Princess Cruises Best & Worst Ships

Princess Cruises: The Good, the Bad, and the Slightly Rusty

Ah, Princess Cruises. Once the darling of the high seas, now a mixed bag of shiny new liners and, let’s be honest, some ships that feel like they’re on their last sea legs. Whether you’re a fan of the regal brand or just considering your options, it’s crucial to know which Princess vessels are the floating palaces and which are closer to floating dumpsters. Let’s dive right into the best and worst of the fleet.

The Crown Jewels: Princess Ships to Seek Out

If you’re looking for the cream of the crop, look no further than the Regal Princess and her sister ship, the Majestic Princess. Both ships are part of the Royal Class, and they live up to their lofty titles with ease.

• Regal Princess: Built in 2014, this ship is still turning heads with its stunning atrium and state-of-the-art facilities. The Regal Princess scored a sparkling 95 out of 100 on the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), making it one of the cleanest in the Princess fleet. Check out our cleanliness rankings for the full lowdown.
• Majestic Princess: Launched in 2017, this beauty was initially designed for the Chinese market but now graces the global seas. From the exquisite dining options to the SeaWalk, a glass walkway that extends 28 feet beyond the edge of the ship, the Majestic brings the wow factor. A recent refurbishment has ensured she remains top-tier in luxury cruising.

Both ships feature Princess’s signature MedallionClass experience, offering seamless check-ins, keyless stateroom entry, and other tech-savvy perks. These ships also regularly feature in our ship database as top picks.

Avoid These Rusty Buckets

Now, let’s talk about the ships that might need a little more TLC than they’re currently receiving. Here, the Grand Princess and Sun Princess stand out, and not in a good way.

• Grand Princess: She was revolutionary when launched in 1998, but time has not been kind. Despite a refurbishment in 2019, this ship’s age is showing through in smaller staterooms and fewer modern amenities. Her most recent CDC inspection scored a respectable 92, but her overall ambiance feels dated.
• Sun Princess: Built in 1995, the Sun Princess seems to have taken the phrase “golden years” literally, with decor that could use a serious update. A 2022 refurb effort polished some aspects, but new carpets don’t entirely disguise the vessel’s age. The *Sun Princess* managed to scrape a 90 in its last VSP inspection, which is technically passing but far from stellar.

For both of these ships, the mix of older design and basic features could make you feel like you’re cruising back in the ’90s, rather than into the future. So, unless you’re nostalgic for that era, best to sidestep these in favor of something newer.

Newest vs. Oldest: A Tale of Two Ships

Comparing the newest and oldest ships in the fleet is like comparing a smartphone to a rotary phone. The Discovery Princess is the freshest face, launched in 2021. She offers all the luxurious bells and whistles: infinity pools, expanded dining options, and the latest MedallionClass features. Her first CDC inspection netted an impressive score of 96.

On the other hand, the oldest sister, the Pacific Princess (1999), was retired in 2020, leaving the Grand Princess to carry the mantle of the oldest active ship. And while the Grand Princess has its charms, she just can’t compete with the innovative designs and amenities found on the later models in the fleet.

Refurbishment Status: Who’s Getting a Facelift?

Princess concentrates its refurbishment efforts wisely, focusing on ships with potential rather than those that are merely clinging to relevance. In recent years, the Coral Princess saw significant updates in 2019, bringing her closer to modern expectations with improved eateries and refreshed staterooms.

The Emerald Princess also received a facelift in 2019, including upgraded exterior spaces and tech enhancements. Yet, despite these efforts, neither ship can fully match up to their newer counterparts in the fleet.

For the latest info, our Princess Cruises Dossier gathers all the nitty-gritty details on each ship’s refurbishment and service history.

CDC Scores: The Dirty Truth

When it comes to cleanliness, Princess Cruises tends to perform well, but it’s a mixed bag. The aforementioned Regal Princess and Discovery Princess come in strong with scores of 95 and 96, respectively. In contrast, the Caribbean Princess has struggled, dipping to a score of 85 during a surprise inspection last year. While still passing, it’s a little too close to “foul waters” territory for my taste. Explore our ship database to see where other Princess ships fall in the cleanliness rankings.

A Glimpse into Princess’s Future

With more new ships on the horizon like the Sun Princess (2024) and continuous updates to the existing fleet, Princess Cruises is poised to maintain its place in the upper tier of cruise lines. The focus is clearly on enhancing guest experiences with technology and luxury, while gradually phasing out the less competitively aged vessels.

Princess Cruise Ships Ranked: All 17 Ships, Best to Worst (2026)

Princess currently sails 17 ships, and there’s no official ranking, so every list comes down to method. (Translation: everyone is making it up with a spreadsheet and a dream.) Cruise Mummy’s 2026 ranking averages ratings from Cruise Critic, Cruiseline.com and TripAdisor, all scored out of 5. The best-rated ship averages 4.0 and the lowest averages 3.5. That’s a half-point gap, so even last place isn’t a disaster. Cruise Mummy itself says “worst” doesn’t mean “bad.” I’ve put CruiseBooking.com’s 2026 order alongside it, since it weighs ship age, dining, amenities and capacity along with reviews.

Entry-into-service years and lower berths come from Princess’s own fleet overview. Rankings come from Cruise Mummy and CruiseBooking.com.

