Princess Cruise Lines - Reviews and experiences

a couple on Sky Princess (one to Norway for two weeks, another shorter Spain/France run), Royal Princess out to Australia/New Zealand, Sapphire Princess down to South America, and then back-to-back stuff culminating in Diamond Princess to Japan. Different ships, different vibes, and also different lessons learned — most of which are “do your homework” and “bring the right meds” (more on that).
Sky Princess felt modern and pretty lively — long promenades, a big crowd (over 3,600 passengers), lots of energy. It was fun, but also a bit packed, especially on the Spain/France week when the drink-package crowd turned the bars into merry chaos after shows. Tip: avoid the main drinking areas for a bit after the evening show if you like quieter walks back to your cabin. Still, the food was acceptable and, again, that jewellery shop made a lasting impression. If you like browsing high-end pieces while at sea, Sky Princess’s store beat every other ship I’ve seen.
Royal Princess surprised me in the best way: top-notch food and genuinely attentive staff. I have pretty severe allergies, and one chef went out of his way to prepare safe meals for me — special dishes, careful prep, and that kind of personal attention that makes a traveller feel looked after. That touched me more than anything fancy in the ship’s brochure. Food matters when you’re away from home, and when a crew member takes it seriously, it changes the whole trip.
Now, not every cruise was rosy. Sapphire Princess to South America was rough — inside cabin with nearly no ventilation, my partner and I came down with bronchitis and were out of commission for weeks. The dining experience was disappointing too; some areas felt dusty and the simpler steamed dishes we requested were often undercooked. One excursion to Bluff Cove (King penguins!) got cancelled, then we ended up at a private farm viewing for an extra charge, which left a bad taste. We pushed for a refund and got some money back, but it wasn’t the smoothest moment in our cruising career. Still, even that taught us to double-check cabin ventilation details and to consider insurance.
Diamond Princess, however, felt like the sweet spot. Slightly smaller, a bit older (in a grand way), and somehow calmer — fewer passengers, a wonderful crew, and food that genuinely tasted great across venues. We loved Pacific Moon, the Horizon Court, and the nightly greetings from the Director of Beverages, who was witty, warm, and made evenings fun. The ship was especially good for exploring Japan; ports were intensive but beautiful, and shopping there (Daiso, wildly cheap finds) felt like a treat. We’ve already rebooked Diamond Princess for Vietnam and more Japan trips because, honestly, it fit what we want: good service, decent crowds, and lots to do ashore.
A couple of practical notes from someone who’s learned the ropes: don’t do back-to-back cruises unless you want repeated shows (entertainment can be repetitive), pick cabins with good ventilation if you get seasick or have respiratory issues, and if you love shopping — don’t sleep on the jewellery boutiques. Also, Japan is gorgeous and reasonably priced (Yen’s low, which is great), though some local food habits might surprise you — like, they seemingly never skimp on fruit displays (small watermelon that’d cost a fortune back home), but it’s all part of the charm.
Would I cruise Princess again? Definitely. I’ve had highs and lows, but the highs have been memorable enough to keep me booking. If you’re planning a trip, think about what matters to you most — food, staff attentiveness, shopping — and pick the ship that matches that. For me, Diamond and Sky covered the bases (one for calm and service, the other for that unstoppable jewellery shop).

We had such a great time on our cruise with the Princess Plus package. Everything was well organized, the ports were always on time, and the service was amazing. Dennis, our cabin attendant, and the staff at the Crown Grill were exceptional. The food options were pretty good for the price we paid, and the entertainment, like the production shows and comedy acts, were really fun. We only did one excursion in Panama, the city walking tour, but it gave us some interesting background history.

The cruise ship was pretty nice and had some good stuff, but honestly, I was let down in the end. I bought a package that got all mixed up and changed after I already paid up front. The people at guest services were really mean and didn't help me out when I tried to fix things. Also, they didn't give enough info about the flights we booked through the cruise line before we left. The tours they offered cost way too much, and we didn't get to spend much time at the main sights. It felt like they were trying too hard to get us to buy more stuff and services during the trip. The Medallion App, which was supposed to make things easier, only really worked if the bar staff remembered to put in your drinks. I kept going back to guest services to sort out charges, and it was just so frustrating.

I am so disappointed with the service I received on my recent cruise. It was just a mess from beginning to end. The staff didn't handle our issues well and didn't seem to care about making things right. It's really too bad that such a well-known company can provide such terrible service. I'll have to really think about booking with them in the future.

My time with this cruise line was such a letdown. Right from the start, when I tried to book my trip, I didn't get any customer service at all. The automated system was so frustrating, and when I finally got to speak to a real person, it sounded like they were in the middle of a really hectic home with noise in the background. It was hard to understand what they were saying, they just seemed to be reading off a script. I felt ignored and irritated. When I tried to sort out some issues, I was told to wait until the cruise started - talk about bad customer service. Even on the cruise, the Guest Services had long lineups and the staff could only tell me what the computer said, they couldn't really help with anything. It's not right to treat customers like this, especially when they've spent so much money on a trip they've been looking forward to.

My recent cruise experience was absolutely amazing! When I got on board, I was welcomed with such warmth and kindness. The crew really went out of their way to make sure everything was just perfect for me. The rooms were cozy and super clean, thanks to the hard-working room stewards. The service throughout the ship, especially during meals, was top-notch. The food was delicious and there were so many entertainment options to choose from. Overall, my time on the cruise was like a dream and I can't wait to go on another one in the future. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fantastic cruise experience.

I don't get why some people are talking bad about them. I went on a cruise and it was amazing! The food was delicious, the entertainment was awesome, and the staff were really friendly. I'm definitely looking forward to going on another one!