Princess Cruises is a leading cruise line that offers a variety of travel experiences across multiple destinations, including Alaska, the Caribbean, and Europe. The company provides passengers with an array of cruise packages that feature luxury accommodations, onboard dining, and entertainment options tailored to enhance the travel experience. Customers can choose from various promotions, including instant savings on cruise fares and special offers for families traveling with children. Targeting vacationers seeking unique maritime adventures, Princess Cruises aims to cater to a diverse clientele, from couples looking for a romantic getaway to families seeking fun-filled holidays at sea. The company also promotes value-added packages, such as Princess Plus® and Princess Premier®, which include benefits like dining, drinks, and Wi-Fi, to enhance the overall cruise experience. Through its user-friendly website, www.princess.com, customers can easily explore available itineraries and current deals, making it convenient for them to plan their next voyage.
Princess Cruises receives a significant amount of negative feedback, with many reviewers expressing disappointment in their experiences. While some customers appreciate the beauty of the ships and the quality of the food, they often criticize the service and reliability.
Common complaints include canceled excursions without proper explanations, poor customer service, and issues with the Medallion class system, which has led to frustration among guests. Safety concerns have also been raised, with reports of inadequate security and incidents occurring in front of staff. Despite a few loyal customers who have enjoyed multiple cruises, the overall sentiment leans heavily towards dissatisfaction, highlighting that Princess Cruises struggles to meet expectations.
Summary generated with AI from recent reviews
Each source counts by its number of reviews. Only reviews written by people are scored.
| Source | Rating | Reviews | Weight | 6-mo | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Trustpilot Imported Trustpilot reviews | 1.7 | 647 | 100% | +0.6 | ● Low |
Monthly average rating from reviews written by people · latest review Jul 2025.
| Month | Average | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 24 | 2.1 | 21 |
| Sep 24 | 2.0 | 9 |
| Oct 24 | 1.1 | 9 |
| Nov 24 | 1.8 | 11 |
| Dec 24 | 1.8 | 14 |
| Jan 25 | 2.5 | 8 |
| Feb 25 | 1.6 | 7 |
| Mar 25 | 1.3 | 6 |
| Apr 25 | 1.6 | 7 |
| May 25 | 1.0 | 4 |
| Jun 25 | 2.3 | 13 |
| Jul 25 | 2.4 | 7 |
Share of positive (4–5★) and negative (1–2★) reviews mentioning each topic · based on the 500 most recent reviews.
“I just wanted to express my appreciation for the excellent customer service provided by Luyanda Chiya who assisted me...”
“I'm so surprised to a company like princess has so many issues with customer safety, with insecure rooms, witnessed c...”
Same method for every company: overall rating, legitimacy checks, the average rating of reviews mentioning each area and the 6-month trend · Cruise Lines.
| Company | Overall | Legit | Service | Booking | Value | Trend | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1.7 out of 5 (poor) | 100 out of 100 | 1.9 out of 5 (poor) | 1.7 out of 5 (poor) | 1.6 out of 5 (poor) | −3% | 647 |
| 4.8 out of 5 (good) | 100 out of 100 | 4.8 out of 5 (good) | 4.7 out of 5 (good) | 3.0 out of 5 (fair) | — | 1,000 | |
| 4.9 out of 5 (good) | 100 out of 100 | 5.0 out of 5 (good) | — | — | — | 1,109 | |
| 4.2 out of 5 (good) | 100 out of 100 | 4.2 out of 5 (good) | 3.5 out of 5 (good) | 3.8 out of 5 (good) | — | 1,083 | |
| 4.6 out of 5 (good) | 100 out of 100 | 4.5 out of 5 (good) | 4.5 out of 5 (good) | 4.6 out of 5 (good) | — | 1,069 |
Bottom line: Princess Cruises is #5 of 5 on overall rating in this group. On service, Evolution Travel scores higher (5.0 vs 1.9).
500 reviews of Princess Cruises. Filter by what matters to you.
