Princess Cruise Ships Ranked Best To Worst (Real Reviews 2026)

Some Princess cruise ships are loved. Others… not quite as much.

With such a big fleet, the experience can vary a lot depending on which ship you choose. Some get glowing reviews from passengers, while others leave people wishing they’d booked a different one.

So which Princess ships are the favourites, and which ones fall to the bottom of the rankings? The real reviews might surprise you…

How I Gathered the Data

The only fair way to rank the Princess Cruises ships is to look at the overall popularity of each. It’s not right if I just decide my own personal preference, because:

1. I haven’t cruised on every Princess ship
2. I’m not you, and we might like different things!

So what matters to me is understanding an average review of the ships. Therefore I’ve taken the data from three of the biggest review sites on the internet for cruise ships – Cruise Critic, Cruiseline.com and TripAdvisor – and created an aggregate score for each ship.

(It helps that they all rank ships out of 5, so creating an average isn’t too difficult!)

This list is ranked from the ship with the best average score, down to the worst. And whenever I rank ships in this way, I like to clarify that “worst” doesn’t mean “bad”.

To prove my point, the top-scoring ship on this list has an average score of 4.0 out of 5, while the “worst” ship still has a score of 3.5 out of 5 – so still well above average.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at all 17 ships in the Princess Cruises fleet, and see which is the best and which has been reviewed the worst.

Oh, and I’ve updated this list using 2026 data, so all of the scores and rankings are completely up to date!

Princess Cruise Ships Ranked by Reviews (2026)

According to customer reviews, the best Princess Cruises ship is Star Princess, the newest ship in the fleet and the second vessel in the Sphere Class, which launched in October 2025.

Here’s the full list of all the ships in the Princess fleet, organised by average rating.

1. Star Princess

Launched in October 2025, Star Princess is the newest ship in the Princess fleet and the second vessel in the new Sphere Class, following Sun Princess.

Despite being brand new, Star Princess already has enough guest reviews across the main cruise review sites to give her a reliable average score. And the results are impressive. She comes in right at the top of the rankings, knocking Regal Princess off the number one spot.

What makes this even more interesting is that Sun Princess, the first ship in this class, sits right at the bottom of the list. That suggests Princess may have learned from early feedback and refined the experience on Star Princess.

It’s still early days, of course, but the initial reviews suggest that this newest ship could quickly become a firm favourite with Princess fans.

2. Regal Princess

If you stepped onboard Regal Princess today, you might struggle to believe that she’s been sailing for around 10 years. It might be an exaggeration to say that she looks brand new, but she has definitely maintained a very high standard, and her decor remains contemporary to this day.

The ship is an identical twin to Royal Princess and so didn’t introduce anything new or innovative, but that doesn’t matter – guests still really enjoy the balance of the ship. She has a lot to offer for daytime and evening activities, but unlike some of the mega ships sailing for other cruise lines, she never feels extremely crowded.

Guests do have some minor complaints but they tend to be inconsistent issues – bad dining experiences that are in the minority, patchy WiFi, staff maybe having a bad day and not offering the best service.

Read more: Regal Princess Cabins

3. Coral Princess

I love some of the surprises that these ranked lists throw up, and Coral Princess being the third-most popular ship in the Princess fleet definitely counts as one.

She’s not the eldest ship in the fleet (although you don’t have to read much further for that), but she’s the second eldest, and more importantly, she is the smallest ship in the fleet, tied with her sister ship Island Princess.

So why the popularity?

She tends to offer more unusual itineraries, and her smaller size gives her a really pleasant, intimate atmosphere – the combination suits a lot of people who want an exciting adventure with excellent service. Onboard features are limited, so she feels more like a classic cruise ship – albeit one that is beautifully maintained.

Read more: Coral Princess Cabins

4. Majestic Princess

Majestic Princess is a unique ship in the Princess fleet, in that she was originally built with the Chinese cruise market in mind.

She’s part of the Royal Class and shares a lot of similarities, but she has features such as the Harmony restaurant, offering Chinese cuisine, and the Hollywood Pool Club area, that set her apart.

Reviews are broadly positive, but she shares some of the same criticisms of other Royal-class ships – particularly in the size of the standard staterooms, which can feel a little cramped. Some complaints also mention how everything relies on the app and the Medallion, and sometimes they fail, which can cause frustrations.

