly price.

Skip if

You want modern venues, lots of dining and activity choice, or a big-ship atmosphere.

Seabound Fit Profile

Families5

Couples8

Food7

Entertainment5

Value8

Relaxation9

Luxury5

Accessibility6

Class comparisons

Two comparisons come up constantly. Here's how we'd frame them.

Sphere class vs Royal class

Sphere (Sun / Star)

Newest and most complete — the Dome, the widest dining and bar choice, the Sanctuary Collection, and the most modern design. The clearest picture of where Princess is heading.

Royal

The proven modern core — piazza atrium, SeaWalk, strong itineraries and a lower fare, especially on the newer Sky, Enchanted and Discovery.

The honest read: Book Sphere when you want the newest ship and the most to do on board; book Royal for the best balance of a modern Princess experience and price. Both deliver the same relaxed, destination-first feel.

Royal class vs Grand & Coral

Royal

Bigger and more current — more venues, more dining, the smoothest MedallionClass, and broad mainstream itineraries.

Grand / Coral

Smaller, older and easygoing, usually at lower fares — and, in Coral's case, the key to classic Panama Canal and long, niche voyages.

The honest read: Choose Royal for the modern all-round ship; choose Grand or Coral when the itinerary and the fare matter more than new-ship features and you want a calmer, more traditional feel.

Dining & entertainment

Princess is a premium-mainstream line with genuinely good food and a relaxed evening rhythm — but it's honest to say the main-stage shows aren't its headline act.

Dining

Specialty standouts — Sabatini's Italian Trattoria, the Crown Grill steakhouse, and The Catch by Rudi (seafood) lead the paid venues, with Alfredo's/Gigi's pizzeria and the Piazza's International Café among the included favorites. The Sphere ships add still more, from Makoto Ocean to Love by Britto. Princess has held the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence fleet-wide.

Order anywhere — with MedallionClass, you can have food and drinks delivered to wherever you are on the ship (OceanNow) — by the pool, in the theater, on your balcony.

Entertainment

Where it shines — Movies Under the Stars on the poolside big screen (a Princess signature), live music around the Piazza, enrichment through Discovery at Sea (stargazing and destination programming), an award-winning casino, and the speakeasy-style Spellbound magic venue on select ships.

Where it lags — the main-stage production shows trail the big-budget lines. On the Sphere class the Dome adds a genuinely striking venue, but if nightly blockbuster theater is your priority, this isn't the line built around it.

MedallionClass & The Sanctuary

Two things define the Princess experience day to day: the wearable technology that smooths everything out, and the adults-only retreat that anchors its calm reputation.

MedallionClass

The OceanMedallion — a quarter-sized wearable that unlocks your stateroom hands-free, pays contactlessly, speeds embarkation, lets you order food and drinks to your location, and helps you find your travel party on board. It's one of the most capable and comprehensive onboard technology systems in mainstream cruising.

The caveat: it can be less reliable on the older retrofitted ships, so the experience is smoothest on the newer Royal and Sphere-class vessels.

The Sanctuary & cabins

The Sanctuary — many Princess ships offer this purchasable, adults-only retreat: a serene sun-deck space with dedicated attendants and shade, and one of the best quiet-space products in mainstream cruising. Sun Princess and Star Princess expand the idea through the Sanctuary Collection, which adds premium accommodations, exclusive dining and private spaces.

Cabins — Princess staterooms are comfortable and unfussy, with a high proportion of balconies; suites are pleasant but this isn't a suite-led luxury line. Youth centers (Camp Discovery) serve families where present.

Accessibility · verify by ship and sailing

Princess offers accessible staterooms across categories, and MedallionClass genuinely helps with wayfinding and step-free service; the newest and largest ships (Sphere, newer Royal) have the most accessible infrastructure, while the older Grand and Coral ships are more limited.

Treat our score as a starting signal. Confirm the specific features you need — cabin dimensions, roll-in showers, and port/tender accessibility — for your exact ship and sailing before booking.

Captain's Circle & fare bundles

Princess rewards repeat guests through Captain's Circle, and shapes most of its pricing through two fare bundles worth understanding before you book.

Captain's Circle — status by cruises or days sailed

Captain's Circle rises through Gold, Ruby, Platinum and Elite, earned by the number of cruises you take or days you sail (whichever gets you there faster). Perks grow with tier — priority services, complimentary laundry, a members' lounge and onboard discounts at the top — but it's a fairly standard program, not a reason on its own to pick the line.

Princess Plus & Premier — most fares are sold as a base cruise or one of two bundles. Plus adds drinks (to a per-drink limit), Wi-Fi, gratuities and extras; Premier raises the limits and adds specialty dining, premium Wi-Fi, photos and more. Bundled at sale pricing they can be genuine value — but only if you'll actually use the inclusions, so price the base fare against the bundle for your trip.

Princess Cays

Princess's private beach in the Bahamas is a pleasant stop rather than a headline attraction — worth setting expectations on. Treat this as a snapshot and confirm the stops for your sailing.

