Princess Cruises Reviews 825

I am writing to formally warn others about my experience with Princess Cruise Line, which I believe reflects misleading and unfair business practices.

Many customers, including myself, are attracted by promotions, package deals, and “free” cruise offers through casino programs. However, in my experience, these offers come with strict policies and significant barriers that make resolving issues extremely difficult.

One major concern is the 7-day policy. If you are unable to successfully contact the company within seven days for questions, cancellations, or changes, a non-refundable fee of $200 per person is applied. In my case, I attempted to contact the company on the very first day after making my purchase. Despite multiple attempts, I received no meaningful response—only automated replies. The representative I worked with (Sid Panamulla) was helpful during the booking process but became extremely difficult to reach afterward. Despite multiple calls, emails, and messages within the 7-day window, I was unable to get timely assistance, which prevented me from resolving my issue before the deadline.

When I was eventually able to reach someone, communication was extremely challenging. Calls often lasted over an hour, and I was frequently transferred, disconnected, or unable to get proper assistance, forcing me to restart the process repeatedly. As a result, it became nearly impossible to resolve my issue within the 7-day window.

Only after the deadline had passed was I finally able to speak with a representative who could assist me—at which point the policy had already taken effect. The entire situation took approximately four months to resolve.

I ultimately filed a dispute through my credit card company, which advised me not to cancel the dispute under any circumstances, as doing so would prevent me from reopening the case. During this time, representatives from the cruise line contacted me almost daily, urging me to cancel the dispute. They promised a full refund of $3,999 but required proof that the dispute had been withdrawn before proceeding.

For example, I received the following message:
“Once this has been completed, please respond to this email with proof that the dispute has been closed. Upon receipt, we will proceed with cancelling your package and issuing a full refund of your $3,999.”

However, a later communication stated:
“Please be aware that if you wish to cancel your cruise booking, there will be a $400 cancellation fee applicable, as this is a casino booking.”

This inconsistency raised serious concerns. I was being asked to give up my financial protection while the refund terms remained unclear and appeared subject to change.

Based on my experience, I strongly advise others to proceed with caution. Be fully aware of the 7-day policy and the non-refundable deposit. Most importantly, ensure you can reach a representative immediately if any issues arise.

This experience was frustrating, time-consuming, and could likely have been avoided with clearer communication, accessible customer service, and consistent policies.

The first few cruises on Princess were very enjoyable. They had great entertainment and music for those folks 50+ years. There was plenty of dancing and any onboard games were kid free. The last cruise in March of 2026 we experienced a whole different feel. More kids in pools, running in the halls, etc. This cruise seemed more geared towards families rather than adults seeking quite relaxation in a more adult centered atmosphere. I hope Princess decides to let Carnival and Disney handle the families with kids, and give cruising back to the adults.

The onboard dining experience was exceptional. Staff went above and beyond to accommodate a vegetarian diet, providing a varied selection of outstanding dishes each evening. Service was attentive, professional, and personalised, with thoughtful explanations that added an engaging touch. Despite a busy setting, the team made the experience feel special and memorable, a true highlight of the journey.

One agent named Lusanda did not understand what the enquiry was all about. She kept asking for flight details when what we meant were transfer of cabin and not bus transfers.

After many princess cruises every single one has had something seriously wrong..
Its an all fur coat and no nickers cruise line that scrape scrimp and scam. AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE.

As Princess continues its race to the bottom we suffer major changes, not only to the Plus and Premium packages but also to the onboard Medallion experience… ignore the advertising for oceannow delivery that states “anything you want delivered anywhere” it’s a false claim based on past glory, now the items available are VERY limited as are the delivery locations.
Left Southampton and within a day, certain drinks had ran out, certain breakfast cereals had ran out, hardly any drinks listed in the app and very few delivery location either… no doubt cut backs to staff levels have resulted in an inability to uphold these standards.
Plus has gone from 2 premium desserts a day worth around $210 on a 14 night cruise to 2 extra casual dining worth around $30, a loss to the customer, bottled water now counts towards your 15 drinks a day on the plus, reducing further the value of the package, menu sizes in the included dining appear to have reduced the choices.
The Gala dinner which used to be “Land and Sea” filet mignon and lobster, GONE, these are now charge for extras every night.
All in all Princes are following the same pattern as many of their sister brands under the Carnival banner, cut back, cut back, cut back… profit at any cost, the reputation is under attack from corporate greed. What a shame, it feels like your pocket is being picked constantly.
Bean counters ruin everything with their spreadsheets.
They should have reduced the premium desserts to 1 a day on plus and on the Premium to 2 desserts from unlimited…
To Celebrate 60 years of Princess Cruises they have decided to ruin the experience.

I am very disappointed with the way Princess Cruises has handled my refund request.

