rooms on princess cruises

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Royal Princess cabins and suites

Royal princess staterooms review, floor plans, photos.

Royal Princess cabins and suites review at CruiseMapper provides detailed information on cruise accommodations , including floor plans, photos, room types and categories, cabin sizes, furniture details and included by Princess Cruises en-suite amenities and services.

The Royal Princess cruise ship cabins page is conveniently interlinked with its deck plans showing deck layouts combined with a legend and review of all onboard venues.

Balcony Suite

Layout (floor plan).

Standard Suite cabins offer the following amenities and complimentary services:

• private (step-out) balcony furnished with 2 loungers, 4 chairs, 1 small table, 1 ottoman chair
• en-suite bathroom (hottub, massage shower head, hairdryer, upgraded bath amenities)
• veranda access from the lounge area via 2 floor-ceiling sliding glass doors
• separate sitting / lounge area with double sofabed and 2 coffee tables
• mirrored vanity / writing table with chair
• complimentary glass of Champagne (embarkation day welcome amenity)
• 24-hour room service (complimentary)
• luxury mattress topper and pillows
• 2x flat TVs
• 1 queen or 2 twin beds
• mini-fridge, direct-dial phone, complimentary mini-bar, free bottled water (supplied daily)
• premium bedding (100% Egyptian cotton, high-thread count linens, duvets), bedside cabinets with lamps
• spacious walk-in wardrobe (electronic safe in the closet)

Upgraded Suite cabin amenities and services include:

• "Princess Luxury Bed" includes a custom-made premium mattress and bed springs, plus a plush pillow-top (2-inch / 1,6 cm).
• priority services (embarkation, tendering, disembarkation, specialty restaurant reservations, shore excursion reservations)
• in-cabin dining (evening canapes / available upon request)
• premium quality terry shawl bathrobes
• (complimentary amenities) Lotus Spa Thermal Suite access, laundry and professional cleaning, specialty restaurant dinner (embarkation day only, on 6+ days long cruises)

Standard Mini Suite cabins offer the following amenities and complimentary services:

• private (step-out) balcony furnished with 2-4 chairs, 1 small table, 1 ottoman chair
• veranda access from the lounge area via floor-ceiling sliding glass door
• separate sitting / lounge area with double sofabed and coffee table
• mini-fridge, direct-dial phone
• spacious wardrobe (electronic safe in the closet)

Upgraded Mini Suite cabin amenities and services include:

• priority services (embarkation, disembarkation)
• complimentary wine set-up (on embarkation day welcome amenity) - 1/2 bottle of red wine and 1/2 bottle of white wine

"Club Class" (VIP Dining) includes:

• dinner (every evening), breakfast and lunch (seadays only)
• exclusive Main Dining Room area
• expedited seating (minimal to no wait time)
• expanded food menu options
• dedicated wait staff
• premium table linens
• table-side food preparations

Deluxe Balcony Cabin

Deluxe Balcony Cabin amenities and complimentary services include:

• private (step-out) balcony furnished with 2 chairs, 1 small table
• en-suite bathroom (WC, shower, single-sink vanity, hairdryer, luxury bath amenities)
• flat TV, mini-fridge, direct-dial phone
• 1 queen or 2 twin beds ("Princess Luxury Bed"), premium bedding (100% Egyptian cotton, high-thread count linens, duvets), bedside cabinets with lamps

Balcony Cabin

Standard Balcony Cabin amenities and complimentary services include:

• en-suite bathroom (WC, shower, single-sink vanity, hairdryer, bath amenities)
• sitting area (armchair, coffee table, mirrored vanity / writing table with chair)
• 24-hour room service (complimentary) - charges apply for ordering balcony dinner, pizza delivery and drinks
• wardrobe (electronic safe in the closet)

Interior Cabin

Interior Cabin amenities and complimentary services include:

• sitting area (mirrored vanity / writing table with chair)
• 24-hour room service (complimentary) - charges apply for pizza delivery and drinks

Royal Princess cabins review

Royal Princess cabins with balconies are 1438 (80% of all staterooms). Wheelchair-accessible cabins (for disabled passengers) are 36 (of which 29 Balcony, 7 Inside). The number of all cabin categories is 38. Just like the sisterships and NCL Epic , the Royal Princess ship lacks Oceanview cabins (has no outside staterooms with Picture- or Porthole windows).

Follows the review of Royal Princess staterooms as amenities, furniture and included (complimentary) services:

All staterooms are quads (accommodating max 4 passengers). All balcony cabins are with sliding glass doors (floor-ceiling) opening to a private step-out veranda. Most cabin balconies are relatively small (sized 40 ft2 / 4 m2) and narrow, furnished with footstools, 2 patio chairs and a round table. Balcony railings are either of toughened glass or solid steel. Balcony staterooms have ample closet space, bathroom (WC-shower), double sofabed, desk-chair, chest of drawers.

Royal Princess Suites are in 2 types - Balcony Suite (S2-Owners, S3-S4-Penthouse, S5-Premium) and Mini-Suite (MA, MB, MC, ME, MF, M1-M6-Premium). Bonus amenities offered in all Suites include deluxe mattress/pillows, 2 TVs, upgraded bathroom amenities (massage showerheads, luxury bath products, luxury bathrobes, terry towels), luxury furniture on the balcony. Balcony Suites have additional perks: choice of 3 deluxe mattresses, iPod docking station, sun loungers on the balcony, bathroom with separate shower stall, complimentary services (Internet Cafe, laundry/dry cleaning), exclusive access to Concierge Lounge (located on Deck 14).

All Royal Princess cabins as standard/complimentary amenities offer living area (vanity, desk, seating), 2 twin beds (convertible to Queen-size), deluxe bedding sets (Egyptian cotton linens), wardrobe, desk, smart HDTV (infotainment system, Internet, on-demand-movies), direct-dial phone, electronic safe box and lifejackets (in the closet), hairdryer, bath products (shampoo, body lotion, conditioner), minibar/fridge, individual air-conditioning, evening turndown service, complimentary 24-hour room service.

