What to Know Before Your First Princess Cruise

That is not a criticism. For a lot of people, that is the appeal.

The onboard experience is usually more focused on dining, live music, shows, enrichment, pools, lounges, destination experiences, and a slower-paced version of cruising. You can still have fun. You can still find bars, entertainment, activities, and late-night options. But the overall vibe tends to be more relaxed than some of the bigger family-focused or party-heavy cruise lines.

That makes Princess a strong fit if you want a cruise that feels like a vacation instead of a floating amusement park.

It may not be the best fit if your top priority is waterslides, thrill attractions, high-energy nightlife, or keeping young kids entertained every minute of the day.

Instead of only using a traditional cruise card, Princess uses a small wearable device called the Medallion. It can unlock your cabin door, help crew identify you for service, allow purchases onboard, and support app-based features like ordering food and drinks or locating people in your travel party.

For first-time Princess cruisers, this is one of those things that sounds gimmicky until you realize how much of the cruise is built around it.

You will want to download the Princess app before your cruise, complete as much check-in information as possible, and get familiar with the basics before boarding. The more you handle ahead of time, the smoother embarkation can be.

That said, do not expect technology to be perfect every second. Apps glitch. Wi-Fi varies. Orders can take longer than expected. The Medallion system is useful, but it is still cruise ship technology.

Our approach would be to use it where it makes life easier, but not rely on it so heavily that a minor glitch ruins the day.

These packages matter because they can bundle together things many cruisers would otherwise pay for separately, including drinks, Wi-Fi, crew appreciation, casual dining, specialty dining, and other perks depending on the package.

This is where you need to slow down and do the math.

Princess Plus may make sense if you would normally pay for Wi-Fi, crew appreciation, some drinks, specialty coffees, bottled water, or casual dining.

Princess Premier may make sense if you want a more all-in experience, plan to use specialty dining frequently, want more Wi-Fi access, care about photos, or prefer to have more included up front.

But these packages are not automatically worth it for everyone.

If you do not drink much, do not need much Wi-Fi, skip specialty dining, and prefer to keep your cruise spending low, the base fare may be the better value. If you like knowing more of your trip cost up front, the package may be worth considering even if you do not squeeze every last dollar out of it.

The key question is not, “Is Princess Plus or Premier worth it?”

The better question is, “Would we actually use what is included?”

For a first-time cruiser, the confusing part is not whether there will be food. There will be plenty of food.

The confusing part is understanding what is included, what costs extra, what requires reservations, and how your package affects the experience.

Main dining rooms and buffet-style dining are part of the traditional cruise experience. Specialty restaurants and some casual dining venues may cost extra unless included through your package.

If you are the type of person who wants a specific specialty dinner on a specific night, do not wait until halfway through the cruise and assume the perfect time will still be available.

Our general advice would be:

• Book the dining you care about early.
• Stay flexible on the nights that do not matter as much.
• Do not over-schedule every meal before you even know the rhythm of the ship.

A good cruise plan leaves room for changing your mind.

Most evenings are generally smart casual. Formal nights are also still part of the Princess experience on many sailings.

That sounds more intimidating than it usually needs to be.

Some passengers will dress up. Some will go all out. Others will keep it simple with nice pants, a dress, a button-up shirt, or a polished outfit they can reuse.

The biggest thing is to avoid assuming Princess is the same as the most casual cruise lines. You do not need to overpack, but you probably want at least a few dinner outfits that feel a little nicer than daytime clothes.

For Alaska or colder-weather itineraries, this can be even trickier because you are already packing layers, jackets, and practical clothes. In that case, simple and versatile is your friend.

That does not automatically mean Princess is always the best Alaska cruise for every traveler, but it should definitely be on the comparison list.

Alaska is one of those destinations where the ship matters, but the itinerary matters even more. Glacier viewing, port times, scenic cruising, pre- or post-cruise land options, and excursion planning can all shape the trip.

For first-time Princess cruisers, Alaska may be one of the best ways to experience the line because the more relaxed onboard atmosphere pairs well with scenic cruising.

This is not the type of cruise where the ship needs to be the entire vacation. The destination does a lot of the work.

Some ships are newer, larger, and more modern. Others feel more traditional. Some have more dining venues, newer spaces, or different entertainment options.

The ship can affect the onboard vibe, cabin choices, dining availability, pool space, lounges, and overall experience.

Before booking, we would look at:

• The itinerary
• The ship
• The cabin category
• The total price
• The package options
• The flights or travel logistics
• The port times
• The onboard dining and entertainment that matter to you

A slightly cheaper cruise is not always the better value if the itinerary is weaker, the ship is not a good fit, or the travel logistics make the trip harder than it needs to be.

The app can affect check-in, dining reservations, Medallion setup, onboard ordering, account review, and general cruise planning.

That does not mean you need to obsess over it. But you should not wait until you are standing in the terminal to figure it all out.

Before your cruise, it is worth checking:

• Whether your personal information is complete
• Whether your travel documents are uploaded or verified
• Whether your Medallion order or pickup plan is handled
• Whether dining reservations are available
• Whether your package is showing correctly
• Whether your travel companions are linked
• Whether your credit card/payment information is correct

This is one of those boring pre-cruise steps that can save frustration later.

Cruise value depends on the full picture. A Princess cruise may be worth more to you if it has a better itinerary, better port times, a calmer onboard environment, stronger destination experience, or a package that matches what you would already pay for.

At the same time, it is still worth comparing.

Before booking Princess, we would compare it against other cruise lines sailing similar itineraries. For Alaska, that may mean comparing Princess against Norwegian, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, or others depending on the route. For the Caribbean, Europe, Mexico, or coastal sailings, the comparison may look different.

The goal is not to prove Princess is always best.

The goal is to understand when Princess is the right fit.

Princess may be a good fit if you:

• Want a more relaxed, classic cruise experience
• Care more about itinerary than thrill attractions
• Like the idea of a polished but not ultra-luxury atmosphere
• Are considering Alaska, Europe, Panama Canal, or longer itineraries
• Want good dining options without a party-heavy vibe
• Prefer a cruise that feels a little more adult-oriented
• Like bundling costs through packages when the math makes sense

Princess may not be the best fit if you:

• Want the cheapest cruise possible
• Need constant kid-focused activities
• Want waterslides, go-karts, laser tag, or huge onboard attractions
• Prefer a very casual atmosphere every night
• Do not want to think about packages, reservations, or app setup
• Want a loud, high-energy party cruise

Neither list is good or bad. It just depends on what kind of trip you actually want.