I cancelled my day excursions for a cruise that is still more than 5 months away after our travel plans were disrupted by the global fuel crisis in March and still ongoing with many flight cancellations, which prevented us from being able to embark. Princess Cruises accepted the situation and the excursions were cancelled accordingly and our deposit forfeited.

According to Princess Cruises’ own policy, pre-paid day excursions are fully refundable. This was also confirmed to me multiple times by Customer Service over the phone.

However, after 7 phone calls and 6 emails, there were no response and my refund of USD$739.80 for 2 excursions are still being withheld. To make matters worse, Customer Service closed my account before processing the refund and later informed me they had “no record” of my day excursions, despite me having proof of payment and an Order Summary.

My travelling companions, who are long-standing Princess Cruises customers of over 20 years, have already received their refunds for the exact same situation. Yet my partner and I are still waiting.

I am not asking for anything beyond Princess Cruises’ stated refund policy. I am simply asking the company to honour its own policy and process our full refund fairly and consistently.

I hope Princess Cruises will resolve this matter promptly and restore confidence in its customer service as this is truly unacceptable outcome when they always promote good customer service and support.

The company seems to be focussed on pre-sales and maximising profit via excursions and packages. When a refund was due on a cancelled excursion from January 2026, it took 3 (THREE) months to reach my account. That apparently is MY fault, because I live in Spain, not one of their 'regular' client catchment areas!!!
After an email exchange they gave up responding to me at all.
I did receive a phone call minus any apology confirming my bank details. It still took 3 weeks for the cash to be restored.

I really enjoy our cruise in New Zealand, staff were great, food very good. I thought is was very good value. I was unable to fly home on the day I was meant too. I booked flights after 14 days. Princess is going to refund the flight cost , accommodation cost, taxi and car parking. All this within a month

I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for the exceptional service provided by Natasha McKeown, your Post Cruise Guest Relations Specialist. Recently, I encountered a complicated issue that required immediate attention, and Natasha proved herself to be absolutely fantastic throughout the process.
From the outset, Natasha demonstrated professionalism and genuine care. She calmly put me at ease, taking the time to clearly explain the solution to my problem. Her ability to make swift and effective decisions was truly remarkable, and I felt confident that I was in capable hands.
Natasha’s outstanding approach not only resolved my issue efficiently, but also made the experience stress-free. Her dedication and expertise. Natasha is a credit to your organisation and deserves every recognition for her outstanding work.

I've done 6 cruises with Princess and my experience has been better than not... Initially I took away one star due to a decline in Customer Service (on our last cruise) but added a star for their great medallion app and their post-cruise customer service! Some of the Princess ships are older (same can be said from most cruise lines) and we've seen some upgrades so we know they are working on making things better. The food has always been great! The bar and restaurant services were awesome so was room service. Beds are comfortable and bedding is great! They need to put more time and money towards the "Theatre Entertainment". Room Stewards are not created equal, so sometimes you'll get a good one and sometimes, you won't 🤷‍♀️ That is the same anywhere you go. Our last one was not a prize, I had to talk to him a couple of times to make him aware I was not a happy camper and he improved and I appreciated his efforts.

rincess CruisesWell you blew us away what an amazing cruise we have recently returned from (Sky).As an independent Travel Agent my plans were to take this Cruise then write you a Vlog on my Social Media. which I'm doing now. I did not inform any staff of my job role or my intensions. Brilliant cruise and cruise liner. You certainly know how to look and cater for your guests. The whole staff were cheerful, helpful nothing was a problem they came across as one big happy family. From the moment of setting foot on the deck to leaving. The food was top class if it was not on the menu or in the buffet they would soon remedy this. Once I asked for a baked potato the very next day I had one with sour cream and chives was delicious. There was always something to do some where to spend quiet time even on the open deck. The shows were outstanding. There was something for everyone from the comedy lounge to quiz's, listening to different types of music. You could not do enough for us. We got an upgrade from inside to balcony within the first 3 days. Hand made chocs In our stateroom Reserved restaurant table with same waiter. The list goes on.
Will defo recommend you as you are now my second favourite Cruise liner. Hoping to do an Italian cruise soon. Fingers crossed a Christmas one too. Once again thanks memories look forward to many more.

I am going on a cruise in July 2026. As a treat I booked a massage in February 2026 and I was required to pay in advance. Unfortunately, I had to cancel the session due to some changes in schedule. The cancellation button would not work on the App nor on their website. I contacted Prinecess and they said they couldn't cancel it either but they would create a ticket and it should be resolved in a few days (this was early March). At the end of March I called back and they still had not been able to cancel my appointment nor refund my money. I was on the call for some time and finally had to disconnect. I called back in April and tried again to get the appointment cancelled. I was on the phone for OVER AN HOUR. I was told they had to log a ticket, and it would be 10-15 days before they would know how to resolve and they couldn't refund my money. I had to call my credit card company and dispute the charge- after a month of trying they still have my $427 and I have no way of resolving - I WILL NEVER book anything on their app again or give them one more penny of my money. If this wasn't a family cruise with a larger group I would have just cancelled.

