How Big is the Star Princess? Size, Stats and Comparisons
The Star Princess is the newest ship in the Princess fleet, as well as one of the cruise line’s largest ships to date (along with sister ship Sun Princess, both of the Sphere Class). Both vessels were absolutely groundbreaking for Princess Cruises when they debuted, bringing never-before-seen features to the line and the cruising industry in general.
That said, these ships aren’t among the largest in the world — not even close. So just how big is Star Princess? I’m breaking down everything you need to know about this ship’s size, in numbers you can actually visualize, so you can gauge if it’s the perfect fit for your next cruise.
In this Article:
Just How Big is the Star Princess ?How Does Star Princess Measure Up to Other Ships?Star Princess Guests Capacity – Passengers and CrewStar Princess Cabins and AccommodationsWhat’s Inside? Star Princess FeaturesStar Princess — Big Ship, Green CredentialsFinal Words
Just How Big is the Star Princess?
Constructed by Italian ship builder Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani, Star Princess boasts a gross tonnage of 177,800 and a passenger capacity of 4,300. There are 1,600 international crew members, and the massive princess ship has 21 decks and 2,157 total staterooms.
Star Princess Length
As for length, Star Princess measures 1,133 feet. That’s more than three football fields, and nearly a quarter of a mile. If you were to walk from the front of the ship to the end of the ship at a leisurely pace (because how else would you want to walk on a cruise ship?), it’d take you nearly 10 minutes.
Star Princess Width
At the waterline, the width of this second Sphere Class ship comes in at 139 feet, though at its maximum width, the ship measures 158 feet.
Star Princess Height
There are 21 total decks on Star Princess, though not all of them are available to the public. The ship is 200 feet tall, though a large portion of the hull sits below the waterline.
If you’re having trouble imagining that height, consider that that’s about half the height of the Great Pyramid of Giza (which stands at 481 feet), or about the same height as the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney.
Star Princess Weight
Cruise ship weight is measured in gross tonnage, or GT. Rather than calculating the number you’d get if you were to drop a cruise ship onto a very large scale, gross tonnage calculates a ship’s internal space. One gross ton equals 100 cubic feet of internal volume.
Not only does gross tonnage matter in terms of how big a ship is, though. Gross tonnage is also related to cruise ship safety. A certain GT has to be reached in order for a ship to carry a certain amount of weight and passengers and still ensure buoyancy and stability.
So just how much does Star Princess weigh in GT? She comes in at 177,800 GT.
While this does make Star Princess one of the largest ships for Princess Cruises, it doesn’t even allow the vessel to crack the top 10 biggest cruise ships in the world. Those are closer to 250,000 GT.
How Does Star Princess Measure Up to Other Ships?
Along these lines, let’s take a look at how Star Princess measures up against other ships, including some of its sister ships, as well as one of the largest cruise ships in the world: Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas.
StatStar PrincessSun PrincessDiscovery PrincessIcon of the SeasGross Tonnage177,882 GT177,882 GT145,000 GT248,663 GTLength1,133 ft1,133 ft1,083 ft1,196 ftTotal Decks21211920Passenger Decks17171718Capacity (dbl occ.)4,3004,3003,6605,610Max Capacity5,1895,1894,6107,600Crew1,6001,6001,3462,350Cabins2,1572,1571,8302,805
After the Sphere Class, the next-largest ship in Princess Cruises’ fleet is Discovery Princess, but it weighs more than 30,000 GT less than Star Princess and Sun Princess. Meanwhile, though, Icon of the Seas is 70,000 GT+ bigger than all of them!
Star Princess Guests Capacity – Passengers and Crew
Star Princess can accommodate 4,300 people at double occupancy, and just under 5,200 people at maximum capacity. But what’s the difference between double occupancy and maximum occupancy or capacity?
Double occupancy assumes that the average cabin will be filled with two people during every sailing. Double occupancy numbers can be useful for the cruise line when it comes to setting their cruise fare, reporting and planning for an upcoming cruise.
However, double occupancy isn’t really the reality on most sailings. While there are plenty of couples cruising, there are also tons of families, groups of friends, etc.
As such, if you’re trying to get a sense of the number of other people you’ll be cruising with, it’s best to estimate a number somewhere between the double occupancy and maximum capacity (which is the true number of guests a ship can hold across all its available beds).
Your estimated number should lean closer to max capacity, because, after all, the ship wants to make as much as possible, which means getting as many people on the cruise ship as possible.
Add Star Princess‘s max capacity number to the number of crew members on the ship (1,600) and you could have a sailing with close to 6,800 people on board.
That can, admittedly, scare some cruisers off. It sounds like a ton of people!
While, yes, some cruisers do report crowds in busy areas, such as the buffet at peak meal times, keep in mind that Star Princess was designed with this guest capacity in mind. The majority of the time, the ship can absorb large numbers of guests without those numbers feeling overwhelming.
