Age Policy
- Princess Cruises welcomes families while maintaining clear age and safety guidelines for all guests. The minimum age to sail is 6 months on itineraries to Alaska, Canada & New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Mexico, and Trans-Canal cruises. For all other sailings, including longer or more remote voyages, guests must be at least 12 months old by the first day of the cruise.
- Guests under 21 years of age are required to travel with a parent, legal guardian, or responsible adult aged 21 or older, who assumes full responsibility for their care throughout the cruise. For family groups reserving multiple staterooms, the minimum age per stateroom is 16 years, provided minors are traveling with a parent or legal guardian. Princess Cruises does not accept bookings for student or youth groups that do not meet the cruise line’s minimum age requirements. All adults traveling with minors must ensure that children comply with all onboard policies, safety rules, and ship regulations at all times.
- For safety reasons, guests who will be entering their 24th week of pregnancy or beyond by the final day of the cruise are not permitted to sail, in accordance with Princess Cruises’ pregnancy policy.
- Guests are also required to follow all age- and gender-specific restrictions for onboard and shore-side activities, services, and facilities, including spa and wellness areas. Certain activities may have minimum age requirements that can vary by ship or destination. Parents and guardians are responsible for supervising minors and ensuring compliance with all applicable policies and restrictions throughout the voyage.
Dining Information
Personal Choice Dining on Princess Cruises
A New Standard in Cruise Dining Flexibility
- Princess Cruises’ Personal Choice Dining offers an elevated culinary experience designed around flexibility, variety, and exceptional quality. Guests enjoy the freedom to choose where, when, and with whom they dine, making Princess Cruises a top choice for travelers seeking customizable cruise dining.
- Princess is one of the few cruise lines to offer both Traditional Dining and Anytime Dining, along with a wide selection of specialty restaurants, casual dining venues, and in-stateroom dining options. Guests may select their preferred dining style when booking their cruise through their travel advisor.
C.H.E.F. – Culinary Heritage of Excellence in Food
At the heart of Princess Cruises dining is C.H.E.F. (Culinary Heritage of Excellence in Food), a commitment to refined, modern classical cuisine crafted by world-class chefs. Menus feature premium ingredients such as grain-fed beef, cold-water Maine lobster, and expertly prepared international dishes.
Princess Cruises also offers Lotus Spa Cuisine, featuring lighter, nutritionally balanced meals without sacrificing flavor. No matter where you dine onboard, you can expect consistently high-quality cuisine across the fleet.
Dining Options
Traditional Dining
Enjoy an elegant, classic cruise dining experience with the same table, dining companions, and waitstaff each evening. Traditional Dining is offered in the main dining room at:
First Seating: 6:00 p.m.
Second Seating: 8:15 p.m.
Anytime Dining
For guests who prefer flexibility, Anytime Dining allows you to dine at your convenience between 5:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., just like a restaurant ashore. Arrive when you wish and dine solo or with friends.
Specialty Dining
Princess Cruises features a variety of specialty restaurants for an elevated dining experience (additional charge may apply), including:
- Sterling Steakhouse: Premium steaks such as rib eye and New York strip
- Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria: Authentic Italian cuisine with fresh pasta and Mediterranean seafood
- Bayou Café & Steakhouse: Cajun-inspired flavors and classic steakhouse favorites
Ultimate Balcony Dining
For an unforgettable private experience, Ultimate Balcony Dining offers a luxurious meal served on your private balcony. Enjoy freshly prepared lobster or steak, gourmet accompaniments, and personalized service—available for breakfast or dinner at an additional cost and in select staterooms.
Casual Dining Options
Princess Cruises offers numerous casual dining venues throughout each ship, including:
- 24-hour buffet
- Burger and hot dog grill
- Late-night bistro
- Ice cream bar
- Patisserie
- Pizzeria
- Wine bar
- 24-hour room service
- Afternoon Tea
Enjoy a classic Afternoon Tea experience featuring finger sandwiches, pastries, scones, cookies, live music, and white-glove service. Guests can choose from a wide selection of premium teas, along with coffee options, for a relaxing mid-afternoon indulgence.
