Princess Cruises vs Saga Ocean Cruises

The core difference

Princess Cruises and Saga Ocean Cruises both carry strong brand recognition in their respective markets, but they occupy entirely different segments of the cruise industry. Comparing them is less about weighing similar products and more about understanding two fundamentally different approaches to premium cruising.

Princess is a global premium line within the Carnival Corporation portfolio, operating 17 ships across multiple classes. The fleet spans from the 77,000-tonne Pacific Princess to the 175,500-tonne Sphere-class Sun Princess — named Travel + Leisure’s number one mega-ship in both 2024 and 2025. Princess pioneered MedallionClass technology, which uses a wearable Ocean Medallion for touchless cabin access, onboard purchases, location-based services, and personalised recommendations. The line welcomes all ages, operates extensive Alaska and Australia/New Zealand programmes, and runs one of the cruise industry’s most successful loyalty programmes in the Captain’s Circle. Princess has sailed Alaska since 1969 and operates exclusive Denali Wilderness Lodges for combined cruise-and-land packages.

Saga Ocean Cruises is a British boutique line operating two purpose-built ships — Spirit of Discovery (2019) and Spirit of Adventure (2021) — exclusively for travellers aged 50 and over. At 58,250 gross tonnes carrying approximately 1,000 guests each, these are intimate, modern vessels where every cabin has a private balcony and roughly 20 per cent of accommodation is dedicated to solo travellers at no single supplement. Saga sails from UK ports to the Mediterranean, Norwegian Fjords, Canary Islands, and Caribbean. The all-inclusive package from 2026 covers all dining, house drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, shore excursions, and chauffeur service from your front door.

The core difference extends beyond scale and geography. Princess is a technology-forward, family-friendly, globally deployed line that serves the broadest possible market. Saga is a demographically restricted, all-inclusive, UK-only boutique operation that serves a narrow but deeply loyal audience. For Australian travellers, Princess’s local deployment and infrastructure make it the practical choice in almost every scenario.

What is actually included

The inclusions comparison reveals very different pricing philosophies and approaches to bundling.

Saga includes in every fare from 2026: all dining venues without surcharges; house wines, beers, and spirits; 24-hour room service; Wi-Fi; gratuities; a shore excursion at every port; and chauffeur service from home to the ship and back. This is one of the most comprehensive all-inclusive packages in the premium segment.

Saga does not include: premium wines and champagnes beyond the house selection; spa treatments; premium excursion upgrades; and flights for non-UK-based travellers.

Princess’s base fare includes: stateroom accommodation; main dining room, buffet, and casual dining venue meals; basic entertainment; pool and fitness centre access; and MedallionClass technology features.

Princess Plus adds (at approximately US$60 per person per day): a Plus Beverage Package covering drinks up to US$15, basic Wi-Fi, crew appreciation (gratuities) included, and two premium desserts per cruise. This is the package most travellers will consider.

Princess Premier adds (at approximately US$80 per person per day): a Premier Beverage Package, premium Wi-Fi with streaming, crew appreciation included, unlimited speciality dining, photo package, and a MedallionNet device connection. This is Princess’s most comprehensive bundle.

Even Princess Premier — the most inclusive tier — does not include shore excursions or transfers. Saga’s inclusion of excursions at every port and chauffeur service from home pushes its all-inclusive proposition beyond what Princess offers at any fare level. The practical difference for travellers who want everything included is significant: Saga delivers a genuinely all-in price, while Princess requires careful selection between fare tiers and still leaves excursions and transfers as out-of-pocket costs.

Dining and culinary experience

Both lines serve quality food for their respective markets, but the culinary ambition and pricing approach differ.

Saga’s dining is entirely included. Spirit of Adventure features Khukuri House Nepalese restaurant, Amalfi Italian fine dining, and the Supper Club live entertainment dining. Spirit of Discovery offers La Vie en Rose with Phil Vickery menus, East to West fusion, and Coast to Coast seafood. Both ships have a main dining room, buffet, room service, and afternoon tea. Every venue is included without surcharges. The food is well-prepared, ingredient-focused cooking that consistently exceeds expectations for a two-ship fleet.

