Sun Princess vs. Star Princess: Which Ship to Book in 2026

Sun Princess and Star Princess are sister ships in Princess Cruises’ Sphere class—the line’s newest and largest ship category—and share similar layouts, dining concepts and stateroom categories. Star Princess is the newer vessel, having debuted in 2025 compared with Sun Princess in 2024. It also features an expanded non-smoking casino area, a larger O’Malley’s Irish Pub and several updated onboard venues. For most travelers, however, the best choice will depend less on these incremental differences and more on itinerary: Sun Princess focuses on the Western Mediterranean in 2026, while Star Princess sails Alaska from Seattle during the summer season.

The Sphere Class: What Both Ships Share

Both Sun Princess and Star Princess represent a fundamental reimagining of the Princess Cruises product. At approximately 177,800 gross tons and a capacity of 4,300 guests at double occupancy, they are the largest ships Princess has ever operated — eclipsing the Royal-class fleet by a significant margin.

The Sphere-class design philosophy centers on natural light, open sightlines, and what Princess calls the "Piazza" atrium experience, scaled up dramatically from earlier ships. Both vessels feature the Sanctuary Collection, a premium tier comprising Sanctuary Suites, Sanctuary Mini-Suites and Sanctuary Balcony staterooms. All include access to the exclusive Sanctuary Restaurant and Sanctuary Club, while suite guests also receive access to the Signature Suite Lounge.

This shared design makes comparisons relatively straightforward: most information about one ship’s overall layout, major dining concepts and principal stateroom categories also applies to the other. Their differences—including selected venue expansions, entertainment updates and itinerary deployments—are notable but incremental rather than transformative.

Pro Tip: In April 2026, Princess Cruises announced an order with Fincantieri for three Voyager-class ships, scheduled for delivery in late 2035, 2038 and 2039. Each ship is expected to measure 183,000 gross tons and accommodate approximately 4,700 guests. The new class will build on the Sphere-class platform and become Princess’s largest by guest capacity. Until then, Sun Princess and Star Princess remain the line’s newest and largest ships.

Ship Size and Capacity

Both ships are nearly identical in their core specifications, which is worth establishing clearly before examining the differences.

The ships are nearly identical in size, with Sun Princess measuring 177,882 gross tons and Star Princess measuring 177,800 gross tons. This minor difference has little practical effect on the onboard experience. Both ships use open, light-filled public spaces—including the Piazza, The Dome and multiple outdoor areas—to distribute guests throughout the vessel.

Cabin Categories Compared

The Sphere class introduced a cabin hierarchy that differs meaningfully from older Princess ships. Both Sun Princess and Star Princess use the same category structure.

Standard accommodations on both ships include interior, oceanview, balcony, deluxe balcony, cabana and mini-suite options, with layouts and configurations varying by category and location. Their balcony staterooms feature contemporary furnishings and private outdoor space, although specific dimensions and amenities vary.

Sanctuary Collection is a premium accommodation tier available exclusively on Sun Princess and Star Princess:

• Sanctuary Balcony: Includes Princess Premier benefits, exclusive Sanctuary Restaurant dining and access to the Sanctuary Club
• Sanctuary Mini-Suite: Offers more space and a separate seating area, along with the same Sanctuary Collection benefits
• Sanctuary Suite: Provides the collection’s most spacious accommodations, exclusive dining, Sanctuary Club access and access to the Signature Suite Lounge

The Sanctuary Club is reserved for Sanctuary Collection guests ages 16 and older.

For a deeper look at how to choose the right cabin on Sun Princess, our Sun Princess Cabins: Best Rooms for Every Budget in 2026 guide covers every category in detail — and the same framework applies directly to Star Princess.

Pro Tip: The Sanctuary Club on both ships is reserved for Sanctuary Collection guests ages 16 and older, offering a quieter alternative to the main pool areas. If relaxation is a priority, booking at least a Sanctuary Balcony stateroom provides access to the club, the exclusive Sanctuary Restaurant and the benefits included with Princess Premier.

For broader guidance on how to evaluate cabin types across cruise lines, How To Choose a Room on a Cruise Ship is a useful starting point.

Dining Comparison

Both Sun Princess and Star Princess offer 30 restaurant and bar venues, with broadly similar dining lineups.