Room Service
Princess Cruises provides 24-hour in-stateroom dining. Guests may order at any time using the onboard phone system. Continental breakfast delivery is available by completing the breakfast card provided in your stateroom.
Private Cocktails & Hors d’Oeuvres
Host a private onboard gathering with customized cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Princess Cruises will handle invitations, beverages, and catering. Guests can arrange events through the Passenger Services Desk.
Smoke-Free Dining
All Princess Cruises dining venues are 100% smoke-free. Designated smoking areas are available elsewhere onboard for guest convenience.
Hotel & Dining Service Charge
To simplify tipping, Princess Cruises automatically adds a daily Hotel and Dining service charge to each guest’s onboard account:
- Suites & Mini-Suites: $11 USD per person, per day
- All Other Staterooms: $10.50 USD per person, per day
This charge supports dining staff, stateroom stewards, galley teams, buffet staff, and other service crew. Casino dealers and spa personnel are excluded.
Bar & Wine Service Charge
A 15% gratuity is automatically added to bar purchases and dining room wine service and shared among beverage staff and support teams.
Additional Dining Fees
Some specialty dining venues may require a cover charge ranging from $15 to $25 per person, subject to change without notice.
Alcohol Policy
- Guests under 21 years old may not purchase or consume alcohol onboard.
- Duty-free alcohol purchased onboard or in ports will be held and delivered to your stateroom on the final day of the cruise.
- Guests may bring one bottle of wine or champagne per person onboard.
- A $15 corkage fee applies if wine is consumed in dining rooms or specialty restaurants.
Note: Dining venues, meal times, availability, and fees vary by ship, itinerary, and season. Guests may request to change dining preferences onboard, subject to availability.
Fuel Surcharge Policy
The Trigger Price
Princess Cruises typically reserves the right to implement a fuel supplement if the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil on the NYMEX exceeds $70.00 per barrel.
Note: Even if the price exceeds $70, Princess is not required to charge it. They often avoid doing so for as long as possible to maintain competitive pricing and customer satisfaction.
Surcharge Costs
If the policy is activated, the fees are generally structured as follows:
- Amount: Up to $9.00 USD per guest, per day.
- Applicability: The charge usually applies to the 1st and 2nd guests in a stateroom.
- Maximum Cap: There is often a cap per person, per voyage (historically around $70–$150 depending on cruise length), though this is subject to change based on current contracts.
Key Policy Terms
- Retroactive Charging: One of the most important aspects of the policy is that Princess reserves the right to collect the fuel supplement even if your cruise has been paid in full.
- No Prior Notice: The contract allows them to implement the charge without prior notice, although in practice, they usually issue a public announcement before adding it to onboard accounts or final invoices.
- Payment Method: If triggered after you have paid for your cruise, the fee is typically added to your onboard folio (your shipboard account) to be settled at the end of the voyage.
Payments / Refunds
Deposits & Payments
Standard deposits are flat, per-guest rates specified at booking (typically $100 to $250). Future Cruise Deposits (FCD) booked onboard are offered at a reduced flat rate of $100 per person. Under a policy update on December 9, 2025, standard promotional fares default to non-refundable deposits (refundable is available as a paid upgrade at booking). Long-duration voyages (45+ days) require an initial 10% deposit plus an additional 20% deposit due 320 days prior (total 30% deposit). Final payment is due 90 days prior for standard sailings (1-24 days) departing on/before November 30, 2026. For all sailings of 1-24 days departing on/after December 1, 2026, the final payment deadline is permanently extended to 120 days prior to departure. Long-duration (25+ days) and World Cruises (45+ days) require final payment 120 days prior for all departures. Bookings inside final payment deadlines require immediate full payment.
Cancellation & Refunds
Cancellation fees scale up based on sailing duration and departure schedule.