All staterooms are fitted with the signature "Princess Luxury Bed". The new "cruise bed" was developed in collaboration with PhD Michael Breus (commonly known as "The Sleep Doctor") and the designer Candice Olson. The new cabin beds feature a luxury pillow-top mattress, individually wrapped coils (reducing surface sway) and hypoallergenic duvets.

Passenger-use launderettes (laundromats) are located on decks 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16. These are self-service laundry facilities with ironing boards and detergent being provided.

"Club Class Mini-Suite" is a new cabin category that was rolled out fleetwide in 2017. The new (VIP-guest) Mini-Suites offer the following complimentary services and amenities - "Club Class Dining", Elite Lounge exclusive access, complimentary in-cabin dining (hors d'oeuvres), priority embarkation/disembarkation/tendering. Club Class Dining includes a separate area part of the MDR (main dining room) reserved for Club Suite guests only. The exclusive dining experience includes expedited seating, dedicated waiter staff service, exclusive menu (featuring Chef's specials) and tableside preparation of some dishes. Club Class Dining is available for breakfast and dinner every day, and also for lunch on sea days only. The new suites replaced some existing mini-suites. Their cabin size and layouts remained the same as the other mini suite grades.

Royal Princess cabin and suite plans are property of Princess Cruises . All floor plans are for informational purposes only and CruiseMapper is not responsible for their accuracy.

The Princess Suite Experience

Enhance your voyage with some of the most luxurious accommodations at sea.

Priority Services & Amenities

• Priority Disembarkation at tender ports
• Exclusive Disembarkation Lounge
• Priority Onboard Shore Excursion Reservations
• Priority Line at the Guest Service Desk
• Exclusive Elite Lounge with Complimentary hors d'oeuvres on select ships

Full Suite Benefits (PDF)

Premier Dining on Your Schedule

• Exclusive Reserve Dining in the Main Dining Room for breakfast and dinner daily as well as lunch on sea days
• Priority Specialty Dining Reservations
• An Exclusive invitation to 360: An Extraordinary Experience .*
• Upgraded Priority Room Service Menu with full lunch and dinner offerings
• Complimentary Specialty Dining Mimosa Breakfast (daily)
• Complimentary Specialty Dining Dinner on embarkation day

*Exclusively available on Discovery® and Enchanted Princess®

Additional Stateroom Features

• Spacious staterooms up to 932 square feet with large balconies
• Princess Luxury Bed
• Balcony with Upgraded Patio Furniture (two comfortable loungers, a table and two chairs)
• Separate seating area with coffee table and a sofa bed
• Two floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors
• Private bathroom including tub and separate shower with privacy door
• Two flat-panel satellite TVs
• Spacious Closet
• Digital Security Safe
• Desk & Phone
• Refrigerator & Granite Bar Area

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Princess Cruises Staterooms

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The ultimate guide to Princess Cruises ships and itineraries

Call it the cruise line for people who want a big amenity-filled ship that isn't a floating amusement park.

Princess Cruises operates relatively large, reasonably priced vessels. But unlike many of its competitors in that space — most notably Royal Caribbean , Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises — it doesn't load them up with sprawling water parks, go-kart tracks, laser tag courses and other flashy, family-focused diversions.

Compared to most of its big ship-operating rivals, Princess is known for a more serene, almost old-school style of cruising that isn't about a lot of gee-whiz attractions.

For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

As Princess executives like to say, the line is all about warm and gracious service in an atmosphere of comfortable elegance designed to spark connections among passengers.

Instead of bustling attractions, the top decks on the typical Princess ships offer lots of quiet and relaxing pool and lounge areas where you can enjoy the experience of being at sea without a lot of hustle and bustle. Inside, the experience revolves around dining, classic showroom entertainment and a classy bar and music scene — just as it has on Princess ships for years.

This is, notably, just the way Princess customers like it. Popular with middle-aged couples, retirees and multigenerational families, the "Love Boat" line caters to people who like a more traditional type of cruising than you'll find on the vessels of most other big-ship lines.

Related: Which cruise brand is right for you? A guide to the most popular lines

3 things TPG loves about Princess Cruises

• The abundance of outdoor pool and lounge areas on its ships
• Its expansive spas
• Its far-flung itineraries

What we could do without

• The lack of big suites on most of its vessels

The Princess Cruises fleet

Princess has downsized its fleet considerably in recent years with the removal of five vessels, but it's still the world's fifth-biggest cruise line by passenger capacity, with 16 ships that together offer roughly 50,000 berths.

In general, Princess operates big ships, though they're not quite as big as the vessels operated by Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises — the two lines best known for giant ships. The biggest Princess vessel, the line's new Sun Princess , measures around 177,000 tons. That's about 29% smaller than the biggest ship operated by Royal Caribbean. The line's Royal Class vessels are more than 40% smaller than the biggest Royal Caribbean ships.

Sun Princess is, without a doubt, the belle of the ball in the Princess fleet. Newer, bigger and more venue-filled than the line's other ships, it debuted in early 2024 and carries 4,300 passengers at double occupancy.

Also relatively new and chock-full of lots of venues are the line's five Royal Class ships, which measure between 142,229 and 145,281 tons. These vessels began rolling out in 2013 and carry about 3,600 passengers apiece at double occupancy.

Still, the biggest cohort of ships in the Princess fleet are its seven Grand Class vessels. Unveiled between 1998 and 2008, the vessels in this class are smaller than Sun Princess and the Royal Class ships at around 107,000 to 116,000 tons in size. This smaller size allows them to operate a wider range of itineraries than the Royal Class ships, but they're still big enough to offer a lot of onboard venues. The Grand Class ships carry between 2,600 to 3,100 passengers at double occupancy.

