Princess Cruises to revise payment, deposit and cancellation rules
The policies will apply to qualifying new bookings made from September 2, 2026, for sailings beginning in 2027.
Princess Cruises will introduce revised booking policies on September 2, 2026. The changes will cover new reservations made on or after that date for voyages departing January 1, 2027, and later.
Under the new rules, final payment will be required 120 days before departure for all applicable voyage lengths, including World Cruise and Circle Pacific segments. Princess said reservations will be canceled automatically when payment is not received by the deadline, though reminders will continue to be sent.
The current schedule requires final payment 90 days before departure for cruises of one to 13 days and 120 days ahead for voyages lasting at least 14 days.
Standard deposits will also increase. For a seven-day cruise, the per-person deposit for interior, oceanview, balcony and mini-suite accommodations will rise from $250 to $300. Suite deposits will increase from $500 to $600 per guest.
Princess is also moving the point at which a 100% cancellation fee applies to 60 days or less before sailing. Certain shorter voyages previously used a 30-day threshold. The cruise line said the revisions would create a more consistent booking process, reflect broader industry practices, support guests and travel advisers, improve stateroom inventory management and promote fair access to cabins and sailings. Some online cruise community members criticized the changes, including one who characterized them as an effort to secure cash more quickly.
