Princess Cruises
The "Love Boat" line, reimagined for 2026. Princess offers one of the largest and most technologically advanced fleets in premium cruising — with MedallionClass wearable tech, flexible all-inclusive fare options, and one of the widest itinerary menus of any cruise line sailing today.
- Princess is the largest premium cruise line by capacity — ships range from 670 guests (Pacific Princess) to 4,300+ guests (Sun Princess, Discovery Princess) — offering something for nearly every travel style within one brand.
- MedallionClass is Princess's proprietary wearable technology platform — a ship-wide system using the Ocean Medallion wearable that enables keyless cabin entry, drink and food ordering from anywhere on the ship, on-demand entertainment, and personalized service delivery.
- Princess Plus and Princess Premier fare packages offer increasingly deep all-inclusive options — Plus covers beverages, Wi-Fi, crew appreciation, and casual dining; Premier adds specialty dining, photo packages, and fitness classes.
- Sun Princess (2024) and Star Princess (2025) are the newest ships — the largest Princess has ever built, with updated dining concepts, Sphere stage entertainment, and the Sanctuary Collection (suite guests-only private area).
- Princess is owned by Carnival Corporation (alongside Holland America, Cunard, and Seabourn) and is the corporation's highest-volume premium brand, with one of the most comprehensive destination networks including Alaska, Caribbean, Mediterranean, and World Cruises.
What makes Princess different
MedallionClass is the single clearest differentiator. The Ocean Medallion is the most sophisticated ship-wide wearable and app system in mainstream cruising — keyless cabin entry, on-demand food and drink delivery to anywhere on the ship, touchless embarkation, locate-family functionality, and personalized crew service driven by the platform's guest profile. It genuinely changes the onboard experience for guests who engage with it.
Breadth of destination is the second differentiator. Princess sails more destinations and more departure ports than almost any premium competitor — including strong Alaska, California coast, and Pacific deployments that most Atlantic-focused lines don't match. For a West Coast-based traveler or anyone planning a Hawaii, Mexican Riviera, or California Coastal sailing, Princess is often the strongest option.
The Sanctuary Collection on Sun and Star Princess is Princess's answer to Celebrity's Retreat — a suite-within-a-ship enclave with a private restaurant, private sundeck, and concierge service. It layers a premium experience on top of a mainstream ship, and it is the first credible suite-tier program Princess has run.
Flexible pricing rounds it out. Standard, Plus, and Premier fare options let travelers choose their own level of all-inclusive coverage rather than a one-size-fits-all model. And on Alaska — where Princess is the natural cross-shop against Holland America — Princess's five Wilderness Lodges and private railcar network create a land + sea cruisetour experience no independent itinerary can fully replicate.
Key Princess ships
Sphere-class (Sun Princess, Star Princess) is the newest and largest. Royal-class (Discovery, Enchanted) is the mid-generation workhorse. Grand/Crown-class ships carry much of the Alaska, Panama Canal, and Caribbean deployment.
Sun Princess
The newest and largest ship Princess has ever built. First of the Sphere-class — new architecture built around The Dome (an all-weather glass observation and entertainment space), updated dining concepts, Sphere stage entertainment, and the debut of the Sanctuary Collection suite enclave. The current benchmark for what Princess looks like at full scale.
Star Princess
Second Sphere-class hull — same architecture, dining concepts, and Sanctuary Collection as Sun Princess. Functionally similar guest experience with the newest hardware in the fleet. Strong Mediterranean and Caribbean deployment for its debut season.
Discovery Princess
The newest Royal-class ship — the class that defined modern Princess before Sphere-class arrived. Strong Caribbean, California coast, and Mexican Riviera deployment. A polished, well-running ship with the full MedallionClass experience at a slightly smaller footprint than Sun/Star Princess.
Enchanted Princess
Royal-class hull with strong Mediterranean summer deployment and Caribbean winters. Functionally similar guest experience to Discovery Princess. A dependable choice for travelers prioritizing the itinerary over the newest hardware.
Crown, Ruby, Emerald & Caribbean Princess
The workhorses of the fleet — mid-size Grand/Crown-class ships that carry the bulk of Princess's Alaska, Panama Canal, and Caribbean deployment. Older hulls than the Royal- and Sphere-class flagships, but proven ships with strong itinerary programs. Best chosen for the sailing, not the newest hardware.
Where Princess sails in 2026-27
Alaska
Princess has sailed Alaska since 1969 and operates five Princess Wilderness Lodges (Denali, Kenai, Copper River, Fairbanks, Mt. McKinley) plus a private railcar system. Voyage of the Glaciers sailings run Vancouver/Whittier to Anchorage, and cruisetours pair 7-night sailings with 3-8 nights of interior Alaska land programming. Second only to Holland America for Alaska depth — and stronger than Holland America on the land side for Denali interior access.