Rounding out the Princess fleet are its two Coral Class ships, which, at around 92,000 tons, are the smallest of the line's ships. They each carry around 2,000 passengers at double occupancy.

The downsizing of the Princess fleet over the past few years had a lot to do with the COVID-19 pandemic. Three ships left the Princess fleet starting in 2020 as part of an effort to cut costs during the line's coronavirus-caused global shutdown. Another two vessels — Golden Princess and Star Princess — had been scheduled to leave the Princess fleet even before the pandemic began. They were transferred to one of the line's sister companies, P&O Cruises Australia.

The line currently has one more vessel on order that will be a sister to the recently unveiled Sun Princess. To be called Star Princess, it's due to debut in August 2025.

Destinations and itineraries

Princess Cruises sails to more than 100 countries on seven continents, from North America and Europe to Asia and Australia, and it offers a wide range of itineraries — around 170 in a typical year. The line's ships visit more than 380 different ports and destinations and take passengers to more than 100 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Among the line's voyages, you'll find everything from three-day sampler cruises down the Pacific Coast to 116-day around-the-world voyages.

Princess is particularly known for cruises to Alaska , where it dominates the market for cruises along with sister line Holland America . In a typical year, Princess deploys seven or eight ships to Alaska in the summer — far more than most other lines. It also operates its own wilderness lodges in the state, as well as tourist trains and buses. It uses the lodges, trains and buses to offer a range of 10- to 17-night Alaska cruisetours that combine a cruise with land-based touring.

Princess also typically deploys five to seven ships to Europe in the summer, and it has a big presence in Australia, where it can deploy as many as six ships for parts of each year. In recent years, it has also become a major player in cruises around Japan that cater to both American and Japanese travelers, as well as Australians.

In North America, Princess ships sail out of Fort Lauderdale; Los Angeles; San Francisco; San Diego; Seattle; Galveston, Texas; Vancouver, British Columbia; and Whittier, Alaska. There are also some sailings that depart from New York City, Quebec City and Honolulu.

In Europe, Princess ships mostly sail out of Southampton in the United Kingdom; Copenhagen; Barcelona; Piraeus, Greece (the port for Athens); and Civitavecchia, Italy (the port for Rome).

Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Princess Cruises ship

Who sails Princess Cruises

Princess appeals to an older demographic than lines such as Carnival and Norwegian. The average age of passengers is around 54, and you'll usually see a lot of couples on board in their 50s, 60s and 70s.

As noted above, these aren't people necessarily craving go-kart tracks and ropes courses at sea. They're people looking to explore the world in a comfortable, classy sort of way that also is relatively affordable. That last part is key. Princess offers a lot of globe-circling itineraries of the sort often available from high-end luxury lines. However, it does so at a much lower price.

While not the biggest line for families with young children, Princess does draw a lot of multigenerational family groups. It's the line you take if you want an affordable ship that'll appeal to your 70-year-old parents as much as your 12-year-old kid.

Princess also draws a lot of passengers celebrating milestones. The line markets heavily to people marking birthdays and anniversaries with special packages and programs. It's also a huge player in the market for destination weddings at sea, with a division that will help you arrange a ceremony on board or at an exotic location on land during a port call.

Princess was, notably, the first cruise line to host modern-day weddings on ships, offering ceremonies officiated by the ships' captains hosted in onboard chapels.

It is, after all, the "Love Boat" line.

Cabins and suites

When it comes to rooms, Princess is sort of the Marriott of the big-ship cruise world. Its rooms are comfortable and functional but a bit bland. Avant-garde style is not a Princess thing.

The vast majority of the accommodations on Princess ships fall into one of three broad categories: windowless inside cabins, oceanview cabins and balcony cabins. Balcony cabins, in particular, are widespread on Princess ships. Among mass-market lines, Princess was the pioneer in adding large numbers of balcony cabins to ships.

While balcony cabins are common on Princess ships, you'll find relatively few suites on them. Just 50 of 2,162 cabins on the line's new Sun Princess are suites, for instance, and that's a lot more suites than you'll find on most other Princess ships.

What this means is there aren't a lot of ways to live large on a Princess ship or to pack a lot of people into a single accommodation. Until the debut of Sky Princess in 2019, the line didn't have a single cabin that could accommodate more than four people.

That said, the Grand Class vessels each offer two Family Suites that can be created by connecting a Mini-Suite with an adjacent inside cabin to form a six- to eight-person complex.

Unveiled five years ago, Sky Princess featured the line's first truly large stand-alone suites, dubbed Sky Suites. Such suites were added to the line's Discovery Princess, too.

There are two of the suites on each of the ships, and they measure a generous 1,800 square feet (though more than half of that space is taken up by a huge wraparound balcony). With two bedrooms plus a living room with a pullout sofa, they're designed for up to five people.

The line's new Sun Princess also has several large suites that measure as much as 1,260 square feet.

Still, even the biggest suites of Sky Princess, Discovery Princess and Sun Princess aren't the truly epic suites with huge interior living spaces that you'll find on the latest Royal Caribbean or Regent Seven Seas Cruises ships. If that's what you're after, Princess isn't your line.

Related: The 7 best cruise ship suites — picked by someone who has seen them all

Restaurants and dining

Every Princess vessel has three main dining rooms where meals are included in the fare, and these dining rooms are at the heart of the dining experience on Princess ships. Many passengers have all or most of their dinners in a main dining room.

As of this year, the three main dining rooms on each Princess ship operate under different formats. At one of the main rooms, you can make a reservation for any time, provided a table at the time you want is available. To ensure the time you want, it's best to reserve a table far in advance of your sailing, which you can do online once you've paid for the cruise in full. You also can make reservations on board ships during your cruise.

