Cruise Spotlight
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Regal Princess vs Islander
The Princess Cruises Regal Princess was built in 2014. It was renovated in 2025. Regal Princess is one of 3 ships that feature Princess' Watercolor Fantasy Show, an outdoor dancing fountain show. It's 14 years newer than the Islander, which was built in 2000 and renovated in 2024. The Islander formerly sailed as the Costa Atlantica before it was brought to the Margaritaville fleet.
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 Regal Princess is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,083 feet long and 126 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 19-story building. Compared to the Margaritaville at Sea Islander, the Regal Princess is 66% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Princess Cruises Regal Princess holds 68% more passengers than the Islander based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or tons of ship compared to number of passengers, the Regal Princess has the same amount of space per person as the Islander.
| Princess Cruises Regal Princess | Margaritaville at Sea Islander | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Royal | MAS Spirit |
| Gross Tonnage | 142,229 | 85,619 |
| Length | 1,083 | 960 |
| Beam/Width | 126 | 127 |
| Passenger Decks | 19 | 11 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,560 | 2,114 |
| Crew | 1,346 | 920 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 40 | 40 |
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 Regal Princess has seventeen different dining options like World Fresh Marketplace, Main Dining Room, and Chef's Table Lumiere. Of those options, eleven are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other seven options have an additional fee.
The Islander has five fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are JWB Prime Steakhouse, Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar, and Islander Dining Room. six of these restaurants are complementary and the other six have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Regal Princess might be a better choice. It has 42% more dining options than the Islander.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Regal Princess might be a better choice then the Islander. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Princess Cruises Regal Princess | Margaritaville at Sea Islander | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 17 | 12 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 11 | 6 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 7 | 6 |
| % of Included Options | 59% | 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. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Islander 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 Regal Princess has a total of 4 pools and 7 hot tubs.
Margaritaville at Sea Islander has fewer pools than the Regal Princess and fewer hot tubs.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Regal Princess.| Princess Cruises Regal Princess | Margaritaville at Sea Islander | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 4 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | ||
| Total Hot Tubs | 7 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 5 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 1 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive |
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 Regal Princess, 73% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Islander, only 69% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Princess Cruises Regal Princess | Margaritaville at Sea Islander | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Adults-only area (additional fee) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Afternoon Tea | ✓ | ✗ |
| Animated fountain | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✗ | ✓ |
| Art Auctions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Show | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dry kid's play area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pickleball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sports Court | ✓ | ✗ |
| Waterslide | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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.
Margaritaville at Sea, 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 Regal Princess | Margaritaville at Sea Islander | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $17.00 | $20.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $2.50 | $2.95 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $6.25 | $8.50 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $77 -$100 | 64.99 |
| Internet Plan | $24.99 per device per day | $17.99 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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