Due to cancellations of excursions Princess Cruises was supposed to transfer the paid amount back to my account, This could take up to 4 weeks. I disembarked on the 6th of January 2026. After contacting them several times they couldn't find the booking????, even though I sent them all documents. Also the refund document from the ship. They asked me to contact the travel agent: Cruise.com. The travel agent contacted Princess Cruises more than a month ago, and told me Princess still was handling my refund!!!! And they would soon come back to me... Obviously the 589 $ are gone and I rest my case. Never more Princess Cruises or Cruise.com

Whilst on my recent Princess Cruise on the Sky Princess, my expensive Barbour coat was unfortunately damaged whilst hanging up on the coat hook next to the stateroom door it got trapped in the door hinge when the door closed and the zip broken. I was extremely upset as I could no longer wear the coat due to the damage. On my return from the cruise I took the coat to the Barbour Head Office store in Regent Street, London to ask if they could repair the damage, only to be informed by Barbour that my coat had been damaged beyond repair and that my only option was unfortunately, for me to purchase another replacement coat. As the coat was very expensive, I emailed Princess Cruises Head Office to let them know what had happened. I would like to thank the professionalism of the Post Cruise Guest Relations Team at Southampton UK Head Office who were extremely helpful and who reimbursed me for the damage caused.

I am writing to formally file a complaint regarding my recent Mediterranean cruise experience, including issues with onboard spa services and overall service quality.
I have always believed that Princess Cruises is a long-established and reputable cruise line. Having sailed with you before, I have never encountered anything like this. Unfortunately, this experience fell far below the standards I expected.
One evening, feeling extremely tired, I went to the spa with a friend for a scheduled massage. The spa manager informed us that we could have an 8:30 PM session, 50 minutes each, for $139 per person, including a gift. Based on this information, I agreed and arrived on time.
While waiting, the room was very dimly lit, and I informed the staff that I could not clearly see any additional service information presented to me. The only additional service I knowingly agreed to was a $19 thermal therapy.
After the massage, no additional services or “gift” were provided as described. The front desk was unattended, and no bill was presented at that time. However, upon returning to my room, I discovered multiple unexpected charges on my onboard account.
The following day, I returned to the spa seeking clarification. Instead of receiving a clear and professional explanation, I was given vague and unsatisfactory responses. I was particularly shocked to find a 25% service charge that had never been disclosed to me in advance.
I asked directly why this fee had not been communicated beforehand. The staff insisted that I had been informed, which I strongly dispute. I was never provided with any documentation or written acknowledgment at the time of booking—only the quoted price of $139 per person. I also have a witness who can confirm this.
At one point, I asked the spa manager, Linzt, if he could confirm with certainty that the 25% service charge had been disclosed. He refused to do so. I want to state clearly that I was never informed of this charge, and I do not accept or authorize it.
What is even more concerning is that after I expressed dissatisfaction, additional charges appeared on my account. This raises serious concerns about billing practices and transparency.
Furthermore, the manager’s attitude was unprofessional and dismissive. Instead of assisting in resolving the issue, he engaged in arguments. After the service, no staff were available to assist, and I was directed to customer service. Despite visiting customer service twice, the issue remained unresolved.
In addition to the spa incident, I would also like to raise concerns about several other aspects of the cruise experience. The bathroom in my stateroom had an unpleasant odor, which significantly affected comfort. The food pricing felt excessive for the quality provided, and although I purchased a beverage package, I was still charged for certain drinks that I reasonably believed should have been included.
While I would like to acknowledge that the housekeeping service was satisfactory, the restaurant service overall was disappointing. Staff responsiveness was inconsistent, the food selection was limited, and the food often did not taste fresh.
As a paying customer, I feel misled and poorly treated. I never requested any “gift,” yet product charges were added to my bill without my consent. The lack of transparency and accountability is unacceptable.
Most concerning is the consistent shifting of responsibility between the spa and customer service teams, with neither taking ownership of resolving the issue.
If I had been properly informed of the additional 25% service charge, I would have had the opportunity to decide whether to proceed. I did not consent to this charge, and therefore I formally dispute it.
The overall handling of this situation felt deceptive and exploitative. Additionally, based on the staff’s attitude and treatment, I felt uncomfortable and perceived the interaction as discriminatory.
I respectfully request:
* A full investigation into this matter
* Removal of all unauthorized charges
* A detailed explanation of the billing practices
* Appropriate action to prevent similar incidents for other guests
I look forward to your prompt response and resolution.
Sincerely,


I have been on several Princess cruises and have 2 more booked - one leaves in 1 1/2 weeks. I plan to do all my sailing on Princess in the future. I love their ships and have not had a bad experience. There may have been a rare occasional glitch but nothing bad. All the staff have been very friendly and helpful. The ships were clean.