90+ Days (Standard) / 120+ Days (Long)
- Sailings 1–24 Days: None (except non-refundable deposits)
- Sailings 25 Days or More: None (except non-refundable deposits)
113 to 119 Days
- Sailings 1–24 Days: None
- Sailings 25 Days or More: Deposit Amount (30% for Full World Cruise)
75 to 89 Days
- Sailings 1–24 Days: Deposit Amount
- Sailings 25 Days or More: Deposit Amount (at 113–119 Days)
61 to 74 Days
- Sailings 1–24 Days: 50% of Total Cruise Charges
- Sailings 25 Days or More: Deposit Amount (at 113–119 Days)
61 to 112 Days
- Sailings 1–24 Days: 50% of Total Cruise Charges
- Sailings 25 Days or More: 50% of Total Cruise Charges
31 to 60 Days
- Sailings 1–24 Days: 75% of Total Cruise Charges
- Sailings 25 Days or More: 50% of Total Cruise Charges
30 Days or Less / No-Show
- Sailings 1–24 Days: 100% of Total Cruise Charges
- Sailings 25 Days or More: 100% of Total Cruise Charges at 60 Days or Less
Smoking Policy
To enhance guest comfort and in response to traveler preferences, Princess Cruises maintains a strict smoking policy designed to provide a clean, enjoyable, and smoke-free environment for the majority of guests. Based on consumer research indicating that most travelers prefer non-smoking spaces, smoking is permitted only in clearly defined areas onboard.
Designated Smoking Areas
- Princess Cruises offers a limited number of clearly marked designated smoking areas throughout each ship. These areas are equipped with ashtrays that are routinely serviced and typically include select cigar lounges, a designated section of the nightclub, and specific outdoor deck locations.
- All main dining rooms, food service venues, show lounges, and public indoor spaces are completely smoke-free. The casino and casino bar are non-smoking, with the exception of designated slot machines where smoking is permitted while actively playing. All table games are strictly non-smoking.
- For safety reasons, guests must dispose of cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco properly and should never throw smoking materials overboard, as this poses a serious fire hazard.
Stateroom & Balcony Smoking Policy
- Smoking and vaping, including the use of electronic cigarettes, are strictly prohibited in all guest staterooms and on private balconies. This policy reflects the strong preference of
- Princess Cruises guests to maintain their living spaces as smoke-free environments. Because private balconies are a signature feature of Princess Cruises ships, the cruise line is committed to preserving these areas as clean, relaxing, and smoke-free spaces for all guests. A $250 USD charge per violation will be applied to the guest’s stateroom account for failure to comply with this policy.
- Princess Cruises believes that this smoke-free approach aligns with global travel standards and enhances the overall onboard experience for every guest.
Travel Protection
Princess Cruises offers the Princess Vacation Protection (PVP) program. On December 9, 2025, the historic Standard plan was retired and replaced with a unified ‘Platinum Protection’ model (underwritten by Nationwide and administered by Aon Affinity). This program combines a non-insurance cancellation fee waiver (allowing guests to cancel up to 72 hours prior for any reason for a 100% cash refund for covered reasons, or pro-rated future cruise credits for non-covered reasons) with extensive travel insurance benefits: up to $100,000 Sickness & Accident Medical, up to $250,000-$500,000 Emergency Medical Evacuation, Trip Delay/Interruption, and Baggage Protection. The program cost is a flat 12% of the total cruise fare. The popular complimentary loyalty upgrade to Platinum PVP for Ruby, Platinum, and Elite members was permanently eliminated on December 9, 2025. The plan must be purchased and paid in full prior to the final payment due date.
Tipping Policy
Princess Cruises charges a daily ‘Crew Appreciation’ fee to accounts on standard fares: Standard staterooms (Interior, Oceanview, Balcony) are charged $18.00 USD per guest, per day; Mini-Suites, Cabanas, and Reserve Collection are charged $19.00 USD per guest, per day; and Full Suites are charged $20.00 USD per guest, per day. Daily charges can be prepaid prior to sailing. For guests booked under Princess Plus ($60/day) or Princess Premier ($90/day) packages, daily Crew Appreciation is automatically covered and cannot be removed, adjusted, or refunded. For standard fares, Crew Appreciation is discretionary and can be adjusted or removed onboard at Passenger Services at any time. For bookings utilizing Princess Plus, Princess Premier, or group promotional rates (such as Friends & Family booking code YFF), Crew Appreciation is mandatory and cannot be adjusted. A 18% service charge is automatically added to specialty dining, beverages, and package upgrades. Spa/salon treatments carry an automatic 18% to 20% service gratuity.
