Princess Cruises
Emerald Princess
- Cruises
- 68
- From
- $309
Ship comparison
Emerald Princess vs Norwegian Prima
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Prima
- Cruises
- 51
- From
- $349
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Emerald Princess is a large Princess Cruises ship carrying 3,082 passengers, in service since 2007. Norwegian Prima is a large Norwegian Cruise Line ship carrying 3,215 passengers, in service since 2022.
Choose Emerald Princess if you want a better-rated spa and gym, better-rated entertainment or more culture: it outscores Norwegian Prima for spa & fitness (8.0 vs 7.0), entertainment (8.0 vs 7.0) and cultural (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Norwegian Prima if you want a newer ship, more of a party or more space per passenger: it outscores Emerald Princess for party (7.0 vs 5.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores, its maiden voyage was in 2022 (vs 2007) and it has 44.3 gross tons per passenger (vs 36.6).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Emerald Princess | Norwegian Prima | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Princess Cruises | Norwegian Cruise Line |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2007 | 2022 (better) |
| Gross tonnage | 112,847 | 142,500 |
| Passengers | 3,082 | 3,215 |
| Crew | 1,143 | 1,388 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.7 | 2.3 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 36.6 | 44.3 (better) |
| Cabins | — | 1,646 |
| Decks | 15 | 20 |
| Length | 952 ft | 965 ft |
| Beam | 118 ft | 133 ft |
| Speed | 25 mph | — |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | 9 / 10 (better) |
| Cruises on sale | 68 | 51 |
| Upcoming sailings | 122 | 92 |
| Cruise lengths | 4 to 20 nights | 3 to 17 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $309 (better) | $349 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Emerald Princess leads on 3 of the ten, Norwegian Prima on 2, with 5 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Princess Cruises
Emerald Princess
Carrying about 3,080 guests, Emerald Princess is one of the largest ships in the Princess Cruises fleet. It offers nearly 900 balcony staterooms from which to take in the colorful sunrise over the ocean, or capture a breathtaking sunset sail-in to a romantic city like Venice.
Highlights
- Movies Under the Stars
- The Best Pizza at Sea as voted by USA Today
- One of the largest atriums in the fleet
- The Crown Grill American Steakhouse
Sailing now
68 cruises on sale, from $309.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Prima
First in a new class of smartships from Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima sailed its maiden voyage in August 2022. The next-generation ship was Norwegian's first major redesign in nearly 10 years.
Sailing now
51 cruises on sale, from $349.
Questions
Emerald Princess or Norwegian Prima?
Which is bigger, Emerald Princess or Norwegian Prima?
Norwegian Prima is bigger at 142,500 gross tons, against 112,847 gross tons for Emerald Princess. Emerald Princess carries 3,082 passengers and Norwegian Prima carries 3,215.
Which ship is newer, Emerald Princess or Norwegian Prima?
Norwegian Prima is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2022 against 2007 for Emerald Princess.
Which has more space per passenger?
Norwegian Prima, with 44.3 gross tons per passenger against 36.6 on Emerald Princess. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Norwegian Prima, with one crew member for every 2.3 passengers against one for every 2.7 on Emerald Princess.
Which is better for families?
They score the same for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 8.0 out of 10.
Still deciding?
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