princess cruises vs msc

MSC Cruises vs Princess Cruises – Tried and Tested

If you are considering a cruise with either Princess Cruises or MSC Cruises you may be wondering how the cruise lines compare.

I’ve cruised with both cruise lines multiple times and regularly recommend both. Both Princess and MSC are two of my personal favourite cruise lines. That said, there are some big differences between the two cruise lines.

In this article, we will look at differences in the onboard experience, food, ships, passengers, and more.

What is the Difference Between Princess Cruises and MSC Cruises?

Cruises with Princess Cruises offer a more traditional cruise experience than MSC Cruises. MSC Cruises tend to have a younger passenger demographic than Princess Cruises with Princess Cruises placing a higher emphasis on dining and relaxation. On MSC Cruises multiple languages are usually spoken whereas on Princess Cruises English is the primary language.

I’ve enjoyed the cruises that I have taken with both cruise lines but like any cruise line, neither will suit everybody.

The most important decision you will make when finding a cruise is picking the right cruise line.

The below photo shows me standing on the Golden Princess during my all-time favourite cruise. I THINK this photo was taken when we docked in Taiwan. The Golden Princess has since left the Princess fleet.

Cruise Ship Design

MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises have a similar number of ships. MSC currently has 19 ships to choose from and Princess Cruises 14.

Both cruise lines have very distinctive ship designs, if you’ve cruised with Princess cruises once you’ll recognise design elements across all of the ships in the fleet . The same goes with MSC cruise ships, all ships have a very similar style.

Both cruise lines have ships of similar ages.

Princess Cruises – Cruise Ship Design

Princess Cruises have a variety of cruise ships that range in age and size. The smallest ships are from the late 90s and early 00s. Princess are continually building and launching new cruise ships.

Princess’s ships are very elegant and most have central atriums that become the hub of the cruise ship. On the smallest Princess cruise ships these tend to be smaller circular atriums, on the larger ships they are big and square.

Princess Cruises call their atriums the Piazza and you’ll often find things happening here like games or Zumba.

On some Princess cruises Princess even have an event called Puppies in the Piazza where they bring puppies onboard .

One of my favourite things about the Princess cruise ships is just how many swimming pools they have. Many ships will have 4 or 5 swimming pools, some even more!

Princess cruise ships feel very spacious per person and I’ve never had a problem with crowded pool decks or bars in the way that I have on other cruise lines.

MSC Cruises – Ship Design

MSC ships are very glamorous, they’re all about sparkles and have very clean lines and a modern look. The MSC style is very distinctive and no other lines really have ships like it. I would describe the style as Italian elegance.

Most MSC cruise ships have lots of top deck space and multiple swimming pools. Many of the newer ships also include things like ropes courses (free to use) and sports courts.

Check out my video below to see what I mean about the sparkles:

All the ships in the MSC Cruises fleet were built after 2001.

MSC’s cruise ships are generally very modern. Many of their ships have a promenade in the middle which is lined with restaurants, shops, and my personal favorite, a pub!

The below photo shows the pub onboard the MSC Meraviglia.

MSC are bringing out new cruise ships every year and have very ambitious shipbuilding plans moving forward.

Princess Cruises vs MSC Cruises Ship Comparison

Princess Cruises and MSC Cruises both have a variety of ships available with distinctive styles.

The cruise ships for Princess Cruises are more traditional in design than MSC Cruises. The MSC Cruise ships are all very sparkly (Princess cruise ships are sparkly too but not EVERYTHING sparkles all the time)!

Lovers of activities like ropes courses and waterslides would be better suited to MSC’s cruise ships. Guests who prefer to sit by one of the many swimming pools enjoying a drink may prefer a Princess cruise.

Dress Codes and Dining

Princess Cruises do provide a traditional cruising experience for those who want to take part in formal nights. The dress codes aren’t as strict as on other cruise lines like Cunard or P&O but they are enforced.

MSC Cruises do have formal nights of sorts but they’re not as formal as the formal nights that you would find on a Princess cruise and many people choose to not take part.

Princess Cruises – Dress Codes

The majority of guests who cruise with Princess Cruises enjoy the dressing-up element of formal nights. When it isn’t formal night guests can expect a ‘smart casual’ dress code in the main dining room.

• On a 1-4 night Princess cruise guests can expect no formal nights.
• On a Princess cruise of 5-6 nights, guests can expect 1 formal night.
• Cruises of 7-13 nights in length usually have 2 formal nights.
• Cruises longer than this may have more.

Princess cruises have both fixed and flexible dining options available.

To learn more about how dining works on a Princess cruise and what is included in the fare, check out this post:

Princess Cruises – What is Included? Food, Gratuities and More

MSC Cruises – Dress Codes

MSC do have formal nights on every cruise but the dress codes are INCREDIBLY relaxed. I’ve seen other guests wearing tank tops and baseball caps in the main dining room on a formal night

On a 7 night cruise, there will usually be one formal night, on cruises longer than 7 nights there will usually be two formal nights.

There is a dress code for the main dining room on all nights of an MSC cruise. MSC have both ‘gala’ and ‘dress to impress’ nights as well as informal nights.

To learn more about MSC’s dress codes, including what percentage of past MSC cruisers believe that the dress codes are not enforced, check out this post (spoiler, it isn’t very high!): MSC Cruises Formal Nights – Everything You Need To Know

That said, just because the dress codes aren’t strictly enforced on MSC cruises that doesn’t mean that some guests don’t enjoy dressing up. You definitely won’t look out of place if you do decide to wear your best formalwear.

Princess Cruises vs MSC Cruises – Dress Codes and Dining

Guests looking for a more traditional elegant cruise experience may prefer a Princess cruise. Guests who do not want to take part in formal nights, or want formal nights to be incredibly relaxed may prefer a MSC cruise.

It’s important to remember that formal nights can be avoided on all cruise lines, even the strictest cruise lines like Cunard have alternative options. To learn more about how you can skip a formal night, including where you can eat for free, check out this post: You Can Skip Formal Nights on a Cruise – Here’s How .

Passenger Demographics 

Princess Cruises tend to attract an older passenger demographic than MSC Cruises despite also being popular with families.

The majority of guests on Princess Cruises will be from English-speaking countries such as the US, Australia, and UK. On MSC Cruises you will find Italians, Spanish, French, American, British, and almost all nationalities on board.

Princess Cruises – Passenger Demographics

The demographics of who you’ll find on a Princess cruise depends a lot on the location of the cruise.

I took a Princess cruise from Singapore to Tokyo and the majority of guests on board were from Australia or the US. When I cruised the British Isles with Princess the majority of guests were from the US or UK.

Princess Cruises do welcome families onboard but generally have quite an adult atmosphere. They do have kids clubs but don’t have things like waterslides on board any of their ships.

Like with any cruise the passengers depend on the location, the Singapore to Tokyo cruise I took had an older demographic on average than the British Isles cruise because of the location and length of the cruise.

MSC Cruises – Passenger Demographics

MSC Cruises primarily target families, friendship groups, and couples. The average age of an MSC cruise r is much younger than the industry average.

Their ships are designed with children in mind and have watersides, kids clubs, and children’s activities on the daily schedule. The ropes courses aren’t just for kids! I gave it a go too.

You’ll find passengers from lots of countries onboard an MSC cruise regardless of where the cruise is sailing.

Princess Cruises vs MSC Cruises – Passenger Demographics

The Princess Cruises experience is tailored towards guests who speak English as their primary language whereas MSC cruises speak multiple languages onboard.

MSC tend to attract a younger passenger demographic than Princess cruises but both are loved by cruisers of all ages.

Guests who would like to be surrounded by people from a variety of languages speaking many languages may prefer an MSC cruise. Guests who would prefer a relaxing, romantic style of cruise where English is the primary language spoken would prefer a Princess cruise.

Onboard Included Food

The food found on a Princess cruise is quite different from that which is found on an MSC cruise. There are of course some similarities.

The majority of food on a Princess cruise is geared towards an American palate, whereas food on an MSC cruise is more ‘Mediterranean’. Think pasta, pizza, bread, and vegetables! Yum!

The quality of food on both cruise lines is, in my experience, high with a range of options available for every meal. The food on a Princess cruise is generally regarded as being some of the best and I’d agree with this.

Princess Cruises – Included Food

On a Princess cruise, you will find a range of food on the menu. The portion sizes are fairly large and the food is always hot and of good quality. There are a number of places where food is included free of charge.

Food is available (for free) in the following places, there are also many speciality restaurants available for those who want to pay extra:

• Main Dining Room
• International Cafe
• Poolside Grill
• 24 Hour Room Service

It is unusual for a cruise line to offer free room service, there is usually a charge for this. There are a couple of items on the Princess Cruises room service menu that cost extra but generally speaking the room service is free to use. There is no charge for the room service and also no charge for the items ordered.

Princess Cruises will offer dishes from the US, UK, Australia and wherever the cruise is travelling to.

The buffet on a Princess Cruise is fantastic, they have the most amazing chocolate chip cookies that I’ve ever found on a cruise (and trust me I’ve tried a lot of cruise ship cookies)!

To learn more about the food available, watch the video below as I take you to lunch.

