Cruise Spotlight
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Grand Princess vs Radiance
The Princess Cruises Grand Princess was built in 1998. It was renovated in 2025. Grand Princess was the largest and most expansive ship ever to be constructed when it debuted in 1998. It's 22 years older than the Radiance, which was built in 2020 and renovated in 2024. The Radiance was previously known as the Victory from 2000-2020, but was renamed after it went through huge renovations.
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 Grand Princess is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 949 feet long and 118 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.6 football fields, as wide as 2.2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 17-story building. Compared to the Carnival Radiance, the Grand Princess is 6% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Princess Cruises Grand Princess holds 13% fewer passengers than the Radiance 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 Grand Princess has more space per person compared to the Radiance. 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 Grand Princess | Carnival Radiance | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Grand | Sunshine |
| Gross Tonnage | 107,517 | 101,509 |
| Length | 949 | 893 |
| Beam/Width | 118 | 125 |
| Passenger Decks | 17 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,600 | 2,984 |
| Crew | 1,150 | 1,108 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 2.7 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 41 | 34 |
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 Grand Princess has ten different dining options like International Cafe, The Salty Dog Grill, and Coffee and Cones. Of those options, ten are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other four options have an additional fee.
The Radiance has five more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Big Chicken, Blue Iguana Cantina, and Carnival Deli. fourteen of these restaurants are complementary and the other six have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Radiance might be a better choice. It has 50% more dining options than the Grand Princess.
Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.
| Princess Cruises Grand Princess | Carnival Radiance | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 10 | 15 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 10 | 14 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 4 | 6 |
| % of Included Options | 60% | 60% |
| See the options | See the options |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Grand Princess serves Coca Cola branded products. That includes drinks like Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. The Radiance serves the Pepsi family of products. That means Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Starry, Mug Root Beer, and Mountain Dew.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Radiance 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 Grand Princess has a total of 5 pools and 8 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 2 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.
Carnival Radiance has fewer pools than the Grand Princess and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Radiance. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
| Princess Cruises Grand Princess | Carnival Radiance | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 5 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 4 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 0 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | 0 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 8 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 6 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 2 | 0 |
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 Grand Princess, 75% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Radiance, only 71% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Princess Cruises Grand Princess | Carnival Radiance | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Adults-only area (additional fee) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Afternoon Tea | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✗ | ✓ |
| Art Auctions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✓ |
| Putting green | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ropes course | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Splash park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sports Court | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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.
Carnival, 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 Grand Princess | Carnival Radiance | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $17.00 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $2.50 | $3.00 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $6.25 | $8.75 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $77 -$100 | $83 - $88 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $24.99 per device per day | $18.70 to $23.80 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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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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