Princess cruise guide 2026–2027: ships, routes and who it suits
A Princess cruise is the safe middle choice: big enough ships for plenty to do, a mostly adult and multi-generation crowd, and one of the strongest Alaska programs at sea. Pick it over the party lines for a calmer trip, and over the small premium lines if you want more choice of ships and dates.
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Book it if
- Alaska is the goal, especially with a land tour to Denali.
- You want a big ship with lots of dining and entertainment, but a quieter crowd than Carnival or Royal Caribbean.
- You like app-based convenience: the Medallion wearable handles boarding, doors and payments.
Skip it if
- Your children want slides, surf simulators and a huge kids' zone.
- You prefer a small ship of under 1,500 guests.
- You want specialty dining included without buying a package.
Princess Cruises at a glance
- Fleet
- 17 ships
- Price tier
- Premium, often priced close to mainstream lines
- Ship size
- About 2,000 to 4,300 guests
- Main regions
- Alaska, Caribbean, Mexico, Mediterranean and Northern Europe, Hawaii, Panama Canal, Australia and Asia
- Included
- Main dining, buffet, shows, pools and kids' clubs; drinks, Wi-Fi and tips come with Plus or Premier packages
- Parent company
- Carnival Corporation
Princess cruise ships, newest first
Princess cruise ships by size fall into four groups. The two Sphere-class ships are the newest and largest. The six Royal-class ships are the modern core of the fleet. The older Grand-class ships (including the Asia-based Diamond and Sapphire Princess) and the two Coral-class ships are smaller and often cheaper, and they run many of the longer and more unusual itineraries.
- Star PrincessThe newest Princess cruise ship. Pick it for the newest cabins and venues.From $54 per personChecked September 2026
- Sun PrincessThe first Sphere-class ship, with the glass-domed Dome venue and the largest choice of restaurants in the fleet.
- Discovery PrincessThe newest Royal-class ship and a regular in Alaska and on Mexico sailings from Los Angeles.
- Enchanted PrincessModern cabins and the Royal-class layout, often in Europe and the Caribbean.
- Sky PrincessSame design family, often with a slightly lower fare.
- Majestic PrincessFrequently on Alaska and Pacific routes.
- Regal PrincessA solid Royal-class choice at a lower price.
- Royal PrincessThe ship that started the class. Pick it for the itinerary and the fare.
- Ruby PrincessA long-time West Coast and Alaska ship.
- Emerald PrincessOlder and simpler, often on long or unusual itineraries.
- Crown PrincessGood value for a big-ship experience on classic routes.
- Caribbean PrincessOften the ship on Canada and New England sailings.
- Grand PrincessThe oldest ship in the fleet, based in Australia from late 2026. Book it for the route, not the hardware.
- Diamond PrincessLargely based in Asia and Australia.
- Sapphire PrincessDiamond Princess's sister, often on South America and long voyages.
- Coral PrincessBuilt to fit the original Panama Canal locks. The classic full-transit ship.
- Island PrincessCoral Princess's sister, also popular on Panama Canal and world routes.
No third Sphere-class ship is on order. The next new Princess ships are three larger Voyager-class ships, announced in April 2026 for delivery in 2035, 2038 and 2039.
Where Princess sails by season
- May to September: Alaska. Princess sails round trips from Seattle and Vancouver and one-way Gulf of Alaska routes, and it pairs cruises with its own lodges for land tours. Compare lines in our best cruise lines for Alaska and ports in the Seattle cruise port guide. A dedicated Princess Alaska page is planned.
- Year-round from the West Coast: Mexico and Hawaii. Mexican Riviera sailings leave from Los Angeles; see our Los Angeles cruise port guide. Princess cruises to Hawaii usually run round trip from California with several sea days each way.
- February to November: Europe. In 2027 Sun and Enchanted Princess sail the Mediterranean from Athens, Barcelona, Rome (Civitavecchia), Istanbul and Trieste; Sky and Majestic Princess sail from Southampton; and Caribbean Princess sails Northern Europe from Copenhagen.
- Autumn: Canada and New England, from New York and Boston. See our New York cruise port guide.
- October to April: the Caribbean and the Panama Canal, mostly from Fort Lauderdale, plus Australia and Asia in the southern summer.
Destination guides for these regions: the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada and New England, the Panama Canal, Europe, Greece, Northern Europe.