MSC Cruises – Included Food

On an MSC cruise you’ll find a variety of free food in the main dining room, buffet and pool side grill. MSC do have a number of speciality restaurants too for those wanting something extra.

The buffet on MSC cruises is open ALMOST all the time, if you want pizza at 2am, no problem!

I was lucky enough to cruise over Christmas one year, the Christmas dinner wasn’t exactly what I was used to but it was brilliant to be at sea over Christmas!

As well as Mediterranean staples such as pasta dishes MSC do also serves American favorites like hot dogs and burgers.

To learn more about the food availble on an MSC cruise, check out this post:

Do MSC Cruises Include Meals? Your Guide To Whats Included

Princess Cruises vs MSC Cruises – Food

Guests preferring home comforts may prefer a Princess cruise and those preferring to try something a little different may prefer an MSC cruise. There are more included options on a Princess cruise and room service is free which it is not on an MSC cruise.

Both Princess Cruises and MSC Cruises do have specific menus for children and dishes can be adapted where necessary.

MSC cruises are usually cheaper than Princess cruises.

Both Princess Cruises and MSC Cruises include taxes and fees when booked from the UK.

Gratuities are included as standard on all MSC Cruises booked from the UK whereas with Princess they are not automatically included.

Princess do have a variety of ‘all inclusive’ offers which allow guests to pay a fixed amount in return for included gratuities and other perks such as drinks.

Princess Cruises – Pricing

The Princess cruise fare includes gratuities and taxes/fees but does not include gratuities as standard.

Princess very often have promotions which will include gratuities so in reality the majority of Princess cruises passengers do not pay their gratuities separately after the cruise but instead in the initial price.

The only things that guests will have to pay extra for, if they want to is:

• Drinks (There is free tea, coffee, and water available in the buffet but all drinks from the bars are chargeable). Learn more about the included drinks options here so that you don’t get caught out and pay for something you could have had for free.
• Specialty Meals

Princess Cruises pricing is mid-range, there are some bargains to be found if you know how to. I teach how to do this in our cruise course How to Cruise For Less.

MSC Cruises – Pricing

If booked from the UK MSC cruises also include gratuities. Food, basic drinks and entertainment are included in the cruise fare.

MSC often have discounted prices for children and it’s possible to find a VERY cheap MSC cruise out of season.

I took a week-long cruise on board the MSC Meraviglia, including flights from the UK and a hotel in Barcelona for £400.

The cruise was well under £50 per person per day, I don’t know about you but I DEFINITELY can just eat £50 worth of food per day, let alone the entertainment, transportation and everything else that’s included in a cruise.

If you’d like to learn to cruise as cheaply as I do, so that you can cruise more often, check out our cruise course: How to Cruise For Less .

Princess Cruises vs MSC Cruises – Pricing

Generally speaking, MSC Cruises are cheaper than Princess Cruises. This is more to do with MSC Cruises being priced below the industry average rather than Princess Cruises being expensive.

Princess Cruises are mid range in terms of mainstream cruise pricing.

Both Princess Cruises and MSC Cruises excel when it comes to onboard technology. Compared to the other cruise lines in the Industry Princess and MSC are far ahead.

Onboard technology is now used to simplify the onboard safety drill, allowing guests to complete portions in their cabins/on their phones rather than all guests physically attending the muster station at the same time. The muster station must still be visited but guests are free to come and go as they please.

To learn more about why a muster drill is mandatory, including what happens if a guest misses the drill, check out this post: What is a Muster Drill on a Cruise? Everything You Need to Know

MSC Cruises – Technology

MSC has a technology called MSC for me, it’s a wearable wristband and app that allows the cruise line to track and trace the passengers through sensors located in each deck. Parents are able to locate their children through the same technology.

The MSC for me wristband allows guests to do things like pay for drinks without having to find and use their cruise card. This makes the experience of making purchases onboard hands-free and easy.

The app allows guests to book things like speciality restaurants and see the onboard schedule. The app also has some information about the itinerary and ports being visited.

Guests are able to check their onboard account directly on the app which is a great way to insure that there aren’t any mistakes and that you know how much you have spent.

The app also allows guests to chat through the app without the paying for WiFi.

Princess Cruises – Technology

Princess Cruises have technology onboard all of their ships called the Ocean Medallion.

The Ocean Medallion is a wearable piece of technology that allows guests to do things like making purchases and open their cabin door without using a cruise card.

Ocean Medallion keeps the cruise experience as hands-free as possible as is the most advanced cruise ship technology currently in the industry.

Ocean Medallions technology means that guests are able to order a drink or a snack to their location in real-time. This is something that no other cruise line is able to do. Guests can also locate their friends/family and message them through the app.

Which is Better?

Both cruise lines are brilliant and I personally enjoy cruising with both. Neither are ‘better’ than the other but both are better suited to a certain type of person.

Princess Cruises offer a great option for cruisers wanting to enjoy an elegant relaxing cruise with friends or family. When cruising with my family Princess are always a good option because we love the food, swimming in the pools, and onboard technology.

When cruising with friends I may choose a MSC cruise due to the lower price and more relaxed dress codes.

For guests wanting a cheaper cruise where multiple languages are spoken, an MSC cruise may be a better choice.

If you are from the UK and looking to book a cruise you can get a free quote through us here: Book a Cruise.

Still can’t make up your mind? Join me onboard the Sapphire Princess and MSC Meraviglia in the videos below.

Cruising with MSC:

Cruising with Princess:

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Princess Cruises vs MSC Cruises

Saturday, April 6th

2024 Cruise Line Reviews

• Princess Cruises
• Best for retirees
• 16 ships in the fleet
• Sails to destinations worldwide
• Choose between Standard (cruise-only) and Princess Plus (includes drink package, Wi-Fi, and "Crew Appreciation" gratuities) fares

Princess Cruises tends to attract older guests on its sailings to destinations around the world. The 16 ships on this cruise line range from intimately-sized to large, from the petite Pacific Princess to the super-sized Royal Princess. The company offers Standard and Princess Plus fares, with the latter including a drink package, Wi-Fi, and gratuities. Princess Cruises is known for its excellent food and beverage offerings, with a variety of dining options to suit all tastes and preferences. While families with children are certainly welcome on Princess sailings, the onboard activities are definitely geared towards the more "seasoned" guests. However, this cruise line is still a reliable option with many desirable itineraries to choose from.

• MSC Cruises
• Best for budget-friendly, Mediterranean-themed, large-ship cruising in the Caribbean, Europe, and Mediterranean
• 23 ships in the fleet
• Private island in the Bahamas on some itineraries

MSC Cruises is an Italian-themed, family-oriented cruise line with a fleet of 23 ships that sail to destinations worldwide. They offer a wide range of itineraries, from short Caribbean cruises to longer world cruises. Caribbean sailings are one of their specialties, with budget-friendly fares often starting at $139 per person for a three-night Bahamas cruise. However, guests should be aware of additional costs for gratuities, drinks, and dining packages, and even for basics like choosing the stateroom or dining room seating time. While the low initial fares may seem like a bargain, fees for "extras" can add up quickly, so it's worth comparing MSC to other cruise lines before booking your sailing.

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• Disney Cruise Line

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• Viking Cruises

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• Norwegian Cruise Line

• Holland America

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The 15 Best Cruise Lines

Which cruise line is the best.

Cruising is a popular way of traveling for many people, offering a unique experience that combines the convenience of a floating hotel with the excitement of visiting multiple destinations in one trip. In an average year, over fifteen million people say "all aboard" and set sail on an amazing vacation.

There are many different cruise lines to choose from, and each one offers a different type of experience. Some are geared towards families, while others are more focused on luxury or adventure. What would you like to see and do while you're onboard? Is a casino a must-have or a rather-avoid? Would a Broadway-caliber show tip the scales for you? Do you need a wide range of activities to keep the kiddos happy while the adults live it up or relax? The onboard activities and amenities can really make or break your vacation, so be sure you know what you're getting.

Cruise Line FAQ

Which cruise line is the best, what is included in the cost of a cruise, what is the minimum age to cruise, what are the dining options on a cruise ship, are cruise ships crowded, do i have to dress up, are activities included at destination ports, can i bring my own alcohol onboard.

Continued from above...

Another factor that can influence which cruise line you choose is the itinerary. Cruise ships travel all over the world, but some cruise lines may not have destinations available where you're hoping to go. You should also consider the size of the ship: larger ships offer more amenities, but smaller ships can access ports that bigger ships can't.

Speaking of amenities, make sure you understand what you'll get as part of your fare and which extras will come with an additional cost. For example, most cruises offer drink packages for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, but a few have drink stations where you can get complimentary lemonade, coffee and tea. Other amenities that might be important to you are Wi-Fi, spa services, babysitting, fitness classes, and upgraded dining experiences. You can usually get a decent discount if you sign up for an amenities package before you sail, so keep an eye out for promotions in the months leading up to your sailing.

When you take a cruise, it's almost always expected that you'll tip the crew members who have attended to your needs while onboard: your cabin steward ( who probably leaves your towels folded into fun shapes every night ), your servers at your nightly meals, and the head waiter. Cruise lines have a recommended gratuity to cover all three of those staff members, usually $15-$20 per traveler, per day; the total gratuity amount may be charged automatically to your account, or you may be given envelopes to make cash payments.

