Cruise Spotlight
Helping you find cruise ships you'll love
Icon of the Seas vs Caribbean Princess
The Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas is a fairly new ship, being built in 2024. Icon of the Seas is the first in a whole new class of ships by Royal Caribbean that's designed to provide the "ultimate family vacation." It is currently the largest cruise ship in the world. It's 20 years newer than the Caribbean Princess, which was built in 2004 and renovated in 2024.
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 Icon of the Seas is considered an extra large size ship. Coming in at 1,198 feet long and 216 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.3 football fields, as wide as 4.1 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 18-story building. Compared to the Princess Cruises Caribbean Princess, the Icon of the Seas is 122% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas holds 79% more passengers than 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 Icon 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.
The Icon of the Seas uses a neighborhood layout to break up large crowds across the ship, often making it feel less crowded.
| Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas | Princess Cruises Caribbean Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Icon | Caribbean |
| Gross Tonnage | 250,800 | 112,894 |
| Length | 1,198 | 952 |
| Beam/Width | 216 | 158 |
| Passenger Decks | 18 | 19 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 5,610 | 3,140 |
| Crew | 2,350 | 1,200 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.4 | 2.6 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 45 | 36 |
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 Icon of the Seas has 29 different dining options like Sorrento's Pizza, Izumi in the Park, and Empire Supper Club. Of those options, 14 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 15 options have an additional fee.
The Caribbean Princess has 13 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Main Dining Room, Coffee and Cones, and International Cafe. 10 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 4 have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Icon of the Seas might be a better choice. It has 81% more dining options than the Caribbean Princess.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Caribbean Princess might be a better choice then the Icon of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas | Princess Cruises Caribbean Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 29 | 16 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 14 | 10 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 15 | 4 |
| % of Included Options | 48% | 75% |
| 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. 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 Icon of the Seas and the Caribbean Princess 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 problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.
The Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas has a total of 7 pools and 9 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 1 of the hot tubs are adults only. 1 of the pools and 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.
Princess Cruises Caribbean Princess has fewer pools than the Icon of the Seas and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Caribbean Princess. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
| Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas | Princess Cruises Caribbean Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 7 | 4 |
| Pools - General Access | 5 | 3 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 9 | 7 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 7 | 5 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | 2 |
| 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 both ships, 80% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare.
| Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas | Princess Cruises Caribbean Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Afternoon Tea | ✗ | ✓ |
| Aquatheater | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Art Auctions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Carousel | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Escape Room | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ice Skating | ✓ | ✗ |
| Laser Tag | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Putting green | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ropes course | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sports Court | ✗ | ✓ |
| Waterpark | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn 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 Icon of the Seas | Princess Cruises Caribbean Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.50 | $17.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | $2.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus | $6.25 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $70 - $125 Learn more | $64.99 - $84.99 |
| Internet Plan | $17 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.
Want to Stay Up-To-Date on All Things Cruising?
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
Articles Related the These Ships
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.
Learn more about Cruise Spotlight.