Princess Cruises Ships List (2026): Newest to Oldest + Best Princess Ship Guide
Princess Cruises currently operates 17 ships, from the new Sphere Class pair Star Princess and Sun Princess to long-running ships like Grand Princess, Coral Princess, and Island Princess. Below, compare the fleet newest to oldest, by class, ship size, itinerary fit, and which Princess ship is the smartest choice for Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe, Panama Canal sailings, Japan, couples, adults, or multigenerational trips.
This guide is built for travelers comparing the Princess fleet by real decision points, not cruise brochure fluff. Think class structure, atmosphere, itinerary logic, tradeoffs, and where Princess actually fits against other major cruise lines.
- 17 active ships across five practical fleet groupings
- Sphere Class pushes Princess more premium, more modern, and more design-forward
- Princess is strongest when itinerary quality and onboard comfort matter more than top-deck thrills
- Alaska remains one of the brand’s clearest strengths
- Princess usually fits adults, couples, and relaxed multigenerational travel better than adrenaline-first cruisers
A preparation-first guide for travelers comparing Princess Cruises before they book.
Princess Cruises Ships: Newest to Oldest
This is the fastest way to scan the full active fleet before you go class by class. If you are trying to understand what is new, what is older, and which ships are really different, start here.
| Ship | Grouping | Entered Service | Lower Berths | Typical Fit | Where It Commonly Fits Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star Princess | Sphere Class | 2025 | 4,310 | Newest ship with the most current Princess feel | Caribbean, Alaska, Europe |
| Sun Princess | Sphere Class | 2024 | 4,310 | Modern flagship style Princess | Caribbean, Mediterranean, Europe |
| Discovery Princess | Royal Class Next Wave | 2022 | 3,660 | Modern Royal Class option without Sphere pricing | Alaska, Caribbean, Mexico, West Coast |
| Enchanted Princess | Royal Class Next Wave | 2020 | 3,660 | Modern mainstream premium Princess | Caribbean, Mediterranean, Europe |
| Sky Princess | Royal Class Next Wave | 2019 | 3,660 | Great middle ground for Princess shoppers | Caribbean, Europe |
| Majestic Princess | Royal Class | 2017 | 3,560 | Large-ship Princess with broad itinerary utility | Alaska, Australia, Asia, seasonal long-haul deployment |
| Regal Princess | Royal Class | 2014 | 3,560 | Value-minded Royal Class buy | Caribbean, Europe |
| Royal Princess | Royal Class | 2013 | 3,560 | Original Royal Class entry point | Alaska, Caribbean, West Coast, Hawaii |
| Ruby Princess | Grand Class | 2008 | 3,080 | Tactical value play with traditional Princess feel | Caribbean, Galveston, Alaska, seasonal deployment |
| Emerald Princess | Grand Class | 2007 | 3,090 | Classic Princess at scale | Caribbean, Europe, repositioning sailings |
| Crown Princess | Grand Class | 2006 | 3,090 | Mature large-ship Princess with calmer energy | Caribbean, Australia, world-style deployment |
| Caribbean Princess | Grand Class | 2004 | 3,140 | Caribbean-focused classic Princess choice | Eastern and Southern Caribbean, Panama Canal |
| Diamond Princess | Gem Class | 2004 | 2,710 | Destination-led ship with strong Japan relevance | Japan, Asia, seasonal long-haul deployment |
| Sapphire Princess | Gem Class | 2004 | 2,680 | Useful mid-size option for port-led cruising | Alaska, Asia, repositioning sailings |
| Coral Princess | Coral Class | 2003 | 2,000 | Panama Canal and itinerary-first buyers | Panama Canal, world cruises, longer voyages |
| Island Princess | Coral Class | 2003 | 2,210 | Longer voyages and route-specific shoppers | Panama Canal, Europe, world-style itineraries |
| Grand Princess | Grand Class | 1998 | 2,610 | Oldest active Princess ship and a true legacy option | Alaska, Mexico, West Coast, Hawaii |
Is Princess Cruises Right for You?
Yes, if you want a more relaxed premium-mainstream experience, strong itinerary depth, better Alaska credibility, and a ship atmosphere that works well for adults, couples, and easy multigenerational travel. Less so if you want waterpark chaos, heavy nightlife, or a line built around top-deck adrenaline and constant sensory overload.