While it usually isn't mandatory to pay those gratuities - you can ask to have them removed if they're applied automatically, especially if you've received poor service - it's typically considered in poor taste not to tip at the suggested levels (because crew members' salaries, much like servers at your local restaurant, are based on the expectation of tips paid by guests). And, if you receive service that goes above and beyond, adding to the recommended gratuity is always appreciated. Be aware that tips for bartenders, poolside servers, and professional services provided in the spa or elsewhere are not included in the daily suggested gratuity and may be charged automatically at the time of service.

Now that you have a good overview of the cruising experience, which cruise line should you choose? Beyond the points we already covered, here are a few additional criteria that might make it easier to pick:

• Embarkation port. You could get a great deal on a cruise, but what will it cost you to get to the port? That could involve airfare, an overnight stay or two in a nearby hotel (so that you're less likely to be affected by travel delays), and transportation from the airport or hotel to the port. This is especially true if you're taking a cruise that departs from an international destination.
• Perks for repeat cruisers. Like frequent flyer programs on airlines, most cruise lines offer benefits the more you sail. If you find yourself absolutely loving cruise vacations, it can be advantageous to put all of your eggs in one basket, so to speak. Rewards programs can include casino benefits, complimentary meals at the upgraded dining experiences, exclusive sail-away parties with free cocktails and tchotchkes, early-access booking on future cruises, and much more.
• Reputation. It's a really smart idea to see what other travelers have said about their overall experience with a cruise line before booking your trip. The ads on TV may make that private island look amazing, but someone who's been there might point out that you'll pay extra to get on that waterslide. Or, previous cruisers could tell you that despite having several formal nights on the schedule, a particular cruise line has no problem with people showing up to dinner in flip-flops and swimsuit coverups. Find out if the cruise line you're considering lines up in reality with what they advertise.

Here at Top Consumer Reviews, cruising is one of our favorite ways to travel and experience new things. And with so many different cruise lines to choose from, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. But, don't worry: take a look at our in-depth analysis of today's most popular options, find the one that's the best match for your vacation ideas and your travel party, and book that trip you've been dreaming of. Bon voyage!

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MSC vs PRINCESS CRUISES Review : Which Cruise line has better reputation?

• Post author: WorldTraveller
• Post published: 20 December 2023
• Post category: Cruises reviews

If you’re struggling to decide between MSC vs Princess Cruises, worry no more! Our in-depth review of both cruise lines will give you all the information you need to make the perfect choice. MSC Cruises is known for its elegance and European charm, offering a diverse range of itineraries and destinations to cater to all types of travelers. On the other hand, Princess Cruises prides itself on exceptional service and attention to detail, ensuring a personalized experience for every guest. With luxurious accommodations and a wide array of onboard activities, both cruise lines offer unforgettable journeys that will create lifelong memories. So, get ready to explore the world in style and luxury with either MSC or Princess Cruises!

Table of Contents

Why Consider MSC vs PRINCESS CRUISES Review?

When choosing a cruise line, it’s important to consider the features and benefits that each one offers. MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises both have unique qualities that make them worth considering for your next vacation.

MSC Cruises stands out for its exquisite elegance and European charm. With a diverse range of itineraries and destinations, MSC caters to all types of travelers. Whether you’re dreaming of exploring the stunning Mediterranean coastlines or embarking on an adventure to the wonders of Asia, MSC Cruises has got you covered. Their top-notch service, luxurious accommodations, and a wide array of onboard activities and entertainment options ensure that you have an unforgettable experience.

Alternatively, if you prioritize exceptional service and attention to detail, Princess Cruises is an excellent choice. Their focus on providing a personalized experience ensures that every guest feels pampered and taken care of from the moment they step onboard. Immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty of Alaska or indulge in the tropical paradise of the Caribbean with Princess Cruises’ extensive range of itineraries. With award-winning dining options, world-class entertainment, and rejuvenating spa facilities, you’re guaranteed a truly unforgettable vacation.

Features and Benefits

Exquisite cuisine.

Both MSC and Princess Cruises offer a wide range of culinary delights onboard. Indulge in delectable dishes created by world-class chefs and savor the flavors of international cuisine. From fine dining restaurants to casual buffets, there are options for every palate.

Luxurious Accommodations

Experience the ultimate in comfort and style with MSC and Princess Cruises. Relax in spacious cabins or suites designed to make you feel at home while surrounded by opulence. Enjoy stunning views from your private balcony and unwind in luxurious surroundings.

Entertainment Extravaganza

Both cruise lines offer a fantastic array of entertainment options to keep you entertained throughout your journey. From Broadway-style shows and live music performances to comedy clubs and casino nights, there’s never a dull moment on board.

Onshore Excursions

Explore the world’s most fascinating destinations with MSC and Princess Cruises’ carefully curated shore excursions. Whether you’re interested in cultural immersion, adventure activities, or historical sightseeing, there’s an excursion for everyone.

MSC vs PRINCESS CRUISES Quality

MSC and Princess Cruises have long-standing reputations for providing exceptional quality in every aspect of their cruises. From the moment you step onboard, you’ll notice the attention to detail and dedication to creating the perfect vacation experience.

Both cruise lines invest in state-of-the-art ships that are designed with passenger comfort and satisfaction in mind. The crews are highly trained and committed to ensuring that your needs are met and exceeded throughout your journey. The quality of service, accommodations, dining, and entertainment is the epitome of luxury.

What It’s Used For

Exploring different destinations.

MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises offer a wide range of itineraries that allow you to explore various destinations across the globe. Whether you’re interested in the vibrant cultures of Europe or the exotic landscapes of Asia, these cruise lines provide the perfect platform for an unforgettable travel experience.

Relaxation and Pampering

Book a cruise with either MSC or Princess Cruises if you’re craving relaxation and pampering. Rejuvenate your mind and body with spa treatments, lounge by the pool, or simply indulge in gourmet meals while enjoying the stunning views of the ocean.

Quality Time with Loved Ones

Create lifelong memories with your loved ones on a cruise vacation. Both MSC and Princess Cruises offer family-friendly activities and entertainment options, ensuring that everyone, from children to grandparents, will have a truly wonderful time.

Meeting New People

Whether you’re traveling alone or with a group, cruising provides ample opportunities to meet fellow passengers from around the world. MSC and Princess Cruises organize various social events and activities, making it easy to form new friendships.

MSC vs PRINCESS CRUISES Specifications

Who needs this.

Anyone who loves to travel, explore different destinations, and be pampered while onboard will find both MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises appealing. Families, couples, solo travelers, and groups can all have a memorable experience on either cruise line. Whether you’re seeking relaxation, adventure, cultural experiences, or quality time with loved ones, both MSC and Princess Cruises have something for everyone.

Pros and Cons

• MSC Cruises: Exquisite elegance, diverse itineraries, top-notch service, luxurious accommodations, wide array of onboard activities and entertainment options.
• Princess Cruises: Exceptional service, personalized experience, stunning destinations, award-winning dining options, world-class entertainment, rejuvenating spa facilities.
• MSC Cruises: Language barriers for non-English speakers, large ship size may result in crowds in certain areas.
• Princess Cruises: Mid-sized ships may have limited onboard amenities, itinerary options may not cover as wide a range of destinations as MSC Cruises.

Q: Are both MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises suitable for families? A: Yes, both cruise lines offer family-friendly amenities and activities.

Q: Can I expect personalized service on both cruise lines? A: Yes, both MSC and Princess Cruises prioritize providing a personalized experience for their guests.

Q: Do MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises offer non-English language options? A: Yes, both cruise lines provide multilingual services.

Q: Are the onboard activities included in the cruise fare ? A: Most onboard activities are included, although some may require an additional fee.

What Customers Are Saying

Customers rave about the exceptional customer service and attention to detail on both MSC and Princess Cruises. Many highlight the variety and quality of dining options, as well as the fantastic entertainment and amenities available onboard. Previous passengers frequently mention that these cruises offer great value for money and that they can’t wait to book their next trip with either MSC or Princess Cruises.

Overall Value

Considering the exceptional features, benefits, and overall quality provided by both MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises, it’s clear that they offer incredible value for money. The experiences and memories created during these cruises are truly priceless.

Tips and Tricks For Best Results

• Plan your itinerary in advance to ensure you make the most of your chosen destination.
• Take advantage of the onboard amenities, such as spa treatments and fitness facilities, to indulge in relaxation and self-care.
• Check the dining options and make reservations for specialty restaurants early to secure your preferred dining times.

Final Thoughts on MSC vs PRINCESS CRUISES

Msc vs princess cruises summary.

MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises both offer exceptional cruising experiences with their own unique features and benefits. Whether you choose MSC for its European charm or Princess Cruises for its personalized service, you can’t go wrong with either option.

Final Recommendation

Ultimately, the choice between MSC vs Princess Cruises depends on your personal preferences and travel goals. Take some time to consider what matters most to you, whether it’s the destinations, onboard activities, dining options, or level of personalized service. Whichever cruise line you choose, be prepared for an unforgettable journey exploring the world in style and luxury.