Princess Cays (Eleuthera, Bahamas) Active

A private beachfront resort on the southern tip of Eleuthera, with a long stretch of beach, a mostly included barbecue, watersports, and reservable bungalows and clamshells. It's a relaxed, classic beach day — but a tendered call, and deliberately low-key: there are no waterslides or big built attractions like the marquee private islands some rivals operate. Featured on many Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries.

Destination-led everywhere else The real draw

Princess's strength isn't a private island — it's the range and depth of real destinations, from Alaska's glaciers to the Panama Canal, the Mediterranean, Japan and long world voyages. For most Princess guests, the ports are the point.

Where Princess sails

Few mainstream lines sail as broadly. Deployments shift yearly; read this as the durable pattern, and verify your homeport and itinerary before booking.

Alaska is Princess's signature — decades of Inside Passage and Gulf sailings, plus its own wilderness lodges and land-and-sea cruisetours that pair the ship with rail journeys and stays near Denali. For an Alaska trip, few lines match its depth.

Caribbean & Mexican Riviera run from Florida, Los Angeles and beyond (with Princess Cays on many Caribbean routes), while the Panama Canal is a Princess classic — the Coral-class ships still transit the original locks.

Europe, Japan & beyond — extensive Mediterranean and Northern Europe seasons, a strong Japan/Asia presence (Diamond Princess), plus South America, Australia/New Zealand, Hawaii and lengthy world cruises. Princess is part of Carnival Corporation and sits in the premium-mainstream tier.

Who Princess fits — and who should look elsewhere

Princess is a strong fit if you…

Are a couple or adult traveler who wants a calm, grown-up ship
Care about destinations and itinerary depth — especially Alaska
Value good food, enrichment and quiet spaces over spectacle
Like seamless tech (MedallionClass) and order-anywhere service
Want relaxed multigenerational travel without a party atmosphere

Consider another line if you…

Want waterparks, big kids' clubs and family-first energy
Rank blockbuster main-stage shows at the top of your list
Are after a true luxury or small-ship-luxury experience
Want the biggest, most attraction-packed ships at sea
Prefer a lively, high-energy nightlife-forward vibe

If you asked us to pick

Seabound Picks · Princess Cruises

Best overall Princess ship

Sun or Star Princess

The newest Sphere-class ships — the most to do and the best of the brand.

Best newest ship

Star Princess

The second Sphere-class ship and Princess's largest ever.

Best for Alaska

Pick by itinerary

For Alaska, the right Glacier Bay or Voyage of the Glaciers sailing, departure port and cruisetour matter more than one ship — Royal, Sphere and Grand options vary by season.

Best for couples & romance

Sun/Star in Sanctuary Collection

The Sphere ships' Sanctuary Collection, or a Royal-class ship with The Sanctuary.

Best value within Princess

Emerald, Ruby or Crown

Grand-class ships: same destinations, softer fares.

Best for the Panama Canal

Coral or Island Princess

Narrow-beam ships built for the original canal locks.

Best first Princess cruise

Enchanted or Discovery

Newer Royal-class ships without the top-of-fleet premium.

Best for Japan

Diamond Princess

Built for and based in the Japan/Asia market.

Ask Seabound about Princess

Tell us about your trip.

Tell us your home airport or driving radius, budget, who's travelling, preferred length and region — especially if Alaska, the Panama Canal or Europe is on your mind — and we'll point you to the right Princess ship and itinerary, or tell you honestly if another line fits you better.

Best Princess ship for Alaska Sphere class or Royal class? Is Princess good for couples? Is Plus or Premier worth it? Best value Princess ship Is Princess good for kids?

Instant answers from our guides · always verified against current Princess Cruises information before you book.

Quick answers

How many ships does Princess Cruises have?

Princess operates 17 ships as of 2026, across four classes: Sphere, Royal, Grand and Coral. The newest are Sun Princess (2024) and Star Princess (2025), the two Sphere-class ships and the largest in the fleet. A new, larger Voyager class — three ships — is expected in 2035, 2038 and 2039.

Is Princess Cruises good for families?

Princess is family-capable — it has Camp Discovery youth centers and works well for relaxed multigenerational trips — but it leans toward adults and couples. If your priority is waterparks, big kids' clubs and nonstop kid-focused activity, Royal Caribbean, Carnival or Disney are stronger fits.

What is Princess MedallionClass?

MedallionClass is Princess's wearable OceanMedallion system: keyless stateroom entry, contactless payment, order-anywhere food and drink delivery (OceanNow), faster boarding, and the ability to locate your travel party. It's one of the most capable and comprehensive onboard technology systems in mainstream cruising, though it can be less reliable on older retrofitted ships.

Is Princess the best cruise line for Alaska?

Princess is the most established Alaska operator, with decades of itineraries, its own wilderness lodges (including near Denali), land-and-sea cruisetours, and strong glacier and enrichment programming. For an Alaska-focused trip it's one of the top choices in the market.

What's the difference between the Sphere-class ships and the rest of the fleet?

Sun Princess and Star Princess are the newest and largest ships, with the glass-domed Dome venue, more dining and entertainment options, and the premium Sanctuary Collection. The older Royal, Grand and Coral-class ships sail the same destinations, often at lower fares, but without the newest design features.

Planning Alaska, the Panama Canal, or a relaxed getaway for two?

Ask Seabound about Princess