- You care more about itinerary quality and comfort than thrill hardware
- You want a calmer ship vibe than Royal Caribbean or Carnival usually delivers
- You are shopping Alaska seriously
- You are an adult couple, mixed-age family, or first-time cruiser who wants less friction
- You value dining, service, and a more polished mainstream feel
- You want the biggest top-deck attraction stack in the market
- You are booking mainly around kids IP or highly themed family entertainment
- You want an ultra-budget entry fare
- You want a younger party-heavy social scene
If you are still comparing brands, start with Best Cruise Line for Adults, Best Cruise Line for First Time Cruisers, and Best Cruise Line for Families.
Princess Cruise Ship Classes
Princess is easiest to understand by class, not just by which ship is newest. Each class below points to a representative ship, where it sails, and who it fits best.
Ships: Sun Princess, Star Princess · Era: 2024 to 2025
Best for: travelers who want the newest Princess hardware and the dramatic Dome
Where it sails: Caribbean and Mediterranean
Why pick it: the Sphere-class design with the glass-domed Dome and the latest MedallionClass
Watch for: premium first-year pricing
Ships: Sky, Enchanted, Discovery · Era: 2019 to 2022
Best for: families and couples who want a modern ship with MedallionClass
Where it sails: Caribbean, Alaska, and Mexico
Why pick it: the SeaWalk, the Piazza, and refined Royal-class comfort
Watch for: large-ship scale
Ships: Royal, Regal, Majestic · Era: 2013 to 2017
Best for: travelers who want a proven big ship at softer fares
Where it sails: Alaska, Caribbean, and Asia
Why pick it: the SeaWalk, the Piazza atrium, and broad worldwide deployment
Watch for: older than the Next Wave trio
Ships: Grand, Caribbean, Crown, Emerald, Ruby · Era: 2002 to 2008
Best for: value buyers who want the widest choice of itineraries
Where it sails: Alaska, Caribbean, Mexico, and the Panama Canal
Why pick it: the broadest deployment in the fleet at lower fares
Watch for: older finishes than the Royal classes
Ships: Diamond, Sapphire · Era: 2004
Best for: travelers booking Asia, Japan, or Alaska seasons
Where it sails: Alaska, Asia, and Japan
Why pick it: a two-ship pair well suited to Asia-Pacific and Alaska deployments
Watch for: a small niche in the fleet
Ships: Coral, Island · Era: 2003
Best for: travelers booking the Panama Canal, Hawaii, or longer routes
Where it sails: Panama Canal, Alaska, and Hawaii
Why pick it: a narrower beam that fits the original Panama Canal locks
Watch for: the smallest, oldest Princess ships
Cruise cabin gear
The small fixes that make an interior stateroom livable, every pick cruise-line compliant.
Princess Cruises Itineraries: Where Princess Sails Best
Where a Princess ship sails shapes the trip as much as the ship itself. These are the regions where Princess is strongest, and the classes that sail them.
Alaska is where Princess is strongest, with the most ships, its own glacier itineraries, and the Princess wilderness lodges and rail tours on land.
Best fit: Royal, Grand, Gem, and Coral class ships
The Caribbean is a year-round Princess staple from Florida, built around relaxed sea days and a stop at Princess Cays.
Best fit: Sphere, Royal, and Grand class ships
Mexican Riviera sailings give West Coast cruisers warm-weather beaches on short and week-long loops from Los Angeles.
Best fit: Royal and Grand class ships
Mediterranean summers bring the Sphere and Royal-class ships to the western and eastern Med for port-rich, longer itineraries.
Best fit: Sphere and Royal class ships
Onboard Experience: What Princess Actually Does Well
- Relaxed premium-mainstream atmosphere
- Strong Alaska and itinerary credibility
- Dining, service, and overall onboard comfort tend to land above the budget-heavy mainstream layer
- Princess usually works well for adults, couples, and low-drama family travel
- Newer ships push the brand further upscale without abandoning its core personality
- Less top-deck thrill hardware than Royal Caribbean
- Less child-focused immersion than Disney
- Less nightlife intensity than Norwegian or Carnival in many cases
- Older ships can feel clearly older if the newest-hardware bar is high for you
Princess is rarely the loudest answer. That is part of the appeal.
Cabins and Pricing
Princess cabins are usually less about flashy category gimmicks and more about choosing the right level of comfort for the route. Balconies matter more in Alaska and scenic itineraries. Mini-suites can make more sense on longer sailings. Newer Sphere Class ships give the premium cabin story more punch than the legacy fleet does.