Princess’s dining programme centres on the main dining rooms with traditional and anytime dining options. The World Fresh Marketplace buffet and casual venues like Alfredo’s Pizzeria, the International Cafe pastry and coffee bar, and Gigi’s are included. Speciality dining carries surcharges: Crown Grill steakhouse (approximately US$39); Sabatini’s Italian (approximately US$29); and the Chef’s Table Lumiere multi-course experience (approximately US$115). On the Sphere-class Sun Princess, the dining count reaches over 20 venues. Princess’s main dining room food is competent and consistent, though it is not typically cited as a highlight.

The comparison turns on volume versus inclusion. Princess offers more venues — particularly on larger ships — with greater variety and the occasional genuinely special experience at the Chef’s Table. Saga offers fewer venues but includes everything without a signing pen in sight. A couple on a 7-night Princess cruise who dines at Crown Grill and Sabatini’s will add approximately US$140 before gratuities (unless on Princess Premier). On Saga, every restaurant is included every night.

Suites and accommodation

The accommodation philosophies reflect different fleet strategies — Princess offers everything from budget interiors to premium suites on mega-ships, while Saga offers a single quality tier on intimate vessels.

Princess’s stateroom range is extensive. Interior cabins start from approximately 158-166 square feet. Oceanview cabins offer similar footprints with a window. Balcony cabins — the line’s most popular category — run approximately 179-222 square feet including balcony. Mini-Suites add a sitting area at approximately 300-365 square feet. Full Suites range from approximately 468 to over 1,000 square feet with separate living areas, walk-in wardrobes, and whirlpool tubs. On Sun Princess, the new Reserve Collection creates a ship-within-a-ship experience for suite guests with a private restaurant, lounge, and sundeck.

Saga’s cabin range is simpler but every cabin has a private balcony. Standard balcony cabins start at approximately 215 square feet plus balcony. Superior and deluxe categories offer larger spaces. Suites include separate living areas and premium finishes. The standout is Saga’s solo cabin inventory: over 100 dedicated sole-occupancy rooms per ship at no single supplement, spanning multiple categories including balcony cabins.

Princess provides wider variety from budget to premium, with the Reserve Collection on Sun Princess approaching a luxury-tier ship-within-a-ship concept. Saga provides consistency — every guest gets a balcony and the full all-inclusive package. Princess’s inside cabins start significantly cheaper; Saga’s all-inclusive balcony cabin eliminates the add-on costs that inflate Princess’s lower-tier bookings.

Pricing and value

The headline price difference between these two lines requires context about inclusions and total cost.

Saga’s directional pricing for a 7-night Mediterranean cruise (standard balcony, per person): approximately GBP 200-$350 per night. This includes the balcony cabin, all dining, house drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, excursions, and chauffeur transfers.

Princess’s directional pricing for a 7-night Mediterranean cruise (balcony cabin, per person): approximately US$150-$300 per night for the base fare. Add Princess Plus at US$60 per day or Princess Premier at US$80 per day. Add shore excursions at US$60-$180 per port. The total for a balcony cabin with Plus package and excursions reaches approximately US$300-$500 per night.

At the like-for-like level with comparable inclusions, the gap between the two lines narrows. Where Princess retains a clear advantage is at the budget end — an interior cabin on the base fare at $100-$150 per night has no Saga equivalent. Princess also offers substantially more itinerary choice, ship variety, and global deployment.

For Australian travellers, the cost equation favours Princess decisively. Princess deploys ships from Sydney with AUD pricing. Saga requires AU$2,000-$4,000 per person in airfares to reach UK ports. The total holiday cost for an Australian sailing Saga is substantially higher than the cruise fare suggests, while Princess offers a genuine leave-from-home option.

Spa and wellness

Both lines offer spa facilities proportionate to their ships, though neither makes wellness a headline differentiator.