My next cruise is on the Majestic leaving Southampton. I was on this ship for an Alaskan cruise and loved it - everything was top notch. So I am looking forward to it specially after it being refurbished since that cruise.

The other cruise I booked is the Sun. We were on that ship a few months ago for a cruise from Athens. I am also looking forward to returning to the Sun. It was new and very modern, especially the elevators and the service was great. We had the premium package so ate at speciality restaurants. My only complaint was for those restaurants. Either the food wasn't as good with taste or menu choice, or the service was slow but a couple of them were fabulous in all aspects. The buffet and other restaurants were great. So for our next cruise on the Sun, we got the Plus package for internet and drinks and will eat at the main restaurants. I loved the Irish pub which had great live music and was always filled.

The prior cruises included the Emerald, Ruby , & Golden ships. The Emerald ship was ok, but I didn't like the Canadian ports except for Prince Edward Island and for that we had 1/2 day in port while the others with nothing to do were full days.

We had a 10 day Carribean Cruise on the Enchanted Princess earlier in the year and had a great time other than an issue with our photo studio experience on board the ship. On returning home we made contact with Princess about the issue and were contacted by a member of the Post Cruise Guest Relations Team, namely Claire Wilson who was excellent in understanding and resolving our problem, thank you Claire.

I have always believed that Princess Cruises is a long-established and reputable cruise line. I’ve sailed with them before, and I never experienced anything like this. But this time, the customer service was unbelievably poor.

This Mediterranean cruise experience was extremely disappointing.

One day, I was very tired, so I went to the spa with my friend for a massage we had scheduled together. The spa manager told us they could arrange an 8:30 PM session, 50 minutes each, for $139 per person, and it would include a gift. I was happy with that and arrived on time.

While waiting, the room was very dimly lit. I told the staff I couldn’t see the additional service they gave me. The only thing I clearly remember agreeing to was an additional $19 thermal therapy.

After the massage, we didn’t receive any extra service as promised. When we came out, the front desk was completely empty, and there was no bill provided. Later, when I returned to my room, I found multiple unexpected charges on my account.

The next day, I went back to the spa to ask why there were so many charges. Instead of a clear explanation, they gave me excuses that were completely unacceptable. I was shocked to see a 25% service charge that was never disclosed to me beforehand.

I asked them directly: “If you’re going to charge a service fee, shouldn’t you inform the customer in advance?” They insisted they had told me. I made it very clear that I never received any document at the time of booking—only the promotional total of $139 per person was mentioned. I even have a witness who can confirm that I was never given any paperwork.

At one point, I told the spa manager, Linzt, “If you truly informed me about the 25% service charge, can you swear to it?” He refused and said I had no right to ask him to swear. I responded clearly: I am willing to swear that I was never told about this 25% service fee. I do not accept and will not pay this undisclosed charge.

What made the situation even worse is that when they saw I was upset, additional charges were suddenly added to my bill. This behavior felt extremely inappropriate and suspicious.

When I tried to resolve the issue, the manager was very rude and kept arguing instead of helping. After the spa service, there was no staff available, and I was told to leave and go to customer service. I went to customer service twice and still got no resolution.

As a paying customer, I feel completely misled and poorly treated. This felt like dishonest and unacceptable business behavior. I never asked for any “gift,” yet there were product charges on the bill, which makes the situation even more questionable.

Most importantly, both the spa and customer service kept shifting responsibility instead of resolving the issue. It felt like they were trying to avoid accountability rather than help a customer.

Overall, this was a very disappointing cruise experience, and far below the standard I expected from Princess Cruises.

If I had not been informed about the additional 25% service charge, then I never agreed to it. If they had told me in advance, I would have had the right to decide whether or not to proceed with the massage.

Their behavior was completely deceptive. To me, it feels like a form of exploitation—almost like being taken advantage of.

And based on her attitude, I perceived it as discriminatory.

Booked back to back cruises not realizing there would be a problem. So I paid the nonrefundable deposits.

When I do realize there was a problem I spoke chatted with 3 different representatives. 1 representative kept trying to upsell me inspite being told there was a problem. I finally indicated to cancel everything but she couldn’t do it.

2nd person I chatted with kept ending the chat after he provided some information. He did this twice.

Finally got someone who was for the most part competent and was able to cancel my booking but annoyed that I will not be refunded $198 for something it should have told me about when I booked.

More annoyed that I took this exact same cruise with its sister company and no problems.

Avoid