Celebrity and Princess get compared all the time, and it’s easy to see why. I’ve sailed on both and I genuinely enjoy them.
Each line is doing some things really well right now, and a couple of things that I don’t think they’re doing as well at the moment. This is my personal take, so I’ve split it into categories and picked a winner for each one.
Celebrity vs Princess at a Glance
Both are premium cruise lines, which means upgraded dining, service and amenities without the price tag of a luxury cruise.
Celebrity has a fleet of 15 ships, from the mid-size Millennium Class through the Solstice Class to the newer Edge Class. There are five Edge Class ships right now with another coming next year, plus Celebrity Flora in the Galapagos.
Princess has 17 ships, ranging from the smaller and older Coral Princess to Royal Class ships like Enchanted and Discovery. The newest and largest are the Sphere Class ships, Sun Princess and Star Princess.
Ship Design: Celebrity Wins
Celebrity’s Edge Class ships are modern, striking and honestly unique. I can’t think of another cruise line with ships that look anything like them, and the Magic Carpet is a space I really enjoy.
Inside, the decor is modern but still upscale, and I’ve heard people say it feels like a boutique hotel at sea. The resort pool is one long pool instead of two smaller ones, which makes the whole pool deck feel grander and works well for daytime and evening activities.
If you want more detail, here are 5 reasons I loved cruising on the Celebrity Edge.
Princess decor is more traditional, and the Royal Class has a bit of an Italian flair thanks to the piazza in the center. The pool areas are classic cruise ship resort style, and nice and spacious.
On the Sphere Class ships, the piazza gives you a great ocean view from the middle of the ship. Both lines have beautiful ships, but Celebrity wins this one for the attention to detail on the Edge Class.
Cabins: Celebrity Wins by a Smidge
Celebrity cabins are spacious across the fleet, even on the older ships, and the bathrooms are large. On the Edge Class you’ll find lots of Infinite Veranda cabins, which people either love or really don’t.
I like them. You get that real balcony feeling with fresh air, plus what feels like a larger and more usable cabin.
Princess is a bit of a mixed bag. Older ships have a practical layout with an open walk-in closet between the sleeping area and the bathroom, which I always liked even though it isn’t the prettiest.
On ships up to Discovery, Enchanted and Majestic, a standard balcony cabin doesn’t have a couch or love seat. You need to move up to a deluxe balcony to get one.
The Sphere Class changes all that. I love the cabins on Sun and Star Princess, where every balcony has a love seat and a large couch, and the shower has a glass door instead of a plastic curtain.
I almost called this one a tie, and different cruisers will have different opinions. Celebrity takes it by just a smidge.
Main Dining Room: Celebrity Wins
Celebrity’s included main dining has really good food, interesting menus and nice presentation that keeps main dining feeling special. On the Edge Class there are four different main dining rooms, and each one has a few dishes made just for that restaurant.
You might find a French entree like bouillabaisse en croute in one and a Greek dish in another. You still get all the rotating menu choices too, and the food in the main dining room on Celebrity’s other ships is very good as well.
Princess main dining is good to very good. Over the last two to three years, though, I’ve found the menus and the dishes themselves a bit hit and miss, so Celebrity wins this one.
Casual Dining: Princess Is Hard to Beat
I think Princess has some of the best casual dining out there. The pizza at Alfredo’s and the poolside pizza are both really good.
Then there’s the grill next to the pool, and the International Cafe with 24-hour snacks, breakfast and sandwiches. For variety, Princess is hard to top.
Celebrity has its own treats, like the pastries and coffee at Cafe al Bacio. It’s a quieter spot to sit with a coffee while the rest of the ship carries on.
Specialty Dining: Princess Wins
Honestly, specialty dining is excellent on both lines. On Celebrity I love the Fine Cut Steakhouse, where the sides and the presentation are so good.
On Princess, The Catch by Rudi is one of my all-time favorite restaurants on a cruise, and maybe anywhere in the world. I also really enjoy Sabatini’s, and even the steakhouse is surprisingly good, though it is very heavy on the meat.
Both are excellent, but the price per specialty restaurant is lower on Princess. That gives Princess the win here, and specialty dining is also part of one of their packages.