Princess’s Lotus Spa operates across the fleet with treatment rooms, a salon, a thermal suite, and a fitness centre. The thermal suite — featuring heated ceramic loungers, a steam room, and a hydrotherapy pool — requires a paid pass. The fitness centre and most group classes are complimentary. On the newest ships, the Lotus Spa facilities are expanded with more treatment rooms and contemporary design. Spa treatments include massage, facial, body, and salon services at standard cruise industry pricing.

Saga’s spa is intimate, in-house-operated, and proportionate to the 1,000-guest ship size. Treatment rooms, a salon, fitness centre, and thermal facilities are available. Fitness classes are complimentary. The smaller ship means spa facilities rarely feel crowded.

Neither line positions spa as a primary selling point. Both deliver competent wellness experiences. Princess’s larger ships offer more extensive facilities; Saga’s smaller ships offer a quieter, more accessible spa environment. For dedicated spa travellers, neither line is the leading recommendation in their respective categories.

Entertainment and enrichment

The entertainment gap between these two lines is substantial, reflecting their different scales and demographics.

Princess delivers mainstream cruise entertainment on a large scale. The Princess Theatre hosts Broadway-style productions, comedy shows, and musical performances. Movies Under the Stars screens feature films on a poolside LED screen — a Princess innovation that has become an industry standard. Princess Live! is an interactive entertainment venue hosting game shows, trivia, live music, and comedy. The Vista Show Lounge offers cabaret and variety acts. MedallionClass technology powers interactive games and personalised entertainment recommendations. On the Sphere-class Sun Princess, the Piazza is a three-deck atrium that hosts live music, performances, and social events — the ship’s social heart. Princess also operates a casino on every ship and runs Camp Discovery youth programmes for children aged 3 to 17.

Saga’s entertainment is intimate and culturally focused. The main theatre hosts cabaret, musical performances, comedy, and guest speakers. Enrichment lectures cover history, wildlife, and destination-specific topics. Art tours with the onboard curator showcase the 1,000-plus pieces of original British artwork. The Supper Club on Spirit of Adventure combines dining with live entertainment. There is no casino, no outdoor cinema, no children’s programmes, and no technology-driven interactive entertainment.

Princess offers vastly more entertainment volume and variety. Saga offers a curated programme for an older, culturally engaged audience. The distinction is quantitative rather than qualitative — Saga’s entertainment is good for what it is, it simply operates on a completely different scale. For travellers who want options after dinner, Princess delivers in a way Saga deliberately does not.

Fleet and destination coverage

The fleet comparison illustrates the widest gap in scale between these two lines.

Princess operates 17 ships ranging from 77,000 to 175,500 gross tonnes. The Sphere-class Sun Princess (2024) and Star Princess (2025) are the newest — Travel + Leisure’s top-ranked mega-ships. The Royal-class ships (Royal Princess, Regal Princess, Majestic Princess, Enchanted Princess, and Discovery Princess) form the fleet’s backbone. The Grand-class ships serve specific deployment needs. Princess sails globally: the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Alaska (the line’s premier seasonal programme with exclusive Denali lodge access), Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Caribbean, South Pacific, Hawaii, and annual world cruises. The Alaska programme is among the most comprehensive in the cruise industry, with over 25 years of Denali Wilderness Lodge operations and extensive shore excursion partnerships.

Saga operates two ships from UK ports. Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure are modern, purpose-built vessels serving the Mediterranean, Norwegian Fjords, Canary Islands, Caribbean, British Isles, and Iceland. The fleet provides limited itinerary choice compared to Princess’s 17-ship global deployment.

For Australian travellers, Princess’s deployment is directly relevant. Multiple Princess ships sail Australian waters each summer with itineraries covering Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. Majestic Princess has been a regular fixture in Sydney. Princess’s Alaska programme is one of the most popular products sold to Australian consumers. Saga has no Australian relevance beyond the possibility of a future world cruise port call.