Caribbean & Panama Canal
Eastern, Western, and Southern Caribbean sailings from Fort Lauderdale, Galveston, and other homeports, plus one of the industry's strongest Panama Canal programs including both partial-transit and rare full-transit ocean-to-ocean sailings. The Grand/Crown-class ships handle Panama Canal duty particularly well.
Mediterranean & Europe
Sphere-class Sun Princess and Star Princess deploy heavily to the Mediterranean in summer — Italy, Greece, Spain, Adriatic — alongside Royal-class hulls. Strong Northern Europe and Baltic programming as well. Newer hardware than most competitor deployments at similar itineraries.
California Coast, Pacific & Hawaii
Round-trip Hawaii sailings from Los Angeles and San Francisco, Mexican Riviera, California Coastal, and Pacific Coastal repositioning — Princess maintains one of the strongest West Coast programs of any premium line. A meaningful advantage over Atlantic-focused competitors for travelers based on the West Coast or planning fly-cruise from there.
Australia, New Zealand & World Voyages
Seasonal deployment to Australia and New Zealand with dedicated ships, plus one of cruising's longest-running World Cruise programs — Princess Grand Adventures sail 100+ nights around the globe from Los Angeles or Fort Lauderdale. Best for experienced cruisers ready for a longer voyage.
Fare options and inclusions — Standard, Plus, Premier
Princess offers three fare tiers so travelers can choose their own level of all-inclusive coverage. Plus is the sweet spot for most guests; Premier pays off for travelers who will actually use specialty dining, high-tier drinks, and photos.
- Princess Plus — Plus Beverage Package (drinks up to a per-drink limit), Wi-Fi for one device, crew appreciation (gratuities), two casual dining meals, premium desserts
- Princess Premier — everything in Plus, plus specialty dining, Premier Beverage Package (higher per-drink limit), Medallion Net high-speed Wi-Fi for four devices, professional photo package, fitness and yoga classes, reserved theater seating
- Standard fare — base cruise only (dining in main dining rooms and buffet, entertainment, MedallionClass access)
- Air to and from the embarkation port
- Shore excursions (available separately)
- Spa treatments
- Casino
Who Princess is — and isn't — for
- Travelers who want a wide destination menu from a single brand — from Alaska to Hawaii to Mediterranean to World Cruises.
- Technology-embracing travelers who will love the MedallionClass platform.
- Multigenerational families — Princess is more family-friendly than Holland America or Celebrity.
- First-time cruisers stepping into premium from mainstream — strong on-ramp experience.
- Alaska travelers who want Princess's land programs and lodge network (Denali, Fairbanks, Kenai Fjords).
- You're seeking ultra-luxury or all-suite ships.
- You want adults-only sailings (Viking Ocean is better for this).
- You dislike large ships — the newest ships carry 4,300+ guests.
- You're an expedition or wildlife-focused traveler.
Our honest take on Princess
MedallionClass is genuinely transformative for guests who engage with it — being able to order anything from anywhere on the ship sounds gimmicky until you experience it, and the touchless embarkation and locate-family features remove a lot of the practical friction of large-ship travel. Travelers who won't engage with the app won't get the full benefit; travelers who do will find it hard to go back to a non-MedallionClass line.
Sun and Star Princess are impressive ships. Sphere-class is a real step up from Grand/Royal-class in architecture, entertainment (The Dome, Sphere stage), and dining. For a first Princess sailing where the itinerary allows, Sphere-class is our default recommendation.
Princess Plus is the sweet spot fare for most guests — it covers the four line items most likely to inflate a final bill (drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, casual dining). The jump to Premier requires honest ROI analysis: it pays off for travelers who will actually use specialty dining multiple nights, drink at the higher per-drink limit, and buy photos. Otherwise Plus is the answer.
For Alaska land + sea, Princess's own five Wilderness Lodges and rail network create a seamless experience no independent itinerary can fully replicate. Princess and Holland America are the two natural Alaska cross-shops — Princess is stronger on the interior land side (Denali lodge access), Holland America is stronger on the calm-atmosphere and enrichment side. Both are excellent choices.
Groups sailing Princess get additional exclusive benefits through Travel Squad Vacations — see current Princess group rates and amenities. An advisor is most useful for ship-class selection (Sphere-class vs. Royal-class vs. Grand-class), fare-tier choice (Standard vs. Plus vs. Premier), Alaska cruise vs. cruisetour selection, Sanctuary Collection suite decisions, and group amenities for parties of 8 or more. For broader context across travel styles, our comparison guide walks through how premium mainstream ocean cruising stacks up against modern luxury, ultra-luxury, expedition, and river.
Traveling with a group?
