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Diamond Princess vs Millennium
The Princess Cruises Diamond Princess was built in 2004. It was renovated in 2019. It's 4 years newer than the Millennium, which was built in 2000 and renovated in 2019.
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 Diamond Princess is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 952 feet long and 123 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.6 football fields, as wide as 2.3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 18-story building. Compared to the Celebrity Millennium, the Diamond Princess is 27% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Princess Cruises Diamond Princess holds 20% more passengers than the Millennium 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 Diamond Princess has more space per person compared to the Millennium. 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.
| Princess Cruises Diamond Princess | Celebrity Millennium | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Gem | Millennium |
| Gross Tonnage | 115,875 | 90,940 |
| Length | 952 | 964 |
| Beam/Width | 123 | 105 |
| Passenger Decks | 18 | 11 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,670 | 2,218 |
| Crew | 1,100 | 1,024 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.4 | 2.2 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 43 | 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 Diamond Princess has eleven different dining options like Main Dining Room, Sterling Steakhouse, and World Fresh Marketplace. Of those options, nine are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other four options have an additional fee.
The Millennium has three fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Blu, Sushi on Five, and Le Petit Chef at Qsine. eight of these restaurants are complementary and the other five have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Diamond Princess might be a better choice. It has 38% more dining options than the Millennium.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Diamond Princess might be a better choice then the Millennium. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Princess Cruises Diamond Princess | Celebrity Millennium | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 11 | 8 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 9 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 4 | 5 |
| % of Included Options | 64% | 38% |
| 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 Millennium 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 Princess Cruises Diamond Princess has a total of 4 pools and 8 hot tubs. 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.
Celebrity Millennium has fewer pools than the Diamond Princess and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Millennium. 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? Two of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Diamond Princess.| Princess Cruises Diamond Princess | Celebrity Millennium | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 4 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 2 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | ||
| Total Hot Tubs | 8 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 5 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 1 |
| 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 Diamond Princess, 78% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Millennium, only 50% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Princess Cruises Diamond Princess | Celebrity Millennium | |
|---|---|---|
| Art Auctions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bingo | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Japanese Bath | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sports Court | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Princess Cruises and Celebrity 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 Princess Cruises Diamond Princess will likely be more expensive than on Celebrity Millennium.
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.
| Princess Cruises Diamond Princess | Celebrity Millennium | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $17.00 | $18.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $2.50 | $4.00 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $6.25 | $8.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $77 -$100 | $55 - $99 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $24.99 per device per day | $19 to $30 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.
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.
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