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Margaritaville at Sea Paradise vs Princess Cruises Star 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 34 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 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 Star Princess, the Paradise is 70% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Margaritaville at Sea Paradise holds 70% fewer passengers than the Star 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 Star Princess.
| Margaritaville at Sea Paradise | Princess Cruises Star Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Classica | Sphere |
| Gross Tonnage | 52,926 | 177,882 |
| Length | 722 | 1,133 |
| Beam/Width | 102 | 126 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 21 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 1,308 | 4,300 |
| Crew | 620 | 1,600 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.1 | 2.7 |
| 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 seven different dining options like Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar, JWB Prime Steakhouse, and Fins Dining. Of those options, five are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other two options have an additional fee.
The Star Princess has nine more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are International Cafe, Umai Teppanyaki, and The Catch by Rudi. 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 Star Princess might be a better choice. It has 129% more dining options than the Paradise.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Paradise 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.
| Margaritaville at Sea Paradise | Princess Cruises Star Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 7 | 16 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 5 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 2 | 13 |
| % of Included Options | 71% | 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. 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 Margaritaville at Sea Paradise has a total of 2 pools and 2 hot tubs.
Princess Cruises Star Princess has more pools than the Paradise and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Star 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 Star Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 1 | 4 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 2 | 11 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 10 | |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 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 Paradise, 60% 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.
| Margaritaville at Sea Paradise | Princess Cruises Star Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Show | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pickleball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Royal Afternoon Tea | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spellbound by Magic Castle | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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 Star Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 | $17.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $2.95 | $2.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.50 | $6.25 |
| 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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