Quick Take
Princess Cruises sails 17 ships as of November 2026. The biggest Princess ships are the two Sphere class sisters, Sun Princess and Star Princess, at about 177,800 gross tons with 4,300 guests at double occupancy. The smallest is Coral Princess at 91,627 gross tons and 2,000 guests. Between them sit six Royal class ships at roughly 142,000 to 145,000 gross tons and seven Grand class ships at roughly 107,500 to 116,000 gross tons.
The fast answer is simple. If you want the newest ship with the most dining and entertainment, book Sphere class. If you want the classic Princess experience with the Piazza, Movies Under the Stars, and the widest choice of itineraries, book Royal class. If you care more about the route than the ship, Grand class takes you to Japan, Australia, Mexico, and the Caribbean at a lower fare. For the Panama Canal or a world cruise, only the Coral class ships are built for the job.
| Class | Ships | Gross tons | Guests (double) | Best for |
| Sphere | Sun Princess, Star Princess | About 177,800 | 4,300 | Newest features, families, couples who want choice |
| Royal | Royal, Regal, Majestic, Sky, Enchanted, Discovery | 142,229 to about 145,000 | 3,560 to 3,660 | Most cruisers, Alaska, Caribbean, suites |
| Grand | Grand, Caribbean, Crown, Emerald, Ruby, Diamond, Sapphire | 107,517 to 115,875 | 2,600 to 3,140 | Value fares, Japan, Australia, West Coast |
| Coral (Panamax) | Coral Princess, Island Princess | 91,627 to about 92,800 | 2,000 to 2,200 | Panama Canal, world cruises, long voyages |
Sphere Class: The Largest Princess Ships
Sphere class is the newest and largest tier in the Princess fleet. Sun Princess entered service in 2024 and Star Princess followed in October 2025. Both measure about 177,800 gross tons, stretch 1,133 feet, and carry 4,300 guests at double occupancy, with room for 5,090 when every berth is filled. Both sail the Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale for winter 2026-27.
| Ship | Year | Gross tons | Guests (double) | Sailing from (late 2026) |
| Sun Princess | 2024 | About 177,800 | 4,300 | Fort Lauderdale (Caribbean), Mediterranean in summer |
| Star Princess | 2025 | About 177,800 | 4,300 | Fort Lauderdale (Caribbean), Seattle for Alaska in summer |
The design is a real departure from older Princess ships. The Piazza became a three-deck glass sphere on the side of the hull, and the Dome up top is a pool area by day and a show venue at night. Dining grew to more than 20 venues, the Sanctuary Collection gives suite guests their own restaurant and sun deck, and Park19 on the top deck adds a ropes course and a rollglider ride for kids and teens. I cover the details in my Sun Princess review and my Star Princess review.
I book Sphere class for the family that likes the Princess fare but wants more to do onboard, the couple that wants the newest hardware and the most specialty restaurants, and the loyalist who is curious about the new generation. With 4,300 guests, these are the first Princess ships where I warn clients about elevator waits and busy pool decks on sea days. The dining room is also split into three venues, and some longtime guests do not love the change.
I steer clients away from Sphere class when they tell me they chose Princess because it feels calmer than the mega-ships. These two are well-run mega-ships, and the quieter mid-size feel that built the Princess reputation lives on Royal and Grand class.
Pro Tip: Sun and Star are nearly identical, so pick by itinerary and date rather than by ship. Fares on Star Princess run a little higher in its first full year, and Sun Princess often has the same cabin for less.
Royal Class: The Core of the Princess Fleet
Royal class is where most Princess cruises happen. Six ships built from 2013 to 2022 make up the tier. The first two measure 142,229 gross tons, Majestic Princess measures 143,700, and the final three come in at about 145,000. All six carry 3,560 to 3,660 guests at double occupancy and run 1,083 feet long with 17 passenger decks.
| Ship | Year | Gross tons | Guests (double) | Sailing from (late 2026) |
| Royal Princess | 2013 | 142,229 | 3,560 | Sydney (Australia and New Zealand), Seattle for Alaska in summer 2027 |
| Regal Princess | 2014 | 142,229 | 3,560 | Fort Lauderdale and Port Canaveral (Caribbean) |
| Majestic Princess | 2017 | 143,700 | 3,560 | Buenos Aires and San Antonio, Chile (South America and Antarctica) |
| Sky Princess | 2019 | About 145,000 | 3,660 | Fort Lauderdale (Caribbean), Southampton in summer 2027 |
| Enchanted Princess | 2021 | About 145,000 | 3,660 | Fort Lauderdale (Caribbean), Rome in summer 2027 |
| Discovery Princess | 2022 | About 145,000 | 3,660 | Los Angeles (Mexican Riviera and California coast), Alaska in summer |
This is the class that defines Princess for most people. The three-deck Piazza atrium, the Movies Under the Stars screen over the main pool, the Sanctuary adults-only sun deck, and the Crown Grill steakhouse show up on every Royal class ship. Royal and Regal have the SeaWalk, a glass-floored walkway that hangs 128 feet over the water. Sky, Enchanted, and Discovery added the Sky Suites, two-bedroom suites with the largest balconies at sea. Majestic Princess was built for the China market and keeps a different layout, which I cover in my Majestic Princess review.
