Cruise Spotlight
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Disney Wonder vs Princess Cruises Grand Princess
The Disney Wonder was built in 1999. It was renovated in 2016. Disney Wonder's exterior has a old-school steam boat feel while the interior leans into the Art Nouveau styling. Outside the ship, you'll see Donald Duck painting the name on the stern. It's 1 year newer than the Grand Princess, which was built in 1998 and renovated in 2025. Grand Princess was the largest and most expansive ship ever to be constructed when it debuted in 1998.
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 Wonder is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 964 feet long and 106 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 11-story building. Compared to the Princess Cruises Grand Princess, the Wonder is 22% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Disney Wonder holds 33% fewer passengers than the Grand 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 Wonder has more space per person compared to the Grand 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.
| Disney Wonder | Princess Cruises Grand Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Magic | Grand |
| Gross Tonnage | 84,000 | 107,517 |
| Length | 964 | 949 |
| Beam/Width | 106 | 118 |
| Passenger Decks | 11 | 17 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 1,750 | 2,600 |
| Crew | 950 | 1,150 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 48 | 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 Wonder has ten different dining options like Pinocchio's Pizzeria, Triton's, and Palo. Of those options, eight are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other two options have an additional fee.
The Grand Princess has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Coffee and Cones, The Salty Dog Grill, and Main Dining Room. ten of these restaurants are complementary and the other four have an additional fee.
The Disney Wonder has about the same number of dining options as the Princess Cruises Grand Princess.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Wonder might be a better choice then the Grand Princess. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Disney Wonder | Princess Cruises Grand Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 10 | 10 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 8 | 10 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 2 | 4 |
| % of Included Options | 80% | 60% |
| 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. Alcohol is not included in the base price of this cruise ship. To see if you would save money with a drink package, try our Drink Package Calculator.
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 Disney Wonder has a total of 3 pools and 4 hot tubs.
Princess Cruises Grand Princess has more pools than the Wonder and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Grand Princess. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Wonder.| Disney Wonder | Princess Cruises Grand Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 4 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 4 | 8 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 2 |
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 Wonder, 83% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Grand Princess, only 75% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Disney Wonder | Princess Cruises Grand Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adults-only area (additional fee) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Afternoon Tea | ✗ | ✓ |
| Art Auctions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✗ | ✓ |
| Character experiences | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Movie Theater | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Putting green | ✗ | ✓ |
| Salon | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✗ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sports Court | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Disney 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.
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.
| Disney Wonder | Princess Cruises Grand Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $17.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | Included | $2.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $6.50 | $6.25 |
| Drink Package Price | No drink package available | $77 -$100 |
| Internet Plan | $12 - $36 per device per day | $24.99 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
With Disney Cruises, soda is included for meals, but will have an extra cost at bars and throughout the day. While no drink packages are available, you can preorder bottles of wine or beer at a discount.
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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About Cruise Spotlight
Founded in 2020, Cruise Spotlight's goal is to help people understand every aspect of cruising. Plenty of sites focus on the perfect Instagram pictures and marketing fluff. We focus on what really matters: onboard expenses, tips for cruise ships, detailed cruise reviews, and more. Our goal is to provide helpful, unbiased information to new and established cruisers. Over the years, we've helped millions of people get the most from their cruise vacation.
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