We booked the Princess Premier Package and for 2 days now they've blocked my stepsons medallion insisting he can only buy non alcoholic drinks. He's 28 years old!! The ship is tired and a lot smaller cabins than other cruiselines we've used. Spent more time at guest services than enjoying the actual cruise
I can fully understand the I star rating for Princess cruises. This was my ninth cruise with them and we had multiple issues ranging from: Restaurants Bars Medallion class Suite Previously cruises overall very good and I do not why this company standards have dropped maybe “complacency” If I had read reviews on trustpilot I would not have booked with Princess. I am awaiting their response and will update my review accordingly.
After 24 cruises and 208 days cruising with Princess I have been mostly very happy. That is, until my last cruise - a 33 day, Island Princess, World Cruise segment (Cape Town to Rome). There were nothing but problems with: the wi-fi, Princess APP, and their idiotic 'Medallion'. Nothing worked properly! The standard reply was "Sorry sir, we're having IT problems." Unacceptable. No more cruises for me.
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We booked a cruise on the," Sky Princess". Went on the excursion to Cozumel, Ancient ruins/ Cave swim. We were left behind at the ruins by the tour guide, no apology, no discount...even though some of our belongs were missing, thank GOD we were able to get our backpack from the bus, which had our passports, they tell you to bring those with you when you leave for your excursions( only because they thought it belonged to another couple), that we had to find our way to via taxi. Proceed with great Caution with this company!!
they dont deliver on their promises.
We are highly disappointed with Princess Cruises. My elderly parents booked a cruise just minutes before realising Schengen visas were needed (it was labelled a British Isles trip), and that they would not be able to get a schengen visa in time. Despite contacting them immediately for a cancellation, early disembarkation in Edinburgh, or a transfer to another cruise, all requests were denied. This rigid approach, especially for a booking made so recently, feels incredibly unfair. We believe older customers are being significantly disadvantaged by such inflexible policies.
Just got back from our very first and last cruise on Sky Princess. A very beautiful well maintained ship no doubt, but an appalling experience from the minute we arrived at the ultra slow unorganized check in which took exactly an hour, to the minute we dissembarked. This ship has far too many badly trained impolite staff including one patronising man on customer services who was obviously in the wrong job. Hygene is non existent. I was horrified to find on entering Marketplace to eat , that almost everybody was walking in without sanitizing or washing their hands. I was prezuming that this would be enforced as on Royal Caribbean, but no. Surely there should be a staff member pushing this as you enter. Also I didn't see one person wiping handrails in 14 days, day or night. It's a Norovirus outbreak waiting to happen. So called entertainment throughout the ship wasn't even second rate , it was actually third. If you are happy to watch grown adults on a kids golf putting game as your main entertainment throughout the week in the central atrium then all well and good , but it is not the type of thing I would expect,for adults paying a couple of thousand £ each who are tring to relax and chat with a cocktail or beer. More like a kids game that should be in a seperate area. The racket from the compares and music was way too loud and ruined the main atrium and was impossible to escape, as it extended another two levels. The music was terrible and very poor in variety. This has been mentioned before by other cruisers. Whoever chose these artists I don't know, but they obviously wouldn't know a bum note if it punched them on the nose. The shows were great and Dan is very talented ,he stands out a mile on this ship and is actually too good to work on this ship. A great compare and singer. The bar staff in general are uninterested, bad mannered and inefficient. Customers waiting for ages at the bar only to have someone just walk up in front of them and then get served immediately. Also on two occasions customers who were waiting to be served were told, by a thumb gesture from the barman to go to the end of the bar. No words just the gesture. Shocking. Often there was only one barperson serving , so as soon as cocktails were ordered it slowed service right down and long queues were formed. Hardly any waiters on the floor in any of the bars . On Royal Caribbean it is almost impossible to put your glass down without a bar person asking if you would like a drink. Not the case on Princess. Medallion was a total waste of time and money. Everone was complaining that their orders were not even arriving and some including myself were getting charged on their accounts for drinks they never received. My account had a $40 charge for a bottle of wine I didn't even order. The Crown Grill was a lovely place . Meal was great and amazing staff, and also Sabotinis italian was fantastic with great food and staff. Marketplace was terrible, repetitive badly cooked food except for the occasional curry which was great. I put the ladle into the scrambled eggs and lifted a scoop out and the whole tray came with it. Our cabin steward Marlo was fantastic and a credit to the company. He was polite, helpful and very friendly. Room service was excellent and fast. So basically my thoughts are, that one of the directors of this company should go on a cruise on this ship and experience first hand the terrible service and how dreadful this company treats it's customers. So basically if we could have come home early we genuinely would have done but we were meeting friends on the second week. Thank goodness too because they were our saviours. All in all a shambolic company from start to finish. A total waste of hard earned money and an experience we just want to forget. Be warned .
