Celebrity vs Princess Cruises (2026): The Honest Premium Comparison

Book Celebrity if you want a more modern, design-forward ship with elevated dining, a sophisticated cocktail and wine scene, and an upscale-resort feel. The Edge series ships are some of the most beautiful at sea.

Book Princess if you want better value, larger included dining variety, the strongest Alaska program in the industry, and a slightly more traditional cruise experience with the convenient OceanMedallion wearable that personalizes everything onboard.

My honest take: Celebrity wins on style and design. Princess wins on value, Alaska, and tech. Both are a clear step above the mass-market lines (Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian) for adults who want a quieter, more refined experience.

Need help picking? Tell me your travel style and I'll match you to the right line.

Princess is roughly 15 to 25 percent cheaper than Celebrity on equivalent itineraries. A 7-night Alaska balcony for two often runs $2,400 to $3,600 on Princess versus $3,200 to $4,800 on Celebrity. Princess Plus and Princess Premier bundles (drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, casual dining, fitness) often beat Celebrity's "Always Included" rate.

Celebrity's Always Included rate (drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities) is excellent on paper but the base fare it bundles into is higher. For two travelers who'd buy a basic drink package and Wi-Fi, the math is usually closer than it looks — but Princess Plus still tends to come out ahead.

Winner: Princess.

Celebrity's Edge series (Edge, Apex, Beyond, Ascent, Xcel) is genuinely stunning — the Magic Carpet cantilevered platform, Eden multi-story lounge, and Rooftop Garden look more like a Manhattan hotel than a cruise ship. The interior design rivals luxury lines like Viking and Crystal.

Princess's newest ships (Sun Princess, Star Princess) are larger and more traditional — a soaring multi-story atrium called The Piazza, the Sphere class architecture, and the convenient OceanMedallion wearable that lets you order drinks anywhere on the ship. Princess feels welcoming and easy. Celebrity feels curated and cool.

Winner: Celebrity for design lovers. Princess for size, variety, and tech convenience.

Celebrity is widely considered to have the best food among the major premium lines. Multiple main dining rooms (Cosmopolitan, Tuscan, Cyprus, Normandie on Edge-class), high-quality specialty venues (Le Petit Chef, Eden, Fine Cut Steakhouse), and a strong wine and cocktail program throughout the ship.

Princess holds its own. The Crown Grill steakhouse is genuinely one of the best at sea, Sabatini's serves excellent Italian, and the Sun Princess introduces six included dining venues plus a fantastic food hall called The Eatery. Princess's main dining room rotation is broader than Celebrity's.

Winner: Tie. Celebrity wins on premium specialty dining and wine. Princess wins on included dining variety and the Crown Grill.

For a Celebrity vs Princess Alaska comparison, Princess wins decisively. Princess has been Alaska's dominant cruise line for over 50 years. They own five wilderness lodges (Denali, Mt. McKinley, Copper River, Kenai, and Fairbanks) and operate cruise tours that combine a 7-night sailing with a 3 to 7 night land journey to Denali. Princess has more glacier-viewing access, a larger Alaska fleet, and the deepest local partnerships.

Celebrity sails Alaska beautifully on Solstice and Edge-class ships, with a strong Hubbard Glacier or Endicott Arm itinerary. The ships are arguably more comfortable than Princess's older Alaska tonnage. But Celebrity has no owned lodges and a smaller cruise tour program, so for a true Alaska-focused trip, Princess is the clear pick.

Compare both side-by-side in our Alaska cruises guide.

Winner: Princess, easily, for Alaska. Celebrity for a more modern ship doing the same itinerary.

If you only read one section of this Celebrity Cruises vs Princess Cruises comparison for 2026, read this one. Both lines are excellent premium cruise lines and a step above mass-market options. The right choice comes down to four real-world factors: itinerary, budget, ship style, and how much you value included perks.

Pick Celebrity in 2026 if: You want the most modern, design-forward ships at sea (Edge, Apex, Beyond, Ascent, Xcel), you're a foodie, you want the Retreat suite enclave, or you're sailing the Caribbean or Mediterranean and care about ship aesthetics as much as the ports.

Pick Princess in 2026 if: You're cruising Alaska, you want the best value among premium lines, you love wearable tech (OceanMedallion), or you want a stronger included bundle for drinks, Wi-Fi, and gratuities through Princess Plus or Premier.

Celebrity's "Always Included" rate bundles a Classic drink package (cocktails up to $10), Wi-Fi (basic), and gratuities. Upgrade to "All Included" for a Premium drink package and faster Wi-Fi.

Princess Plus ($60/day) covers Plus Beverage Package (drinks up to $15), Wi-Fi (one device), gratuities, two casual dining meals, and fitness classes. Princess Premier ($80/day) bumps drinks to $20, adds unlimited specialty dining, photos, and reserved show seating. The math usually favors Princess.

Winner: Princess.

Princess's OceanMedallion is a coin-sized wearable that unlocks your cabin door, charges your account, lets crew greet you by name, and lets you order a drink to wherever you are on the ship. It's genuinely magical the first time it works. The MedallionClass app is the best at sea.

Celebrity's app is functional — book dining, watch shows, see your account — but it's not in the same league as the Medallion. There's nothing wearable.

Winner: Princess, by a lot.

Celebrity's Infinite Veranda cabins on Edge-class blur the line between balcony and stateroom — a glass wall opens half the room to the sea. Beautiful in good weather, controversial in cold-weather Alaska. The Retreat (Celebrity's suite enclave) is one of the best private suite areas at sea: dedicated restaurant, lounge, sundeck, and butler service.

Princess's Reserve Collection mini-suites on Sun Princess include access to a private dining area and concierge — a sweet spot between standard and full suite at a reasonable upcharge. Standard cabins are slightly smaller than Celebrity's but well-designed.

Winner: Celebrity for suite experience and balcony design. Princess for value mid-tier.

Celebrity's main theater shows lean modern and immersive — multimedia productions, contemporary music, and a strong Eden multi-deck cabaret experience on Edge-class.

Princess produces full Broadway-style book musicals — Stephen Schwartz original productions, audience-favorite revues, and the Princess Theater on Sun Princess is genuinely impressive. Princess also has a stronger live music scene across bars and lounges.

Winner: Princess for theatrical productions. Celebrity for cocktail-lounge entertainment.

Choose Celebrity if: You want a beautifully designed modern ship, you're a foodie who cares about specialty dining and wine, you want the Retreat suite experience, you prefer a slightly younger and more design-conscious crowd, or you want a Caribbean or Mediterranean cruise that feels like a luxury resort.

Choose Princess if: You're cruising Alaska (especially with a land tour), you want the best value among the premium lines, you love the convenience of the OceanMedallion, you prefer a slightly more traditional cruise experience, or you want a strong included-drinks-and-Wi-Fi bundle.

My take: Both lines are excellent. The deciding factor is usually itinerary (Princess for Alaska, Celebrity for Mediterranean) and aesthetic preference (Celebrity for modern, Princess for classic). Send me your dates and I'll quote both side by side.