The shared venues include:

• Love by Britto — An art-inspired, seven-course dining experience developed with artist Romero Britto and Princess Cruises Head of Culinary Arts Rudi Sodamin
• The Butcher's Block by Dario — A meat-focused specialty restaurant developed with Italian butcher Dario Cecchini
• Makoto Ocean — Edomae-style sushi created in partnership with chef Makoto Okuwa
• Umai Hot Pot and Umai Teppanyaki — Interactive Asian dining concepts available on both ships

One difference is that Star Princess features an expanded O’Malley’s Irish Pub. Princess originally announced that the venue would add 32 seats, although its current fact sheets list capacities of 86 guests on Sun Princess and 96 on Star Princess. Because demand and wait times vary by sailing, consider visiting outside peak dining hours if O’Malley’s is a priority.

Pro Tip: Popular specialty restaurants such as The Butcher’s Block by Dario and Makoto Ocean may have limited availability. Reserve them as soon as dining bookings become available for your sailing, especially if you want a particular date or dining time.

For more context on how Princess stacks up against the broader market on food quality and variety, see our Best Cruise Lines for Foodies guide.

Entertainment and Activities

The entertainment programming on both ships follows the same Sphere-class blueprint, with a few Star Princess-specific additions.

Shared across both ships:

• The Dome — a glass-enclosed, multipurpose venue whose pool area transforms into an entertainment stage
• Princess Arena — the main production theater
• Movies Under the Stars on the pool deck
• The Wake Show (morning talk-show format broadcast)
• Casino, with Star Princess offering an expanded designated non-smoking area
• Lotus Spa and fitness center

Star Princess additions:

• Two original Princess Arena productions, Meridian and Illuminate
• A Candlelight Concert Series in The Dome and the Celestial Champagne Soirée in the Piazza
• An expanded non-smoking casino area with 68 additional slot machines

Star Princess does not have a completely smoke-free casino. Instead, it provides a larger designated non-smoking section than Sun Princess, making it the more appealing option for non-smoking guests who plan to spend time gaming. Experiences outside the designated sections can vary, so avoid making broader claims about air quality elsewhere on the ship.

Itineraries and Home Ports

This is where the choice between Sun Princess and Star Princess becomes most relevant. Although deployments change by season and year, their principal 2026 programs are clearly differentiated.

Sun Princess focuses on the Western Mediterranean during its 2026 European season, offering seven-night itineraries between Barcelona and Civitavecchia (Rome) from April through October. It has also operated Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale during previous winter seasons. If you've been researching a Mediterranean sailing on Sun Princess, our My Sun Princess cruise review — now sailing the Caribbean offers a firsthand look at the experience.

Star Princess is the Sphere-class option in Alaska for summer 2026. From May 3 through September 13, it operates 20 weekly round-trip Inside Passage cruises from Seattle’s Pier 91, visiting destinations such as Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Sitka, with scenic cruising through Endicott Arm to Dawes Glacier. The ship has also sailed Mediterranean and Caribbean itineraries outside its Alaska season.

Pro Tip: Compare the ships using the exact month and year you plan to travel, as Princess may reposition them between regions seasonally. Our Princess Cruises Alaska 2026: Best Ships & Itineraries guide covers the Alaska-specific picture in detail.

For travelers considering Mediterranean ports, Best Mediterranean Cruise Ports for First-Timers in 2026 provides useful destination context. If Alaska is on your radar, Best Alaska Cruise Excursions covers shore excursion planning for the region.

Price and Value Comparison

Because Sun Princess and Star Princess are sister ships with near-identical hardware, pricing between the two is driven primarily by itinerary, season, and cabin category rather than any inherent ship premium.

A few patterns our platform shows consistently:

• Alaska sailings on Star Princess can carry a premium during peak summer months (June–August) due to high demand and limited Alaska-season inventory
• Mediterranean sailings on Sun Princess show strong value in shoulder season (April–May and September–October)
• Caribbean fares on both ships vary by sailing date, itinerary length and demand. Compare equivalent departure dates and cabin categories, and confirm whether advertised prices include taxes, fees and port expenses.

Princess Plus and Princess Premier bundle benefits such as Wi-Fi, daily crew appreciation and beverage packages. For qualifying 2026 sailings, Princess Premier also includes unlimited casual and specialty dining, rather than a fixed dining credit, plus a shore-excursion credit based on voyage length. Package inclusions and prices can vary by sailing and booking market, so confirm the applicable terms before booking. For a full breakdown of what's included and whether it's worth it, see our Princess updates: Premier and Plus packages with shore excursion credits and dining perks guide.

