Culture Discovery Cruises
A Princess Cruises ship sailing under a clear sky
Popular Cruise Line

Princess

Relaxed, refined big-ship cruising with wearable technology and a deep love of Alaska.

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The line

Where the big ship feels calm

Princess Cruises sits at the more polished end of mainstream cruising. The ships are large and full of choice, but the mood is calmer and more grown-up than on the party-focused lines, with an emphasis on destinations, comfortable spaces and quietly attentive service.

Founded in 1965 by Stanley McDonald and now part of Carnival Corporation & plc, Princess operates a fleet of about seventeen ships. The newest are the LNG-powered Sphere-class sisters Sun Princess and Star Princess, the largest and most modern in the fleet.

The line signature is MedallionClass, built around a small wearable device that unlocks your door, speeds up boarding, lets you order food and drinks to wherever you are and helps the crew personalize your day.

Style
Refined, relaxed
Fleet
17 ships
Guests
Roughly 1,800 to 4,300
Fares
Cruise only
Known for
Alaska
Founded
1965
In a word

“Princess proves a megaship can feel unhurried, and no line knows Alaska more intimately.”

A Princess balcony stateroom with the bed facing the window

Comfortable rooms and the Medallion

Staterooms run from cozy interiors to balcony rooms and suites, with the newest Sphere-class ships offering brighter, more contemporary spaces and more balconies than ever. Suite guests enjoy extras such as the reserved Sanctuary retreat.

Tying it together is the Medallion, a quarter-sized wearable that opens your door as you approach, keeps boarding quick and lets you order food and drinks to be delivered wherever you happen to be on the ship.

A Princess main dining room set for dinner

Dining and quiet evenings

Dining spans flexible and traditional main dining, an international buffet, and specialty restaurants, along with the popular International Cafe and Princess signature desserts. The food leans classic and well executed rather than showy.

Evenings favor production shows, live music, enrichment talks, wine tastings and the adults-only Sanctuary rather than late-night mayhem. It is a line that rewards travelers who want to slow down.

A Princess pool deck with loungers overlooking the sea

Alaska, and a wide world beyond

Princess is one of the most established names in Alaska, pairing glacier-rich cruises with its own wilderness lodges and rail tours for cruisetours deep into Denali and the interior. Few lines match its Alaska experience.

Beyond Alaska, Princess sails the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, the Panama Canal, Asia, Australia and long world voyages. We help you match the right ship and season to the region you have in mind.

Because Princess calls in the western Mediterranean, it sets up a Sicily food and wine tour to your trip.

Booking Princess with CDV

Why book through us

Exclusive Princess value

Group amenities and onboard credit on Princess sailings that you will not find booking direct.

Combinable offers

Our exclusive value can usually be layered with Princess's current promotions, plus full loyalty credit.

Cruise specialists

Advisors who know the fleet and match the right ship, cabin and itinerary, including Alaska cruisetours, to you.

Seamless land and sea

Because we run our own tours ashore, we make it easy to add a Culture Discovery land tour where your voyage begins or ends.

Pair your voyage with a land tour

Sail the Mediterranean, then dig into Sicily

Princess sails a full Mediterranean season alongside its Alaska program, with itineraries that call at Italian ports. Add a few days ashore with Culture Discovery and you can trade a brief stop for a proper food-focused stay, from the markets and coast of Sicily inward.

Try a Sicily food tour
Compare similar lines

More popular cruises we love

Royal Caribbean

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Norwegian

Freestyle cruising with flexible dining and some of the most innovative big ships afloat.

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Carnival

The largest fun-first line at sea, and a Carnival Corporation sister to Princess.

Explore Carnival

MSC Cruises

A global, Mediterranean-rooted line whose Yacht Club is a ship within a ship.

Explore MSC Cruises

Frequently asked questions

What is Princess Cruises known for?

Princess is known for refined, relaxed big-ship cruising with a strong focus on destinations, especially Alaska. It is also known for MedallionClass, a wearable device that streamlines boarding, opens your cabin and lets you order food and drinks anywhere on the ship.

Is Princess owned by Royal Caribbean?

No. Princess Cruises is owned by Carnival Corporation & plc, not Royal Caribbean. It joined the Carnival group through the 2003 merger with P&O Princess Cruises, and it operates alongside sister brands such as Carnival, Holland America, Cunard and Seabourn.

How many ships does Princess have?

Princess operates about seventeen ships as of 2026. The newest and largest are the LNG-powered Sphere-class sisters Sun Princess and Star Princess, each carrying around 4,300 guests at double occupancy.

What is MedallionClass?

MedallionClass is Princess wearable technology, a small Medallion device that unlocks your stateroom hands-free, speeds up embarkation, and lets you order food, drinks and services to your location anywhere on the ship. It also powers keepsake photos and onboard games through the MedallionClass app.

Is Princess good for Alaska?

Yes. Princess is one of the longest-standing and most respected names in Alaska cruising. It pairs glacier and Inside Passage sailings with its own wilderness lodges and rail cars for cruisetours that reach deep into Denali and the Alaskan interior.

Is Princess adults-only or family friendly?

Princess welcomes all ages and offers youth centers for children and teens, so families are well catered for. At the same time it has adults-only spaces like the Sanctuary and a generally calmer, more grown-up atmosphere than the most family-focused lines.

What is the dress code on Princess?

Most evenings are smart casual, with one or two formal nights on a typical sailing when guests wear cocktail dresses or suits if they wish. Daytime is relaxed resort wear. We can tell you what to expect for your specific itinerary.

How much does a Princess cruise cost?

Fares vary by ship, cabin, length and season, and extras like drinks, specialty dining and cruisetour add-ons sit on top of the base fare. Rather than quote a misleading number, we price your specific sailing and secure the best available CDV value. Request a complimentary quote and we will lay out the real numbers.

Ready to sail with Princess?

Complimentary quote, exclusive CDV value, and a specialist who plans it around you.

Request a Quote+1 (656) 333-6123 ext. 403