WorldTraveller

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11 Important Differences Between MSC Cruises and Other Major Lines

MSC Cruises may not be huge in North America just yet, but that’s quickly changing. While the big three cruise lines — Carnival, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean — may get most of the headlines, MSC is actually just as large and even larger than some of those names.

Seemingly until the past few years, however, MSC hasn’t focused as heavily on the United States. That definitely isn’t the case going forward. Today, it offers cruises from Miami, Port Canaveral and New York, with more homeports on the way.

As well, the line is expanding its fleet. It made a mark with the introduction of the MSC Seaside in the U.S., followed by MSC Seascape more recently, but that’s just the start. The line currently boasts the largest cruise ship in the world outside of Royal Caribbean with its MSC World Europa. That will be joined by MSC World America in 2025.

In other words, if you haven’t been tempted by an MSC cruise yet, it could be a different story in the near future.

Having recently sailed on MSC, as well as sailing the other major cruise lines regularly, we can tell you that there are some major differences between this line and its competitors.

Differences Between MSC and Other Major Cruise Lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Etc.)

MSC Is Less Expensive Than Most Lines If you’re searching for a cruise aboard MSC, the first thing you are likely to notice is the price of your trip. We’ve priced thousands of cruises over the year and MSC offers many of the cheapest trips we’ve seen; often times even less than Carnival, which is known as a budget-friendly line.

For example, a week cruise aboard the MSC Seascape (a relatively new ship) from Miami in July 2024 can be had starting for just $749 per person.

Comparable trips during that time run more than $900 aboard Carnival Celebration sailing from Miami. Sailings on Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas for a week in July from Miami start at $2,207. 

MSC doesn’t have a lock on cruise deals, but it does offer a lot of affordable choices. Rates are even less expensive if sailing outside of summer or holidays.

Fewer Included Restaurants Like other cruise lines, MSC also has a mix of included restaurants and specialty restaurants where you will pay extra to dine. 

What’s different with MSC is that the amount of included restaurants — and the number of restaurants in particular — are sparse. 

This isn’t every ship, but on those we’ve sailed, only the buffet and main dining room have been available with the cruise fare. All other restaurants (of which there were only a handful) cost more.

Compare that to a line like Carnival that includes spots like Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana, and more restaurants with the cruise fare.

Ocean Cay (MSC’s Private Island) While all the major cruise lines have their own private islands, only MSC has Ocean Cay. Just 65 miles from Miami, MSC poured $300 million into converting the island from a former sand excavation site into a tropical paradise. It’s a must-see. ( Read our complete guide to Ocean Cay here .)

What makes it so special are the beaches and water. It features multiple massive beaches, giving plenty of room for everyone to have their own space. In addition, the water is an electric blue that’s some of the most beautiful we’ve ever seen.

While some cruise lines have created wild island that almost look like a cartoon with all the attractions, Ocean Cay is more subdued, with more space, and fewer visitors each day. If you’re wanting a relaxing beach day, this is it. 

Not as Tech Savvy There’s no doubt that technology has come a long way in cruising. These days you can do everything online from checking in to buying excursions to navigating the ship via the cruise line app.

And while MSC has come a long way in the past few years regarding integrating technology into cruising, it still has some room to improve.

For instance, when we checked online prior to the cruise, we encountered numerous errors trying to do basic things like add a credit card to the account. Anytime we did make a change or added information, it would automatically send out an entirely new booking confirmation to our email.

Lower Gratuity (Service Charge) Amounts Of all the major cruise lines, MSC has the lowest automatic service charges of any line we’ve seen. Over the past several years gratuity amounts — the daily charges that go to people like your room steward and the dining staff — have crept up among most cruise lines.

These days it’s usual to pay $16 per person, per day for these charges. Book a suite, and the charge is usually higher — closer to $20 per day. Norwegian Cruise Line, for instance, charges $25 per day for people in suites and $20 per person, per day, for other rooms. 

MSC charges a relatively low $14.00 per person , per day for passengers that are 12 years and older. Kids aged 2-11 are charged just $7.00 per night (typically kids are charged full price on other lines).

Room Stewards In our experience with MSC, the room stewards are much less noticeable than what you’ll find on other cruise lines.

We’re used to meeting the room steward on the first day of the cruise, and then seeing them regularly each day coming to and from the room. On MSC, we only spotted him a time or two during the cruise.

Even so, our room was regularly cleaned. In fact, we actually prefer not having to constantly bump into a room steward and make small talk on our way in and out of the cabin.

Evening Entertainment on the Ship In a world where cruise lines are pushing the envelope everywhere to make your experience bigger and better, MSC is decidedly old-school in some respects — like your evening entertainment.

Most cruise lines seem to be pushing toward full-scale production shows. Norwegian Cruise Lines, for example has productions of Footloose and Kinky Boots on some of its newer ships. Royal Caribbean offers big budget programs and even aqua shows on its Oasis-class ships.

In comparison, MSC is different. A handful of ships feature Carousel Productions at Sea (similar to Cirque du Soleil), but not all. In our experience, the entertainment is more of things like a “variety show” featuring singing, dancing, and acrobatics. For instance, one cruise had a new take on Peter Pan that included contortionists, circus acts, and a juggler. Another show was a dedication to Michael Jackson, complete with an impersonator and full dance numbers.

Frankly, the talent level on these programs has been amazing, and the shows have been a big hit. However, they’ve struck us as a big departure from what we’ve seen on other lines.

Pizza For pizza to be pointed out as a difference with other cruise lines, you know the pie on MSC must be pretty good.

We’re big fans of “good” pizza. What we’ve found, however, is that these dishes usually aren’t that great on many cruises. Frankly, the pizza on many ships is usually a bit bland and has a cardboard taste that you’d find at a cheap buffet.

Maybe it’s because MSC has roots in Italy, but they take their pizza seriously. It’s on par with anything you’d find at a popular pizza joint (and much better than chain restaurants). Best of all, it’s free at the buffet. You can also get an entire pie made to order and delivered to your cabin for $6-$10.

Drink Package Options Most cruise lines have a single drink package… or maybe a regular package and a high-end package. Meanwhile, they all have one thing in common — they are pricey. Most drink packages start around $60 per day and go up from there.

MSC does things a bit differently, offering three different options:

• Premium Extra

What’s the difference? Each package gives you drink options up to a certain dollar amount. The Easy package offers drinks up to $8 each, the Easy Plus package offers up to $10 each, and the Premium Extra gives you any drink up to $16 per glass.

Prices run from about $50-$90 per person, per day if booked ahead of time. This gives you a cheaper option than you’ll find on most other cruise lines with the Easy package. 

Linking a Credit Card to Your Account One difference between MSC and other cruise lines definitely struck us as odd, and that’s how you attach payment to your onboard account.

Every cruise line we’ve been on always asks for a credit card at check-in. It is scanned and linked to your account. At the end of the trip, your card is automatically charged after you leave.

In our cruise with MSC, passengers completed this process themselves — either online ahead of time or once actually on the ship. Several terminals are set up around the ship where you will insert the credit card you use for payment to link to your onboard account.

It’s on you to make sure your account is all squared away with a payment method. If you forget then you’ll have to go see Guest Services to settle your bill before you are allowed to leave the ship.

Be Prepared for Lots of Waivers If you sail MSC, then be prepared to sign waivers for things you don’t have to on other cruise lines.

Should you do some of the more extreme things on other cruises, it’s likely you have to sign something. For instance, the Flowrider surf simulator on Royal Caribbean requires you to complete a form before you can enjoy.

MSC takes it to another level. On the cruise line if you want to lift weights or run on the treadmill in the gym, you’ll need to sign a waiver. Want to ride one of the waterslides? Yes, there is a form to complete before you can do so.

Not Completely Different Than Other Lines (Tons That’s Familiar) 

We don’t want to give the impression that MSC is an absolutely unfamiliar experience or completely different than sailing any other line. If you’ve sailed a cruise before, there’s a lot that you’ll know and love.  

Want to sit on the pool deck, sip a cold drink and soak up the sun? There’s plenty of that. How about dinner in the dining room followed by an impressive show in the theater? Sure, that’s there too. And what about a little late-night gambling in the casino? Of course.

However, it’s the details surrounding life onboard that might stand out if you’re used to some of the other lines in U.S. cruising.

More on Sailing MSC:

Worth It? Complete Guide to MSC Cruises Drink Packages

• MSC Gratuities (Tips/Service Charge): Full Guide to Cost & How They Work
• Ocean Cay (MSC’s Private Island): Complete Guide & Things to Know

Popular: 39 Useful Things to Pack (17 You Wouldn't Think Of)

Read next: park & cruise hotels for every port in america, popular: 107 best cruise tips, secrets, tricks, and freebies, related articles more from author, carnival vs. msc: 11 major differences between the two cruise lines, msc cruises sailing from texas starting 2025, reviewed: msc cruise wi-fi service (speed, reliability, cost, & more), ocean cay (msc’s private island): complete guide, tips, & things to know, what to do on a cruise 70 fun things to do on the ship.

Took my four times to read your article. The stupid ads kept interfering sending you back to the start. Annoying Should be fixed! Bob

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Princess Vs MSC

By Raj.K , June 28, 2022 in Princess Cruises

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Has anyone experienced Princess and MSC? Is there a comparison of the experience of the Yacht Club versus an equivalent or better experience with Princess?