Read more: Majestic Princess Cabins

5. Royal Princess

Royal Princess was a major ship launch for Princess Cruises in 2013. The first new ship in 5 years, she was also significantly larger than prior ships in the fleet, and she debuted exciting features, including the SeaWalk, the glass-bottomed walkway extending over the side of the ship.

She remains really popular because she is spacious, and has a lot to offer for days at sea, but she never feels too busy.

The only consistent criticism from guests is that some of the more basic staterooms aren’t huge, but with so much to do onboard, it’s not a major problem.

Read more: Royal Princess Cabins

6. Sapphire Princess

Sapphire Princess is one of the older ships in the Princess Cruises fleet, having been sailing for more than 20 years. While some areas do show her age, a major refurbishment in 2018 helped freshen things up and removed many of the most dated features.

She’s the largest ship in the Grand Class, but she actually carries the fewest passengers, which helps the ship feel a little more spacious. None of the Grand Class ships feel particularly cramped, but Sapphire Princess does benefit from that slightly lower passenger count.

Despite generally solid reviews, Sapphire Princess has dropped three places since the 2025 rankings, suggesting that some of the newer ships in the fleet are now pulling ahead in terms of guest satisfaction.

According to passenger feedback, the standout features are the itineraries and the friendly, attentive crew. On the downside, some guests say the food can feel a little basic, and there are still a few areas that feel dated, particularly the public bathrooms, which get mentioned fairly often in negative reviews.

Read more: Sapphire Princess Cabins

7. Sky Princess

Launched in 2019, Sky Princess remains one of the largest ships in the fleet, with an enhanced version of the Royal Class design. She’s a very modern ship with plenty of facilities, and she’s also one of the more popular ships to sail from the UK.

In fact, Sky Princess has made the biggest jump in this year’s rankings, climbing four places since 2025, from 11th to 7th. That suggests passenger reviews have improved significantly over the past year.

The positive reviews often highlight the friendly crew, strong entertainment and the ship’s modern design. Guests also frequently praise the comfortable cabins and the variety of dining options, with venues like the Take Five jazz lounge often mentioned as a standout feature.

However, some criticisms remain. A common comment in reviews is that the ship can feel a little busy for its size, which can sometimes affect the speed of service onboard. And because she’s relatively new and large, cruises can also be a bit more expensive compared to some of the older ships in the fleet.

One of the ship’s most talked-about features is the Sky Suite, which boasts the largest balcony at sea. However, because these suites are extremely expensive, most guests never experience them, so they don’t have much influence on overall review scores.

Read more: Sky Princess Cabins

8. Ruby Princess

Ruby Princess is a mid-sized ship that offers a varied cruise experience. Unlike some of the smaller ships in the fleet, Ruby feels more suited to families. She isn’t packed with headline attractions, but there’s still plenty to keep kids entertained on sea days, including a well-regarded kids club.

Her itineraries are varied too, with sailings that often include Alaska, Hawaii and the California coast, usually departing from San Francisco.

Recent reviews remain largely positive, with many guests praising the friendly crew, good service and solid dining options. However, the ship is now starting to show its age in places, particularly in some of the staterooms, and a few reviewers feel the entertainment doesn’t quite match the standards of the newest Princess ships.

Even so, for many passengers, Ruby Princess still delivers the classic Princess cruise experience, which helps keep her review scores strong.

Read more: Ruby Princess Cabins

9. Grand Princess

I said it wouldn’t be long until we got to the oldest ship in the Princess fleet. Launched in 1998, Grand Princess is now one of the oldest ships still sailing for any of the major American cruise lines.

When she debuted, Grand Princess was actually the largest and most expensive cruise ship ever built, which makes her longevity even more impressive.

Despite her age, the ship still earns consistently strong review scores, particularly for the friendly crew, enjoyable entertainment and solid dining options. Many guests also say the ship offers a more traditional cruise atmosphere, which appeals to passengers who prefer a quieter, classic cruising experience.

Even with those strong ratings, Grand Princess has slipped two places since the 2025 rankings, dropping from 7th to 9th as newer ships in the fleet continue to climb the list.

