Cruise Spotlight
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Norwegian Epic vs Princess Cruises Island Princess
The Norwegian Epic was built in 2010. It was renovated in 2025. It's 7 years newer than the Island Princess, which was built in 2003 and renovated in 2024.
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 Epic is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,081 feet long and 171 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3 football fields, as wide as 3.2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Princess Cruises Island Princess, the Epic is 68% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Norwegian Epic holds 86% more passengers than the Island 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 Epic has less space per person compared to the Island Princess.
| Norwegian Epic | Princess Cruises Island Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Epic | Coral |
| Gross Tonnage | 155,873 | 92,822 |
| Length | 1,081 | 964 |
| Beam/Width | 171 | 106 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 16 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 4,100 | 2,200 |
| Crew | 1,724 | 900 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.4 | 2.4 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 38 | 42 |
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 Epic has seventeen different dining options like Moderno Churrascaria, Teppanyaki, and Cagney's Steakhouse. Of those options, eight are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other fourteen options have an additional fee.
The Island Princess has eight fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Main Dining Room, World Fresh Marketplace, and Sabatini's. nine of these restaurants are complementary and the other three have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Epic might be a better choice. It has 89% more dining options than the Island Princess.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Island Princess might be a better choice then the Epic. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Norwegian Epic | Princess Cruises Island Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 17 | 9 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 8 | 9 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 14 | 3 |
| % of Included Options | 18% | 67% |
| 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 Epic and the Island 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 Norwegian Epic has a total of 5 pools and 13 hot tubs. 2 of the pools and 5 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 Island Princess has fewer pools than the Epic and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Island Princess. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Epic.| Norwegian Epic | Princess Cruises Island Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 5 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 3 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 2 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 13 | 5 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 6 | 5 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 5 |
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 Epic. Only 59% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Island Princess, 62% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Norwegian Epic | Princess Cruises Island Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (free) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adults-only area (additional fee) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Art Auctions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bowling Alley | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cigar Lounge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Escape Room | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ice Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sports Court | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sports Square | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Norwegian 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.
| Norwegian Epic | Princess Cruises Island Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 | $17.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | $2.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $7.50 See drink menus | $6.25 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | 106 Learn more | $77 -$100 |
| Internet Plan | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device | $24.99 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a More at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the More at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.
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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