What the two rankings agree on

• Star Princess is near the top of both lists (1st and 2nd). At 175,500 tons she’s the newest ship in the fleet, and she’s clearly still got that new-car smell.
• The Royal-class trio of Regal, Royal and Majestic Princess finishes mid-to-high on both lists (2nd to 8th). Steady, dependable, and not here to cause drama.
• Grand Princess, the fleet’s oldest ship (she entered service in 1998), is mid-table on review scores and near the bottom on CruiseBooking.com (9th and 15th). Every fleet has a grand dame, and she’s it.

Where they wildly disagree

Sun Princess is 1st on CruiseBooking.com but 16th on the review-score list. Coral Princess is 3rd on one and 17th, dead last, on the other. The gap comes down to method: Cruise Mummy averages guest ratings, while CruiseBooking.com also weighs ship age, dining, amenities and capacity. Crown Princess is last by review score (17th) but only 12th on CruiseBooking.com, which is lower-middle rather than the basement. In fact, no ship sits in the bottom five of both lists, so nobody here is a unanimous dud. The ranking you trust really depends on whether you care more about the guest reviews or the shiny new stuff.

Ship by ship: who each one actually suits

Rankings are fun, but they won’t tell you which ship matches your holiday. Here’s the rundown, grouped by class (Cruise Critic’s grouping), with itineraries and verdicts from Cruise Mummy and CruiseBooking.com, plus Princess’s own ship pages where noted.

• Sphere class (Star and Sun Princess): The newest and biggest ships, each with 4,310 lower berths. CruiseBooking.com lists Star Princess on Mediterranean, Caribbean and Alaska sailings and Sun Princess on Mediterranean and Caribbean ones. Cruise Mummy puts Star first, based on strong early reviews since her launch. It praises Sun Princess’s dining and public spaces, but says the Park19 area never properly opened and that she’s had crowding and operational issues. It suggests she suits people who love modern design and can live with teething problems.
• Royal class (Royal, Regal, Majestic, Sky, Enchanted and Discovery Princess): Cruise Mummy calls Regal and Royal identical twins that suit anyone who wants plenty to do without a crowded feel. It notes Royal’s smaller basic staterooms. Majestic was built with the Chinese market in mind, so she has the Harmony restaurant (Chinese cuisine) and the Hollywood Pool Club, though Cruise Mummy says staterooms can feel cramped. Sky Princess has the Sky Suite, which Cruise Mummy calls the largest balcony at sea, and frequent UK sailings from Southampton, but it says she can feel busy and costs more. Enchanted and Discovery score better on CruiseBooking.com (3rd and 4th) than on reviews (14th and 15th). Cruise Mummy says both have busy public areas and compact balconies. CruiseBooking.com recommends Enchanted for food, shows and quiet adults-only areas, and Discovery for scenic Alaska trips (it also lists Mexico and California).
• Grand class (Grand, Caribbean, Diamond, Sapphire, Crown, Emerald and Ruby Princess): This is the classic, traditional Princess experience. Cruise Mummy’s pick for families and West Coast or Alaska cruisers is Ruby, which has a well-regarded kids club and sails Alaska, Hawaii and the California coast, usually from San Francisco. It does note that some staterooms are showing their age. Sapphire and Diamond are sisters. Cruise Mummy lists Diamond as based in Yokohama, with cruises focused on Japan and nearby Asian ports, and Princess’s own Diamond page features itineraries such as 7-Day Kyushu & Korea and 10-Day Japan Explorer. CruiseBooking.com says guests often pick her for those unique itineraries, and notes her cultural themed areas on board. Caribbean Princess is based in Port Canaveral for Eastern Caribbean sailings, though Cruise Mummy says her entertainment is less extensive than on newer ships. Princess’s Emerald page highlights Alaska, California Coast and Mexico voyages, CruiseBooking.com lists her on Alaska, Caribbean and longer ocean routes, and Cruise Mummy says she fell five places since 2025. Crown is relaxed and traditional, but Cruise Mummy says some areas feel dated and she has fewer features. CruiseBooking.com’s notes on Crown mention age-related maintenance and elevator complaints.
• Coral class (Coral and Island Princess): The smallest ships in the fleet, with 2,000 and 2,210 lower berths. Cruise Mummy says Coral Princess has more unusual itineraries and an intimate feel, though onboard features are limited. CruiseBooking.com lists her on Bermuda, Caribbean and North America sailings. Island Princess gets Mediterranean and Northern Europe itineraries and a relaxed, smaller-ship feel from Cruise Mummy. CruiseBooking.com lists her on Caribbean and Alaska sailings.

So which Princess ship should you pick?

If you want the newest, biggest and most feature-packed ship, start with Star or Sun Princess. If you want strong reviews on a proven design, Regal, Royal and Majestic are the safest picks. For a closer look at one of them, see our Majestic Princess autumn 2026 review. If you’d rather have a small ship and a quieter vibe, Coral Princess is the fan favorite on reviews, even though CruiseBooking.com puts her last. Enchanted Princess scores far better on the age-and-amenities list than on reviews, so read our verdict on her Caribbean season before booking. To see how Princess compares with the rest of the industry, check our cruise lines ranked guide.

One last note: the Sun Princess in today’s fleet is the 2024 ship, not an older namesake. Sources don’t always agree on dates either. Princess’s fleet overview gives Caribbean Princess as 2004, while Cruise Mummy says 2003. Check the ship’s own page before you book.