Read more: Grand Princess Cabins

10. Island Princess

Proof that some of the older Princess Cruises ships are still popular, Island Princess first launched in 2003 as the second ship in the Coral Class. Despite lacking some of the modern features found on newer ships, guests continue to rate her highly.

However, she has dropped four places since the 2025 rankings, suggesting that while passengers still enjoy the ship, several others in the fleet have pulled ahead this year.

With Island Princess, it’s less about the itineraries. She offers similar Mediterranean and Northern Europe cruises to other ships. Instead, the appeal is the relaxed atmosphere of a smaller ship, offering a more traditional cruise experience, but with modern décor and a good variety of dining options.

Read more: Island Princess Cabins

11. Diamond Princess

Diamond Princess is a sister ship to Sapphire Princess, and both were built in Japan. The difference is that Diamond Princess has largely remained there, with Yokohama (Tokyo) serving as her main home port.

This means many of her cruises focus on Japan and nearby Asian destinations, including ports in South Korea and around the Japanese islands. It also gives the ship a more international atmosphere than most Princess ships, with many Japanese guests on board alongside international travellers. English is widely spoken by the crew, so it’s still very easy for international guests to get around and enjoy the ship.

Most passengers really enjoy the unique atmosphere onboard, but the ship is now over 20 years old, and even a 2019 refurbishment hasn’t stopped some guests from commenting that her age shows in places.

If you enjoy international cuisine and a slightly different cruise experience, Diamond Princess is definitely a ship to consider.

Read more: Diamond Princess Cabins

12. Caribbean Princess

Caribbean Princess is considered part of the Grand Class, although she’s also sometimes referred to as the only Caribbean-class ship in the Princess fleet. First launched in 2003, she’s now one of the older ships sailing for the cruise line, although she has been kept in relatively good condition with updates over the years.

These days, the ship is mainly based in Port Canaveral (Orlando), offering a range of Eastern Caribbean itineraries visiting destinations such as San Juan, Amber Cove and Grand Turk, along with some longer Caribbean sailings.

Guest reviews for Caribbean Princess are generally positive, with many passengers praising the friendly crew, relaxed atmosphere and good dining options onboard. However, some reviewers say the ship is starting to show its age in places, and a few feel that the entertainment and activities don’t quite match the standards of the newest Princess ships.

Even so, for many guests Caribbean Princess still delivers the classic Princess cruise experience, which helps keep her review scores solid.

Read more: Caribbean Princess Cabins

13. Emerald Princess

Emerald Princess is another mid-sized ship in the Grand Class, although Princess has introduced several variations within that class over the years. Since launching in 2007, she’s become a familiar ship for Princess fans, offering a wide range of itineraries across the Caribbean, Hawaii, Canada and New England.

However, Emerald Princess has seen the biggest drop of any ship in this year’s rankings, falling five places since the 2025 list, from 8th down to 13th.

Interestingly, recent reviews are still largely positive overall. Many guests continue to praise the friendly crew, good food and the comfortable, traditional layout of the ship. The ship also tends to appeal to passengers who enjoy a more classic Princess cruising experience rather than the scale of the newer vessels.

Where some of the more critical reviews appear is around the evening entertainment, which some guests say can feel a little limited compared with newer ships. A few reviewers also mention that some areas of the ship are starting to show their age, particularly in cabins and public spaces.

So the drop in the rankings doesn’t necessarily mean Emerald Princess has become unpopular. Instead, it’s more likely that newer ships in the fleet are simply scoring slightly higher, pushing this well-liked ship further down the list.

Read more: Emerald Princess Cabins

14. Enchanted Princess

Enchanted Princess is another of the newer Royal Class ships, launching in 2020 between Sky Princess and Discovery Princess. Despite being one of the more modern ships in the fleet, she sits towards the lower end of the rankings this year.

The ship offers a similar experience to the other Royal Class vessels, with plenty of dining venues, entertainment and modern design features. However, some guest reviews mention that the ship can feel quite busy, particularly in popular public areas.

Another common criticism is the size of the cabins and balconies, which are similar across most Royal Class ships. Unless you’re staying in a suite, accommodation can feel a little compact compared with some other cruise lines.

Overall, Enchanted Princess still receives generally positive reviews, but compared with some of the newer or more distinctive ships in the fleet, she hasn’t quite managed to climb higher in the rankings.