Took hours to get on the boat. No one to help once you get on the boat except to try and upsell you on cruise packages. Our “free” room upgrade was next to a stairwell and crew elevator. Even though we paid for a drink package, they still charged us for drinks. Electronic room lock failed and got locked out. Sliding balcony door got stuck. Worst docks at each port. Food was a 5 out of 10. I was lied to by two different customer service people which means I had to fight on the phone with them after their crappy cruise. When you get on the boat, they already have your money. So they don’t give a crap about you unless you are going to spend more money. It was so bad we may never cruise again.
My family and I have cruised on several ships over the years, and we were excited to take a multigenerational trip—15 of us across six cabins—aboard the Royal Princess to Alaska. Unfortunately, this turned out to be the most disappointing cruise we’ve ever experienced, with issues arising from the very beginning and persisting throughout the trip. Key Issues That Impacted Our Experience: 1. Poor Communication Around Pre-Arrival Requirements The requirement for a passport—even for a closed-loop cruise (departing and returning to the U.S.)—was not clearly emphasized. This critical information was buried in small text in a PDF after payment was collected. The lack of clear, prominent communication resulted in a last-minute scramble and a costly same-day passport trip for some of our group. 2. Unclean and Poorly Maintained Rooms Upon arrival, our sheets were stained, the room was visibly dirty, and the bathroom smelled of urine. It took three requests before the room attendant, John, addressed the issue, stating he was “too busy”—suggesting a possible staffing shortage. 3. Repetitive and Limited Buffet Options The buffet offered limited variety with the same repetitive dishes each night across Asian, Mexican, Italian, and Middle Eastern cuisines. The overall dining experience lacked excitement and freshness. 4. Lack of Allergy-Friendly Dining My son, who has a tree nut allergy, experienced a reaction after unknowingly consuming a pastry that contained nuts—there were no allergen labels. I also have an egg allergy and found it extremely difficult to navigate the buffet without clear food labeling, which negatively affected my experience. 5. Inadequate Indoor Dining & Cold Weather Provisions The ship lacked sufficient indoor seating at the buffet, and with outdoor areas being too cold to use, dining became a challenge. There were no cold-weather amenities like blankets—only pool towels—which felt like poor planning for an Alaskan cruise. 6. Poor Service and Slow Delivery The OceanNow food and drink service was slow (averaging an hour) and frequently inaccurate. Bartenders had to reference recipe books to make standard drinks, and the cocktails were consistently weak. The drink package was not worth the cost due to slow service, bar closures, and minimal alcohol in drinks. 7. Limited Entertainment and Activities There were very few activities geared toward a range of age groups, leaving much of the cruise feeling dull. The DJ offered a poor musical selection, ended parties early, and didn’t cater to a diverse crowd. 8. Subpar Customer Service and Potential Bias Some dining staff were visibly rude—eye-rolling, delayed clearing of tables, and reluctance to serve our group. It felt as though certain ethnicities were treated with more courtesy and priority, leaving members of our group uncomfortable and unwelcome.