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1 hour ago, Raj.K said: Has anyone experienced Princess and MSC? Is there a comparison of the experience of the Yacht Club versus an equivalent or better experience with Princess?

I'm pretty sure Princess doesn't have anything comparable to the YC with the exception of a Concierge on Royal class ships.

We are frequent Princess cruisers and in the past, before 2015, frequently booked full suites (now we book mini-suites).  We loved the extra space in the full suites and the Sabatini's breakfasts.  We were totally unimpressed with the Concierge Lounge on the Royal Princess although I understand that it is more robust now as are inclusions like Club Class.

In January 2020 we took our first MSC cruise and, at the recommendation of our TA, booked a Yacht Club cabin.  We loved it.  The cabin wasn't as large as the Princess full suites but the service was fantastic and at times over the top (we really didn't need a butler to accompany us to the theater after the first evening but it was great to be met by one at the gangplank when returning from an excursion and bypass the line).  It truly is a "ship within a ship" experience with the dedicated Yacht Club restaurant, lounge and YC pool grill, plus the dedicated YC beach and restaurant on their private island.  

If you decide on MSC, make sure you do a status match before making your reservation.  Our elite Princess status matched MSC's top level.  Also check and see if they still offer military AND civil service (local, state and federal) discounts. We took advantage of the latter since my DH is a retired fed. I will warn you that their website is, in my opinion, horrible.

In order to maintain your status match you must take an MSC cruise every three years so we are planning a fall cruise in the Yacht Club.

Discover a ship within a ship through our exclusive MSC Yacht Club, a place where you can savour exclusivity and privacy in a world of choice. A place where you can indulge in the luxury of a private club while enjoying access to a myriad of recreation and entertainment possibilities that the ship has to offer. Lavishly appointed suites, an exclusive 24-hour butler service and a dedicated concierge are just the beginning of these exclusive cruise experiences. Welcome to the MSC Yacht Club, a cruise experience like no other.

There is no special exclusive or private areas for full suite passengers on any Princess ship. No butler service except if staying in a Sky Suite on the Sky, Enchanted or Discovery Princess where there is a butler like service. Princess does have full suites.  There is a concierge lounge on all six Royal Class ships but not on other class ships. Recreation and entertainment on Princess is open to all passengers. There are no exclusive activities for full suite passengers. Full suite passengers can have an exclusive breakfast in one of the specialty dining restaurants Restaurant varies by ship. Full suite passengers can also dine in Club Class dining for lunch (sea days) and dinner. Club Class dining is walk in. Same menu as the regular MDR's but with improved service and one additional dinner menu item. Full suite passengers can also order room service from the full DR menu. Note the meal comes all at one time.

LACruiser88

4 hours ago, capriccio said: If you decide on MSC, make sure you do a status match before making your reservation.  Our elite Princess status matched MSC's top level. 

That is a smart way to get seasoned cruisers to try them!  I was told recently by someone in the cruise "biz" that MSC is planning on deploying ships to the West Coast in the near future.  

7 hours ago, capriccio said: We are frequent Princess cruisers and in the past, before 2015, frequently booked full suites (now we book mini-suites).  We loved the extra space in the full suites and the Sabatini's breakfasts.  We were totally unimpressed with the Concierge Lounge on the Royal Princess although I understand that it is more robust now as are inclusions like Club Class.   In January 2020 we took our first MSC cruise and, at the recommendation of our TA, booked a Yacht Club cabin.  We loved it.  The cabin wasn't as large as the Princess full suites but the service was fantastic and at times over the top (we really didn't need a butler to accompany us to the theater after the first evening but it was great to be met by one at the gangplank when returning from an excursion and bypass the line).  It truly is a "ship within a ship" experience with the dedicated Yacht Club restaurant, lounge and YC pool grill, plus the dedicated YC beach and restaurant on their private island.     If you decide on MSC, make sure you do a status match before making your reservation.  Our elite Princess status matched MSC's top level.  Also check and see if they still offer military AND civil service (local, state and federal) discounts. We took advantage of the latter since my DH is a retired fed. I will warn you that their website is, in my opinion, horrible.   In order to maintain your status match you must take an MSC cruise every three years so we are planning a fall cruise in the Yacht Club.

I will echo everything described above.  We are Elite Princess cruisers and have done full suites there, and we have cruised MSC twice, the second time in a Yacht Club suite.  It was exceptional, we absolutely loved it.  

The only thing I would add is that the general ship experience is very different.  MSC is very European, including the passenger mix.  Also a much younger overall pax mix.  I’d say food on Princess is better, MSC is not great, but not bad.

You could, if you wanted to, spend 100% of your time in the Yacht Club and be happy as a clam.

I have not yet been on MSC, but I have been warned that I need to do Yacht Club, that the non-Yacht Club passengers are steerage class. 

As MSC tries to break into the US market, MSC has had to train its staff on what Americans expect as customer service.

1 hour ago, Mike45LC said: I have not yet been on MSC, but I have been warned that I need to do Yacht Club, that the non-Yacht Club passengers are steerage class.    As MSC tries to break into the US market, MSC has had to train its staff on what Americans expect as customer service.

Well, I HAVE been on MSC, and not in Yacht Club.  I guess I am steerage class.  Our first MSC cruise was the three day US inaugural of Divina.  We were in an inside gty, which turned out to be what they now call a junior inside.  It was okay.  We thought the food shaky, but didn’t go hungry.  Two years later we were on Divina again, in a lowest class balcony, and it was quite roomy.  One of the group on that class of ship that has a tub/shower.  In early 2019 we sailed Seaside in a balcony and were quite pleased.  We also sailed on one of their smallest, Armonia and it was a much different experience, much more laid back.  Demographic is at least half non-North American.  They tend to dress more sharply than we are accustomed to seeing, especially the women.  Entertainment was all live, no DJ music.  And most everything is music related, as comedy would be lost on most other nationalities.  EM

Mom, I’m glad to read your review.  I was tempted by the prices MSC was offering, but my vacation time is limited and the dining reviews for “steerage” were pretty bad.  Food is important!!

On 6/29/2022 at 4:53 AM, Mike45LC said: Mom, I’m glad to read your review.  I was tempted by the prices MSC was offering, but my vacation time is limited and the dining reviews for “steerage” were pretty bad.  Food is important!!

I would agree that the food in the mdrs is not as good as Princess, but, having sailed on many different cruise lines, I am not sure that you are correct when you describe the non Yacht club passengers as 'steerage'. I take it you understand the connotations of that word when describing other passengers?

The buffet for regular passengers is worse than Olive Garden.  But the virtuoso was very pretty.  Specially steakhouse dining is NOT as good as princess, but the indo-China place was good. We were yacht club and the dedicated restaurant was excellent.  The perks did really make it a good experience. But yacht club is 3x the price of a comparable princess cruise so it had better be good.   

I agree that regular msc passengers get pretty terrible main dining b

Princess has nothing even close to the Yacht Club.  Private restaurant, pool, lounge and nice to beautiful suites. That being said, if not in the YC, stay with Princess. No comparison

I took a weekend msc cruise on Divina in the fall.  It was one of their 1st US sails after Covid.  I had zero expectations.  The food was good, not amazing, but better than average (comparable to Princess).  The private island was awesome!  The Covid protocols made me feel safer than other US vacation options  although the stress of waiting for my pre-cruise pcr was awful.  (Binax is worth the cost to alleviate that stress).  I breakfasted on hand tossed buffet breakfast pizza before leaving the ship, it was that good.  (I almost never waste tummy space on pizza on a cruise.)

I was just regular (steerage) class in a balcony, so yacht class would probably be awesome.  

On 6/28/2022 at 8:42 AM, capriccio said:     If you decide on MSC, make sure you do a status match before making your reservation.  Our elite Princess status matched MSC's top level.     In order to maintain your status match you must take an MSC cruise every three years so we are planning a fall cruise in the Yacht Club.

If you're sailing in YC on MSC, does MSC's top tier status reaally matter much?

11 minutes ago, Av8tor said: If you're sailing in YC on MSC, does MSC's top tier status reaally matter much?

Status Match at any level 'enrolls' you in Voyagers Club (otherwise you need to have completed 1 cruise to be enrolled) which entitles you to at least 5% off your cruise fare or, in the case of special promos, 10 to 15% off.

As far as top tier status perks, the two that I remember are a free tasting menu dinner in one of the specialty restaurants and an invitation to the 'exclusive Diamond Party.'  On our cruise pre-Covid, the captain and almost all the senior staff attended, there were excellent hors d'oeurves and drinks served by wait staff and a beautiful and tasty cake.  It was much more impressive than the Princess version.

Just to throw in. I would agree that YC on MSC is an extraordinary experience highly recommended.

Word of this has apparently spread as prices subjectively have increased and availability decreased.

Ironically it was disappointment with Princess that caused us to cancel a cruise with them and try YC.

That said I would be nervous to try the MSC 'steerage'- while the ships were amazing we were not blown away with the rest of the ship (dining, drinks, entertainment).  Because YC was so great we only spent a few evening hours in the 'back of the ship'.