Read more: Enchanted Princess Cabins

15. Discovery Princess

Discovery Princess is part of the Royal Class, although she’s slightly larger than earlier ships such as Royal Princess and Regal Princess thanks to design tweaks that began with 2019’s Sky Princess.

The additional space was mainly used to add more suites and staterooms, rather than introducing major new attractions or facilities. Because of that, the overall experience onboard feels very similar to the other Royal Class ships.

Reviews for Discovery Princess are generally positive, with many guests praising the modern design, good dining options and friendly crew. However, some passengers mention that the ship can feel busy in popular areas, which can occasionally affect the speed of service.

There are also a handful of comments about the size of the cabins and balconies, which are fairly typical for this class of ship but can feel a little compact compared with some newer designs. Overall, though, Discovery Princess still delivers the familiar Royal Class experience that many Princess fans enjoy.

Read more: Discovery Princess Cabins

16. Sun Princess

Sun Princess launched in 2024 and became the first ship in Princess Cruises’ new Sphere Class. She’s a striking, modern ship with some excellent dining options and impressive spaces like the glass-domed Dome entertainment venue and the multi-level Piazza. I was lucky enough to cruise on her early on and had a great time.

So why is she so low on the list? Unfortunately, the launch wasn’t completely smooth. The much-advertised Park19 adventure area never properly opened, and parts of it were eventually removed after the ship’s first European season, which left some passengers disappointed.

Recent reviews still highlight the ship’s modern design, good dining and attractive public spaces, but some guests mention crowding in certain areas and operational teething issues that affected their overall experience.

What makes this result even more interesting is that Star Princess, the next ship in the same Sphere Class, has entered the rankings straight at number one. That suggests Princess may have refined the concept after the Sun Princess launch.

As a result, Sun Princess has slipped two further places in the rankings and now sits at 16th out of 17 ships. It’s still early in her life though, and as the crew and operations settle in, there’s every chance her review scores will improve over time.

Read more: Sun Princess Cabins

17. Crown Princess

Crown Princess is often described as both a Crown-class and Grand-class ship, offering the familiar mid-sized layout that many long-time Princess cruisers enjoy. Launched in 2006, she’s now one of the older ships in the fleet, although refurbishments over the years have helped keep her looking reasonably fresh.

Many positive reviews highlight the friendly crew, relaxed atmosphere and solid dining options, with some guests saying they enjoy the ship’s more traditional cruise feel compared with newer, feature-packed vessels.

However, Crown Princess finishes bottom of the list again this year. That doesn’t necessarily mean passengers dislike the ship, but some reviewers do mention that certain areas are starting to feel dated, and the entertainment and onboard features aren’t as extensive as those found on newer ships in the fleet.

For travellers who prefer a simple, classic cruise experience, Crown Princess can still be a good choice. But compared with the more modern ships sailing for Princess today, she struggles to achieve the same review scores.

Read more: Crown Princess Cabins

Choosing the Best Princess Ship for You

There’s no single answer to which is the best Princess Cruise ship. As you can see from the rankings, the ships have a lot of differences. You’re going to have a very different cruise on Island Princess compared to Sun Princess, the newest ship in the fleet.

And people have different tastes. A lot of the decision will come down to the itineraries, but you need to bear in mind the atmosphere and facilities too. A busier ship may be more entertaining, but it can also feel overwhelming if you want peace.

Maybe your favourite will be the upcoming Voyager Class, the newer ships being built for Princess Cruises? You’ve a bit of a wait though since the first doesn’t launch until 2035…

The Bottom Line

One thing this ranking shows is just how much guest experience can vary between ships, even within the same cruise line. Some of the newest ships are scoring extremely well, while others are much further down the list.

That’s clear with the Sphere Class ships. Star Princess, the newest ship in the fleet, has gone straight to number one, while her slightly older sister Sun Princess sits near the bottom of the rankings. It shows how early impressions, design choices and operational teething issues can all influence review scores.

Of course, it’s important to remember that none of these ships is truly “bad”. Every ship in the fleet still has an overall score above average, which means most guests enjoy their cruise, whichever ship they choose.

Ultimately, the best Princess ship for you will depend on your own preferences. Some cruisers love the newest ships with their modern venues and extra features, while others prefer the quieter atmosphere and classic layout of the older vessels.

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