Princess Cruise Reviews – Princess Cruise Ships
History
Los Angeles-based Princess Cruises has come a long way since the iconic “Love Boats” of 1970s television fame, maturing and stretching its wings far beyond what Captain Stubing could have ever imagined.
In fact, the Grand Princess of 1998 was the first cruise ship ever ordered that registered more than 100,000 gross tons, and today Princess is one of the largest operators of these post-Panamax ships, including the only line with such big ships sailing in Alaska. The brand also is one of the biggest tour operators on the Last Frontier, running its own hotels, riverside lodges, glass-domed private railcars, and a fleet of motorcoaches.
But while many things about Princess are very big, the line also operates a good number of ships—nearly half its fleet—that would be considered midsize and even a couple that by today’s standards are thought of as small, with only several hundred people aboard. What’s more, the line also was the first to make big ships more intimate and cozy with its philosophy of “Big Ship Choice, Small Ship Feel.”
Onboard the Princess Cruise Ships
Onboard, passengers will find a soothing and inviting mélange of influences, as Princess combines many different styles into a unique shipboard culture. Its California roots are evident in the line’s light and airy color schemes and interior décor. A British element permeates its officer corps, the result of a longtime association with P&O Cruises, the historic Peninsula and Oriental Steam Navigation Company founded in 1837. An Italian flair marks its dining experience due in part to an acquisition of Sitmar Cruises many years ago. Now part of Carnival Corporation, it is an internationally recognized brand name that does just about everything exceptionally well.
Princess has long been an innovator when it comes to redefining the cruise experience. They were among the first lines to popularize private verandahs for everybody (in 1998 aboard the Grand Princess), and more recently, they have introduced “Movies Under the Stars” on big poolside LED screens (in 2004 aboard the Caribbean Princess) and adults-only sanctuaries two year later (in 2006 aboard the Crown Princess)—both features imitated and adopted by other lines. The [email protected] program raised the bar for onboard enrichment with up to 40 classes on every sailing. Passengers can choose from a range of topics—everything from cooking to computers to cameras to ceramics.
Princess Cruises Itineraries
With a worldwide reach of itineraries, Princess has long specialized in exotic cruises to the far reaches of the globe, from India to the Amazon and virtually every destination in-between, with an occasional foray to the waters surrounding Antarctica. Altogether, Princess visits over 330 ports of call on more than 130 itineraries, so the possibilities are practically endless.
Princess Cruises have something for everyone, with a large fleet of magnificent Princess Cruise Ships spanning the globe and providing a thoroughly comprehensive premium shipboard experience that can be combined with a vast network of shore excursions and land vacations.
These People Will Love Princess Cruises
- Who wouldn’t? That’s the question. Princess Cruises provide vacations to suit every preference.
- Kids and families: Organized activities and family fun are plentiful on the fully equipped Princess Cruise Ships.
- Refined guests: Princess Cruises knows how to deliver the unobtrusive luxury, as well as the onboard enrichment activities, that contribute to a memorable cruise vacation.
- Corporate meetings and affinity groups: The large and comfortable Princess Cruise Ships have meeting space and services to accommodate groups and meetings.
What’s Included On Princess Cruises
- Tons of fun: Get fit in the health club or on the dance floor. Relax on your cabin’s balcony or next to the pool. Join an organized shipboard activity or spend a quiet afternoon in the library. It’s your choice.
- Youth programs: The kids have their own age-appropriate and supervised activities that run from morning into the evening.
- Good food and lots of it: The small, intimate specialty restaurants do carry a reasonable per-person charge, but that still leaves dozens of dining choices that are included.
Life Aboard Princess Cruises is comfortable, casual, occasionally elegant, frequently fun and thoroughly enjoyable.
Princess Cruises Destinations
- Alaska
- Asia
- Australia & New Zealand
- Bahamas
- Bermuda
- Canada & New England
- Caribbean
- Europe
- Hawaii & Tahiti
- Mexican Riviera
- Panama Canal
- South America
- Transatlantic
- World Cruises
Princess Cruises Reviews
To read a review of a particular ship, click the link under "Read the Review." If applicable, our Live Voyage Reports offer a day-by-day overview of an actual cruise onboard. In some cases, there may be more than one report, to be sure to see if your favorite destination is represented.Avid Cruiser Articles About Princess Cruises
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5 Comments
I took cruise back in August and my Booking #CD5CVM. Due to bad weather our Prepaid excursion was cancelled and we were told we will receive a refund check. The refund amount is close $300.