At another of the main dining rooms, you can just show up for dinner at any time without a reservation and be seated on a space-available basis.

The third main dining room on every Princess ship offers a fixed-time "traditional" seating option where you can request the same table at the same time with the same waiter every night of a cruise.

Every vessel also has a casual buffet eatery where meals are included in the fare. Near the main pool area on most ships, it's usually called Horizon Court but is also known as the World Fresh Market or Panorama Buffet on some vessels.

Other covered options on at least some Princess ships include poolside pizza outlets and poolside grills serving burgers. Also, on sea days, Princess transforms a bar or dining venue at lunchtime into an included-in-the-fare English-style pub. It serves traditional pub food such as fish and chips and cottage pie, along with Bass Ale or Guinness (for an extra charge).

Every Princess ship also has at least a couple of extra-charge eateries. On most ships, you'll find the line's signature Italian restaurant, Sabatini's. It serves homemade pasta, seafood and other Italian specialties in an elegant setting and comes with a flat fee of $45 per person.

Most Princess ships also have a signature steakhouse. On most vessels, it's called Crown Grill and offers premium beef and seafood cooked to order in an open, theater-style kitchen. On two ships — Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess — it's called Sterling Steakhouse, where passengers choose their cut of steak from a tray presented by their waiter.

On two ships — Coral Princess and Island Princess — the steakhouse has a Cajun and Creole twist. In addition to steak dishes, the menu features New Orleans-style peel-and-eat shrimp, alligator ribs and gumbo. On those vessels, it's called the Bayou Cafe and Steakhouse.

All the steakhouses come with a flat fee of $45 per person.

Princess ships also offer a chef's table experience — a concept the line pioneered in the cruise world. Costing $95 to $115 per person, it includes pre-dinner cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the ship's galley with the executive chef before a main dining experience at a private table in the dining room.

Another dining option that recently began popping up on Princess ships is a seafood eatery called The Catch by Rudi, designed by Princess' head of culinary arts, Rudi Sodamin. (Holland America fans will remember Sodamin as that line's longtime master chef.)

The Catch by Rudi is only on Sun Princess, Enchanted Princess, Sky Princess, Majestic Princess and Discovery Princess. Like the Princess steakhouses, it has a $45 per person cover charge.

Related: Cruise ship restaurant nirvana: The 10 best meals you can have at sea

Entertainment and activities

Princess ships are loaded with entertainment that ranges from Broadway-style theater shows to street entertainers who appear in each vessel's central piazza. That said, they're not floating amusement parks. Unlike some big-ship lines, Princess isn't topping its vessels with waterslides, go-kart tracks, ropes courses and other family-focused attractions.

Theaters and shows

There's no shortage of theater and lounge entertainment on Princess ships. On a typical night, you might find a flashy, fast-paced production show playing in the main theater, a comedian performing in a secondary lounge and live music on offer in several more venues.

In many cases, the main theaters on Princess ships are quite elaborate, with Broadway-show-level lighting and special effects, and the productions housed within the theaters are elaborate, too.

Princess has upped its game with its theater productions in recent years through a partnership with Stephen Schwartz, the Tony Award-winning composer of "Wicked," "Godspell" and "Pippin."

Among new productions that Schwartz has worked on is "The Secret Silk," which features life-size puppetry from Jim Henson's Creature Shop, dancing and special effects. It was created and directed by John Tartaglia, a star of Broadway's "Avenue Q" and "Beauty and the Beast."

Princess is also known for its karaoke nights, and it holds a "The Voice of the Ocean" competition during cruises, which is a spinoff of the TV show. Passengers compete in a live performance after karaoke auditions and rehearsal sessions with the shipboard band and backup singers. A team of coaches sits in giant "I Want You" chairs, just like on the show, and passengers vote to choose the winner.

Other interior attractions and activities

In addition to entertainment spaces, the interiors of Princess ships are filled with other venues where passengers can kick back and let loose day and night, including a range of bars, lounges and nightspots.

On many ships, the hub of activity is the Piazza, a sprawling, multilevel space that serves as a central gathering place, like a square in Italy. The configuration of the Piazza varies by ship, but the area typically offers several shops, a coffee bar called International Cafe, a wine bar called Vines and (on some vessels) additional bars and eateries. The Piazza is also home to roving street performers.

Every Princess ship also has a casino, often just off the Piazza, and spas are big on Princess ships. The Lotus Spa complexes on the line's Royal Class ships offer nearly two dozen treatment rooms, an extensive beauty salon and a thermal suite with a hydrotherapy pool, heated stone beds, a Turkish-style steam bath and other steam chambers.

Several of the newer Princess ships, including Discovery Princess, Enchanted Princess and Sky Princess, have jazz clubs called Take 5.

In addition to such venues, Princess offers a lot of enrichment activities on its ships. The line has partnered with Discovery to offer a Discovery at Sea program on vessels that includes activities like stargazing with a specialist from a top deck. The program also brings destination specialists and naturalists on board in places such as Alaska to offer insights.

Inspired by Discovery's popular "Shark Week," Princess has also created Shark Week at Sea programming that runs on select sailings in the summer with activities and games designed to challenge both adults and kids on the myths and interesting facts about sharks.

Culinary demonstrations, wine tastings and dance classes also are popular on Princess ships.

Top-deck attractions

The top decks of most Princess ships are notable for what they don't have: There are no roller coasters or pedal-powered sky rides like you'll find on Carnival ships or the go-kart tracks that top some Norwegian vessels. There are no surfing simulators, sky diving simulators, rock climbing walls or zip lines of the sort found on Royal Caribbean vessels. For the most part, there aren't even waterslides or watery splash zones (two vessels, Caribbean Princess and Sun Princess, do have splash zones).

