Caribbean Princess

Caribbean Princess is a 2004-built Grand-class ship and one of the most storied vessels in the Princess fleet - she's the ship that pioneered Movies Under the Stars, the poolside big-screen experience now copied across the industry. At roughly 113,000 gross tons and around 3,140 guests, she's a large but pre-Royal-class ship with a mellow, classic-Princess atmosphere. Reviewers tend to either love her intimate, well-worn charm or wish for the newer amenities of her younger fleetmates.

The onboard experience leans on familiar Princess strengths: Crown Grill and Sabatini's anchor solid specialty dining, the poolside pizza earns specific praise, and there's a wide spread of complimentary venues from the World Fresh Marketplace buffet to the 24-hour International Café in the Piazza. Five pools, seven hot tubs, the adults-only Sanctuary, the award-winning Lotus Spa and the Reef Splash Zone kids' area (refreshed in the 2019 refit) round out the amenities. The recurring complaints are about age and staffing - small cabins with dated bathrooms, understaffing on busy sailings, and a newer service charge on food and beverage purchases that landed badly with guests.

Caribbean Princess is best for travelers chasing a classic, good-value Caribbean cruise on a calmer, easier-to-navigate ship who don't need the latest features. She typically prices below the newer Royal-class ships such as Royal, Regal and Sky Princess, trading cutting-edge venues for a more relaxed feel. Standout experiences include a Movies Under the Stars night under the deck where the concept began, a meal at Crown Grill, and downtime in the Sanctuary or Lotus Spa.