Princess Cruises' popularity skyrocketed in part due to the "The Love Boat" sitcom that aired in the 1970s and 1980s. Today, the cruise line is known for its upscale ships and world-class itineraries, sailing to destinations like Asia, the South Pacific, Alaska, South America, and beyond.
Although not as well-known as some other cruise lines, Princess has built a strong reputation for above-average service, quality dining, and immersive programming.
However, did you know that Princess is actually owned by the world's largest cruise operator? That's right — while Princess' fleet comprises just 17 ships, they're actually part of a corporation with over 90 vessels operating worldwide.
In this article, we'll take a look at who owns Princess Cruises, along with the cruise line's backstory and future expansion plans.
Read more: 5 things I liked better about Princess than Carnival, after my first Princess cruise
Who owns Princess Cruises?
Princess Cruises is owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. That, however, wasn't always the case.
Princess Cruises was founded in 1965 by Stanley McDonald. Less than one decade later, in 1974, the cruise line was acquired by Britain's Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O). Following the acquisition, P&O's Spirit of London was transferred to Princess Cruises and renamed Sun Princess, becoming the first vessel to bear the popular name.
Then, in 2000, the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company established its cruise operations as an independent company called P&O Princess Cruises. Three years later, the company finally merged with Carnival, forming the world's largest cruise operating company. Supposedly, the deal was worth around $5.4 billion, which is equivalent to $9.54 billion today.
The Carnival company then adopted "Corporation & plc" as part of its official name, with "corporation" signifying its status as a publicly traded company in the United States, and "plc" indicating that it's a publicly listed company in the UK.
P&O Princess Cruises brought multiple cruise lines under the Carnival umbrella, including P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, AIDA, and P&O Australia — though the latter was shut down in 2025.
Carnival Corporation & plc is the same parent company that owns Carnival Cruise Line. However, that doesn't mean that Princess is owned by Carnival. Rather, Princess Cruises operates as a distinct brand within the Carnival Corporation & plc portfolio.
The CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc is Josh Weinstein, while Gus Antorcha is the President of Princess Cruises. He assumed the role in December 2024 and was previously the President of Holland America Line, another brand operated by Carnival Corporation & plc.
Read more: I spent 8 days on one of Princess Cruises’ newest mega-ships
Princess Cruises ships
Princess operates a modest fleet of just 17 ships, ranging from the Grand Princess (1998) to the recently-launched Star Princess (2025).
The smallest vessels in Princess's fleet are the Coral Class ships: Coral Princess and Island Princess. Both measure around 91,600 gross tons. Comparatively, the biggest Princess cruise ship is Star Princess, which comes in at 175,500 gross tons with a passenger capacity of around 4,300.
Sun Princess is roughly the same size as Star Princess, weighing in at around 175,500 gross tons. Like Star Princess, the Sphere Class vessel can accommodate thousands of passengers and features the most impressive lineup of dining and entertainment options in the fleet, including the cruise line's first-ever hibachi specialty restaurant and immersive dome venue.
Unlike Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises does not have any ship orders for newbuilds. This means that the fleet is not expected to grow for the foreseeable future.
Princess cruise ships by age
- Star Princess (2025)
- Sun Princess (2024)
- Discovery Princess (2022)
- Enchanted Princess (2021)
- Sky Princess (2019)
- Majestic Princess (2017)
- Regal Princess (2014)
- Royal Princess (2013)
- Ruby Princess (2008)
- Emerald Princess (2007)
- Crown Princess (2006)
- Sapphire Princess (2004)
- Caribbean Princess (2004)
- Diamond Princess (2004)
- Island Princess (2003)
- Coral Princess (2003)
- Grand Princess (1998)
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
