August 12, 2026
Why I Gave Princess Cruises a 6.5/10: An Honest Princess Cruises Review
Why I Gave Princess Cruises a 6.5/10: An Honest Princess Cruises Review
Is Princess Cruises Good for Millennials? Before I jump into this Princess Cruises review, let me give a little background.
My daughter and I are experienced travelers. My daughter is now a teenager, and together we’ve cruised with three different cruise lines. We also travel regularly by plane, both domestically and internationally. We don’t just compare Princess Cruises to social media hype or YouTube videos. We compare it to our actual travel experiences.
This review is based on my personal experience, observations, and opinions. It’s also written with other Black travelers, millennials, and families in mind because sometimes our travel experiences can be a little different.
Addressing The Common Rumors
“Princess Cruises is boring.”
“Princess Cruises is for older people.”
Honestly, I didn’t care.
I don’t choose cruises based on whether they’re considered trendy. Instead, my choices are based on the itinerary and ports. This is because I travel to experience places for myself instead of letting the internet tell me what to think.
So if you’re wondering why I gave Princess Cruises a 6.5 out of 10, it’s probably not for the reasons you expect.
The cruise was actually entertaining. The music around the ship leaned heavily toward newer pop music, which I loved because pop is one of my favorite genres. There was also plenty of music geared toward the older crowd. No, this isn’t the cruise where you’re going to hear Kendrick Lamar blasting by the pool all day, and honestly, I was completely okay with that.
Embarkation Day Started Off Rough
Before sailing, Princess offered to ship our Medallions to us for $10 per person. I decided to skip that option and pick them up at the port.
We arrived at our assigned check-in time, but they were basically letting everyone board around 11 a.m. anyway.
The line wasn’t long, but the setup didn’t seem very practical. The employees were checking travel documents and handing out Medallions at the same time, which made the process feel a little clunky.
After boarding, you watch the safety video either on your phone or on the TV in your cabin. Then you report to your muster station where they scan your Medallion and confirm you know where to go in an emergency.
The cabins opened right at 1 p.m., which was great.
Our luggage experience was not so great either.
Delivery didn’t arrive at our room until around 4 p.m.
Interior Cabin Bed Setup Issues
When I booked our interior cabin, I specifically requested two twin beds instead of one queen bed. It was listed correctly on my booking confirmation and my travel agent confirmed it as well.
When we walked into the room, it was still set up as one bed.
As a frequent traveler with a teenage daughter, we’re way past the stage of comfortably sharing a bed on vacation.
I went to Guest Services and explained the issue. Their response felt very nonchalant, like it wasn’t a big deal. Eventually I sent another message through the app requesting the bed conversion.
By the time the room was finally corrected, it was close to 5 p.m.
I won’t lie. I was irritated.
Between waiting on luggage, dealing with the bed issue, and just wanting to settle in and relax, embarkation day was not starting off on the best foot.
Princess Cruises Review: The Dining Room and Free Food
Dinner Saved the Day
Thankfully, dinner completely changed my mood.
We selected My Time Dining and had the same waitstaff every evening. Both servers were fantastic. One focused on food orders while the other handled drinks, and together they were one of the highlights of the cruise.
The main dining room served some of the best food I’ve experienced, which is a major plus for this Princess Cruises review.
The menus felt creative. There were dishes I normally wouldn’t order that I ended up enjoying. Every night felt a little different instead of the same recycled options.
We ate dinner in the dining room every single night.
Nightly Theater Shows and Entertainment
After dinner, we usually headed to a show.
The theater productions and singers were excellent. The performers were talented, the shows were entertaining, and it was clear a lot of effort went into them.
The comedy shows?
Let’s just say they weren’t for me.
The difference between the theater shows and the comedy shows was literally night and day.
This is where things started getting confusing.
One thing I noticed throughout this cruise was that information wasn’t always consistent. One employee would tell you one thing, while another employee would tell you something completely different.
A perfect example was Planks.
I was told breakfast and lunch were complimentary. The app also listed breakfast and lunch as included.
So on a sea day around 11:30 a.m., I sat down expecting to order lunch.
Nobody came over.
Eventually an employee told me registration was required.
At that point I was confused because the information I had received didn’t match what was happening.
That wasn’t the only time I experienced conflicting information during the cruise.
Salty Dog Restaurant
Salty Dog is Princess’ burger and hot dog spot.
And honestly?
It was probably the slowest casual dining venue on the ship.
We waited over 30 minutes for burgers and fries.
If you’ve sailed Carnival before, you know those burgers come out fast.
Princess was the complete opposite.
The burgers were huge and looked great, but I found them surprisingly bland. Big, beefy, but lacking flavor.
The Best Onboard Pizza and Snacks
Pizza
Now the pizza?
Completely different story.
Fresh, hot, flavorful, and consistently good.