I had their highest tier (Black now Diamond I believe) through a match and outside of some discount opportunities it did not offer much so I wouldn't be too concerned.  It was funny at the time that seasoned 'elite' MSC Cruisers were so upset that MSC was offering free status matches (can't say I blame them) but again not a big deal as most elite status programs do not offer much.

On 6/28/2022 at 11:42 AM, capriccio said: We are frequent Princess cruisers and in the past, before 2015, frequently booked full suites (now we book mini-suites).  We loved the extra space in the full suites and the Sabatini's breakfasts.  We were totally unimpressed with the Concierge Lounge on the Royal Princess although I understand that it is more robust now as are inclusions like Club Class.   In January 2020 we took our first MSC cruise and, at the recommendation of our TA, booked a Yacht Club cabin.  We loved it.  The cabin wasn't as large as the Princess full suites but the service was fantastic and at times over the top (we really didn't need a butler to accompany us to the theater after the first evening but it was great to be met by one at the gangplank when returning from an excursion and bypass the line).  It truly is a "ship within a ship" experience with the dedicated Yacht Club restaurant, lounge and YC pool grill, plus the dedicated YC beach and restaurant on their private island.     If you decide on MSC, make sure you do a status match before making your reservation.  Our elite Princess status matched MSC's top level.  Also check and see if they still offer military AND civil service (local, state and federal) discounts. We took advantage of the latter since my DH is a retired fed. I will warn you that their website is, in my opinion, horrible.   In order to maintain your status match you must take an MSC cruise every three years so we are planning a fall cruise in the Yacht Club.

Capriccio, thank you for posting this! We have recently tried NCL's Haven and loved the "ship within ship" concept. We are Elite on Princess so hopefully can status match on MSC too. Was that hard obtain and how do you do you go about this? 

4 minutes ago, nattie said: Capriccio, thank you for posting this! We have recently tried NCL's Haven and loved the "ship within ship" concept. We are Elite on Princess so hopefully can status match on MSC too. Was that hard obtain and how do you do you go about this? 

Go to https://www.msccruisesusa.com/manage-booking/msc-voyagers-club/status-match.

In 2019 we just submitted copies of one of our Princess key cards that I hadn't thrown out and it was processed within a few days (although I have read complaints on Cruise Critic of the process taking longer).  If you don't have one lying around, after you've logged in I'd make a screen shot of the Home screen since it has this information on the top of the screen:

My Princess Home

Member # XXXXXXXX

Your Captain's Circle level is Elite

XX Cruises Sailed  XXX Total Princess Cruise Days

we were several times in MSC YC. Last year two cruises. Our experience is that service and food in particular still good, but not on the same level as a few years ago. E.g. the afternoon tea was very good a few years ago and is very questionable now.

YC is a very good experience. But if cost is 3 to 4 times of a regular cruise, the value for money is not very good. For the same cost we could get and prefer Oceania. The whole ship is like the YC and the food is much better.

Our first Princess cruise will start Aug 5th. We dont expect any YC level of experience, as the cruise is only 30% cost of YC.

There is NO experience like the Yacht Club on Princess. You can have butler service in the larger suites. The Yacht Club also has it's own dedicated restaurant, unlike any suite on Princess. That being said, the standard cabins on Princess are better than those on MSC.

5 minutes ago, rbtan said: There is NO experience like the Yacht Club on Princess. You can have butler service in the larger suites. The Yacht Club also has it's own dedicated restaurant, unlike any suite on Princess. That being said, the standard cabins on Princess are better than those on MSC.

The question really is, does the Yacht Club, given the pricing, deliver more than Viking,  Oceania etc, as the pricing is similar.

While the YC is awesome, for the rest of the ship, think of a fancy Carnival cruise.

On 7/2/2022 at 5:26 AM, deliver42 said: Princess has nothing even close to the Yacht Club.  Private restaurant, pool, lounge and nice to beautiful suites. That being said, if not in the YC, stay with Princess. No comparison

100 percent agree. I've been in the YC two times, and it's great, but outside of the Yach Club, it's the Italian version of Carnival cruise Line. 

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MSC vs Princess

By Scotto97 , April 14, 2016 in Princess Cruises

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Has anyone been on both and could do a comparison?

They are offering to match your current loyalty status and I'm curious on how the 2 lines differ.

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I'd be very suspicious of such an offer... loyalty perks or status exist for a reason...

Been on both lines.

No comparison at all. Don't even bother with MSC. Go with Princess.

We have done both, and have another MSC cruise next month. You have to accept that they are a different cultural experience. They do not offer Anytime dining unless you are in a more expensive cabin class. They have wonderful buffets for breakfast and lunch, but more limited for supper as they expect you to want to eat in the MDR.

They matched our Elite on Celebrity with their highest level (Black).

Many of their cabins are larger than Princess, but you have to realize that a quad balcony cabin has a double foldout couch for the 3/4 guests, no upper bunks. Inside and OV quads have uppers. EM

We have travel both lines. On MSc we were on MSC Opera. Never again for us on any MSC ship.

If you like Princess service and attitude don't go with MSC. It is a different experience. Beautiful ships, staff some good, but most offhand. Buffet lunches crazy, ran out of food one day, tables if you could get one were not cleared. Front desk on last day chaos as everyone had to go down there to clear their accounts. One little bit of sun and everyone was out there in skimpy costumes, most with larger bodies basking in the sun. I know they have cold winters but I was still wearing my coat. Don't even try to use the pools, full (chockers) with bambinos and mummas.

I did enjoy my cruises, what's not to enjoy, but totally different culture. Loud, and over the top. You want to get somewhere just keep pushing. However bingo on main deck in four languages was interesting.

Try MSC but be prepared for a different experience and be willing to accept different service.

If you have ever lived in Spain or Italy, you will enjoy (?) MSC.

KevintheIrishDJ

We have been on 2 MSC trips in the last 3 years. Service is not good. Buffet is "Europian" style; cook the food hours ahead and put it in the steam table. They use a large portion of the pool deck to sell things. They did offer an 18 vouchers for drinks under $8 ($95 total).

Has anyone been on both and could do a comparison?   They are offering to match your current loyalty status and I'm curious on how the 2 lines differ.

Price is much better on MSC, balcony and suites cabins are way better on MSC and so is the entertainment. Food is subjective!!!

Tracey/Thom

2 different experiences - we were on MSC Divina December, 2015. I think much has changed since some of these reviewers sailed prior to 2015. MSC is much more European (and we loved that!) than the standard Carnival/Princess/HAL cruises (all owned by Carnival Corp.) The entertainment was totally fantastic, New York standard. The food was very good, although we thought the food on Princess was better (totally subjective).

We enjoyed tea time on Princess, and it was much more casual than MSC.

We loved meeting lots of different nationalities on MSC. The price we paid for our MSC cruise was the best price / value for money than all our cruises.

Remember you're asking for opinions - and everyone has one! Read lots of reviews in the MSC Forum as well as the Princess Forum to get a well rounded opinion.

We would sail Princess and MSC again (Divina was the most BEAUTIFUL ship), and enjoy it because both were such different experiences. But you have to go with an open mind, and be prepared to enjoy it. Otherwise, what's the point of spending the money and time if you've decided before you've even left that you're not going to like it?

Why? A great way to get frequent cruisers on your line. Airlines do it all the time, and the airline perks are more substantial

We have done one cruise on MSC Poesia in 2010, beautiful ship but ...... We are now Elite on Princess with 2 more booked for later this year. Say no more.

floridalover5623

So what will Elite status get me on MSC?

We've been with both, and we have forthcoming cruises booked with both as well.

Princess and MSC are completely different.

MSC is a far more European experience - don't expect ice water on the dining table - but there are certain things that we prefer with MSC. I wouldn't recommend Opera, Armonia and the other 2 smaller ships - these were built for a different cruise line that MSC bought out - but the bigger (and almost brand new) ships are beautiful.

. The dining room is open at lunchtime every day, not just sea days.

. A proper baked alaska parade on Gala night

. The ships are gleaming - crew are polishing everywhere, not just disinfecting

. Beautiful pool areas

. Very good value drinks package

. Musicians in most bars, and nibbles / snacks in most bars

. No "pushy" selling of shops and services

. Excellent itenaries around Europe

. Theatre production show every evening

Because MSC are family owned, they are not ruled by shareholders and there is less temptation for the corporate accountants to cut costs (and cut standards).

If you are looking for a different cruise experience, then try MSC. But don't expect things to be the same as other lines. A lot of people love MSC - but a lot of people also dislike them. The question to ask is whether you are open to new experiences and things being done differently.

If you were to visit Europe, would you plan to stay in hotels run by the major US chains? Would you try the local hotels that might do things differently?

People who want "Holiday Inn" or "Hilton" consistency (and lack of character) should avoid MSC.

People who want to sail around Europe on a ship that is a slice of USA should avoid MSC. But to cruise Europe and experience a bit of Europe while afloat, then MSC could be perfect for you.

long cruiser

Princess a superior cruise line to msc,except for the yacht club on msc.The yacht club has aprivate elevator,butler service,your own pool

deck,your own dining room.

But it is a bit pricey but worth it.

Be aware in main dining room if you are offered water, you are buying the bottle. Also the gala nights had a Tiramusu parade with Amore as the parade song. It got everyone standing and singing. You are going to Europe for the experience, MSC is different but so is Europe. Preziosa is the most beautiful ship I have ever sailed on.