Groups of 8 or more qualify for exclusive Princess group amenities through Travel Squad Vacations — onboard credit, beverage package upgrades, prepaid gratuities, or Plus / Premier fare add-ons depending on the sailing, plus dedicated group event support.
View Princess Cruises Group RatesPrincess Cruises — frequently asked questions
What is MedallionClass on Princess Cruises?
MedallionClass is Princess's proprietary wearable technology platform — a quarter-sized Ocean Medallion that guests wear on a lanyard, wristband, or clip. The Medallion enables keyless cabin entry (the door unlocks as you approach), touchless embarkation, on-demand food and beverage delivery to anywhere on the ship, personalized service (crew greet you by name), interactive stateroom TV with on-demand entertainment, and locate-family functionality across the ship. It is the most sophisticated ship-wide wearable and app system in mainstream cruising.
What is the difference between Princess Plus and Princess Premier?
Princess Plus is the mid-tier all-inclusive fare — it adds the Plus Beverage Package (drinks up to a per-drink limit), Wi-Fi for one device, crew appreciation (gratuities), two casual dining meals, and premium desserts. Princess Premier is the top-tier all-inclusive — everything in Plus, plus specialty dining (unlimited on some sailings), Premier Beverage Package (higher per-drink limit), Medallion Net high-speed Wi-Fi for four devices, professional photo package, fitness and yoga classes, and reserved theater seating. Plus is the sweet spot for most guests; Premier pays off for travelers who will actually use specialty dining, high-tier drinks, and photos.
Is Princess good for Alaska?
Yes — Princess is one of the two strongest Alaska cruise lines, alongside Holland America. Princess has sailed Alaska since 1969, operates a large summer Alaska deployment out of Seattle, Vancouver, Whittier, and Anchorage, and owns its own Alaska land program including five Princess Wilderness Lodges (Denali, Kenai, Copper River, Fairbanks, Mt. McKinley) plus a private railcar system connecting them. Princess cruisetours pair a 7-night Voyage of the Glaciers sailing with 3-8 nights of interior Alaska land programming — a seamless land + sea experience no independent itinerary can fully replicate.
What is the Sanctuary Collection?
The Sanctuary Collection is Princess's suite-within-a-ship concept debuting on Sun Princess and Star Princess. It is a dedicated area for suite guests only — with a private restaurant (The Sanctuary Dining Room), private sundeck with reserved loungers and cabana attendants, and dedicated concierge service. Functionally it is Princess's answer to Celebrity's The Retreat and MSC's Yacht Club — a premium enclave layered on top of a mainstream ship. It is available only on Sphere-class hulls (Sun Princess and Star Princess) at present.
How does Princess compare to Holland America?
They are the two premium mid-market leaders and both sit under Carnival Corporation, but the tone differs. Princess is broader and more contemporary — more family-friendly, MedallionClass wearable technology, larger newest ships (Sun and Star Princess carry 4,300 guests), and Sphere-class entertainment. Holland America is more classical — Lincoln Center Stage live classical music, B.B. King's Blues Club, Culinary Arts Center enrichment, an older skew, calmer atmosphere, and the deepest Alaska program in cruising. For tech-forward, contemporary energy with the broadest destination menu, choose Princess. For a calmer, more enrichment-focused sailing (and Alaska done at maximum depth), choose Holland America.
Is Princess good for families?
Yes — Princess is more family-friendly than Holland America or Celebrity, though not on the level of Royal Caribbean or Disney. Princess runs the Camp Discovery youth program (three age-graded clubs: The Treehouse for ages 3-7, The Lodge for 8-12, The Beach House for teens 13-17), family-friendly staterooms including quad and connecting cabin configurations, MovieUnder the Stars poolside films, and the MedallionClass locate-family feature that removes a lot of the practical friction of large-ship family travel. Sun Princess and Star Princess have the most modern family programming in the fleet.
Is Princess good for groups?
Yes. Princess is one of the strongest group-cruise brands, and Travel Squad Vacations holds particularly deep agency group inventory on Princess. Groups of 8 or more qualify for exclusive amenities — onboard credit, beverage package upgrades, prepaid gratuities, or Plus/Premier fare add-ons depending on the sailing — plus dedicated group event support and coordinated dining. Current group inventory and amenities are on our supporting page at /group-rates/princess.
Can I book Princess through Travel Squad Vacations?
Yes — and an advisor adds real value on Princess. The most useful planning decisions are ship-class selection (Sphere-class vs. Royal-class vs. Grand-class), fare-tier choice (Standard vs. Plus vs. Premier — the math changes by sailing), Alaska cruise vs. cruisetour (and which cruisetour), Sanctuary Collection suite decisions on Sun and Star Princess, group amenities for parties of 8+, and Captain's Circle loyalty layering. Our team books Princess regularly and knows the fleet, deployment, and MedallionClass system in depth.
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