Royal class is my default recommendation when a client asks for Princess without a strong opinion about the ship. The size is the sweet spot: enough guests to support a long list of restaurants and nightly entertainment, with a layout that spreads people out. These ships cover Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe, and South America, so the itinerary list is the deepest in the fleet. For Alaska, I compare the two big lines in Princess vs Holland America for Alaska.
I also book Royal class for suite clients who want a quieter ship than Sphere class. The Sky Suites on the three newest ships are the best suite product Princess offers short of the Sanctuary Collection, and they sell out early for school-break weeks. The one cabin I tell clients to skip is a balcony directly under the big movie screen, because the sound carries until late in the evening.
Pro Tip: Within Royal class, Sky, Enchanted, and Discovery have the updated Piazza layout and more cabins with sofa beds for a third guest, while Royal and Regal are the only two with the SeaWalk.
Grand Class: The Mid-Size Princess Ships
Seven Grand class ships were built between 1998 and 2008. Grand Princess started it at 107,517 gross tons and 2,600 guests. The class grew through three sub-classes: the Gem ships, Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess, built in Japan at 115,875 gross tons; Caribbean Princess, which added a full extra deck of balcony cabins and carries 3,140 guests; and the Crown sub-class of Crown, Emerald, and Ruby Princess at 113,561 gross tons and 3,080 guests. All seven run about 952 feet long.
| Ship | Year | Gross tons | Guests (double) | Sailing from (late 2026) |
| Grand Princess | 1998 | 107,517 | 2,600 | Sydney and Brisbane (Australia and New Zealand) |
| Diamond Princess | 2004 | 115,875 | 2,670 | Tokyo and Singapore (Japan and Southeast Asia) |
| Sapphire Princess | 2004 | 115,875 | 2,670 | Tokyo and Singapore (Japan and Southeast Asia) |
| Caribbean Princess | 2004 | 112,894 | 3,140 | Fort Lauderdale and San Juan (Caribbean) |
| Crown Princess | 2006 | 113,561 | 3,080 | Fort Lauderdale (Caribbean) |
| Emerald Princess | 2007 | 113,561 | 3,080 | Los Angeles (Mexico and Hawaii) |
| Ruby Princess | 2008 | 113,561 | 3,080 | San Francisco and Los Angeles (Mexico, Hawaii, California coast) |
Grand class ships look dated next to Sphere class and the cabins are smaller, but the layout is easy to learn and the core Princess product is intact. Caribbean Princess introduced Movies Under the Stars in 2004, and Crown Princess introduced the Piazza atrium that every later ship copied. Diamond and Sapphire were built in Japan for the Japan market, Diamond Princess has the Izumi Japanese bath, and both spend the year in Japan and Southeast Asia.
I book Grand class for clients whose first question is about the route. Grand Princess covers Australia and New Zealand. Emerald and Ruby cover Mexico and Hawaii from the West Coast. Caribbean Princess sails from Fort Lauderdale and San Juan, which opens up southern Caribbean itineraries the bigger ships rarely reach, and I go deeper in my Caribbean Princess review. Grand class also wins on price: a balcony on Crown Princess often costs what an interior costs on Sun Princess the same week, and I break down the numbers in how much a Princess cruise costs.
The clients I move off Grand class are the ones who want many new dining venues, a top-deck activity zone for teenagers, or the Sky Suites. Grand class has none of those. It has a good standard cabin, Crown Grill, Sabatini's, the Sanctuary, and ports you cannot reach on the newer ships.
Coral Class: The Smallest Princess Ships
Coral Princess and Island Princess are the two smallest ships in the fleet and the only two that fit the original Panama Canal locks. Coral Princess measures 91,627 gross tons with 2,000 guests at double occupancy. Island Princess started as an identical sister, and a 2015 refit added cabins, so it now measures about 92,800 gross tons and carries 2,200 guests. Both are 964 feet long.
| Ship | Year | Gross tons | Guests (double) | Sailing from (late 2026) |
| Coral Princess | 2003 | 91,627 | 2,000 | Fort Lauderdale (Caribbean), then a 129-night world cruise departing January 6, 2027 |
| Island Princess | 2003 | About 92,800 | 2,200 | Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, and San Diego (Panama Canal) |
The guest-to-space ratio on these two is the best in the fleet, and you feel it onboard. Public rooms are rarely full and the wraparound promenade is a genuine walking deck. Coral class ships lack a Piazza and most of the newer specialty restaurants, and the cabins are the same vintage as Grand class. In exchange you get a ship that transits the Panama Canal locks with a few feet to spare on each side. My Panama Canal cruise guide covers the full transit versus the partial transit, and Island Princess runs both.
I book Coral class for Panama Canal clients, world cruise and grand voyage clients, and anyone who tells me they prefer a smaller ship with an older crowd. Coral Princess is the Princess world cruise ship, and the 2027 sailing runs 129 nights. Solo travelers and retired couples make up a large share of the passengers. Families with young kids will find the kids club small and the pool deck plain, so I send them to Royal or Sphere class instead. If you are weighing the trade-offs in general, I lay them out in big ship vs small ship cruising.