My sail dates were Aug 24-31, 2019. I still have NOT received the check.
I waited until October and I made my first call on Oct 6, 2019. All agents that I spoke to till date have given me different dates and different answers. They keep transferring me from department to department.
Initially they told me your check was sent out on Sept 13, 2019 and so maybe wait for couple days and if you still don’t receive it, talk to Accounting department. When I called again to talk to Accounting department they said its something Customer service department needs to take care of. When I called again they said ‘we don’t have a full address for yo. We will go ahead and cancel the check that we sent earlier and re issue the check.’ I don’t understand why would they not verify the address before sending out the check.
When I called again to get an update on the check they said they have to now wait to get the refund from the check that they had sent and only than they can reissue another check. This is sooooo ridiculous. I was not informed about this when I called earlier. I was told they are reissuing the check.
I called last week to see if they reissued the check and they said no they are still waiting to receive the refund from the check they sent earlier.
I called today and they said the check was reissued on OCT 16, 2019 and they gave me Bottomline’s phone number where I can track my check, a third party through which they sent out a check. Right after talking to these Morons I called Bottomline and they had no records of check that was sent out on Oct 16, 2019. So I call Princess cruises again to see whats really going on???
The representative was not even ready to listen the whole story and just transferred me Revenue department. Revenue department transferred me to Reservations department. The representative than tells me the check was issued on OCT 9, 2019 so i told than why don’t Bottomline have any records of the check???? Representative tells me i am not sure about that! This is the answer I get. Later she tells me the Process was of reissuing the check was started on OCT 9, 2019. So i asked when are you going to mail out the check and she tells me she don’t have exact date for that.
I demanded to talk to her Manager and she tells she has no way to contact a manager and she can transfer to the supervisor. I had already talk to a supervisor and they are of no help either.
Princess cruises steal your money and have no intention of returning your money.
They will RIP YOU OFF and give you run around. Once your done sailing, they don’t care. They got your money and that’s all they care about. The customer service SUCKS and the representative have no intention of helping you.
BEWARE of this biggest STEALING COMPANY!!!!!!!!
Horrible customer service. Princess lied to me twice about a charge onboard being removed and then I spent 6+ hours on the phone on hold trying to get someone at Princess to care. Nope.
NEVER sailing Princess again and I recommend all avoid their absolutely fake and laughable ‘excellent” customer service.
Liars and bullies. I’d refuse to pay, but they have my credit report held captive. Booooooo!
Agreed. Just finished partial Panama Canal Transit out of Ft Lauderdale.(Dec 28-Jan 9) Lots of empty promises. Credit for future cruises by Hotel Director himself never showed up on future cruise booked onboard. Took $200 deposit but only credited $100. Lots of non-English speaking employees that do not know their own company policies. Bad training+non-English speaking staff=bad cruise experience.
Never sailing Princess again. They owe me for an Alaskan Denali Land Tour I was refused entry on perhaps because I was elderly; perhaps because I was handicapped; perhaps because as a gay Caucasian I am married to my gay Asian husband. Communication after the cruise and after they collect their money non-existent. They don’t even have the courtesy to reply!
I can not warn people enough about staying away from Princess. Their customer service is absolutely atrocious. Cruise with them at your own risk.
Our travel agent refuses to use them anymore due to how often things go wrong and how little they seem to care about getting things resolved. They’re recouping money lost during Covid by screwing their customers over. Why wife and I have been waiting on a refund for almost 3 years now. The entire experience has been so awful that she refuses to ever cruise again.
Our travel agent says that she has 4-5 other couples “in the exact same boat.” Pardon my pun. I’ve tried contacting them myself and get redirected to a voicemail box. I have left countless messages and have not received a single reply. Complete radio silence on their end even though they owe us thousands of dollars. Do yourself a favor and avoid Princess at all costs.