The toppings tasted fresh and the pizza was always ready when we stopped by.
Definitely one of the better free food options onboard.
International Cafe
The International Cafe quickly became one of my favorite grab-and-go spots.
The sandwiches were excellent and there was a nice variety throughout the day.
The desserts, however, looked better than they tasted. Visually, they were absolutely beautiful.
However, after taking a bite, many of them felt disappointing.
My Honest Princess Buffet Review
The buffet was solid overall.
Breakfast was my biggest disappointment.
After two or three days, it felt like the exact same breakfast over and over again.
Eventually breakfast became repetitive and honestly a little boring.
Lunch and dinner were much better.
There was more variety, including soul food, Indian dishes, Asian cuisine, and other rotating options. Sometimes soups from the main dining room even appeared in the buffet.
The later-day buffet definitely felt stronger than breakfast.
Princess Cruises Review: Drink Packages and Mocktails
Another part of the cruise that became frustrating was the drink package experience.
I purchased the non-alcoholic package for myself because I’m not someone who gets drunk on vacation, especially when I’m traveling with my child.
My daughter had the Classic package.
The problem wasn’t paying for the package.
The problem was feeling like actually getting a drink was a whole process.
If you wanted soda, juice, water, or a mocktail, you generally had to go to a bar and ask for it.
And when I ordered mocktails, there were several times when the bartender made me feel like I was bothering them.
Princess had creative non-alcoholic drinks on some of their menus, so I couldn’t understand why ordering something as simple as a mocktail seemed to be such a burden.
Ordering Mocktails at Club Fusion
One night in Club Fusion, I saw a menu specifically listing non-alcoholic mocktails.
Finding a dedicated menu made me think, “Oh, they actually have a whole menu for this!”
After ordering a passion fruit option, I really enjoyed it.
My daughter was with me while I was playing Deal or No Deal. When I was gathering my things, I told my teenager to go order the same drink I had just gotten.
Then I heard the bartender tell her she couldn’t have it because it wasn’t for minors.
Hearing that made me jump right up.
I pointed to the same drink on the non-alcoholic menu and said, “Hey, yeah, she’s getting a mocktail. The one I just had.”
The bartender then said she could only get a mango drink or something similar.
Now I’m confused.
I had just ordered the exact same drink.
It was a non-alcoholic drink.
We both had drink packages.
And I had seen younger kids around the ship getting creative, fun mocktails.
So why did it suddenly become an issue when my daughter wanted one?
This happened enough times that it became frustrating.
Imagine doing this every day for seven days when you just want something cold and yummy.
That may seem small to somebody reading this, but when you’re paying for a package and repeatedly feel like you’re bothering someone every time you use it, it adds up.
So Why a 6.5 Out of 10?
If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably wondering why I landed on a 6.5 out of 10.
The food was good.
The entertainment was good.
The ports were great.
So what happened?
My Experience as a Black Millennial Traveler Onboard
As a Black woman from the South, I know when I’m being treated differently.
That doesn’t mean every negative interaction is about race. It doesn’t mean everyone is out to get me.
But when you’ve lived your entire life in this skin, you learn to pay attention to patterns, body language, tone, and how people interact with you versus everyone around you.
When it becomes more than one interaction, I stop asking, “Hmm, am I tripping?” and become fully aware.
One thing I noticed started in the main dining room.
Every night, it seemed like the tables around us were being asked if they wanted photos taken.
My daughter and I were actually one of the few tables that dressed up every single night.
Yet not once were we asked.
Would I have purchased the photo?
Maybe.
But by the fifth night, I noticed it.
Maybe it was an oversight.
Maybe it wasn’t.
I’m simply telling you what I observed.
Service Flaws That Lowered My Rating
Then there was the issue that dropped my original review from an 8 to a 6.5.
The problem was interactions with some staff.
Almost every time I ordered a mocktail, it felt like I was inconveniencing the bartender.
There were times I caught the same bartender woman that would sigh after I ordered things like a mocktail mojito or virgin Piña Colada.
I tried to convince myself that maybe I was tripping.
Until one night, while ordering food, a lady taking orders literally rolled her eyes as I turned my head after ordering.
My daughter waited until we got back to the room to say something.
You wanna know the insane part?
Most of these interactions were from people that looked like me or people of color.
It’s like they would smile and greet others, but once it was my turn, the friendly charisma went off.
You think about how hard these people work and how many hours they spend away from their families, but I still expect to get the same warm energy everyone else gets.
By the last night, I became annoyed.
Imagine staff treating you like a bother for ordering once from them a day. Repeated experiences like that happened throughout the
cruise. Meanwhile, I thought being around certain crowds would be awkward, but everyone I encountered as a passenger on the
ship was kind and polite. It was a shock to encounter people that look like me rolling their eyes when I ordered a ham and cheese
sandwich like it was a bother.