Drinks: Princess Wins
Drinks are good on both cruise lines, so I won’t spend long here. If you’d asked me five years ago, I’d have said Celebrity’s drinks were really good because the Martini Bar was excellent.
Over the last couple of years, though, the espresso martinis aren’t being made fresh anymore. They come from a machine, so it seems to be a pre-made mix, and unfortunately they just aren’t very good.
Meanwhile, Princess has more variety and I think it’s improving in this area. Princess wins for me.
Activities and Entertainment: It’s a Tie
Neither line has loud activities running from morning to night, but you’ll definitely find fun things to do. On Princess, the pool area has activities in the afternoon, and Movies Under the Stars runs in the evening.
You’ll also find trivia, Zumba and crafts in the piazza and the lounges. I think this is what makes Princess feel alive when you walk through the ship, because there’s always something going on in a highly visible public space.
Celebrity has plenty going on too, but it tends to happen in the lounges rather than out in the noisy public areas. That means you can sit at Cafe al Bacio without a lot of noise from the Grand Plaza, although you’ll sometimes see indoor Zumba or mini putt.
The Celebrity pool area is a lot of fun. There’s a passengers versus crew volleyball game, and the most fun water aerobics class I have ever done.
For entertainment, Celebrity has production shows, acrobats, comedians and plenty of variety in the theater. You’ll also find something different in Eden, plus live music like a trio or duo at the Sunset Bar or Martini Bar area.
Princess entertainment is also really good, though the production shows feel a bit more traditional to me, and that’s just a matter of taste. On Sun and Star Princess it went up to a higher level and I find it excellent.
There’s always something happening in the piazza on Princess, including live bands, a silent disco (Celebrity has one too) and sometimes a DJ into the night. I also love the audience participation activities, like the Love and Marriage show and karaoke.
Both lines do this well, so it really comes down to what you prefer.
Technology: Princess Wins
The Ocean Medallion is, in my opinion, the best technology at sea. It unlocks your door hands-free, and once you’ve used one it’s hard to cruise without it.
You can also pay hands-free for a coffee or in a shop. One of the best features is that it connects to your phone and the Princess app, which works like a little GPS to lead you to the theater, a dining room or wherever you’re meeting someone.
There’s also a way to find your shipmates, so if you can’t find the other person in your cabin, you can go looking for them. Maybe they’re at the pool, or maybe they had a stroke of luck at the casino and lost track of time.
Here’s my cruiser’s perspective on Ocean Medallion if you want to see how it works in real life.
Celebrity’s app is very good, and the Wi-Fi now works quite well. I believe they’re using Starlink, which is a vast improvement over just a few years ago.
On the Edge Class ships there’s also something I never hear people talk about, which is the in-cabin technology. From the Celebrity app you can raise and lower your blinds, turn the lights on and off, dim them and even adjust the thermostat from your bed.
I love that, but the Medallion is really special. Princess is a big winner in this category.
Service: Princess Wins for Me
Service is really good on both lines, but it feels different, and I think that’s by design. On Celebrity, which we’ve sailed consistently since about 2012, the service is attentive but not necessarily warm and fuzzy.
We don’t usually find the bartenders or waiters super chatty. If there’s an issue, though, guest services are excellent at making things right.
Princess service is also very good, but in a friendlier, more familial way. The crew seem to smile more and treat you a bit like family.
Sometimes we see the same crew members from other cruises, and they’ll come over and give us a hug. We’ve never had any serious issues on either line, and guest services on Princess have always been accommodating and helpful.
For that warmer service, Princess wins for me. It’s a matter of preference, though, and some friends of mine love Celebrity’s service precisely because they don’t want to make friends with the waiter or chit-chat.
Families and Multi-Generational Travel: Princess Has a Bit More for Everyone
Both lines attract a lot of couples, some solo travelers and plenty of mature cruisers in their 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and up. Families are welcome on both, and multi-generational travel is something more and more people are doing.
Celebrity has a more upscale vibe, and the kids club and teen club are very good. I think it suits teens who are used to nice resorts better than younger children, and on the newer Edge Class ships I don’t see many areas outside the kids club where little ones would be comfortable.