Princess executives long ago decided not to engage in what they call the "amusement park arms race" taking place among lines operating big resort-like ships.

Instead, the line has mostly stuck to the basics with its top decks. They are covered with relaxing pool and lounge zones — and lots of them.

On the last three Royal Class ships, for instance, there's a main pool area at the center of the top deck with two full pools and three hot tubs, plus a secondary pool area at the back of the ship with another pool. There's also an adults-only pool area toward the front of the vessel, along with an extra-charge, adults-only relaxation area called the Sanctuary.

Between all these pool and lounge areas running along the sides of the ship are additional sunning areas with lounge chairs and four more hot tubs.

In short, there is a ton of space for relaxing on the top deck of these newest Princess vessels — more than you'll find on any other ship of comparable size, save for their earlier sisters in the Royal Class.

The one big attraction that you will find on the top deck of Princess ships, always at the main pool area, is a giant Movies Under the Stars movie screen. A growing number of cruise ships now have movie screens on their pool decks, but Princess pioneered the concept.

The screens show movies, concerts and sporting events during the day, but at night, they really shine. In a longtime Princess tradition, the line turns the main pool areas of its ships into outdoor movie theaters at night by reconfiguring lounge chairs to face the screen and bringing out blankets to ward off the evening chill. They even serve popcorn.

Some ships also feature basketball courts, miniature golf putting courses, shuffleboard games and pingpong tables tucked into corners of their top decks.

Additionally, the new Sun Princess has a family-friendly play zone called Park19 with a hang-gliding-like ride experience, a ropes course and the previously mentioned splash zone — quite a bit more family-fun pizazz than has been the norm at the line. For now, it's the outlier in the Princess fleet when it comes to decktop amusements.

Children's programs

While it doesn't draw as many families with young children as Carnival or Royal Caribbean, Princess offers an extensive children's program that gets high marks from parents.

The Princess Youth and Teen centers were recently rebranded "Camp Discovery" as part of the line's partnership with Discovery Communications and offer free, supervised activities daily for children ages 3 to 17.

The line splits children in the program into three age groups: the Treehouse (ages 3 to 7 years), the Lodge (ages 8 to 12 years) and the Beach House (ages 13 to 17 years). Each age group often has its own separate facilities on ships. On some ships, the age groups may be further divided based on available space.

Each group has its own age-appropriate activities, with newly revamped experiences designed to "help young Princess explorers learn, play and create fun memories."

While the free programming for children ages 3 to 12 ends at 10 p.m., you can pay extra to leave your kids at shipboard Youth and Teen centers from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m. During those hours, they're supervised in what is essentially a group child-sitting service.

The Youth and Teen centers also welcome children under the age of 3 if they are accompanied by an adult.

Related: The 15 best cruise ships for people who never want to grow up

What to know before you go

Required documents.

A passport is required for all international itineraries, including world cruises and sailings to Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, India, Central and South America, the Panama Canal (partial and full transit), Caribbean voyages that visit Martinique or Guadeloupe, the South Pacific and Tahiti.

If you're a U.S. citizen, you don't need a passport for many domestic itineraries (including Alaska, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Hawaii and Mexico sailings). You can instead travel with an official copy of your birth certificate and a driver's license or other government-issued photo identification. A few other forms of identification, such as a passport card, are also acceptable. That said, Princess strongly recommends that all travelers bring a passport.

Passports must be valid for at least six months. The name on your reservation must be exactly as it is stated on your passport or other official proof of nationality.

Related: Where can I cruise without a passport?

Princess adds an automatic service gratuity of $16 to $18 per person, per day to final bills, depending on your cabin category. If you are unhappy with the service you receive, you can adjust this amount at the Guest Services desk before disembarking. (You can also increase the tip amount if so desired.) Also, an 18% gratuity is added to bills at bars, dining room wine accounts and spas.

Related: Tipping on a cruise: What to know about cruise ship gratuities

Princess has rolled out faster Wi-Fi systems with landlike speeds across its fleet in recent years, such that you now can stream video on ships. That's the upside. The downside is that such service costs a lot more than Wi-Fi access did in the past. Pricing changes over time, but the line was recently charging $24.99 per day to hook up a single device. That's an enormous increase from as recently as early 2023, when Wi-Fi access was available for just $9.99.

The faster Princess Wi-Fi system is called MedallionNet, and it's one of several technological upgrades that Princess has made to its ships in recent years under an umbrella called MedallionClass. MedallionClass also brings expedited embarkation, keyless cabin entry, on-demand food and beverage delivery, and the ability to locate friends and family on board — all via an app for mobile devices and a Princess-issued medallion that passengers carry while traveling.

Related: Wi-Fi on cruise ships: 5 things to know about internet use on board

Carry-on drinks policy

Princess allows you to bring one bottle of wine or Champagne per person onto ships at boarding at no charge (for consuming in your room; you'll be charged a $20 corkage fee if you want to bring it to an onboard restaurant or bar to drink). You can bring even more bottles of wine on board, but you will pay a $20 corkage fee per bottle.

Smoking policy

On all ships, smoking (including electronic cigarettes) is only allowed in designated outdoor areas and in cigar lounges, designated sections within nightclubs and at designated slot machines within casinos (for those who are playing). It's forbidden in cabins and on cabin balconies. Passengers caught smoking in their cabins will be charged a $250 fine per occurrence. One exception to the above rule is that e-cigarettes are allowed in cabins (but not on cabin balconies).

Princess ships have self-serve launderettes on cabin decks with washing machines, dryers, irons and ironing boards. There's a $3 per load charge to use a washer or dryer. The launderettes also have vending machines that dispense small boxes of detergent and water softener at $1.50 per box. Additionally, vessels offer extra-charge laundry and dry cleaning services.

Related: Everything you need to know about cruise ship laundry services

Electrical outlets

All vessels have standard North American-style, 110-volt outlets in rooms, and some also have European-style, 220-volt outlets and USB ports in cabins.