What’s included and what’s extra
Included in the base fare: the main dining rooms, the buffet, most casual venues, shows, pools, kids’ and teen clubs, and the Medallion wearable, which handles boarding, cabin doors and onboard charges.
Princess Plus and Princess Premier: Plus covers up to 15 drinks a day (each up to $15), Wi-Fi on one device, prepaid crew tips and some casual dining. Premier adds unlimited drinks up to $20 each, Wi-Fi on four devices, unlimited casual and specialty dining, photos, reserved theater seating and shore excursion credit. If you would buy drinks and Wi-Fi anyway, one of them usually comes out cheaper than paying separately.
Always extra without a package: gratuities, alcohol and specialty coffee, specialty restaurants, the spa, shore excursions and photos.
Booking rules: under Princess’s standard policy, final payment is due 90 days before cruises of up to 13 days and 120 days before longer ones, and trade press reports that new bookings for 2027 sailings move to 120 days for every length. Refund rules differ by fare type, so read the fare terms before you pay. More in our last-minute cruise guide.
How Princess compares
- Against Holland America: a sister brand with smaller, quieter ships. See Holland America and Holland America vs Princess.
- Against Celebrity: Celebrity is more design-focused and adult. See Celebrity Cruises.
- Against Royal Caribbean: far more for children and teens, and busier ships. See Royal Caribbean.
- Overall: where Princess lands in our cruise line rankings.
Princess sailings and prices
| Departs | Line and ship | Nights | Itinerary | From | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 2026 | Princess Cruises, Sun Princess | 7 | 7 Night Mediterranean Cruise (from Barcelona, Spain) | $2,299 | Check price |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Princess Cruises, Star Princess | 7 | 7 Night Caribbean - Eastern Cruise (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida) | $561 | Check price |
| Nov 5, 2026 | Princess Cruises, Sky Princess | 15 | 15 Night Europe Cruise (from Southampton, England) | $1,017 | Check price |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Princess Cruises, Majestic Princess | 12 | 12 Night Caribbean - Southern Cruise (from New York, New York) | $529 | Check price |
| Nov 8, 2026 | Princess Cruises, Ruby Princess | 16 | 16 Night Hawaii Cruise (from San Francisco, California) | $799 | Check price |
| Nov 10, 2026 | Princess Cruises, Royal Princess | 15 | 15 Night Southeast Asia Cruise (from Singapore, Singapore) | $2,095 | Check price |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Princess Cruises, Regal Princess | 8 | 8 Night Caribbean - Southern Cruise (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida) | $629 | Check price |
| Nov 18, 2026 | Princess Cruises, Grand Princess | 12 | 12 Night Australia Cruise (from Sydney, Australia) | $2,467 | Check price |
| Nov 20, 2026 | Princess Cruises, Sky Princess | 9 | 9 Night Caribbean - Eastern Cruise (from Port Canaveral, Florida) | $566 | Check price |
| Nov 24, 2026 | Princess Cruises, Ruby Princess | 5 | 5 Night U. S. Pacific Coast Cruise (from San Francisco, California) | $1,567 | Check price |
| Nov 29, 2026 | Princess Cruises, Sky Princess | 8 | 8 Night Caribbean - Eastern Cruise (from Port Canaveral, Florida) | $439 | Check price |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Princess Cruises, Regal Princess | 6 | 6 Night Caribbean - Eastern Cruise (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida) | $158 | Check price |
Princess cruise FAQ
What is the newest Princess cruise ship?
Star Princess, the second Sphere-class ship, which entered service in 2025 after Sun Princess in 2024. Both are the largest ships Princess has built. No further Sphere-class ship is on order; the next new Princess ships are the Voyager class, due from 2035.
Which is the best Princess cruise ship?
For most people, Sun Princess or Star Princess: they have the most restaurants and the newest cabins. If you prefer a slightly smaller ship at a lower fare, any Royal-class ship is a strong alternative.
What is the Princess Medallion?
The Medallion is a wearable disc that handles touch-free boarding, unlocks your cabin door as you approach and works as your onboard payment method. You can also use it with the Princess app to order food and drinks to your cabin or to set spots on the ship. Picking it up at the terminal is free; having it shipped to your home costs a fee.
Who owns Princess Cruise Lines?
Carnival Corporation, which also owns Holland America Line, Carnival Cruise Line and several other brands.
What is the Princess Cruise Personalizer?
It is the pre-cruise planning tool where you add passenger details and book dining, shore excursions and packages before you sail.