Base Fare and What Is Included
Celebrity Beyond starts at $899 per person for an Infinite Veranda stateroom with Always Included pricing. That fare bundles Classic drinks (cocktails, wine, beer, specialty coffee), basic WiFi, and $18-per-day gratuities. Sun Princess starts at $799 per person for a balcony stateroom at the base fare (no bundle). Adding Princess Plus at $65 per day brings the effective price to $1,254 per person for 7 nights.
Apples to apples with drinks, WiFi, and gratuities included: Celebrity costs $899 per person while Princess Plus costs $1,254 per person for 7 nights. But wait: Celebrity's base fare already includes those bundles, so the $899 is the all-in comparison point. Princess's $799 base plus $455 in Princess Plus equals $1,254. Celebrity is cheaper by $355 per person, or $710 per couple. This surprised us.
Drink Quality and WiFi Speed
Celebrity's Always Included drinks cover a Classic selection of spirits, cocktails, wines by the glass, and specialty coffees. The Elevate upgrade at $89.99 per day adds premium spirits and better wines. Princess Plus includes the Premier Beverage Package which covers a wider selection at the base tier than Celebrity's Classic, including some premium options.
For drink quality at the included level, Princess Plus arguably offers a slightly better selection than Celebrity's Classic tier. But Celebrity's Elevate tier at $89.99 per day surpasses both. WiFi comparison: Celebrity's basic WiFi is browsing-speed with no streaming. Princess Plus WiFi supports browsing on one device. For streaming and multi-device, both lines charge $15 to $30 per day extra. This category is essentially a tie.
Dining, Entertainment, and Ship Quality
Celebrity's included dining is widely considered the best in the premium tier. The main restaurant serves cuisine that would earn compliments at a good land-based restaurant, and the Oceanview Cafe buffet offers variety and quality above the norm. Specialty restaurants (Le Petit Chef, Fine Cut, Raw on 5) cost $35 to $75 per person.
Princess's dining is excellent but a half-step behind Celebrity in execution and presentation. The Crown Grill steakhouse and Sabatini's Italian are well-regarded specialty options at $40 to $65 per person. Princess Premier includes two specialty dinners while Celebrity requires separate payment for all specialty venues. For entertainment, both lines offer Broadway-caliber shows, but Celebrity's programming tends to be more contemporary and edgy while Princess leans traditional.
The Total Cost Verdict
For two adults on a 7-night premium cruise with bundled drinks, WiFi, and gratuities: Celebrity Always Included costs $3,200 to $4,200. Princess Plus costs $3,400 to $4,600. Celebrity is $200 to $400 cheaper for equivalent bundled experiences, which is counterintuitive given Celebrity's reputation as the more premium line.
Princess Premier narrows the gap by adding specialty dining and photos, which Celebrity charges extra for. With Premier, Princess costs $3,900 to $5,100, still slightly more than Celebrity's Always Included plus two specialty dinners ($3,600 to $4,800). The bottom line: Celebrity offers better value at the standard bundle tier, while Princess Premier is competitive for travelers who want the most inclusive experience possible.
Choose Celebrity for superior dining quality, modern ship design, and a slightly younger demographic. Choose Princess for the MedallionClass technology, the Premier all-inclusive tier, and a more traditional cruise atmosphere. Both are excellent premium lines. Use CruiseKit's True Cost Calculator to compare both with your specific dates, cabin type, and must-have add-ons.