Princess Cruises

Drink packages are among the most common cruise add-ons. While your cruise fare includes select beverages, drink packages make the experience more inclusive by giving you access to a wider variety of non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. 

However, they aren't always the most affordable. Some cruise lines charge over $80 per person, per day for their most inclusive packages, making them a serious investment. 

Carnival's Princess Cruises reported a gastrointestinal illness outbreak on one of its ships with over 80 sick people onboard. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Coral Princess had 69 ill passengers onboard the February 21, 2025 voyage. 13 crew members were also unwell, bringing the total affected on the 91,627 gross registered ton (GRT) ship to 82.

The outbreak was reported to the CDC on March 7, 2025. 3.62% of passengers and 1.45% of crew members reported gastrointestinal symptoms. There were 1,906 guests and 895 crew onboard.

It's hard to explain what makes a vacation on the ocean stand out, but it's been my preferred way to travel since I was five. 

There's something special about listening to the sound of the waves and looking at the infinite horizon. There's also something unique about sailing on a floating resort with activities and dining options under one roof. 

I sailed on my first-ever Princess cruise and discovered it was nothing like I imagined. 

The upscale cruise line has a reputation for being geared toward older crowds, so as someone in their mid-twenties, I feared I'd find the entertainment lacking and boring. Though I'm not interested in partying into the late hours, I enjoy a lively social scene with fun game shows fueled by audience participation.

A cruise passenger on a Princess Cruises ship passed away in an apparent attempt to jump off the ship.

The incident occurred over the weekend while Sky Princess was headed back to home.

A passenger posted on a Facebook group, "Tragic incident onboard the Sky Princess this afternoon as we're making our way back to Port Everglades. A medical situation was called around 3pm today. Around 6pm, the Captain announced that a female passenger had attempted to jump from the ship."

"Despite the crew's best efforts, she succumbed to her injuries," the person wrote in the post.

The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended the search for a man believed to have gone overboard from Princess Cruises' Ruby Princess. 

The 72-year-old American man is thought to have fallen off the ship before it arrived in San Francisco on Monday, December 2, following a 5-night cruise to Ensenada, Mexico. The vessel arrived around 6:50am. 

According to a statement by the cruise line, officials searched the ship and sourced security videos. However, the passenger, who was traveling alone, was not located. 

Four sailings aboard Regal Princess have been adjusted allowing for engine repairs. As a result, the December 8, January 5, January 12, and January 19 departures have been modified. The Western Caribbean voyages from Galveston, Texas, vary in length—the shortest being the two 7-night sailings on Jan. 5 and 12. 

Changes include canceled ports of call and overnight stays. Princess Cruises alerted passengers just days before the first impacted cruise was scheduled to depart. 

Even the best cruise ships aren't perfect. 

Recently, I sailed onboard Sun Princess, Princess Cruises' newest ship, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. While it offers exciting features and innovations, a few aspects didn't quite meet my expectations. From the tiny entertainment venues to the slow service, I didn't love everything about my cruise. 

Recently, I decided to put Princess Cruises' Princess Plus package to the test. For just $60/day, the thought of alcoholic beverages, internet access, gratuities, and more was hard to resist! 

As someone who frequently cruises, I'm always hunting for a bargain. While I've found plenty of enticing base fares, the real costs often come from various add-ons, such as Wi-Fi, drink packages, and specialty dining.