Diamond Princess|Star Princess

Diamond Princess vs Star 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

Diamond Princess

Built in 2004

2 years newer

Lower Price Per Day

Star Princess

$101 / day

$63 less per day

More Spacious Ship

Diamond Princess

43.4 GT per guest

Gross tonnage divided by passenger capacity

Diamond Princess vs Star Princess: Quick Comparison

Diamond Princess is the newer ship in this comparison. Built in 2004, it is 2 years newer than Star Princess, which entered service in 2002. Diamond Princess is approximately 6% larger by gross tonnage at 115,906 GT. Diamond Princess also carries 70 more passengers. Diamond Princess has upcoming sailings in Japan, while Star Princess has sailings in California Coast and Panama Canal. Based on the upcoming cruises currently displayed, Star 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 Star Princess
SpecDiamond PrincessStar Princess
Year Built2004Newer2002
Gross Tonnage115,906 GT108,977 GT
Passenger Capacity2,6702,600
Space per Passenger43.4 GT41.9 GT
Length290 m289.51 m
Decks
Cabins

Key Differences: Diamond Princess vs Star Princess

Age

Diamond Princess was built in 2004, making it 2 years newer than Star Princess, which was built in 2002.

Size

At 115,906 GT, Diamond Princess is approximately 6% larger by gross tonnage than Star Princess at 108,977 GT.

Passenger capacity

Diamond Princess carries up to 2,670 passengers compared with 2,600 aboard Star Princess, a difference of 70 passengers.

Passenger space

Diamond Princess offers more space per passenger: 43.4 GT per guest, compared with 41.9 aboard Star Princess. A higher passenger space ratio generally means less crowding in public areas.

Itineraries

The upcoming sailings shown for Diamond Princess (Japan) and Star Princess (California Coast and Panama Canal) currently cover different regions or departure ports.

Price

Among the upcoming sailings currently displayed, Star Princess has the lower average starting price per day at $101 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.

Star Princess

Pacific Wine Country

Departure Port
Vancouver
Region
California Coast
Nights
7
Round Trip
No
  1. Day 1 · Sep 27, 2026Vancouver
  2. Day 2 · Sep 28, 2026Vancouver
  3. Day 3 · Sep 29, 2026Victoria
  4. Day 4 · Sep 30, 2026At Sea
  5. Day 5 · Oct 1, 2026At Sea
  6. Day 6 · Oct 2, 2026San Francisco
  7. Day 7 · Oct 3, 2026San Francisco
  8. Day 8 · Oct 4, 2026At Sea
  9. Day 9 · Oct 5, 2026Los Angeles

Dates are estimates based on the published departure date.

Upcoming Cruises & Prices

Diamond Princess

Star Princess

Prices shown are starting fares and may change.

Which Ship Is Cheaper?

Diamond Princess

Average

$164 / day

VS

Star Princess

Average

$101 / day

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

$101/day vs $164/day

About $63 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 newer ship.
  • You prefer the larger ship by gross tonnage.
  • You do not mind sailing on a ship with a higher 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.

Choose Star Princess if…

  • You prefer the ship with the lower passenger capacity.
  • You want to sail in California Coast and Panama Canal.
  • Departing from Vancouver works for your plans.
  • The lower price per day among the sailings currently shown matters to you.
  • You do not place as much importance on sailing on a newer ship than Diamond Princess.

Diamond Princess vs Star Princess: Final Comparison Summary

Newer

Diamond Princess

Built in 2004

2 years newer

Bigger

Diamond Princess

115,906 GT

6% larger by gross tonnage

Lower Price Per Day

Star Princess

$101 / day

About $63 less per day

  • Diamond Princess is 2 years newer.
  • Diamond Princess is 6% larger by gross tonnage.
  • Diamond Princess carries 70 more passengers.
  • Diamond Princess offers more space per passenger (43.4 GT per guest).

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is newer, Diamond Princess or Star Princess?

Diamond Princess is newer. It was built in 2004, while Star Princess was built in 2002, making Diamond Princess 2 years newer.

Which is bigger, Diamond Princess or Star Princess?

Diamond Princess is larger by gross tonnage. It measures approximately 115,906 GT compared with Star Princess at 108,977 GT.

Which ship carries more passengers?

Diamond Princess has a passenger capacity of approximately 2,670, compared with 2,600 for Star Princess.

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

Diamond Princess has the higher passenger space ratio at 43.4 GT per passenger, versus 41.9 for Star 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 Star Princess?

Among the upcoming sailings currently displayed, Star Princess has the lower average starting price per day at $101 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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