The currency used on most Princess itineraries is dollars. The exceptions are select sailings on ships based in Australia, where pricing is listed in Australian dollars. All vessels operate on a cashless system, with any onboard purchases you make posting automatically to your onboard account. You'll receive a medallion that you can use to make charges. This same card or medallion also is what lets you into your cabin.

Drinking age

You must be 21 to consume alcohol on many Princess itineraries. The exceptions include sailings between ports in Europe, China, Australia and New Zealand, and Singapore, where the drinking age is 18. For cruises between Japanese ports, the drinking age is 20.

During the day, there is no specific dress code, and people dress casually. If it's a sea day in a warm-weather destination, and you're bound for the top deck, that means looking like you're going to the beach — T-shirts, shorts and bathing suits (with a cover-up to go inside) are just fine.

At night, there is an official dress code that is enforced when entering restaurants. Most nights are designated as "smart casual," which Princess takes to mean pants and an open-neck shirt for men and skirts and dresses or slacks for women.

Beach attire, shorts, baseball caps and casual jeans (think: the fraying kind or those with holes) are not allowed. One or more nights per cruise, depending on the cruise length, will be designated as a "formal" night when men are expected to turn out in dark suits with a tie or even a tuxedo. The suggested attire for women on such nights is evening gowns or cocktail dresses.

Related: Cruise packing list: The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise

Princess Cruises' loyalty program

Princess has a four-tier frequent cruiser program, the Captain's Circle, that is worth joining for the perks — if you're willing to bear with its convoluted tier qualifying structure.

You reach the first tier, Gold, by taking a single cruise. However, from there, you move to each successive tier either by accruing a certain number of "cruise credits" (which aren't necessarily the same as the number of cruises you've taken) or by sailing a certain number of days.

To reach the Ruby level, for instance, requires three cruise credits (more on those in a moment) or 30 days on Princess ships. Platinum status kicks in after five cruise credits or 50 days on ships.

Related: Princess Cruises' Captain's Circle loyalty program: Everything you need to know

In most cases, members earn one cruise credit for every cruise they take. However, members who book a suite or travel solo in a cabin meant for two will receive two cruise credits for the voyage. The number of cruise credits you have earned is thus often the same as the number of cruises you have taken, but not always.

As is typical with cruise line loyalty programs, lower tiers don't bring all that much in terms of truly valuable benefits. You'll receive things like an invite to a private party (at the Gold tier) and a free upgrade for your travel insurance package when buying it through the line (at the Ruby tier). However, higher levels of the program start to be enticing.

The second-to-highest tier, Platinum, brings such perks as priority check-in and boarding, and a free internet package.

The top Elite level (15 cruise credits or 151 cruise days) adds such things as an exclusive window to preview and book new itineraries, priority ship-to-shore water shuttle service, complimentary laundry and a complimentary minibar setup.

Members at all tier levels get access to special pricing on certain cruises. They also receive a monthly newsletter and a membership pin.

Note that, in contrast to airline frequent flyer programs, cruise line loyalty programs do not require you to requalify for status every year. So, yes, the perks with lower tiers aren't great. However, it's not as difficult as it might at first seem to hit the more rewarding higher-level tiers in just a few years if you're cruising a lot.

A Princess passenger staying in suites will hit the Platinum level after just three cruises. The top Elite level is reachable within just eight cruises for someone staying in suites.

Related: A beginners guide to cruise line loyalty programs

How much does a Princess cruise cost?

Princess ships are very reasonably priced. They're not the least expensive vessels out there, but they're not pricey by any means. It's possible to find Princess voyages to the Caribbean, the Bahamas or Mexico starting under $100 per person, per night, including all taxes and fees — at least in the offseason.

For instance, as of the date of this story's posting, six-night sailings from Galveston, Texas, to the Western Caribbean in February 2025 started at just $418 per person, not including taxes and fees of $138. That works out to just $93 per night, per person, with taxes and fees for a package that includes your lodging, transportation and meals.

As you might expect, pricing for ships will generally be lower during offseason periods such as September, October, November (not including Thanksgiving week) and parts of December.

When you book can also matter. Cruises book up much further in advance than airplanes or hotels. Many cruisers will tell you that the best pricing for any given sailing is often available when cruises first go on sale (which can be a good two years before a departure). Booking far in advance also gives you the best chance of getting your preferred cabin type and location on a ship.

Once on board a Princess ship, you'll pay extra for most drinks, extra-charge restaurants, spa services, shore excursions, internet service and a few other things — unless you've bought a package for some of these items in advance.

Specifically, the line now offers bundle pricing for extra-charge items such as gratuity fees, Wi-Fi fees and a few other fees for onboard items if passengers pay for them in advance.

The line's Princess Plus plan gives passengers prepaid gratuities, a single-device Wi-Fi plan, a basic beverage package and a few other freebies for a bundled price of $60 per person, per day.

An enhanced version of the above plan called Princess Premier gives you Wi-Fi access on more devices, a premium drinks package and other additional inclusions for $80 per person, per day.

Most onboard activities, such as theater shows, are included in the fare.

Related: 15 ways that cruising newbies waste money on their first cruise

How to book

If you're sure you know what sort of cabin you want, on which ship, on which itinerary — and about a dozen other things — you can head over to Princess.com to make a booking directly.

That said, given the complexity of booking a cruise — there are a lot of decisions to make during the booking process, trust us — we recommend that you use a seasoned travel agent who specializes in cruises.

A good travel agent will quiz you about your particular interests, travel style and preferences, and steer you to the perfect cruise line, ship, itinerary and cabin for you. They can also help you if something goes wrong just before, during or after your voyage.