Called on 5/27/2025 at 12:29 EST to get information on the land portion of my upcoming cruise to Alaska, as well as my initial stay at the Fairbanks hotel we we will be staying at once we arrive. The customer service representative was very rude when I asked her questions regarding food and beverage packages and ended up hanging up on me. We also never received our Medallions before we left, even though when I called on two different occasions within 45 days of embarkment ensuring its delivery. My last communication one week prior they stated it was a system issue and I can pick it up on the cruise. 5 days prior to our cruise, I received an email stating medallion was being sent via FedEx, and the arrival date would be after I leave for the cruise. Absolutely terrible customer service, lacking any compassion. Our 1st and last cruise with Princess.
Very shady company. We booked a cruise and excursions and they ended up needing to change the booking which meant cancelling the excursions and rebooking them. It seems they were unable to transfer Princess excursions. We didn’t think much of it since the prices were the same. When reviewing our credit card summary a few weeks later, however, we noticed they only refunded a part of the original excursions. When we called them, they said all the money had been reimbursed and we politely told them that our bank confirmed that only part had been reimbursed. The customer service agent was impatient with me and treated me like I was scamming them for money when it turns out quite the reverse was true. I filed a dispute with my credit card and only then did Princess send me a check for the remaining amount they owed me. No apologies. Just forced to not steal from their clients and give the money back. I recommend you check the fine print on your Princess receipts and pay only with credit card, since Princess has proven themselves to me to be shady and self-profiting with their accounting practices.
2/5 – Good Experience Marred by Hidden Fees Cruise Line: Princess Cruise Line Ship/Route: Vancouver-Alaska-Seattle Our family cruise had enjoyable moments, but the lack of transparency around mandatory daily fees significantly impacted our experience. The Issue: When booking directly on [Cruise Line]’s website, there was no clear disclosure of a 17 − 17−18/day per person "crew appreciation" fee. The only mention of credit card charges was for onboard purchases—nothing about this automatic daily gratuity. Since my sisters (experienced cruisers) advised tipping staff directly, we did so every day (room stewards, dining staff, etc.). Only later did I discover we were charged twice—once via this hidden fee and again via our personal tips. Why This Is Unfair: Transparency Matters: If this fee is compulsory, it should be prominently displayed during checkout, not buried in fine print. Double Tipping: Guests who prefer to tip in cash (or adjust amounts based on service) deserve that option. Budget Impact: For a family of 5 , a couples of hundreds dollars unexpected charges are big burden—a significant oversight. Suggested Fixes: Clearly list all mandatory fees before payment. Allow guests to opt-out or adjust the fee if they tip directly. Train staff to explain charges upfront (e.g., at check-in). Final Thoughts: The crew worked hard and deserved appreciation, but the company’s approach feels misleading. Until this is addressed, I’d hesitate to book again or recommend Princess Cruise to others.
Poor customer service. I've spent most of the day waiting for a call back from Ross Ware. His colleagues Zara, Sam and Dan were unable to deal with the booking problem, which sounds bizarre! Our party of 4 contacted Princess Cruises when we realised our booking had dropped over £200/person within days of booking. Offered an on board credit, but declined. Doesn't customer service mean anything to Princess Cruises? My next phone call will be cancelling the cruise! 7 May 25 updated. I called Princess Customer Services (April Morrell) to cancel the cruise. Over 30 minutes of unbelievably poor service, I was offered 13p refund on one of the £155 deposits. Apparently, my wife needs to cancel the other booking for an additional 13p. I've explained my reasons for cancelling within 14 days of our online booking and it would appear that Princess Cruises are above Consumer Rights and British law. Please read other reviews before booking with this company. I'm absolutely livid!
Drone flyers avoid @PrincessCruises at all costs. They are completely an utterly prohibited... and are really anal and dumb about it. Additionally, food is average, communication is abysmal, entertainment is poor. All in all there are so many better options
Princess never gives refunds. Though I tried to resolve getting a USA $44.95 refund for a shore excursion, I never got one after calling them several times and emailing them several times. I cancelled one shore excursion with their excursion desk on the ship, when I could still get refunded all of my money. The person who helped me said I'd get a refund. I never got it for my January 2025 cruise.
