Photo: Jack Adamenko | Licence: CC BY 4.0; crop by CruisePing.
Grand Princess at a glance
| Cruise line | Princess Cruises |
|---|---|
| Ship class or type | Grand Class, original ship |
| Entered service | 1998 |
| Last major refurbishment | 14 March 2019 in current Princess itinerary data; further 2025 drydock maintenance |
| Gross tonnage | 107,517 GT |
| Length | 289 m / 949 ft |
| Guest capacity | 2,610 guests at lower-berth occupancy |
| Crew | 1,150 |
| Passenger decks | 17 decks in official ship data |
| Cabins or suites | 1,303 staterooms, including 37 suites and 180 mini-suites |
| Accessible cabins | 26 wheelchair-accessible staterooms |
| Dining venues | Three main dining rooms plus Crown Grill, Sabatini’s, Alfredo’s, buffet and casual venues |
| Bars and lounges | Explorers Lounge, Wheelhouse, Vista Lounge, One5, Crooners and Leaves tea lounge |
| Pools and hot tubs | 4 pools, a splash pool and 8 hot tubs |
| Library | Leaves tea lounge and library |
| Spa and fitness | Lotus Spa, fitness centre, sports deck and The Sanctuary |
| Children’s facilities | Princess youth and teen centres for ages 3 to 17 |
| Adults-only facilities | The Sanctuary and quieter traditional lounges |
| Wi-Fi | MedallionNet available; older infrastructure and route can affect experience |
| UK departures or deployment | Alaska, Caribbean and longer destination-led routes; no regular Southampton homeport season |
Best suited to
- Value-focused adults who prefer traditional Princess and a moderate guest count
- Alaska or longer-route passengers choosing itinerary over newest hardware
- Readers and sea-day travellers who will use Leaves, lounges and open decks
Think carefully if
- You require contemporary cabin technology, bathrooms or entertainment hardware
- The fare saving over a newer ship is small
- You interpret a drydock as proof that a 1998 platform has become a new ship
The booking decision
Grand Princess matters because it offers a different scale and atmosphere from the newest fleet, not because age is automatically charming. At 2,610 lower berths, it carries fewer guests than Crown, Royal or Sphere Class. The traditional lounges, Leaves tea lounge and library, several pools and straightforward dining can suit long and destination-led voyages.
The ship entered service in 1998. Princess lists a March 2019 refurbishment, and a 2025 drydock provided further maintenance and changes, but cabins and core systems remain an older platform. Grand should offer a meaningful itinerary or price advantage before that trade-off is accepted.
Grand Princess post-drydock ship tour video
The original Grand Class layout
Grand Princess established a design language that shaped much of the fleet: central Piazza, Princess Theatre, Explorers Lounge, Wheelhouse, Vista Lounge, multiple pools and a broad balcony inventory. One5 occupies the high aft social position that Skywalkers fills on later ships.
The ship is slightly smaller and carries fewer guests than Crown Class, which can help. It is still nearly 289 metres long and uses older lift and circulation arrangements. Cabin location matters on a long voyage, particularly for passengers with limited mobility.
Cabins and 1998 realities
The 1,303-room inventory includes 502 balconies, 180 mini-suites, 37 suites, 218 outside rooms and 366 insides. Mini-suites provide a much better sitting area. Standard rooms can feel dated in socket provision, bathrooms, lighting and storage.
Recent surface updates do not change structural dimensions. Check photographs of the exact category and avoid assuming all balcony cabins are equivalent. The 26 accessible rooms require confirmation of bathroom design, turning space and routes to dining.
Dining and Leaves
Three main dining rooms are supported by Crown Grill, Sabatini’s, Alfredo’s, International Café, Vines, buffet and poolside food. The catalogue is smaller than Royal or Sphere Class but sufficient for passengers who use the main dining rooms.
Leaves combines tea lounge and library functions and gives Grand a characterful quiet space. That matters on sea days. Package value should be assessed cautiously because a long itinerary magnifies the daily cost and the specialty catalogue is limited.
Alaska, Caribbean and long routes
Grand can work well in Alaska because its moderate guest count, balconies and traditional public spaces support scenic days. The ship also appears on Caribbean and longer destination-led programmes. Route quality should dominate the decision.
Older ships can be vulnerable to maintenance disruption, and no article can guarantee a fault-free sailing. Travel insurance, realistic expectations and a cabin away from obvious machinery or public-space noise are sensible.
Families and adult atmosphere
Children’s and teen centres, pools and films make Grand suitable for families, but the hardware is restrained. Families seeking large slides or modern attractions should choose another line or ship.
Adults are the stronger fit. The Sanctuary, Leaves, Wheelhouse, Crooners, Vista and Explorers Lounge create a conventional cruise rhythm. The atmosphere rewards passengers who enjoy reading, conversation, live music and the itinerary.
Before you book Grand Princess
- Require a strong itinerary or clear fare advantage over newer ships.
- Inspect exact cabin photographs and socket provision.
- Use the post-2025 public-area tour, not older venue maps.
- Buy suitable insurance and keep expectations realistic for the fleet’s oldest ship.
Grand Princess compared with other Princess ships
| Ship | Main difference | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Coral Princess | Smaller and more destination-specialist | Choose Coral for canal heritage and 2,000 guests |
| Caribbean Princess | Newer but denser and more family-led | Choose Caribbean for Reef Splash Zone and pools |
| Regal Princess | Modern Royal Class | Choose Regal when cabin modernity outweighs price |
Related CruisePing guides
- Princess Cruises guide
- complete Princess ship selector
- Princess Medallion guide
- Celebrity Cruises versus Princess Cruises
- inside cabin versus balcony guide
- best cruise-cabin position guide
- the true cost of a cheap cruise
- Coral Princess
- Caribbean Princess
- Regal Princess