Pro Tip: On a full Panama Canal transit, get to the forward observation deck early on canal day. Princess also opens the bow area for the transit, and those views are free.
MedallionClass Across the Princess Fleet
Every ship in this post is a MedallionClass ship. The Medallion is a quarter-sized wearable disc that replaces your key card, unlocks your cabin as you approach, lets you order food and drinks to wherever you are sitting, and lets your travel party find each other on the app. It works the same on a 1998 ship as on a 2025 ship. The delivery feature earns its keep on Sphere class, where the ship is big enough that walking to a bar takes real time. If you are new to the line, my Princess first-time guide walks through the Medallion setup before you sail.
Princess Ships on Order: What Is Coming Next
Princess has no new ships arriving through 2029 and no ship has left the fleet in 2025 or 2026, so the 17 ships above are the fleet for the next three years. The next growth comes later: in April 2026 Princess ordered three larger next-generation ships of about 183,000 gross tons and roughly 4,700 guests each, with deliveries planned for 2035, 2038, and 2039.
How to Pick the Right Princess Ship
When a client asks me which Princess ship to book, I run through four questions.
Priority. If the ship is the point of the trip, book Sphere class. If the destination is the point, pick the ship that goes where you want and accept whatever class it is. Princess deploys by region, so Japan means Diamond or Sapphire, the Panama Canal means Coral class, and Australia means Grand or Royal Princess this season.
Who is traveling. Families with kids under 12 do best on Sphere class, with Royal class a close second. Couples who want a relaxed week are well served by any Royal class ship. Solo travelers tend to be happiest on Coral and Grand class, where the passenger mix skews older and the ship is easy to navigate on your own, and I cover the fare math in my solo cruise guide. Adults-only groups should look at the Sanctuary on Royal and Grand class or the Sanctuary Collection on Sphere class.
Trip length. For a seven-night Caribbean or Alaska cruise, ship size is a preference, so pick the class you like. Past 14 nights, the smaller ships pull ahead: Coral and Grand class run more port-intensive routes and attract a crowd that is used to sea days.
Itinerary and fare. Royal and Grand class often sail the same Caribbean week from the same port, and the Grand class ship is cheaper almost every time. Decide whether the Piazza upgrade and newer cabins are worth the difference to you. Check current Princess Cruises offers for both ships before you commit, and compare the Plus and Premier fare packages, since the included drinks, Wi-Fi, and crew appreciation change the real cost more than the cabin category does.
Princess Ships by Size: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest Princess ship?
Sun Princess and Star Princess share the title at about 177,800 gross tons, 1,133 feet long, and 4,300 guests at double occupancy (5,090 at full capacity). They are about 22 percent larger than the Royal class ships at roughly 145,000 gross tons.
What is the smallest Princess ship?
Coral Princess is the smallest Princess ship at 91,627 gross tons and 2,000 guests at double occupancy. Island Princess shares the same hull but measures about 92,800 gross tons and carries 2,200 guests after a 2015 refit added cabins. Both are Panamax ships built to fit the original Panama Canal locks.
How many ships does Princess Cruises have?
Princess has 17 ships in service as of November 2026: two Sphere class, six Royal class, seven Grand class, and two Coral class. No ships are scheduled to join or leave through 2029. Three larger ships are on order for delivery in the 2030s.
Which Princess ship is best for families?
Sun Princess and Star Princess are the clear pick for families with kids, because Park19 on the top deck, the Dome, and the much larger choice of casual dining give kids and teens more to do. Royal class is a solid second choice with the Movies Under the Stars pool and good kids clubs, and the Coral class ships are the weakest option for young kids.
Is a bigger Princess ship more expensive?
Usually, yes, when you compare the same itinerary and cabin category. Sphere class carries the highest base fares, Royal class sits in the middle, and Grand and Coral class are typically the least expensive per night.
Do all Princess ships have the Piazza and Movies Under the Stars?
Every Royal class ship has both, and so do the Grand class ships, with the older ones in that class gaining them in refits over the years. Coral Princess and Island Princess have Movies Under the Stars but no Piazza. Sphere class replaced the traditional Piazza with the glass Sphere atrium.
Final Thoughts on Princess Ships by Size
Princess has four clear tiers. Sphere class is the biggest and newest, Royal class is the heart of the fleet, Grand class is the value and long-haul workhorse, and Coral class is the small, canal-sized option for people who want a quieter ship or a very long voyage. The numbers tell you how big each ship is; the itinerary decides which one you should be on. Most of my Princess clients end up on Royal class, and the ones who book Sphere or Coral class do it on purpose for a specific reason.
If you are still deciding, tell me who is traveling, how long you have, and where you want to go, and I will match you to the right ship and fare. My planning is free to you. You can plan and book your cruise with me whenever you are ready.
More cruise reads:
- What Is Included on a Princess Cruise
- Princess Gratuities Explained
- Princess Captain's Circle Loyalty Program
- Princess Drink Package Guide
- Princess Cays Guide
- Best Time to Cruise Alaska