Where each line excels

Princess excels in:

• MedallionClass technology. The Ocean Medallion wearable delivers contactless cabin access, onboard ordering, location services, and personalisation that Saga has no equivalent to.
• Alaska specialism. Operating since 1969 with exclusive Denali Wilderness Lodges, Princess is the definitive premium Alaska cruise line.
• Australian deployment. Multiple ships in Sydney each summer with AUD pricing and a well-established Australian sales infrastructure.
• Family travel. Camp Discovery youth programmes, family suites, and no age restrictions make Princess the only choice for families.
• Fleet scale and itinerary choice. Seventeen ships across every major ocean provide breadth that Saga’s two-ship fleet cannot approach.
• Ship-within-a-ship. The Reserve Collection on Sun Princess creates a premium tier with private restaurant, lounge, and sundeck.

Saga excels in:

• All-inclusive comprehensiveness. From 2026, every fare includes all dining, house drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, shore excursions, and chauffeur transfers. No other premium line matches this scope.
• Solo traveller infrastructure. Over 100 dedicated sole-occupancy cabins per ship at no single supplement.
• Demographic consistency. The 50-plus-only policy guarantees a mature, like-minded passenger base.
• Chauffeur service. Door-to-door transfers from anywhere in mainland Britain.
• Intimate ship size. Approximately 1,000 guests versus Princess’s 2,000-4,300 creates notably calmer, more personal ships.
• Modern purpose-built vessels. Both ships were built in 2019 and 2021 — newer than most of Princess’s fleet.

Standout itineraries for Australian travellers

Princess

7-Night Alaska Inside Passage with Glacier Bay (multiple departures, roundtrip Seattle). Princess’s signature programme with Glacier Bay permits, Juneau whale watching, and optional Denali lodge extensions. The most comprehensive premium Alaska product available to Australian travellers.

12-Night New Zealand (roundtrip Sydney, Majestic Princess). Fiordland, Dunedin, Akaroa, Wellington, Tauranga, and Auckland. MedallionClass technology and Movies Under the Stars under the Southern Cross. Readily bookable from Australian ports.

106-Night World Cruise (Princess, annual departure). A full circumnavigation with sector booking available. Australian travellers can join or depart at Australian ports.

14-Night Japan and Korea (roundtrip Tokyo or sector options). Cultural immersion across Japanese ports with Princess’s well-established Asia programme. Accessible from Australia via direct flights.

Saga

14-Night Mediterranean Treasures (Spirit of Discovery, ex-Southampton). All dining, drinks, excursions, and chauffeur service included. For Australian travellers in the UK, this represents outstanding total-package value.

7-Night Norwegian Fjords (Spirit of Adventure, ex-Dover or Southampton). An intimate 1,000-guest ship through spectacular scenery with everything included.

Extended Caribbean Voyage (Spirit of Discovery, winter, 28-35 nights from Southampton). No-fly from the UK to the Caribbean with the full all-inclusive package. Exceptional value for the duration.

Ship-by-ship recommendations

Princess

Sun Princess — The Sphere-class flagship, Travel + Leisure’s number one mega-ship for two consecutive years. The most ambitious ship in the fleet with over 20 dining venues, the Reserve Collection ship-within-a-ship, and Princess’s most extensive entertainment programme. If comparing Princess to any line, Sun Princess represents the brand at its best.

Majestic Princess — The regular Australian deployment ship. If you want to sail Princess from Sydney without flying internationally, Majestic Princess is the ship. Solid Royal-class product with MedallionClass technology.

Discovery Princess — The newest Royal-class ship (2022) with the most refined version of that class’s design. Primarily deployed to Alaska and the West Coast — an excellent choice for Australian travellers adding a Princess Alaska cruise to a North American holiday.

Saga

Spirit of Adventure — The newer ship (2021) with Khukuri House Nepalese restaurant and the Supper Club. Marginally more adventurous dining programme.

Spirit of Discovery — The original (2019) with La Vie en Rose featuring Phil Vickery menus. Choose based on itinerary rather than ship — the quality difference is negligible.

For Australian travellers specifically

The Australian relevance of these two lines is dramatically different.