Pro Tip: Star Princess, as the newer ship, occasionally commands a slight premium on comparable itineraries—but the difference is typically modest. If its expanded non-smoking casino area and updated entertainment are meaningful to you, the premium may be justified. If not, Sun Princess on a strong Mediterranean itinerary often delivers better overall value.

Which Ship Should You Book?

Book Star Princess if:

• You want the newer of the two Sphere-class ships
• You value its expanded non-smoking casino area
• You are planning an Alaska cruise from Seattle in summer 2026
• Its expanded dining venues and SkyDeck recreation facilities appeal to you
• You want newer entertainment such as Meridian, Illuminate and the Candlelight Concert Series

Book Sun Princess if:

• Your target itinerary is in the Mediterranean, where Sun Princess has been the primary Sphere-class deployment
• You find strong pricing on a Sun Princess sailing that fits your travel window
• The ship differences don't outweigh the itinerary fit — which, for most travelers, they won't

If you are flexible on destination, Star Princess offers several incremental upgrades as the newer ship. For most travelers, however, itinerary, sailing date, stateroom availability and total price should determine the choice.

If you're comparing Princess against other premium lines before committing, Princess Cruises vs. Holland America: Which Line Wins in 2026? offers a useful line-level perspective.

Key Takeaways

• Sun Princess and Star Princess are Sphere-class sister ships — with similar layouts, principal stateroom categories and dining concepts
• Star Princess is the newer ship, having debuted in 2025, and features an expanded non-smoking casino area, selected larger dining venues, newer entertainment and SkyDeck recreation facilities.
• Itinerary deployment is the primary differentiator for most travelers: Sun Princess has been the Mediterranean Sphere-class ship; Star Princess the Alaska option
• Pricing varies by itinerary, season, demand and stateroom category, so compare equivalent sailings and total costs rather than assuming one ship is always more expensive.
• The Sanctuary Collection is available on both ships and represents the most meaningful onboard upgrade decision regardless of which vessel you choose

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the Sphere class on Princess Cruises?

The Sphere class is Princess Cruises' newest and largest ship category, currently comprising Sun Princess (2024) and Star Princess (2025). Both ships gross approximately 175,000–178,000 tons and carry around 4,300 passengers. The class is defined by its expanded dining portfolio (30 venues), the Sanctuary Collection premium tier, and a redesigned atrium-centered layout.

Q: Is Star Princess better than Sun Princess?

Star Princess offers several incremental updates, including an expanded non-smoking casino area, selected larger dining venues, newer entertainment and SkyDeck recreation facilities. These additions may make it the better choice for some travelers, but Sun Princess offers a very similar Sphere-class experience. Itinerary, travel dates and total price are usually more important than the onboard differences.

Q: Does Star Princess have a smoke-free casino?

No. Star Princess does not have a completely smoke-free casino. It has an expanded designated non-smoking area with 68 additional slot machines, giving non-smoking guests more gaming options than on Sun Princess.

Q: Which ship is better for the Mediterranean?

In 2026, Sun Princess focuses on Western Mediterranean itineraries between Barcelona and Civitavecchia (Rome). It is therefore the stronger choice for Mediterranean travel that year, although schedules should always be verified for the intended departure date.

Q: How far in advance should I book a Sphere-class Princess sailing?

For peak-season Alaska and Mediterranean sailings, book early if you want a specific departure, stateroom location or Sanctuary Collection category. Availability and pricing vary by itinerary and travel date, while Caribbean sailings may offer greater flexibility depending on demand.

Q: Does Princess Cruises have more new ships planned?

Princess Cruises announced in April 2026 that it had ordered three Voyager-class ships from Fincantieri, scheduled for delivery in late 2035, 2038 and 2039. Each ship is expected to measure 183,000 gross tons and accommodate approximately 4,700 guests, making the class Princess’s largest by guest capacity. Until then, Sun Princess and Star Princess remain the line’s newest and largest ships.

Fast Facts

• Best For: Premium cruise travelers seeking the newest Princess Cruises hardware, foodies drawn to the 30-venue dining lineup, and couples interested in the Sanctuary Collection experience
• Price Range: Varies by itinerary, sailing date, demand and stateroom category
• Best Time to Book: Early for peak-season dates and preferred Sanctuary Collection accommodations
• Top Pick for Itinerary: Sun Princess for Mediterranean; Star Princess for Alaska
• Top Pick for Newer Features: Star Princess, for its expanded non-smoking casino area, newer entertainment and SkyDeck recreation facilities
• Future Princess Ships: Three Voyager-class ships will become Princess’s largest by capacity from 2035.