1 Star Review for Royal Princess – Disgraceful Behavior by Executive Chef, No Accountability from Princess Cruises I took the Royal Princess (Sydney to Eden, March 13–16, 2025) to celebrate my 29th wedding anniversary. The trip was enjoyable — until it was completely ruined by the unprofessional, arrogant behavior of Executive Chef Daniel Skrba On the final morning, while waiting for my poached eggs, I had one hash brown on my plate. Lost in thought, I took a small bite — a simple mistake. Suddenly, this chef, who seemed more interested in barking orders than showing hospitality, confronted me loudly and aggressively in front of other guests. His tone was rude, overbearing, and frankly, unfit for someone in a leadership position on a luxury cruise line. I calmly approached him later to ask about his tone, only to be met with even more disrespect, including unnecessary comments about my age. His attitude suggested he forgot he was speaking to a paying guest — not someone working in his kitchen. I filed a formal complaint with Princess Cruises. It has been completely ignored. No response. No apology. No ownership. If this is how Princess Cruises empowers its senior staff to treat guests, I suggest spending your money elsewhere. There’s nothing “royal” about being talked down to by a chef on an ego trip.
I wish I could give them zero stars for their lousy customer service. As other reviewers noted, they pull the wool over your eyes and when you complain they point out the fine print in their contract. Tips should be optional and dependent on service, right? Well, not so with Princess. They charged us $952 Crew Appreciation and when we told them that we had already paid $400 in tips to crew members whose service we appreciated and that we were not okay with the additional charges, we were told that it was too late to adjust that. Their argument was that we could have adjusted the amount to zero only before disembarkation (we had contested a charge a few days later). To me it's a scheme to squeeze the last dime out of passengers. Corporate America at its worst. I'm all in favor of rewarding the staff on cruise ships and the Crew Appreciation is used for bonuses. However, maximizing company profits by financing bonuses in this sneaky, roundabout way is not the way to go. How about fair wages instead - and paying bonuses out of the large profits Princess makes? (2023: $21.6 billion revenue and $2.1 billion free cash flow - the share holders were very happy with that)
I made a reservation directly with Princess on January 9th (Booking #8W9XCL, Cabin #E324, booked by Auston Auch) and paid the full amount of $3,799 on January 10th. My two friends, traveling from London, were especially excited as it was their first cruise. On February 3rd, I confirmed with a Princess representative that the payment was in their system and would be processed within 2-3 business days. However, on February 18th, I was shocked to learn from Hanna at Princess that our cruise had been canceled due to non-payment, despite our payment being confirmed by both the bank and Princess. This error caused us significant distress, as we spent hours searching for alternatives during peak season. We eventually booked with another cruise line at a much higher cost. While we salvaged our trip, the excitement was lost. After this experience, we are reconsidering cruising with Princess again, as this was the worst experience we've ever had.
Onboard service is great but UK Customer Service is shambolic at best, rude and aggressive at times. Currently advertising a 15% off sale on onboard activities but prices are the same as the day before the sale. Customer Service claim the price was increased 'minutes' before the sale but when you ask to speak to manager of complaints the call agent claims to be 'the most senior person working for Princess in uk' - really? Manning Customer Service on a Sunday morning?
Princess Cruises is a leading cruise line that offers a variety of travel experiences across multiple destinations, including Alaska, the Caribbean, and Europe. The company provides passengers with an array of cruise packages that feature luxury accommodations, onboard dining, and entertainment options tailored to enhance the travel experience. Customers can choose from various promotions, including instant savings on cruise fares and special offers for families traveling with children. Targeting vacationers seeking unique maritime adventures, Princess Cruises aims to cater to a diverse clientele, from couples looking for a romantic getaway to families seeking fun-filled holidays at sea. The company also promotes value-added packages, such as Princess Plus® and Princess Premier®, which include benefits like dining, drinks, and Wi-Fi, to enhance the overall cruise experience. Through its user-friendly website, www.princess.com, customers can easily explore available itineraries and current deals, making it convenient for them to plan their next voyage.
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