Princess Cruises review: is Princess a good cruise line?
Princess is a good cruise line for couples, retirees and multi-generation groups who want a calm big ship at a fare close to the mainstream lines, and it is our top pick for Alaska. It is not the line for kids who want water slides, and its older Grand-class ships feel dated next to the new Sphere-class pair.
.jpg){kind=link}
Book it if
- Alaska is the goal, especially Glacier Bay or a land tour to Denali.
- You want a big ship with plenty to eat and see, but a quieter crowd than Carnival or Royal Caribbean.
- You'd like drinks, Wi-Fi and crew tips bundled into one package price.
Skip it if
- Your kids expect waterparks, surf simulators and a huge kids' zone.
- You want the most modern ship on every sailing. Many routes use older Grand-class ships.
- Food is the main reason you cruise. Celebrity and Oceania do it better.
Our Princess Cruises scorecard
This is our editorial verdict on Princess, graded on the seven criteria we use for every line. It draws on Princess’s own fleet, package and itinerary pages and our Princess cruise guide, not on passenger ratings.
| Criterion | Princess Cruises |
|---|---|
| Value | Good A premium-leaning product at fares often close to the mainstream lines, with packages that are usually cheaper than buying drinks, Wi-Fi and tips separately. |
| Food | Good Solid main dining and plenty of casual venues, with the most choice on Sun and Star Princess; the best meals are in specialty restaurants that cost extra without Premier. |
| Cabins | Good The Sphere- and Royal-class ships have modern balcony cabins; the Grand-class ships that run many long routes are older. |
| Ship and onboard | Good Plenty of dining, shows and quiet spaces, and the Medallion wearable makes boarding and payments easy, but there are few big-ship thrills. |
| Itineraries | Strong The strongest Alaska program of any line, with the most Glacier Bay calls and its own lodges, plus Europe, Mexico, Hawaii, the Panama Canal, Australia and Asia. |
| What is included | Good The base fare is standard, but Plus bundles drinks, Wi-Fi and crew tips, and Premier adds specialty dining, photos and an excursion credit. |
| Fit | Good A strong fit for couples, retirees and multi-generation groups, a weak one for families with kids who want slides. |
These grades put Princess seventh in our cruise line rankings as the best mid-price all-rounder, and first in our best cruise lines for Alaska. It ranks below Celebrity for food and ship design, and below Holland America for a calm, traditional trip, but it has more ships and dates than either.
Strengths
- Alaska. Princess sends eight ships to Alaska in 2027, plans 85 Glacier Bay calls and runs its own wilderness lodges for land tours that include Denali. It is one of the six lines the Park Service allows into Glacier Bay. Details in our Princess Alaska cruise guide.
- Clear packages. Princess Plus adds up to 15 drinks a day (each up to a set price), specialty coffees, Wi-Fi for one device, prepaid crew tips and four casual dining meals. Princess Premier makes drinks unlimited at a higher price cap, covers four devices, and adds unlimited specialty dining, photos, reserved theater seating and a shore excursion credit.
- The Sphere-class ships. Sun Princess (2024) and Star Princess (2025) are the largest Princess ships, with the glass-domed Dome venue and the widest choice of restaurants in the fleet.
- Medallion. The wearable handles touch-free boarding, unlocks your cabin door and pays for things on board. It’s free if you pick it up at the terminal.
- A calmer crowd. Mostly adults and multi-generation groups, and much less of a party feel than Carnival or Royal Caribbean.
Weaknesses
- A mixed-age fleet. Grand Princess dates from 1998 and the other Grand-class ships from the 2000s. They run many long and unusual routes, so check which ship you’re booking.
- Few thrills for kids. There are kids’ and teen clubs, but nothing like Royal Caribbean’s waterparks. See our family cruise picks.
- Specialty dining costs extra unless you buy Premier.
- Tips and drinks aren’t in the base fare. Without Plus or Premier, crew appreciation, alcohol, specialty coffee and Wi-Fi are all extra.
- No new ships for years. No third Sphere-class ship is on order; the next new Princess ships, the Voyager class, are due from 2035.
Who Princess suits
- First-time Alaska cruisers. A seven-day round trip from Seattle or a one-way Voyage of the Glaciers between Vancouver and Whittier with a Denali land tour. See our Seattle cruise port guide.
- Couples and retirees who want a big ship with a calm atmosphere and lots of dining.
- Multi-generation groups where grandparents set the pace.
- Panama Canal travelers. Island Princess and Coral Princess were built to fit the original canal locks and run full transits.
- West Coast cruisers: Mexico from Los Angeles and Hawaii round trips from California. See our Los Angeles cruise port guide.
Who should skip it: families with kids who want rides, and food-first travelers, who should look at Celebrity (see our Celebrity review).
Princess cruise ships ranked
- Star Princess and Sun Princess: the Sphere class, with the newest cabins and the most restaurants.
- Discovery, Enchanted and Sky Princess: the three newest Royal-class ships, often cheaper than the Sphere pair.
- Majestic, Regal and Royal Princess: the earlier Royal-class ships, a solid choice at a lower fare.
- Island and Coral Princess: smaller, older and the pick for the Panama Canal.
- Ruby, Emerald, Crown, Caribbean, Diamond, Sapphire and Grand Princess: the Grand class. Book them for the route, not the hardware.
Is Princess Plus or Premier worth it?
If you’d buy a drinks package and Wi-Fi anyway, Plus usually costs less than paying for drinks, Wi-Fi and crew tips separately. Premier makes sense if you’ll eat in specialty restaurants several times, use more than one device or want photos and the excursion credit; otherwise Plus is the better buy. Package prices are per person per day, so check the price for your sailing before you add either.
How Princess compares
- Princess vs Holland America: its sister brand has smaller, quieter ships and a similar Alaska setup. See Holland America vs Princess.
- Princess vs Carnival: another sister brand, cheaper and livelier, with water slides and far more short trips. See Princess vs Carnival.
- Princess vs Celebrity: Celebrity has better food and design at a higher fare. See Princess vs Celebrity.
- Princess vs Royal Caribbean: Royal has far more for children and teens and busier ships. See Royal Caribbean.
Princess Cruises review FAQ
Is Princess a good cruise line?
Yes, especially for couples, older travelers and Alaska. It offers a calmer big-ship cruise at fares close to the mainstream lines. It’s a weaker choice for families with young kids who want rides, and for travelers who put food first.
Are Princess Alaska cruises good?
They’re our top pick for Alaska. Princess has the most ships there, makes the most Glacier Bay calls and runs its own lodges for Denali land tours, so the classic Alaska trip is easier to plan than on most other lines.
What is the best Princess cruise ship?
Sun Princess or Star Princess, for the newest cabins and the most restaurants. Any Royal-class ship is a strong, often cheaper alternative.
How is Princess rated against other cruise lines?
We don’t give star ratings. On our seven criteria Princess grades strong for itineraries and good on everything else, which puts it seventh of ten lines overall and first for Alaska.
Who owns Princess Cruises?
Carnival Corporation, which also owns Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line.