The Lemonade Incident: Service Issues Onboard
Then came the lemonade incident.
Now listen, this may sound small to some people, but it rubbed me the wrong way.
During lunch, I enjoyed the lemonade that was included.
One day I grabbed a cup in the buffet and went to get some ice before pouring my lemonade.
I had literally watched people all cruise long grab a cup, get ice, and then get tea, lemonade, or juice.
I did it daily.
As I reached for the ice scoop, a crew member told me I couldn’t get ice first and then snatched the scoop out of my hand.
Yes, you read that correctly.
She snatched it out of my hand.
I was shocked.
The gentleman standing beside her immediately knew something wasn’t right and said, “No, you can get it.”
But at that point, I didn’t even want the lemonade anymore.
I put the cup down and walked away.
What bothered me wasn’t the lemonade.
It was the interaction.
Imagine being a grown adult and someone snatches something out your hand like you’re a child.
Thankfully, I’ve matured.
I know how to conduct myself.
Self-control is your superpower.
But that moment stuck with me.
I didn’t realize how upset I was until my daughter kept asking me if I was okay afterward.
That interaction left a sour taste in my mouth unlike the lemonade. Honestly, it stayed with me for the rest of the cruise.
Representation and Diversity on Princess Cruises
Now, am I saying every crew member treated me badly?
Absolutely not.
Many of the crew members were wonderful.
Some went above and beyond.
The service people we had in the main dining room were excellent, and our waitstaff was one of the highlights of the cruise.
But I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel treated differently during certain interactions.
One thing I’ve noticed across multiple cruise lines is that companies often spend years catering to a specific customer base. Sometimes those habits become part of the culture onboard, whether intentional or not.
What actually surprised me about this sailing was how diverse the passengers were.
Before boarding, I honestly thought my daughter and I would be among the few Black passengers onboard.
I was wrong.
There were people of all ages, races, and backgrounds enjoying this cruise.
Seeing so many beautiful faces that looked like mine was a wonderful surprise
That actually surprised me because I went in thinking we would be the only ones.
I was pleasantly mistaken.
And honestly, the passengers themselves were kind and polite.
Is Princess Cruises Good for Millennials?
So after everything I’ve told you, would I say Princess Cruises is good for millennials?
I think it depends on what you’re looking for.
If you’re looking for a cruise that revolves around the newest music, huge parties, and a younger crowd, this may not be your first choice.
But if you’re like me and you choose cruises based on the ports, food, entertainment, and overall experience, I wouldn’t count Princess out.
I enjoyed the newer pop music.
I enjoyed the theater shows.
I loved the main dining room.
And I didn’t have a problem being around passengers of different ages.
The cruise also had a much more diverse passenger mix than I expected.
For me, Princess wasn’t boring.
It just wasn’t perfect.
Princess Cruises Pros
- The theatrical and singing shows were excellent.
- Main dining room food was some of the best we’ve had across the three cruise lines we’ve sailed.
- The nightly menus were creative.
- My Time Dining worked well for us.
- Our dining room waitstaff was excellent.
- Pizza was fresh, hot, and flavorful.
- The International Cafe had great sandwiches.
- The ship had newer pop music that I enjoyed.
- The passenger mix was more diverse in age and race than I expected.
- I would cruise Princess again for the right itinerary and price.
Princess Cruises Cons
- Our luggage didn’t arrive until around 4 p.m.
- Our cabin wasn’t set up with the two twin beds that were requested.
- Guest Services didn’t seem very concerned about the bed issue.
- Some information onboard was inconsistent.
- Planks was confusing regarding complimentary dining.
- Salty Dog was extremely slow.
- The burgers were big but lacked flavor.
- Breakfast at the buffet became repetitive.
- There was no omelet station.
- The desserts looked beautiful but often lacked flavor.
- Getting mocktails felt like a hassle.
- Some staff interactions felt dismissive and inconsistent.
- The lemonade/ice incident was completely unnecessary.
- I noticed differences in how some staff interacted with me compared with other passengers.
Would I Cruise Princess Again?
Yes.
If the itinerary was right and the price was right, I would absolutely book Princess again.
My 6.5 rating doesn’t mean I hated the cruise.
It means there were enough positive experiences to bring me back, but enough negative experiences that I can’t ignore them either.
Between the theatrical productions and the main dining room, the food and entertainment had some real highs.
To top it off, our assigned dining room service team was excellent.
And I was pleasantly surprised by how diverse the passenger crowd was.
But the negative interactions mattered too.
If Princess wants to attract more younger travelers and more diverse travelers, there are definitely some areas where improvement is needed. As in marketing.
For me, good customer service isn’t complicated.
I don’t need special treatment.
I just want the same basic respect, friendliness, and hospitality that everyone else is getting.
And that’s ultimately what kept my score at a 6.5.