Cruise Spotlight
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Emerald Princess vs Seaside
The Princess Cruises Emerald Princess was built in 2007. It was renovated in 2019. It's 10 years older than the Seaside, which was built in 2017.
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 Emerald Princess is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 951 feet long and 159 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.6 football fields, as wide as 3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 19-story building. Compared to the MSC Seaside, the Emerald Princess is 26% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Princess Cruises Emerald Princess holds 39% fewer passengers than the Seaside 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 Emerald Princess has more space per person compared to the Seaside. 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 Emerald Princess | MSC Seaside | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Crown | Seaside |
| Gross Tonnage | 113,561 | 153,516 |
| Length | 951 | 1,060 |
| Beam/Width | 159 | 135 |
| Passenger Decks | 19 | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,080 | 5,084 |
| Crew | 1,200 | 1,513 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.6 | 3.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 37 | 30 |
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 Emerald Princess has sixteen different dining options like International Cafe, Crown Grill, and Sabatini's. Of those options, nine are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other five options have an additional fee.
The Seaside has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Biscayne Bay Restaurant & Buffet, Ocean Cay Restaurant, and Marketplace Buffet. eight of these restaurants are complementary and the other eight have an additional fee.
The Princess Cruises Emerald Princess has about the same number of dining options as the MSC Seaside.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Emerald Princess might be a better choice then the Seaside. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Princess Cruises Emerald Princess | MSC Seaside | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 16 | 16 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 9 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 5 | 8 |
| % of Included Options | 69% | 50% |
| 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 Princess Cruises Emerald Princess has a total of 5 pools and 7 hot tubs.
MSC Seaside has fewer pools than the Emerald Princess and fewer hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Seaside. 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 Emerald Princess.| Princess Cruises Emerald Princess | MSC Seaside | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 5 | 4 |
| Pools - General Access | 4 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 7 | 5 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 5 | 3 |
| 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 Emerald Princess, 80% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Seaside, only 57% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Princess Cruises Emerald Princess | MSC Seaside | |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure Trail | ✗ | ✓ |
| Afternoon Tea | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✗ | ✓ |
| Art Auctions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| F1 Simulator | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Glass Bridge | ✗ | ✓ |
| Interactive XD Cinema | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Putting green | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sports Court | ✓ | ✗ |
| Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✗ | ✓ |
| Zip Line | ✗ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Princess Cruises 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.
MSC, on the other hand, 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.
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.
| Princess Cruises Emerald Princess | MSC Seaside | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $17.00 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $2.50 | |
| Domestic Beer Price | $6.25 | |
| Drink Package Price | $77 -$100 | $46 - $85 |
| Internet Plan | $24.99 per device per day | $17 - $27 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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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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