PH
Cruises to Puerto Princesa
Puerto Princesa is a Palawan call built around one big cave adventure, with beaches, mangroves, and compact city stops as backup plans.
Upcoming visits
5
Best fare
$447 per night
Puerto Princesa is a Palawan call built around one big cave adventure, with beaches, mangroves, and compact city stops as backup plans.
Find Puerto Princesa on Google Maps before you plan the port day.
Puerto Princesa is not a port to treat like a casual city stroll if the underground river is on your list. The headline experience sits outside the quick-hit zone and works best as a structured full-day tour, usually with lunch and enough moving parts that winging it is the wrong mood. For cruise passengers, that is the central decision: commit to the cave, or keep the day lighter with water, viewpoints, and a few close-in landmarks.
The appeal here is range without urban overload. You can spend the stop paddling beneath limestone, snorkeling around Honda Bay, eating hopia at a hilltop garden, or threading mangrove roots by kayak. Puerto Princesa rewards travelers who pick one primary plan and leave a little slack. Nature is the main character, but the city has a few grounded stops that make sense if you want culture, photos, and history without turning the day into a logistics puzzle.
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is the reason many travelers know this port at all. The draw is specific: a paddle route through an 8km underground river system, with limestone chambers, stalactites, and bat flights doing the visual work. Because it is a full-day outing, cruise passengers should treat it as the plan, not one item in a packed checklist. It fits travelers who want a true Palawan nature moment and are comfortable giving the day to a single marquee excursion.
First-timers who want the port's signature experience and do not mind a full-day commitment.
Honda Bay Island Hopping is the cleaner pick if your ideal port day involves speedboats, sand, and a mask in the water rather than a long inland-feeling excursion. The usual focus is snorkeling around coral reefs and island stops such as Luli, Cowrie, and Starfish, where the day leans bright and aquatic instead of heavy on sightseeing. It is especially good for groups with mixed energy levels: some can snorkel, others can stay in beach mode, and nobody has to pretend a museum crawl was the goal.
Beach-first and flexible, with snorkeling as the upgrade rather than the entire assignment.
Baker's Hill is not trying to be the deepest cultural stop in Puerto Princesa, and that is partly the point. It is a scenic hilltop park with gardens, views, photo corners, and hopia pastries, making it useful when you want something easy between bigger moves. Families, snack-driven travelers, and anyone who needs a softer day after several active ports will get the most out of it. Think of it as a quick palate cleanser, not the anchor of the whole call.
Works well with a city-focused day or as a gentle add-on when you are not chasing a major excursion.
Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral gives Puerto Princesa a calm central landmark for travelers who like a city to have an architectural pause. The Spanish colonial church, surrounding gardens, and nearby market make it a practical stop when you are keeping the day compact or filling time around a bigger tour. It is not the flashiest thing in Palawan, but it adds context and a slower rhythm. Architecture fans and culturally curious cruisers should put it on a short city loop rather than rush past it.
A relaxed city stop with architecture, gardens, and nearby local activity.
Plaza Cuartel is the sobering counterweight to Puerto Princesa's beaches and green spaces. The site honors 143 martyrs killed during World War II, with a museum and memorial atmosphere that asks for more than a quick photo. For cruise passengers, it makes the most sense as part of a central Puerto Princesa route, especially if you are already visiting the cathedral area. This is a stop for travelers who want the port to feel like a real place, not just a backdrop.
A meaningful history stop, not a casual photo-op.
Iwahig Firefly Watching sounds like the kind of experience cruise passengers want to force into any itinerary, but timing matters. The boat ride happens at dusk through mangroves, with fireflies creating the main show and dinner often built into the eco-tour setup. If your port call allows an evening outing, it can be one of the more memorable nature experiences in Puerto Princesa. If not, do not gamble with the ship clock; choose a daytime mangrove or city plan instead.
Only prioritize this if your port schedule comfortably supports a dusk activity.
Mangrove Paddling is the quieter adventure option: guided kayaking through twisting roots, with chances to spot monkeys and birds. It fits travelers who want nature without committing to the underground river or spending the day on open water. The pace is slower, the scenery is more textural, and the reward is in noticing the ecosystem rather than checking off a famous site. For repeat visitors or beach-fatigued cruisers, this is a smart alternate lane that still feels distinctly Palawan.
Active travelers who want a peaceful eco-adventure over another standard beach stop.
UNESCO site: paddle 8km underground river through limestone caves with stunning stalactites. Bat flights and rock formations amaze. Full-day tour with lunch, must-do.
Scenic hilltop park with views, hopia pastries, and gardens. Quick stop for photos and snacks. Family-friendly overlook.
Spanish colonial church with gardens and market nearby. Relaxed visit for architecture fans. