Princess Cruises ship classes: compare the current fleet
Compare 17 current Princess Cruises ships by class, with detailed guides, ship differences, photographs, cabin advice and official deck plans.
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Start with Sphere’s new public spaces versus the more traditional Princess routine. Then inspect the room, balcony and current restaurant list: the 2026 changes on Diamond and Sapphire are a useful example of why an older class summary can mislead.
This guide covers 17 ships operating for Princess Cruises as of September 23, 2026. It includes the brand’s worldwide fleet, so a ship appearing here is not necessarily available from a US port. Start with the comparison, then open the detailed guide for each class or design that interests you.
What matters for your decision
- 17 current ships are covered across 5 class, subgroup or one-ship guides.
- Princess’s own brochure uses four main families: Sphere, Royal, Grand and Coral. These guides separate Diamond and Sapphire from the wider Grand family because their design and ship-specific features warrant a closer comparison. This is five practical guides, not a claim that Princess markets five official classes.
- Compare the exact room, itinerary and complete trip cost before choosing a winner.
| Class or design | Ships | Why shortlist it | Tradeoff to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere | 2 | Distinctive Piazza, Dome and Arena spaces give the ship a strong identity. | The size and spread of venues require more walking and planning. |
| Royal | 6 | Six ships provide several itinerary and departure choices within a recognizable design. | Balcony size and exposure require more scrutiny than the category name suggests. |
| Grand | 5 | Traditional lounges, pools and promenade routes support a familiar cruise routine. | Balcony coverage and privacy vary considerably by deck and category. |
| Diamond subgroup | 2 | A familiar Princess design works well when the itinerary is the main event. | Older restaurant descriptions may no longer match the current plan. |
| Coral | 2 | Smaller overall scale suits travelers who prefer an itinerary-led cruise. | Major layout differences mean sister-ship cabin advice may not transfer. |
How the fleet is grouped
Princess’s own brochure uses four main families: Sphere, Royal, Grand and Coral. These guides separate Diamond and Sapphire from the wider Grand family because their design and ship-specific features warrant a closer comparison. This is five practical guides, not a claim that Princess markets five official classes.
A ship class describes design ancestry. It does not establish identical restaurants, cabin benefits, refits or homeports. The distinctions below focus on decisions a traveler can use; they are not a statistical ranking of passenger satisfaction.
Sphere: The Dome, glass-wrapped Piazza and new theater design
Choose Sphere when you want the ship to contribute as much to the trip as the itinerary. Sun Princess and Star Princess bring a larger, more contemporary setting to Princess: a glass-wrapped Piazza, The Dome and a theater designed around changing stage arrangements. Those spaces are the reason to look here first.
Ships covered: Sun Princess, Star Princess.
Read the full Sphere guide for the individual ship comparison, dining and cabin tradeoffs, photographs and official deck-plan links.
Royal: six ships with different pools and restaurants
Royal class is a good place to begin if you want a large Princess ship without making Sphere’s newest features the deciding factor. The six ships share a recognizable pattern of Piazza activity, substantial dining choice and busy evening venues. They do not share one identical pool deck or restaurant list.
Ships covered: Royal Princess, Regal Princess, Majestic Princess, Sky Princess, Enchanted Princess, Discovery Princess.
Read the full Royal guide for the individual ship comparison, dining and cabin tradeoffs, photographs and official deck-plan links.
Grand: traditional Princess layouts with individual differences
These ships make sense when you want a traditional Princess cruise and would rather spend your budget on the route, room or time away than on the newest ship design. They share family resemblance, but Grand Princess is not simply Crown Princess with an earlier delivery date.
Ships covered: Grand Princess, Caribbean Princess, Crown Princess, Emerald Princess, Ruby Princess.
Read the full Grand guide for the individual ship comparison, dining and cabin tradeoffs, photographs and official deck-plan links.
Diamond and Sapphire: new dining, plus Diamond’s Izumi bath
Diamond and Sapphire reward a closer look than the umbrella “Grand class” label suggests. These Japanese-built sisters combine an established Princess layout with individual features and a dining lineup that changed again in 2026. Diamond’s Izumi bath is a genuine ship-specific reason to investigate further.
Ships covered: Diamond Princess, Sapphire Princess.
Read the full Diamond subgroup guide for the individual ship comparison, dining and cabin tradeoffs, photographs and official deck-plan links.
Coral: smaller ships designed for the historic Panama Canal
Coral Princess and Island Princess appeal to travelers who want the route and the view to lead the holiday. Their narrower, smaller-scale design was developed for the historic Panama Canal, and their public spaces support a conventional Princess routine without the footprint of the newest ships.
Ships covered: Coral Princess, Island Princess.
Read the full Coral guide for the individual ship comparison, dining and cabin tradeoffs, photographs and official deck-plan links.
Shortlist the itinerary and ship together
Write down the departure ports you would realistically use, the nights available and the experiences that matter to the party. Remove sailings that fail those requirements before comparing ship age. A more convenient departure can save more time and money than a small fare difference.
For a sea-day-heavy trip, the pools, lounges and activity mix deserve more weight. For a port-intensive trip, the room, meal routine and useful hours ashore may matter more. A large venue list cannot compensate for an itinerary you do not want.
Compare rooms and the full cost
Price the actual occupancy and acceptable cabin categories on the same basis. Include transport, hotel nights, required charges and the extras you expect to use. A specialty restaurant, private deck or youth activity has value only when the intended traveler can and will use it.
Read the current deck plan for the named ship and sailing date. Inspect the room legend, the decks above and below, and the route to your daily destinations. A class-wide room photograph cannot establish the view, privacy or access of the exact cabin.
Photograph and resources
The photograph shows Sun Princess at the date recorded in its credit. It illustrates the vessel, not a guarantee of its current paintwork, cabins or latest refit. Original photograph and attribution; photograph license.
Compare all eight lines’ ship-class collections, or browse Princess Cruises sailings.
Your decision checklist
- Write down the ship, departure date, port times and your party’s exact cabin occupancy.
- Confirm the specific attractions, restaurants and room benefits that justify your choice.
- Save the current deck plan and check rooms, public spaces and service areas above and below your cabin.
- Compare the full trip cost, including transport, required charges and the extras you will actually use.
- Check cancellation terms and get any essential accessibility or family arrangements confirmed before payment.
Questions travelers ask
How many current ships does Princess Cruises have in this guide?
17, checked for September 23, 2026. The roster excludes future ships and vessels that have completed service for the brand.
Are these all official class names?
Princess’s own brochure uses four main families: Sphere, Royal, Grand and Coral. These guides separate Diamond and Sapphire from the wider Grand family because their design and ship-specific features warrant a closer comparison. This is five practical guides, not a claim that Princess markets five official classes.
Which class is best?
There is no universal winner. Compare the activity and dining spaces you will use, the exact cabin, itinerary and complete trip cost. The table and individual guides explain the main tradeoffs.
Official sources and further reading
Sources checked September 23, 2026. Explore the original policies, destination guidance and provider information behind this article. Each description explains what you will find at the source.
- Princess Cruises fleetFleet context; future bookable ships are excluded from this operating roster.
- Princess 2026–2028 fleet and deck-plan brochurePrincess groups Diamond and Sapphire with Grand class; this collection separates those two as a useful design subgroup.
- Star Princess official fact sheetShip features and layouts; booking-specific operation and inclusions can vary.
- Diamond and Sapphire specialty dining update, January 2026Dated operator announcement takes precedence over older restaurant descriptions.
- Photograph: Sun PrincessSun Princess · 2024 · Adamdl06204917 · CC0; Wikimedia thumbnail, displayed to fit the page.