If you're sure that Princess is your line, look for a travel agent who specializes in trips with the brand. You want someone who understands all the little quirks that are unique to Princess cabin categories and, preferably, has done ship inspections to see the cabins firsthand.

Related: How to book a cruise using points and miles

Whether you use a travel agent or not, make sure to maximize your credit card points when paying for the cruise by using a credit card that offers extra points for travel purchases . This could be the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , which offers 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on travel and dining (excluding the annual up-to-$300 travel credit). There's also the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , which brings 2 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on travel and 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on dining.

Bottom line

Princess offers big, amenity-filled ships that are comfortable and classy at an affordable price.

If you're looking for a lot of top-deck fun zones — waterslides, go-kart tracks and the like — it's probably not the line for you. However, if you're on the hunt for not-too-expensive vessels that will take you to the farthest corners of the world in comfort, Princess ships should be on your shortlist.

It's also a great line if you're trying to put together a multigenerational trip, as its ships are designed to appeal to a wide range of age groups.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

• Princess Cruises

What to expect when booking multiple cabins

By csc6 , November 30, 2019 in Princess Cruises

Recommended Posts

For our upcoming cruise, we will be booking two connecting cabins. I would prefer to book the cruise myself instead of using a TA, and I would prefer to book online instead of calling Princess. From what I understand, I will have to book each cabin as a separate reservation, correct? And then I will have to link them and mark them as "no upgrade" to ensure we don't get separated. Can I do that online, or do I have to call Princess for that?

And for excursions, I'll have to log in to each cabin reservation separately to book the excursion? No way to combine both cabins into one single online reservation?

All that said, is there any benefit at all to me booking via phone with Princess, or would the end result be the same as if I booked it myself online?

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24 minutes ago, csc6 said: For our upcoming cruise, we will be booking two connecting cabins. I would prefer to book the cruise myself instead of using a TA, and I would prefer to book online instead of calling Princess. From what I understand, I will have to book each cabin as a separate reservation, correct? And then I will have to link them and mark them as "no upgrade" to ensure we don't get separated. Can I do that online, or do I have to call Princess for that?  You have to call Princess for linking and no upgrade.   And for excursions, I'll have to log in to each cabin reservation separately to book the excursion? No way to combine both cabins into one single online reservation? Pretty sure each cabin will be treated as a separate entity.   All that said, is there any benefit at all to me booking via phone with Princess, or would the end result be the same as if I booked it myself online?   Thanks

No real benefit for booking online. Since you have to call Princess anyway, just call and let the rep sort it out.

I have no idea who is in your second cabin but I can tell you having 2 cabins booked can be a problem if you have to cancel after final payment.  

My wife and I booked a cabin a couple years ago for my nephew and his best friend who was in his late teens and was fighting cancer. It was a dream of his to join us on an international trip. We booked the trip following his completing his final chemo and we paid for both cabins using our credit card. Sadly his cancer returned and was discovered days before our trip and we had to cancel in order for him to have surgery and further treatments. Obtaining refunds for his cabin was painful as Princess would only issue a refund to him and his friend unless waivers were signed by both releasing the money to my wife and I. It doesn’t matter who pays for the cabins in such a case but rather whose names are on the cabin booking. The only alternative is to have the refund applied to their Princess accounts and used on a future cruise should they take one someday.   

Further complicating matters we had mistakenly not booked the platinum level protection and in order to use a medical related claim (and get 100% refund) we would have had to get his attending physicians fill out several pages of papers. As his treatment was several hours away at St Judes and there were several doctors we opted to simply take the 75% refund rather than attempt to get the docs completed.   

This sort of problem may not happen to you but you should understand the risk at least just in case.   

Thank you both for the feedback. I'm sorry about your nephew, Chris. In our case, the two rooms would have either my name or my wife on the booking, so I don't believe a refund in the event of cancellation would be an issue.

I think I'll probably book it online first, so I can type in all the names and info instead of having to spell everything out over the phone, then I'll call and ask them to link and mark as no-upgrade.

Thanks again.

Katwoman007

I would call them. I have needed to call them and they always are so helpful and find great deals as a bonus. 😉  They also can book rooms that may show to us as sold, that are not. 😉   

crystalspin

I recommend you get a CVP (Cruise Vacation Planner) or avail yourself of the one Princess sends you when you do the original online contact. You can then deal with that person mostly by email -- or on the phone as needed. Yes they can give you benefits that 'doing it yourself' cannot. My CVP was just able to put me in an Incentive Group for $42.50pp OBC for the first two people in each of two cabins. $170 is small amount compared to the fares, but hey, I'll took it. 

Princess originally assigned me to a CVP who was on extended maternity leave (!) and I did work with "whoever answered the phone" or fielded my e-mail until I was re-assigned. That person was totally competent as well, but love my CVP now!

Your plan of booking yourself and your wife in the different rooms is a good one if you are in my position -- DH and I will be going unless total catastrophe; our family members may have health issues causing them to drop out. We have other family that could be substituted -- but one person must stay the same as the original booking to retain the fare and any perks. So I booked the boys in one room and the girls in the other. There is no problem swapping who sleeps where on boarding!

If you want to book directly with Princess I would call them. They can handle all the issues and the linking. If you book on line you will have to call them anyway to get all your preferences tied together. You can't do this on line.

With that said recommend a T.A.. T.A.'s often provide further discounts and benefits beyond what Princess offers. When working with a T.A. make sure you lock in your cabins with no upgrade. T.A.'s frequently "sell" guarantee ccat. cabins. Also know the  cabins you want  in advance.

I always book two cabins for our family of five and I find it easiest to book one cabin online (under myself) and then call Princess immediately to book the cabin next door. I give them my booking number first and they pull it up and book the second cabin, linking the reservations and marking as no upgrade. If you have cruised with Princess before the names and birthdates will already be in the system so they don't have to enter them manually. If you are new to Princess, it might be good to just call them to book both cabins since they will have to type in all of that info. As mentioned, have your cabin choices written down and also the cabin category type because they usually ask for it. 

