Adventure of the Seas vs Caribbean Princess

The Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas was built in 2001. It was renovated in 2024. It's 3 years older than the Caribbean Princess, which was built in 2004 and renovated in 2024.

Comparison Overview

Ship Size

The Adventure of the Seas is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,020 feet long and 157 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.8 football fields, as wide as 3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Princess Cruises Caribbean Princess, the Adventure of the Seas is 22% larger in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas holds about the same number of passengers as the Caribbean Princess 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 Adventure of the Seas has more space per person compared to the Caribbean Princess. 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.

Royal Caribbean
Adventure of the Seas
Princess Cruises
Caribbean Princess
ClassVoyagerCaribbean
Gross Tonnage137,276112,894
Length1,020952
Beam/Width157158
Passenger Decks1419
Passengers (double occupancy)3,1143,140
Crew1,1851,200
Passenger to Crew Ratio2.62.6
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger)4436


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 Adventure of the Seas has eight different dining options like Windjammer, Cafe Promenade, and Chops Grille. Of those options, eight are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other five options have an additional fee.

The Caribbean Princess has three more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Coffee and Cones, Sabatini's, and Slice. ten of these restaurants are complementary and the other four have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Caribbean Princess might be a better choice. It has 38% more dining options than the Adventure of the Seas.

If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Caribbean Princess might be a better choice then the Adventure of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.

Royal Caribbean
Adventure of the Seas
Princess Cruises
Caribbean Princess
Total Dining Options811
Complimentary Dining Options:810
Additional Fee Dining Options:54
% of Included Options38%64%
See the optionsSee 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. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.

There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Adventure of the Seas and the Caribbean Princess below.



Pools and Hot Tubs

The main pools, hot tubs, and giant movie screen on Royal Caribbeans Adventure of the Seas
The main pool on Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas
The main pool on the Caribbean Princess
The main pool on the Caribbean Princess

Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas has a total of 3 pools and 6 hot tubs.

Princess Cruises Caribbean Princess has more pools than the Adventure of the Seas and more hot tubs.

Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Adventure of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean
Adventure of the Seas
Princess Cruises
Caribbean Princess
Total Pools34
Pools - General Access23
Pools - Adults Only11
Pools - Exclusive0
Total Hot Tubs67
Hot Tubs - General Access45
Hot Tubs - Adults Only22
Hot Tubs - Exclusive0



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 Adventure of the Seas. Only 75% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Caribbean Princess, 80% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

Royal Caribbean
Adventure of the Seas
Princess Cruises
Caribbean Princess
Adult Only Relaxation Area
Afternoon Tea
Arcade
Art Auctions
Basketball
Casino
Climbing Wall
Fitness Center
FlowRider
Ice Skating
Jogging Track
Mini golf
Pool-side Movies
Putting green
Shows - musical review
Spa
Splash park
Sports Court
Water slides
Learn moreLearn more

Cruise Costs

Royal Caribbean 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.

Royal Caribbean
Adventure of the Seas
Princess Cruises
Caribbean Princess
Base Daily Gratuities*
(Per Person Per Day)
$18.50$17.00
Tip added to drinks & services18% 18%
Soda Price$3.50$2.50
Domestic Beer Price$8.25
See drink menus
$6.25
See drink menus
Drink Package Price$77 - $118
Learn more
$77 -$100
Internet Plan$19 to $30 per device per day$24.99 per device per day
*Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates.

Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.

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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