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Margaritaville at Sea Paradise vs Princess Cruises Grand Princess
The Margaritaville at Sea Paradise was built in 1991. It was renovated in 2018. The Paradise previously sailed under two different names, the Costa Classica and Grand Classica, before being purchased by Margaritaville to launch their new cruise line. It's 7 years older 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 Paradise is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 722 feet long and 102 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2 football fields, as wide as 1.9 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Princess Cruises Grand Princess, the Paradise is 51% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Margaritaville at Sea Paradise holds 50% fewer passengers than the Grand Princess based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Paradise has less space per person compared to the Grand Princess.
| Margaritaville at Sea Paradise | Princess Cruises Grand Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Classica | Grand |
| Gross Tonnage | 52,926 | 107,517 |
| Length | 722 | 949 |
| Beam/Width | 102 | 118 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 17 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 1,308 | 2,600 |
| Crew | 620 | 1,150 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.1 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 40 | 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 Paradise has nine different dining options like Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar, JWB Prime Steakhouse, and Fins Dining. Of those options, seven are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other two options have an additional fee.
The Grand Princess has one more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Main Dining Room, Coffee and Cones, and Sabatini's. Eleven of these restaurants are complementary and the other four have an additional fee.
The Margaritaville at Sea Paradise 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 Paradise 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.
| Margaritaville at Sea Paradise | Princess Cruises Grand Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 9 | 10 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 7 | 11 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 2 | 4 |
| % of Included Options | 78% | 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. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Paradise and the Grand 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 Margaritaville at Sea Paradise has a total of 2 pools and 2 hot tubs.
Princess Cruises Grand Princess has more pools than the Paradise 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 Paradise.| Margaritaville at Sea Paradise | Princess Cruises Grand Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 1 | 4 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 2 | 8 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 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. You might up paying more while on board the Paradise. Only 60% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Grand Princess, 75% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Margaritaville at Sea Paradise | Princess Cruises Grand Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adults-only area (additional fee) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Afternoon Tea | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Art Auctions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Show | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pickleball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Putting green | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sports Court | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tattoo Studio | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Margaritaville at Sea is considered a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Princess Cruises, on the other hand, is a premium cruise line. 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. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
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.
| Margaritaville at Sea Paradise | Princess Cruises Grand Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 | $17.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $2.95 | $3.00 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $9.00 See drink menus | $8.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | 64.99 | $77 -$100 |
| Internet Plan | $17.99 per device per day | $24.99 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
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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