Princess Cruises
Emerald Princess
- Cruises
- 69
- From
- $374
Ship comparison
Emerald Princess vs Norwegian Viva
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Viva
- Cruises
- 40
- From
- $371
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Emerald Princess is a large Princess Cruises ship carrying 3,082 passengers, in service since 2007. Norwegian Viva is a large Norwegian Cruise Line ship carrying 3,223 passengers, in service since 2023.
Choose Emerald Princess if you want better-rated entertainment, more culture or a better-rated spa and gym: it outscores Norwegian Viva for entertainment (8.0 vs 6.0), cultural (8.0 vs 6.0) and spa & fitness (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Norwegian Viva if you want a newer ship, more of a party or more crew per passenger: it outscores Emerald Princess for party (7.0 vs 5.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores, its maiden voyage was in 2023 (vs 2007) and it has a crew member for every 2.1 passengers (vs 2.7).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Emerald Princess | Norwegian Viva | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Princess Cruises | Norwegian Cruise Line |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2007 | 2023 (better) |
| Gross tonnage | 112,847 | 142,500 |
| Passengers | 3,082 | 3,223 |
| Crew | 1,143 | 1,506 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.7 | 2.1 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 36.6 | 44.2 (better) |
| Decks | 15 | 20 |
| Length | 952 ft | 965 ft |
| Beam | 118 ft | 133 ft |
| Speed | 25 mph | 26 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 (better) | 7 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 69 | 40 |
| Upcoming sailings | 125 | 115 |
| Cruise lengths | 4–20 nights | 3–17 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $374 | $371 (better) |
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 Viva on 3, with 4 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
69 cruises on sale, from $374.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Viva
The 3,223-passenger Norwegian Viva debuted in July 2023 and sails the Greek Isles and Mediterranean in spring to fall and Caribbean itineraries in winter.
Sailing now
40 cruises on sale, from $371.
Questions
Emerald Princess or Norwegian Viva?
Which is bigger, Emerald Princess or Norwegian Viva?
Norwegian Viva is bigger at 142,500 gross tons, against 112,847 gross tons for Emerald Princess. Emerald Princess carries 3,082 passengers and Norwegian Viva carries 3,223.
Which ship is newer, Emerald Princess or Norwegian Viva?
Norwegian Viva is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2023 against 2007 for Emerald Princess.
Which has more space per passenger?
Norwegian Viva, with 44.2 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 Viva, with one crew member for every 2.1 passengers against one for every 2.7 on Emerald Princess.
Which is better for families?
Norwegian Viva scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 9.0 out of 10, against 8.0 for Emerald Princess.
Still deciding?
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