Princess may be better suited to multi-generational groups, or families sailing over the holidays, summer or March break. The kids and teen clubs are also very good, and the piazza can be a bit louder with activities like origami, crafts and dancing.
On the newer, larger ships especially, there’s more to do and something for everyone. For more on this topic, I have tips for cruising with kids and a review of a Princess multi-generational cruise.
Neither line is a true kid cruise line, with water slides, ropes courses and race cars. My own family cruised on both Princess and Celebrity when my kids were younger and when they were teens, and they had a really good time.
You know your own kids and grandkids best, but I’d say Princess has a little more for everyone.
Packages and Value: Princess Wins
Both lines offer a bundle that can save you a little or even a lot of money on drinks and Wi-Fi. Celebrity’s All Included package has changed over the years.
Right now it covers the Classic drink package and basic Wi-Fi, and it no longer includes gratuities like it did a few years ago. The price varies by sailing, so you’ll need to check your own dates.
Princess is much easier to calculate. Princess Plus starts at roughly $60 to $70 per person per day depending on the ship, and it includes your drink package, Wi-Fi for one device, gratuities and a few other amenities.
Princess Premier starts at $100 or $105 per person per day depending on the ship. It adds specialty dining, a shore excursion credit and a photo package on top of everything in Plus.
You can read more in my guide to what’s included in Princess Plus and whether it’s worth it.
Based on value alone, Princess is the clear winner. With one of those packages you can have what feels like an all-inclusive vacation.
Atmosphere and Vibe: It’s a Tie
On paper these two lines look quite similar, and they attract a similar crowd of couples and mature travelers over 40 or 50. The vibe on board is quite different, though.
Celebrity feels a little cooler, more modern and more trendy, and the atmosphere is relaxed while still sophisticated and upscale. People dress nicely, in what I’d call a resort style.
A few years ago Celebrity did away with formal night and replaced it with Evening Chic. People still dress up, but it’s less traditional than on some other lines, and I have a guide on what to wear on a Celebrity cruise.
Princess feels like a traditional cruise line that has become more modern and more upbeat. It attracts friendly people who are there to have fun, from new cruisers to well-traveled ones.
Formal night is still celebrated on Princess, with the champagne waterfall and entertainment, and it’s still a big deal. Nobody has to dress in strict formal wear, but plenty of people (us included) dress up and take photos with the ship photographer.
There’s no winner here because it’s purely a matter of taste, so I’m calling it a tie.
Price Comparison
Celebrity often seems a bit more expensive, and I’d say it’s usually around 10 to 15% more than Princess as a base rate. It can really depend on the sailing and the ship.
To check, I looked at the two newest ships at the time I filmed the video, Celebrity Xcel and Star Princess, on two sets of dates. These were Caribbean sailings in a balcony cabin, priced per person based on double occupancy:
- Mid-January: Celebrity Xcel was approximately $1,260, and Star Princess was $1,221, so pretty much the same.
- Mid-March: Celebrity Xcel was $1,488, and Star Princess (a 7-day sailing) was $1,014.
Keep in mind that sailings further out will probably be priced lower, but not always. Prices change often, so check your own dates before you decide.
Who Is Each Cruise Line Best For?
Whatever the wins above, what matters most is the best fit for you. Celebrity is a great match if you:
- like a more modern aesthetic
- are a foodie
- enjoy high-end window shopping, with shops like Cartier and Bulgari on board (see my tips on duty-free shopping deals on a cruise ship)
When we’ve sailed on Celebrity we’ve met all kinds of people, from guests in their late 20s and 30s to couples in their 50s with young adult children, like us, and cruisers in their 60s, 70s and beyond.
Princess is a great match if you:
- love the traditional elements of a cruise
- enjoy lots of activities to keep you busy, if you want them
- are heading to Alaska, where Princess is a leader
Princess suits couples of any age as well as families with children and grandchildren.
Final Thoughts
Here’s how it shook out for me:
- Celebrity wins: ship design, cabins and main dining
- Princess wins: specialty dining, drinks, technology, service and packages and value
- Ties: activities and entertainment, and atmosphere
Those are my picks, but your opinion counts too. Please let me know in the comments if you’re planning to sail with Celebrity or Princess, and which one you think is best.
Happy cruising!
Ilana