16 hours ago, csc6 said: I think I'll probably book it online first, so I can type in all the names and info instead of having to spell everything out over the phone, then I'll call and ask them to link and mark as no-upgrade.

I understand preferring typing to phone-dictating! I hate the phone with a burning passion... Your plan may work -- as I said above, you will get a CVP assigned when you make the online reservation (name and extension will be in the banner header of the confirmation email). Do it RIGHT AWAY while fares and perks are still the same as they may have to do a thing where the online reservation is cancelled and instantly rebooked (same as a refaring where you DO want it to change, but with no change).

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4 Cruise Line Bars Worth Sailing For in 2024

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Table of Contents

1. Spellbound by Magic Castle

2. star wars: hyperspace lounge, 3. skyy vodka ice bar, 4. alchemy bar, cruise line bars are just getting started.

Forget the stuffy piano bars and generic buffets. These standout cruise ship bars have over-the-top themes with zany cocktails — and mocktails — to match.

The vibe inside these cruise ship bars might even be compelling enough to pique the interest of travelers who've sworn off cruising. Here are top choices to imbibe on the sea in 2024.

On board the Sun Princess by Princess Cruises

(Photo courtesy of Princess Cruises)

Spellbound by Magic Castle offers a cruise line version of The Magic Castle, an iconic and exclusive club for magicians and magic enthusiasts in Los Angeles.

The Princess Cruises version features magic-themed rooms and theatrical cocktails. For example, the butterfly pea tequila used to make a cocktail called "The Magician" transforms from blue to purple as the server pours it into the glass. In "The Conjuror," classic ingredients like bourbon, maraschino and agave join with squid ink, which adds a spooky look.

And unlike the Hollywood version — where you need to be a member of the Academy of Magical Arts or a guest of one of its members to enter — anyone can experience this iteration of The Magic Castle (provided you have a reservation, you’ve paid the additional fee to get inside, and you’re at least 13 years old). Admission costs $149 on top of your cruise fare, though it includes dinner and unlimited drinks, according to the Princess Cruises website.

On board the Disney Wish by Disney Cruise Line

(Photo courtesy of Disney Cruise Line)

With bartenders serving up mixed drinks like "Spire Sunset" and "Cloud City," Disney Cruise Line’s Hyperspace Lounge illustrates how cruise lines are incorporating themed experiences to cater to fans — this one specific to “Star Wars” fans. A virtual window into the galaxy shuttles travelers past iconic locales in the “Star Wars” universe, including Tatooine, Mustafar and Coruscant.

The immersive bar experience has proved popular, as there's often a line to get in — though the line may also have to do with the bar’s small capacity. Only about four dozen people can fit in the intimate lounge at one time. At peak times, customers are asked to limit their stay to just 45 minutes.

While admission to the bar is included with the price of a Disney cruise , you’ll pay extra for drinks (typically about $15 to $20 each).

On board select Norwegian Cruise Line ships

(Photo courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line)

Though a cruise might evoke the mood of a sunny beach, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Skyy Vodka Ice Bar briefly transports cruisers to frozen temperatures. The bar is made entirely from ice — all the way down to the seating and glasses. And yes, it’s cold inside. The bar is kept at a chilly 17 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Norwegian Cruise Line.

But don’t worry about packing winter garb, as cruisers can borrow gloves and coats to wear inside.

You’ll find the Skyy Vodka Ice Bar on a few Norwegian Cruise Line ships, including Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Epic.

On board select Carnival Cruise Line ships

(Photo courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line)

Themed like a vintage pharmacy, Carnival Cruise Line’s Alchemy Bar serves up both alcoholic and — uniquely, alcohol-free — drinks with labels like "passion potions" and "energizing elixirs."

In 2023, Carnival teamed up with nonalcoholic spirit distiller Lyre’s to offer the world’s first full range of alcohol-free cocktails (that’s as opposed to a mocktail, which is a beverage that relies on ingredients such as sodas or fruit juices as substitutes for alcohol).

Alchemy Bar taps into a growing trend of reduced alcohol consumption. In fact, the sale of nonalcoholic beer, wine and spirits in the U.S. reached $565 million in 2023, according to NielsenIQ, which tracks consumer behavior. That’s a 35% increase from the year prior.

But whereas mocktails can sometimes cost less than half the price of a cocktail, that’s not the case with Alchemy Bar’s nonalcoholic cocktails. A la carte nonalcoholic drink prices are only a few dollars cheaper than their boozy counterparts. Carnival cruise drink package prices start at more than $70 per day — and that’s whether you opt for alcoholic or nonalcoholic cocktails.

More themed cruise bars are on the horizon.

When Disney’s newest ship, Disney Treasure, sets sail on its maiden voyage in December 2024, it’ll feature multiple adult-exclusive themed bars. That includes the world’s first Haunted Mansion-inspired bar, as well as a bar called Skipper Society themed to Disney parks’ Jungle Cruise attraction.

While some options, like Carnival’s Alchemy Bar, are a fixture across nearly every ship in a cruise line's fleet, there’s also a growing trend of one-of-a-kind experiences that double as bars, like Spellbound by Magic Castle. The limited availability and unique offerings might encourage repeat or first-time cruisers.

Plus, bars mean additional revenue for cruises. While some cruise lines are more inclusive than others, it’s rare to find a cruise line that includes unlimited specialty drinks with your cruise fare. In fact, visiting any of the bars above entails an additional charge.

A 2023 NerdWallet analysis of Caribbean cruises found that the average seven-night Caribbean cruise costs $635 per person — but that’s before taxes, port fees and extras (like specialty drinks). Given that, make space in your cruise budget should you want to dive in.

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60,000 Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.