Diamond Princess|Ruby Princess

Diamond Princess vs Ruby Princess

Compare ship age, size, passenger capacity, itineraries and upcoming cruise prices.

Diamond Princess cruise ship
mstk east · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Diamond Princess

Princess Cruises

Check prices on CruiseDirect
VS

Newer Ship

Ruby Princess

Built in 2008

4 years newer

Lower Price Per Day

Ruby Princess

$100 / day

$64 less per day

More Spacious Ship

Diamond Princess

43.4 GT per guest

Gross tonnage divided by passenger capacity

Diamond Princess vs Ruby Princess: Quick Comparison

Ruby Princess is the newer ship in this comparison. Built in 2008, it is 4 years newer than Diamond Princess, which entered service in 2004. Diamond Princess is approximately 2% larger by gross tonnage at 115,906 GT. Ruby Princess also carries 410 more passengers. Diamond Princess has upcoming sailings in Japan, while Ruby Princess has sailings in Hawaii. Based on the upcoming cruises currently displayed, Ruby Princess has the lower average starting price per day. The sailings shown cover different itineraries, so the price per day figures are not a like-for-like comparison. Cruise fares vary significantly by itinerary, departure date and cabin availability, so any price difference should be treated as a snapshot rather than a permanent gap.

Ship Comparison

Specification comparison of Diamond Princess and Ruby Princess
SpecDiamond PrincessRuby Princess
Year Built20042008Newer
Gross Tonnage115,906 GT113,561 GT
Passenger Capacity2,6703,080
Space per Passenger43.4 GT36.9 GT
Length290 m288.59 m
Decks
Cabins

Key Differences: Diamond Princess vs Ruby Princess

Age

Ruby Princess was built in 2008, making it 4 years newer than Diamond Princess, which was built in 2004.

Size

At 115,906 GT, Diamond Princess is approximately 2% larger by gross tonnage than Ruby Princess at 113,561 GT.

Passenger capacity

Ruby Princess carries up to 3,080 passengers compared with 2,670 aboard Diamond Princess, a difference of 410 passengers.

Passenger space

Diamond Princess offers more space per passenger: 43.4 GT per guest, compared with 36.9 aboard Ruby Princess. A higher passenger space ratio generally means less crowding in public areas.

Itineraries

The upcoming sailings shown for Diamond Princess (Japan) and Ruby Princess (Hawaii) currently cover different regions or departure ports.

Price

Among the upcoming sailings currently displayed, Ruby Princess has the lower average starting price per day at $100 per day.

Compare Ports of Call

Diamond Princess

Japan Explorer

Departure Port
Tokyo
Region
Japan
Nights
9
Round Trip
Yes
  1. Day 1 · Oct 1, 2026Tokyo
  2. Day 2 · Oct 2, 2026Toba
  3. Day 3 · Oct 3, 2026Osaka
  4. Day 4 · Oct 4, 2026Kochi
  5. Day 5 · Oct 5, 2026Hiroshima
  6. Day 6 · Oct 6, 2026Kanmon Straits
  7. Day 7 · Oct 7, 2026Busan
  8. Day 8 · Oct 8, 2026Nagasaki
  9. Day 9 · Oct 9, 2026At Sea
  10. Day 10 · Oct 10, 2026Tokyo

Dates are estimates based on the published departure date.

Ruby Princess

Hawaiian Islands

Departure Port
San Francisco
Region
Hawaii
Nights
16
Round Trip
Yes
  1. Day 1 · Sep 17, 2026San Francisco
  2. Day 2 · Sep 18, 2026At Sea
  3. Day 3 · Sep 19, 2026At Sea
  4. Day 4 · Sep 20, 2026At Sea
  5. Day 5 · Sep 21, 2026At Sea
  6. Day 6 · Sep 22, 2026Kauai
  7. Day 7 · Sep 23, 2026Honolulu
  8. Day 8 · Sep 24, 2026Kona
  9. Day 9 · Sep 25, 2026Kahului
  10. Day 10 · Sep 26, 2026At Sea
  11. Day 11 · Sep 27, 2026At Sea
  12. Day 12 · Sep 28, 2026At Sea
  13. Day 13 · Sep 29, 2026At Sea
  14. Day 14 · Sep 30, 2026At Sea
  15. Day 15 · Oct 1, 2026Ensenada
  16. Day 16 · Oct 2, 2026At Sea
  17. Day 17 · Oct 3, 2026San Francisco

Dates are estimates based on the published departure date.

Upcoming Cruises & Prices

Diamond Princess

Ruby Princess

Prices shown are starting fares and may change.

Which Ship Is Cheaper?

Diamond Princess

Average

$164 / day

VS

Ruby Princess

Average

$100 / day

Ruby Princess has the lower price per day among the sailings shown

$100/day vs $164/day

About $64 less per day

This comparison is based on the upcoming sailings currently shown and may not represent like-for-like itineraries.

Cruise prices vary by departure date, itinerary, cabin type and availability.

Which Ship Should You Choose?

Choose Diamond Princess if…

  • You prefer the larger ship by gross tonnage.
  • You prefer the ship with the lower passenger capacity.
  • You value having more space per passenger (higher GT-per-guest ratio).
  • You want to sail in Japan.
  • Departing from Tokyo works for your plans.
  • You do not place as much importance on sailing on a newer ship than Ruby Princess.

Choose Ruby Princess if…

  • You prefer the newer ship.
  • You do not mind sailing on a ship with a higher passenger capacity.
  • You want to sail in Hawaii.
  • Departing from San Francisco works for your plans.
  • The lower price per day among the sailings currently shown matters to you.

Diamond Princess vs Ruby Princess: Final Comparison Summary

Newer

Ruby Princess

Built in 2008

4 years newer

Bigger

Diamond Princess

115,906 GT

2% larger by gross tonnage

Lower Price Per Day

Ruby Princess

$100 / day

About $64 less per day

  • Ruby Princess is 4 years newer.
  • Diamond Princess is 2% larger by gross tonnage.
  • Ruby Princess carries 410 more passengers.
  • Diamond Princess offers more space per passenger (43.4 GT per guest).

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is newer, Diamond Princess or Ruby Princess?

Ruby Princess is newer. It was built in 2008, while Diamond Princess was built in 2004, making Ruby Princess 4 years newer.

Which is bigger, Diamond Princess or Ruby Princess?

Diamond Princess is larger by gross tonnage. It measures approximately 115,906 GT compared with Ruby Princess at 113,561 GT.

Which ship carries more passengers?

Ruby Princess has a passenger capacity of approximately 3,080, compared with 2,670 for Diamond Princess.

Which ship is more spacious, Diamond Princess or Ruby Princess?

Diamond Princess has the higher passenger space ratio at 43.4 GT per passenger, versus 36.9 for Ruby Princess. The ratio is gross tonnage divided by passenger capacity; a higher number means more ship space per guest.

Which ship is cheaper, Diamond Princess or Ruby Princess?

Among the upcoming sailings currently displayed, Ruby Princess has the lower average starting price per day at $100 per day versus $164 per day. Fares vary by itinerary, departure date, cabin type and availability.

Where does Diamond Princess sail?

The upcoming Diamond Princess sailings currently listed cover Japan, departing from Tokyo.

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