Dress Code
Daytime is casual. The evening dress code on most nights is “Smart Casual,” which is in keeping with what would be worn to a nice restaurant at home (collared shirts, slacks, sundresses, skirts).
Formal Nights
- Princess features “Formal Nights” (typically 1 to 3 nights depending on the cruise length). Men are requested to wear tuxedos, dark suits, or dinner jackets with slacks. Women wear evening gowns, cocktail dresses, or elegant pantsuits.
Excursions
- Enhance your cruise vacation by pre-booking your excursions (recommended for most savings and to guarantee availability) via the cruise line app or book while onboard. Space is limited and popular excursions sell out fast!
Why Princess Cruises?
Award-Winning MedallionClass Experience
Princess Cruises leads the industry with MedallionClass® technology, offering faster boarding, personalized service, keyless stateroom access, and seamless onboard payments.
Worldwide Destinations
Sail to over 380 destinations across Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and beyond, with expertly curated itineraries and immersive shore excursions.
Flexible Dining with Personal Choice Dining
Princess Cruises allows guests to dine when, where, and with whom they choose, featuring Traditional Dining, Anytime Dining, specialty restaurants, and casual dining venues.
Exceptional Value for the Price
With competitive pricing, frequent promotions, and bundled packages, Princess Cruises delivers premium experiences at a strong value—especially when booked through Topcruisedeals.com.
Family-Friendly Yet Sophisticated
Princess Cruises caters to families, couples, and multi-generational travelers, offering kids’ clubs, family activities, and adult-focused relaxation spaces.
Comfortable and Stylish Accommodations
Choose from interior staterooms to luxury suites, all designed for comfort, modern amenities, and attentive service.
High-Quality Entertainment & Nightlife
Enjoy Broadway-style productions, live music, Movies Under the Stars®, casinos, lounges, and themed events every night of your cruise.
Relaxation & Wellness Options
Princess Cruises features expansive spa facilities, adult-only retreat areas, fitness centers, and wellness-focused dining options.
Consistent Service & Hospitality
Princess is known for its attentive, professional crew and high service standards across its global fleet.
Trusted Cruise Line with Decades of Experience
With over 50 years in the cruise industry, Princess Cruises is a proven and reliable choice for travelers seeking quality, comfort, and peace of mind.
FAQ
Is Princess Cruises good for families?
Yes. Princess Cruises offers youth and teen programs, family-friendly entertainment, flexible dining, and activities designed for all ages, making it ideal for family and multi-generational travel.
What is included in the price of a Princess Cruise?
Your cruise fare typically includes accommodations, meals in main dining rooms and casual venues, onboard entertainment, youth programs, and select activities. Optional packages may include drinks, Wi-Fi, and gratuities.
Does Princess Cruises offer drink packages?
Yes. Princess Cruises offers beverage packages that may include alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, often bundled with Wi-Fi and gratuities depending on the promotion.
Are gratuities included on Princess Cruises?
Princess Cruises applies an automatic daily Crew Appreciation charge, which can be prepaid or adjusted onboard prior to disembarkation.
What dining options are available onboard?
Princess Cruises offers Traditional Dining, Anytime Dining, specialty restaurants, casual dining venues, 24-hour room service, and unique experiences like Ultimate Balcony Dining.
Is Princess Cruises all-inclusive?
Princess Cruises is not fully all-inclusive, but bundled packages allow guests to include drinks, Wi-Fi, and gratuities for added convenience and value.
What is the minimum age to sail on Princess Cruises?
The minimum age is typically 6 months for most itineraries and 12 months for longer or remote voyages. Age requirements may vary by itinerary.
What is Princess MedallionClass?
MedallionClass is Princess Cruises’ innovative technology that enhances the guest experience with faster boarding, personalized service, and seamless onboard interactions.
Where does Princess Cruises sail?
Princess Cruises sails worldwide, including Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and global World Cruises.