Princess works best when you match the cabin to the trip, not when you overbuy the room and underbuy the itinerary.
Princess usually sits above the lowest mainstream price tier and below true luxury. On many sailings it competes more with Celebrity and Holland America than with Carnival. Older ships can be the smarter value play. Newer ships can justify the step-up if the ship itself matters more to you.
Compare total fit, not just the first fare you see.
Related reads: Cruise Cabin Types, Interior vs Balcony Cabin, and Best Cabin Location on a Cruise.
Princess vs the Competition
This is the honest framing. Princess is usually not the cheapest line and not the most thrill-heavy line. It wins more often on calm premium-mainstream comfort, itinerary fit, and adult-friendly balance.
| Category | Princess | Celebrity | Holland America | Royal Caribbean |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Adults, couples, multigen ease, Alaska | Polished modern premium | Older-leaning adults, destination depth | Mega-ship variety and family energy |
| Ship vibe | Relaxed and comfortable | Sleeker and more design-forward | Traditional and quieter | Louder and attraction-heavy |
| Alaska strength | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Good |
| Thrill factor | Moderate | Low to moderate | Low | High |
| Best booking logic | Route plus comfort | Ship plus premium feel | Destination plus tradition | Ship plus family entertainment |
| Bottom line | Balanced premium-mainstream choice | Better if you want a sleeker upscale tone | Better if you want older-skewing calm and destination focus | Better if the ship itself needs to be a playground |
Related reads: All Cruise Lines, Best Cruise Line for Adults, and Best Cruise Line for First Time Cruisers.
The Full Princess Fleet
Use this as the fast browse layer. The sections above help you choose. This grid helps you scan the active fleet ship by ship.
Star Princess
Sun Princess
Discovery Princess
Enchanted Princess
Sky Princess
Majestic Princess
Regal Princess
Royal Princess
Ruby Princess
Emerald Princess
Crown Princess
Caribbean Princess
Diamond Princess
Sapphire Princess
Coral Princess
Island Princess
Grand Princess
Which Princess Ship Is Right for You?
Choose Star Princess or Sun Princess if: you want the newest Princess experience, more modern design, and a ship that feels like the clearest expression of where the brand is heading.
Choose Discovery Princess, Enchanted Princess, or Sky Princess if: you want a newer-feeling Princess ship without automatically paying the top-of-fleet premium.
Choose Royal Princess, Regal Princess, or Majestic Princess if: you want a large modern Princess ship and care about practical value and itinerary balance.
Choose the Grand Class ships if: you want traditional Princess atmosphere, softer pricing potential, and you care more about route and overall feel than new-ship optics.
Choose Coral Princess or Island Princess if: Panama Canal, longer voyages, or route-specific sailing logic is driving the decision.
Choose Diamond Princess or Sapphire Princess if: Japan, Asia, Alaska, or a more destination-led mid-size experience is part of the brief.
What’s Next for Princess Cruises?
For the visible public fleet story right now, the headline is simple: Princess is now a 17 ship line with Sun Princess and Star Princess as the two active Sphere Class ships. That is the fleet evolution that matters most on this page. Rather than forcing a speculative orderbook section, the smarter move is to watch how Princess deploys and differentiates these newer ships against the rest of the fleet.
FAQ
How many Princess Cruises ships are there?
Princess Cruises currently operates 17 ships in service.
What is the newest Princess cruise ship?
Star Princess is the newest ship in the Princess Cruises fleet. She entered service in 2025 as the second Sphere Class ship.
What is the largest Princess cruise ship?
Star Princess and Sun Princess are currently the largest ships in the Princess Cruises fleet, each listed at 4,310 lower berths in Princess public fleet materials.
What are the Sphere Class Princess ships?
The Sphere Class Princess ships are Sun Princess and Star Princess. They represent the newest ship class in the fleet and the clearest evolution of the brand’s onboard design and premium positioning.
Is Princess Cruises good for Alaska?
Yes. Alaska is one of Princess Cruises’ clearest strengths and one of the most important itinerary regions in the brand story.
Is Princess Cruises good for adults and couples?
Usually yes. Princess is often a strong fit for adults, couples, and travelers who want a calmer premium-mainstream experience rather than a thrill-heavy cruise style.
Compare other cruise lines
Weighing this line against another? These Deep Arrival cruise line guides each break down the full fleet, the onboard experience, and who the line fits best, so you can compare them side by side.