Royal Caribbean
Independence of the Seas
- Cruises
- 45
- From
- $363
Ship comparison
Independence of the Seas vs Regal Princess
Princess Cruises
Regal Princess
- Cruises
- 130
- From
- $514
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Independence of the Seas is a large Royal Caribbean ship carrying 3,634 passengers, in service since 2008. Regal Princess is a large Princess Cruises ship carrying 3,560 passengers, in service since 2014.
Choose Independence of the Seas if you want better-rated dining, a more active cruise or a lower starting fare: it outscores Regal Princess for dining (6.0 vs 1.0) and active (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its cruises start from $363 (vs $514).
Choose Regal Princess if you want a more romantic trip, better-rated staterooms or more culture: it outscores Independence of the Seas for romantic (8.0 vs 4.0), staterooms (10.0 vs 8.0) and cultural (8.0 vs 6.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Independence of the Seas | Regal Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Royal Caribbean | Princess Cruises |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2008 | 2014 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2018 (better) | 2017 |
| Gross tonnage | 160,000 | 142,188 |
| Passengers | 3,634 | 3,560 |
| Crew | 1,360 | 1,346 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.7 | 2.6 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 44.0 (better) | 39.9 |
| Decks | 18 | 19 |
| Length | 1,112 ft | 1,082 ft |
| Beam | 184 ft | 126 ft |
| Speed | 26 mph | 25 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | 9 / 10 (better) |
| Cruises on sale | 45 | 130 |
| Upcoming sailings | 75 | 196 |
| Cruise lengths | 4 to 9 nights | 6 to 64 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $363 (better) | $514 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Independence of the Seas leads on 5 of the ten, Regal Princess on 4, with 1 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Royal Caribbean
Independence of the Seas
Meet Independence of the Seas, packed with a long list of onboard activities typical of Royal Caribbean's Freedom class of ships. Highlights include the FlowRider surf simulator, a rock-climbing wall, ice-skating rink, cantilevered whirlpools, Royal Promenade, mini golf course, and more.
Highlights
- Relaxing spa treatments at Vitality Spa
- Four pools in adults-only Solarium
- 30 types of cupcakes from the Cupcake Cupboard
- Broadway-style entertainment in the Main Theater
Sailing now
45 cruises on sale, from $363.
About Independence of the Seas Plan my cruise on Independence of the Seas
Princess Cruises
Regal Princess
Princess Cruise Line's Regal Princess, home to 3,600 passengers at a time, has quite a few innovations and signature features. A sister ship to Royal Princess, its highlights include an even larger and expanded atrium and piazza with additional entertainment and casual dining options.
Highlights
- Fort Lauderdale, Berlin, St. Petersburg, Copenhagen and New York City are a few of the ports of call.
- Regal Princess features a larger screen for outdoor movies under the stars.
- At night, the top deck pools transform into an interactive sound and light show accompanied by dancing fountains that shoot water up to 33 feet into the night sky.
- Highlights include 75 martini options and dueling entertainers on glass pianos.
Sailing now
130 cruises on sale, from $514.
Questions
Independence of the Seas or Regal Princess?
Which is bigger, Independence of the Seas or Regal Princess?
Independence of the Seas is bigger at 160,000 gross tons, against 142,188 gross tons for Regal Princess. Independence of the Seas carries 3,634 passengers and Regal Princess carries 3,560.
Which ship is newer, Independence of the Seas or Regal Princess?
Regal Princess is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2014 against 2008 for Independence of the Seas.
Which has more space per passenger?
Independence of the Seas, with 44.0 gross tons per passenger against 39.9 on Regal Princess. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Regal Princess, with one crew member for every 2.6 passengers against one for every 2.7 on Independence of the Seas.
Which is better for families?
Independence of the Seas scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 6.5 out of 10, against 6.0 for Regal Princess.
Still deciding?
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