Cruise Spotlight
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Celebrity Edge vs Princess Cruises Star Princess
The Celebrity Edge was built in 2019. The Celebrity Edge is the first ship to feature the "Magic Carpet," a moving platform that makes using water tenders a breeze while in port, or adds outdoor dining space while at sea. This Edge-class of ship is known to feel quite different than the rest of the Celebrity fleet as it's less geared towards traditional cruise passengers. It's 6 years older than the Star Princess, which was built in 2025. Star Princess is the newest ship from Princess Cruises. It's the 3rd ship to be sailing under the Star Princess name.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Edge is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,004 feet long and 128 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.8 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 16-story building. Compared to the Princess Cruises Star Princess, the Edge is 27% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Celebrity Edge holds 32% fewer passengers than the Star Princess based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Edge has more space per person compared to the Star Princess. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
| Celebrity Edge | Princess Cruises Star Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Edge | Sphere |
| Gross Tonnage | 129,500 | 177,882 |
| Length | 1,004 | 1,133 |
| Beam/Width | 128 | 126 |
| Passenger Decks | 16 | 21 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,918 | 4,300 |
| Crew | 1,320 | 1,600 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.2 | 2.7 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 44 | 41 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Edge has nineteen different dining options like Cosmopolitan Restaurant, Oceanview Cafe, and Spa Cafe. Of those options, eight are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eleven options have an additional fee.
The Star Princess has three fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Main Dining Room, Crown Grill, and Sabatini's. Eight of these restaurants are complementary and the other thirteen have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Edge might be a better choice. It has 19% more dining options than the Star Princess.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Edge might be a better choice then the Star Princess. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Celebrity Edge | Princess Cruises Star Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 19 | 16 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 8 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 11 | 13 |
| % of Included Options | 42% | 19% |
| See the options | See the options |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Edge and the Star Princess below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Celebrity Edge has a total of 3 pools and 4 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 1 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
Princess Cruises Star Princess has more pools than the Edge and more hot tubs.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and one of the hot tubs are adults only on Edge.| Celebrity Edge | Princess Cruises Star Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 1 | 4 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 4 | 11 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 10 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 1 | 1 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Edge, 69% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Star Princess, only 25% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Celebrity Edge | Princess Cruises Star Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bingo | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Eden Entertainment Space | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pickleball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Rooftop Garden | ✓ | ✗ |
| Royal Afternoon Tea | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spellbound by Magic Castle | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Celebrity and Princess Cruises are both considered "Premium" cruise lines. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Celebrity Edge will likely be cheaper than on Princess Cruises Star Princess.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Celebrity Edge | Princess Cruises Star Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.00 | $17.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $4.75 | $3.00 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $9.99 See drink menus | $8.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $55 - $99 Learn more | $77 -$100 |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 per device per day | $24.99 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have wifi and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.
Princess Cruises offers two packages to bundle onboard expenses. The Princess Plus package includes daily gratuities, the basic beverage package, 2 fitness classes, 2 casual dining meals, and internet for $60 per day per guest. The Princess Premier package upgrades to the premiere beverage package, wifi for up to 4 devices per guest, two specialty dining meals, unlimited casual dining meals, unlimited fitness classes, and a photo package for $80 per guest per day.
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