Star Princess Cabins and Accommodations
Star Princess offers 2,157 guest staterooms, including 80 suites, 123 mini suites, more than a thousand balcony staterooms and a hundred connecting rooms. Accessible staterooms are also available.
All of the suite guests on both Sun and Star Princess enjoy exclusive access to the Sanctuary Club, which is the cruise line’s answer to the “ship within a ship” trend. Sanctuary collection staterooms guests get their own lounge, restaurant and outdoor spaces with loungers and a pool.
There are also numerous suites available, including the Sky Suite, which offers the cruise line’s largest, most luxurious stateroom experience yet. It fits up to five guests over two bedrooms, two bathrooms, relaxation areas and a balcony. All combined, the suite measures 1,262 square feet.
Worth Reading: I Spent 14 Days in a Cruise Ship Suite for the First Time
There are also new cabana mini-suites that feature indoor-outdoor cabanas, with Deck 9 cabana mini-suites enjoying access to an exclusive deck.
What’s Inside? Star Princess Features
Of course, there’s a lot more to be found inside Star Princess than just its staterooms and suites, plus a whole lotta other cruisers.
There’s also so much to do, so much fun to be had and so many features that truly make this ship stand out among the others in the industry.
The Dome
The groundbreaking geodesic Dome first appeared on Sun Princess and it’s truly one-of-a-kind. Literally a dome-shaped glass-enclosed structure on the top of the ship, you can’t miss it. It gives these ships a very unique and eye-catching appearance. So what is it on the inside?
The multi-level, indoor-outdoor glass-enclosed dome inspired by the terraces of Santorini offers a pool and loungers during the daytime, but then serves as an entertainment space by night, for music, acrobatics and light shows.
The Princess Arena
The Princess Arena is a large theater, and it’s the most technologically advanced Princess theater design yet. It features three configurations for improved sight lines, and offers a truly elevated entertainment experience for cruisers.
The Princess Casino
While a cruise ship casino might normally not be a thing of note (they all pretty much have them, after all), the one on Star Princess is worth pointing out because of its size.
With some of the largest casinos in the fleet, the Sphere Class brought newly expanded non-smoking casino areas and additional slot machines to their casinos.
30 Restaurants and Bars
For some cruise guests, the best part of going on any vacation is the food and beverages, and you’ll not be left wanting for options on Star Princess. During your voyage, you’ll be treated to more than 30 beverage and culinary experiences, from casual dining to luxury world-class cuisine.
Some of the notable highlights include those that were created in partnership with renowned, celebrity chefs and food icons, such as The Butcher’s Block by Dario (in partnership with Dario Cecchini, known as the world’s most famous butcher) and Makoto Ocean (in partnership with Makoto Okuwa). There’s also the Romero Britto eatery and unique venue, an artistic-inspired dining experience celebrating love: Love by Britto.
SkyDeck Sports Court & Track
This is a new sports court area for active guests, that offers engaging activities like pickleball and basketball, a jogging track and a splash pad play area.
Retail
Lastly, Princess Cruises really went all out on the Sphere Class ships’ retail options, with more than 4,500 square feet of retail space across two decks, representing more than 200 premium brands (think Chanel, Estee Lauder and Dior; fine jewelry retailers; a wellness boutique, etc.).
Along your extraordinary retail journey, you’ll experience new offerings such as the first-at-sea Breitling Lounge concept — a fine timepieces boutique for a selection of signature timepieces — and the first boutique styled after Effy’s famed Fifth Avenue store.
As you consider which ship to book for your cruise, do remember that while Star Princess and Sun Princess are highly similar, there are some very small differences and enhancements were made. For example, that new expanded non-smoking area in the casino is exclusive to Star Princess, as are some expanded public spaces and restaurants (like O’Malley’s Irish Pub).
Star Princess — Big Ship, Green Credentials
The entire time you’re enjoying the Princess experience, you’ll also enjoy the knowledge that this ship is easier on the planet. This is an LNG cruise ship, which means that it uses liquefied natural gas (LNG) to power its propellers, versus traditional fuels.
LNG is a non-toxic liquid derived from extremely cold methane gas. It burns cleaner and results in fewer carbon emissions, cutting them by as much as 30%. Sun Princess also uses LNG.
Final Words
Star Princess is one of the largest ships Princess Cruises has ever built, and offers a wealth of new features and attractions. For passengers who want a resort feel but without the major, major crowds that can come with some of the biggest cruise ships in the world, Star Princess delivers.
Read Also: Princess Cruise Ships By Age – Newest to Oldest
While no next Sphere Class ship has been announced just yet, I’m sure that this class will continue to expand upon all the great things Princess Cruises has done with these two ships thus far.