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Reader's Digest

7 Most Affordable Cruise Lines That’ll Make Your Cruising Dreams Come True

Posted: October 2, 2023 | Last updated: October 2, 2023

The cheapest cruise lines

Cruising is often described as the ultimate relaxing vacation. You only unpack once, yet you wake up in a new country or island every morning. You also never have to worry about where to eat, there are nonstop activities onboard that keep everyone entertained—and most everything is included in the price. So you don't have to worry much about overspending once you're on board if you book on one of the most affordable cruise lines.

Of course, everything is more expensive these days, leaving some travelers to wonder if there are still affordable cruises available to meet their vacation budgets. Thankfully, that answer is yes, and there are several brands that still provide exceptional value aboard their floating cities. Many are among the best cruise lines , and some are even frequent cruisers' favorite cruises . In fact, you might be surprised to learn that living on a cruise ship can be cheaper than a mortgage , in case you decide you never want to return from your vacation.

So follow these cruise tips for how to save money on a cruise by booking the most affordable cruise lines. You may even be able to sneak in an extra vacation this year with all your savings. Here's what to pack for a cruise .

How much does a cheap cruise cost?

Cheap cruises usually range in price from $40 to $100 per night per person. To put that deal in perspective, imagine having your accommodations, food and entertainment covered for roughly $50 a day on a traditional land-based trip—you'd be hard-pressed to stay within that budget just for your meals. It's truly impressive that these all-inclusive cruises can charge so little.

But before you get too excited over these low prices, don't forget to factor in the cost of the extras when calculating your total expenses—that's one of the secrets cruise lines won't tell you . Things like drinks, shore excursions, gratuities, spa treatments, specialty dining, airfare, photos, taxes and port fees aren't included and can add up quickly.

Finally, keep in mind that the best deals will always be for an inside cabin, which means you won't have a porthole (let alone a balcony) for natural light. The good news? You'll sleep like a baby in total darkness, especially during an afternoon nap.

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When is the cheapest time to book a cruise?

It's important to pay attention to the cheapest times to book a cruise if you want to save even more. Wave season, which is from January to March, is a promotional time of year when cruise lines run their most competitive sales. These sales are designed to encourage bookings for later in the year. You can also keep an eye on sites like MSC's Cruise Deals to find great prices.

There are great deals at other times of the year too. Generally speaking, the further in advance you book, the better prices you'll find. But the opposite is also true, because cruise lines will happily sell unused inventory at a significantly reduced rate in the form of last-minute deals. You'll need a flexible schedule to pull this off, and you may find airfare is too costly at that point.

Beyond wave season, planning far in advance or nabbing last-minute cruise deals, it's also wise to consider booking your cruises for the off-season. For instance, for the Caribbean and Mexico, that would mean summer sailings or during shoulder season (the month before and after high season—for example, in the case of Alaska, this would be in May or September). Just know that you are taking a bit of a risk with the weather during these off-peak times.

MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises offers sailings out of the U.S. (New York, Miami and Orlando) to the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Bermuda, New England and Canada. It also offers sailings to Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, Egypt, Dubai, South Africa and more.

Cost: Cruises on MSC start as low as $129 per person.

Specials to watch for: MSC offers such limited-time specials as free drinks and Wi-Fi plus up to $200 onboard credit (which can be used to book extras like shore excursions or spa treatments).

Other savings to consider: You won't find an adults-only cruise here, however this cruise line does offer a Kids Sail Free program, which means that all children under 18 traveling in the same cabin as their parents travel free all year-round. Port taxes, registration costs, insurance, flights and transfers (where required) are excluded from the offer, but it still goes a long way toward making this one of the most affordable cruise lines.

Affordable cruises: We've seen a 6-night southern Caribbean cruise for as low as $219 total per person.

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line —known as one of the most affordable cruise lines—was founded in 1972 and now carries millions of guests every year aboard its 24 ships. It sails to Alaska, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada and New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Greenland, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama Canal, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the South Pacific.

Cost: Cruises on Carnival start as low as $169 per person.

Specials to watch for: Carnival celebrates dates like National Tourism Day with up to 40% off cruise rates, plus $50 onboard credits and reduced deposit rates from $50 per person. Other limited-time promotions include free cabin upgrades and "Early Saver" rates with price protection that provide peace of mind for early bookings.

Other savings to consider: One of the things that makes Carnival Cruise Lines even more affordable is that it has 14 home ports in the United States (Baltimore, Charleston, Galveston, Jacksonville, Long Beach, Miami, Mobile, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle and Tampa), making it easier for Americans to drive to their ship and avoid booking pricey flights .

Affordable cruises: We've seen a 5-day Mexican Riviera cruise for as low as $234 per person.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean offers itineraries to 240 destinations in 61 countries on six continents, including Royal Caribbean's private island destination in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay. The innovative brand is known for many firsts at sea, including an ice-skating rink, bumper cars, zip-line, rock climbing wall, robotic bartenders and the Flowrider surf simulator. Its latest ship, the Icon of the Seas , which is set to begin sailing in January 2024, will be the world's largest cruise ship.

Cost: Cruises on Royal Caribbean start as low as $172 per person.

Specials to watch for: Royal Caribbean occasionally offers promotions like "30% Off Every Guest" (provides 30% savings off the cruise fare for all guests in the stateroom), flash deals like "Up to $550 Off" (provides instant savings of up to $550 USD per stateroom) and "Kids Sail Free" promos, during which the third and fourth guests who are 12 years or younger are eligible for free cruise fare.

Other savings to consider: Royal Caribbean offers exclusive access to pre-cruise savings and discounts that won't be available once you're onboard for things like shore excursions, beverage packages, food packages and Wi-Fi packages.

Affordable cruises: We've seen a 6-night Pacific Coast cruise for $250 per person.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises is a premium cruise line with award-winning itineraries around the globe, sailing to Alaska, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, British Isles, South America, Japan, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Mexico, Hawaii, the South Pacific and the California Coast. It's an excellent choice for a couples cruise (they host a lot of weddings and vow renewals), but it's also family-friendly.

Cost: Hundreds of sailings on Princess are priced under $100 per day; 60 sailings under $60 per day.

Specials to watch for: Princess regularly offers promotions, such as a 40% savings and low $100 deposit specials.

Other savings to consider: Upgrade to the Princess Plus or Princess Premier packages, which roll in the price of extras like Wi-Fi, drinks, gratuities and more for a savings of up to 66% vs. purchasing them separately.

Affordable cruises: Everyone dreams of booking the best Alaska cruise , and we've seen 7-night Alaska cruises for as low as $349 per person.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line 's fleet of 18 ships sails to 400 of the world's most desirable destinations—such as Asia, Africa, Alaska, Australia and New Zealand, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, New England, Caribbean, Hawaii, the Mediterranean, Mexico, the Baltic, South America and more.

Cost: Cruises on Norwegian start as low as $249 per person.

Specials to watch for: NCL offers various deals throughout the year. One recent special was 70% off, plus free airfare for the second guest, plus the third and fourth guests sailed for free.

Other savings to consider: Part of what makes Norwegian one of the best and most affordable cruise lines is that all cruise offerings may be combined with the company's ongoing "Free at Sea" promotion, which includes unlimited open bar, specialty dining, Wi-Fi and excursions. (Want to find out more about hidden features on cruise ships  that you never knew existed?)

Affordable cruises: We've seen 7-day Alaska cruises for as low as $279 per person.

Holland America Line

Holland America Line has been cruising both popular and less-traveled ports in the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Europe, South America, the Panama Canal, Australia, New Zealand and Asia for 150 years. It has a fleet of 11 classic ships and does more than 500 sailings a year, visiting all seven continents.

Cost: Cruises on Holland start as low as $89 per person.

Specials to watch for: Having recently celebrated its 150th anniversary, Holland America has been offering 45% off cruise fares, up to $300 in onboard credit and reduced deposits of only $150. The brand typically offers other specials throughout the year.

Other savings to consider: For family cruise travelers , Holland America Line provides a Kids Cruise Free offer, allowing guests ages 18 and under to travel free to Alaska, Europe and the Caribbean when booked as a third or fourth guest on select cruises. And when booked directly on Holland America Line's site, travelers can take advantage of the Have It All Cruise Package, which includes shore excursion credits, drink package, specialty dining and Wi-Fi.

Affordable cruises: We've seen 7-day Alaska cruises as low as $329 per person.

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity has 15 award-winning ships that take guests to more than 300 destinations in 79 countries on all seven continents, including the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, South America, Asia, Australia and the South Pacific, Galapagos and Canada.

Cost: Cruises on Celebrity start as low as $288 per person.

Specials to watch for: Celebrity offers various specials, like a spring sale that takes 75% off a second guest's fare and saves up to $800 per stateroom with up to $800 to spend on board. Also look for promotions like Alaska weekend flash sales (second guest sails for free plus $250 onboard credit) and 20% off Galapagos vacations (round-trip airfare included).

Other savings to consider: Choose the all-inclusive options of prepackaged drinks, Wi-Fi and tips to save up to 45% on these individual items.