Princess has a strong and established Australian presence. Multiple ships deploy to Sydney each summer with extensive Australia, New Zealand, and South Pacific programmes. The dedicated Australian website (princess.com/au) prices in AUD. Princess is one of the most recognised cruise brands in Australia, benefiting from decades of local deployment and marketing. The Captain’s Circle loyalty programme rewards repeat bookings. Princess’s Alaska programme is among the most popular cruise products sold by Australian travel agencies. MedallionClass technology is fully supported for Australian bookings. The line offers fly-cruise packages and booking flexibility tailored to the Australian market.

Saga has no Australian presence. There is no Australian deployment, no Australian website, no AUD pricing, and no promotional programme targeting Australian travellers. All sailings depart from UK ports. Australian travellers must fly to the United Kingdom — adding AU$2,000-$4,000 per person in airfares — and must be aged 50 or over. The chauffeur service operates only within mainland Britain.

For Australian travellers considering these two lines, the practical answer is clear. Princess is the accessible, well-supported choice with ships in your home waters and pricing in your currency. Saga is relevant only if you are over 50, already planning a UK trip, and want to add an all-inclusive cruise from a British port. In that specific scenario, Saga’s comprehensive inclusions make it well worth considering. In every other scenario, Princess is the more practical and versatile option.

The onboard atmosphere

The atmospheric difference between these two lines reflects their fundamentally different markets and demographics.

Princess’s atmosphere is relaxed, friendly, and broadly appealing. The ships feel like contemporary resorts — well-designed public spaces, multiple dining options, and a range of activities that cater to couples, families, and solo travellers. MedallionClass technology creates a seamless experience where the ship anticipates your preferences. The passenger demographic is broad — couples in their 50s to 70s form the core, with families during school holidays and younger couples on shorter sailings. Movies Under the Stars under the night sky has become a Princess ritual. The pace is unhurried but never quiet — there is always something happening for those who want it, and plenty of space for those who do not.

Saga’s atmosphere is warm, communal, and distinctly British. The 50-plus-only policy creates a homogeneous passenger base that shares life experience, cultural references, and social expectations. Solo travellers are genuinely integrated into the social fabric. The crew know guests by name. Over 1,000 pieces of original British artwork create a gallery-like quality. The evening entertainment winds down earlier than on Princess. The community feel — people remember you, seek you out for dinner, save you a seat at the lecture — is Saga’s most distinctive quality and the reason for its reportedly industry-leading repeat passenger rate.

The distinction is between breadth and depth. Princess accommodates many types of traveller across a wide range of moods and activities. Saga creates a single, specific atmosphere for a defined audience. Both succeed at what they attempt. The right choice depends on whether you want a ship that offers everything or a ship that offers exactly the right thing for you.

The bottom line

Princess Cruises and Saga Ocean Cruises are both excellent lines that happen to serve almost entirely different markets. Choosing between them requires knowing who you are more than what you want.

Choose Princess if you are an Australian traveller of any age who wants a globally deployed premium line with ships in your home waters. Choose it for MedallionClass technology, Alaska with Denali lodge access, the Sphere-class Sun Princess experience, and family-friendly sailing. Choose it for AUD pricing, Australian departures, and a well-established loyalty programme. Accept that drinks, speciality dining, and excursions cost extra on the base fare, that the largest ships carry over 4,000 guests, and that the fleet experience varies between ship classes.

Choose Saga if you are a traveller aged 50 or over who values the most comprehensive all-inclusive package in the premium segment. Choose it for the chauffeur service, included excursions, included drinks and dining, and over 100 dedicated solo cabins at no supplement. Choose it for the intimate community atmosphere on modern 1,000-guest ships. Accept that you must be over 50 to sail, that all departures are from UK ports, that there is no Australian deployment, and that a two-ship fleet limits itinerary choice.

For most Australian travellers, Princess is the relevant, accessible, and well-supported choice. Saga is a gem for those who qualify and find themselves in the right place at the right time. Both lines have earned their loyal followings — they simply serve different people on different sides of the world.