Affordable cruises: We've seen 7-night Alaska cruises for as low as $299 per person.

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How one cruise line will keep kids from running wild on its new, huge cruise ships

It's no small feat to keep the largest cruise ships in the world from being overrun with children.

Megaship sailings are ideal for families with kids of all ages. Do it right, and you're making memories that will last a lifetime. Do it wrong, and you've got moody teens hanging out in stairwells, rowdy kids taking over hot tubs and screaming babies in the dining room.

That's why MSC Cruises is playing it smart with its newest megaships, 6,762-passenger, 215,863-ton MSC World Europa and its Miami-based twin, MSC World America , the latter of which debuts in 2025. (For context, these new World Class ships are similar in passenger count and ship size to Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships .)

After all, the line has plenty of experience with children; it carries 600,000 kids and teens annually. In high season, its largest ships sometimes see 2,000 kids and teens per cruise.

MSC's goal is to give kids and families plenty of options for fun — both together and apart — to keep everyone busy, happy and out of trouble (my words, not theirs).

"We are working every week to surprise them and give them something new," Matteo Mancini, MSC Cruises' senior manager of kids and family entertainment, told me during a Zoom interview. In the highly competitive family cruise market, MSC Cruises is not trying to dominate; its goal is "to be simply different and unique."

MSC Cruises is a privately owned family company, whose top executives are grandparents and parents themselves. So the line's mission to create appealing choices for families and kids is personal.

Here's how the Mediterranean-based cruise line plans to win over the littlest cruisers on its biggest new ships — and, consequently, keep those kids from running wild on board.

More space for kids

MSC Seascape , which debuted in late 2022 and currently sails weeklong Caribbean and Bahamas cruises, offers 700 square meters (more than 7,500 square feet) of Doremiland youth space between its Baby Club (for babies and toddlers younger than 3), Mini Club (ages 3 to 6), Junior Club (ages 7 to 11), Young Club (ages 12 to 14) and Teen Club (ages 15 to 17).

When MSC World America debuts next year, it will house more than 1,000 square meters (nearly 10,800 square feet) of youth space, as well as more youth staff members to accommodate more kids.

Plus, its upper decks, at least on the back half of the ship, will be filled with kid-friendly attractions, including waterslides, an arcade with virtual reality attractions, an indoor sports court and the aforementioned kids clubs.

The buffet is also in this area, and Mancini says that the ship will feature a new section of the buffet especially for kids and teens, with different food options daily. The line is also taking a page out of other cruise lines' books and bringing free soft-serve ice cream — a kid favorite — to the buffet.

Related: The 6 types of MSC Cruises ships, explained

Kid- and teen-approved activities

But how does MSC Cruises know what kids will like? They go to the source and ask.

"Every three months, both on board our ships and in the headquarters in Geneva, we do a kids committee with kids and teenagers," Mancini revealed. "We talk to kids and teenagers, and we ask them, 'Guys, are you having fun with our Doremiland program?'"

MSC asks what the kids like, what they don't like and which programs and activities the line should cancel.

The line also presents ideas it's toying with bringing to the ships, and its focus group of kids and teens tells them whether the ideas are worth exploring or not.

This process allows the line to continuously adapt and improve its youth programming. Changes that Mancini has seen include shortening activities from an hour to half an hour to get in a wider variety of events and giving kids the choice of joining in the group activity or continuing to do free play in the youth space.

The line has also changed how its staff approaches participation in youth club activities. "Because of social media, Instagram, YouTube, now teenagers want to be the star of what we're offering," says Mancini. "Once upon a time, they were like, OK, let's watch this activity. Now they want to be on stage, they want to be part of something, and we give them the opportunity if they feel like it."

Plus, the line has different options for what it means to participate. "I give you an example — at some point, we were doing dance competitions, but not everyone is comfortable in dancing," explains Mancini. "So we tell them, do you want to be the [judge] of the dance competition, and there we see magic because they say, 'Oh, yes,' and then you give them the microphone, and you discover another talent that you didn't expect."

With a game show-style activity, teens can choose to be the contestant, the judge, the emcee or the audience. Everyone can play a role and have fun in a way that works for them.

Related: MSC Cruises vs. Royal Caribbean: Which big-ship line is right for you?

High-tech activities go beyond video games

MSC Cruises knows that kids these days are immersed in technology, but its youth staff wants programming to be more than just video games. So it got creative.

Drone Academy is a new program that takes place in the Sportplex indoor sports court where teens learn how to pilot drones and race them around obstacles. Instead of typical arts and crafts with paper and crayons, kids can create images on computers and print them out on 3D printers. The activities blend innovation with technology, so kids are not just mindlessly playing Mario Kart all day long.

Don't worry, parents of video game-obsessed children — MSC cruise ships do also have PlayStations on board. But the youth staff tries to make the games social. "When you are on our cruise ships, you play together with other kids and teenagers," says Mancini. "You talk to them because you are playing in a group." The games serve as an entree into socializing and making friends, rather than a solitary activity.

Related: 5 best cruise lines for families

Kids clubs are inclusive

MSC Cruises is an international brand, and its ships routinely sail with 35 different nationalities on board. While the international vibe might be appealing to adults, it can be intimidating for kids to interact with peers who don't speak the same language.

But MSC has already thought about that.

"Right now, in the U.S., the majority of kids and teenagers we are having in our kids club are from America," says Mancini. "There is no issue to make friends." However, MSC's youth staff members all speak several languages so they can translate for kids if necessary.

Plus, this international vibe is the main reason why MSC pursued a relationship with Lego, whose beloved bricks are now found in kids clubs fleetwide.

"We went to Lego years ago and we say, 'Listen, we are having 35 different nationalities of kids. They are from different cultures and speak different languages, and the only toy that needs no explanation is a Lego brick. So we need you. Can you guys help us?' And they said yes for this reason."

It's not only different language speakers who are welcomed into MSC's kids clubs. The line also welcomes children with disabilities.

"At the end of 2023, we asked all our youth staff fleetwide to follow specific training to work and spend time with children with autism," says Mancini. When an autistic child comes on board, every member of the youth staff knows how to work with them and provide a welcoming environment within the kids club.

No-cost programming

When Mancini said MSC wants its program to be unique, he wasn't only referring to the specific activities. He was also referring to its cost — or lack thereof.

All of the Doremiland clubs are open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. free of charge. Other lines start charging for late-night babysitting after 10 p.m., but MSC Cruises gives kids an extra hour for free. In addition, babies and toddlers can be dropped off at the Baby Club for free — unlike on Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line , where parents must pay for drop-off baby care.

In addition, the line has a program where kids and teens can eat lunch and dinner with the youth staff so parents can enjoy a leisurely meal and date night together. Again, this service is provided at no extra cost to families.

It's not just the big ships

MSC Cruises' Doremiland youth program is the same fleetwide, whether you're on the smallest ship or the biggest . You'll find the same Lego partnership, the same range of age-appropriate clubs, arcades and some kind of kid-friendly water attraction. Family programming, such as "Master Chef at Sea Juniors" or the "Guinness World Records" family game show, takes place across different sizes of ships.

When MSC World America debuts in Miami next year, the line hopes it will win the hearts of cruising families with its wealth of attractions and activities aimed at keeping kids and teens busy, not bored. But when MSC's newest fans decide to branch out and sail the line's smaller ships in Europe or South America, they won't have to settle for less-than kids programming.

And the adults on board fleetwide can breathe easier, knowing that the kids will be lured away from the stairwells and into the kids clubs — hopefully leaving the hot tubs free for some adult R&R.

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Cruise Spotlight

Helping you find cruise ships you'll love

MSC Seascape vs Princess Cruises Enchanted Princess

The MSC Seascape is a fairly new ship, being built in 2022. The MSC Seashore has a New York City-inspired aestheic complete with a 10-foot-fall replica of the Statue of Liberty at the heart of the casino and shopping area called Times Square. It's 1 year newer than the Enchanted Princess , which was built in 2021.

Comparison Overview

Number of passengers, food and restaurants.

• Bars and Drinks

Pools and Hot Tubs

Ship features and activities, cruise costs, onboard costs.

The Seascape is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,060 feet long and 135 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.9 football fields, as wide as 2.5 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 15-story building. Compared to the Princess Cruises Enchanted Princess, the Seascape is 17% larger in terms of overall tons.

MSC Seascape holds 61% more passengers than the Enchanted Princess based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Seascape has less space per person compared to the Enchanted Princess.

Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.

The Seascape has 16 different dining options like Marketplace Buffet , Butcher's Cut , and HOLA! Tacos & Cantina . Of those options, 7 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 9 options have an additional fee.

The Enchanted Princess has 3 more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Chef's Table Lumiere , The Catch by Rudi , and Sabatini's . 11 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 8 have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Enchanted Princess might be a better choice. It has 19% more dining options than the Seascape.

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

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.

There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. Alcohol is not included in the base price of this cruise ship. To see if you would save money with a drink package, try our Drink Package Calculator.

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 MSC Seascape has a total of 5 pools and 15 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools are adults only. 2 of the pools and 3 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 Enchanted Princess has fewer pools than the Seascape and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Enchanted 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.

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 Seascape. Only 54% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Enchanted Princess, 73% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

MSC 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.

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.

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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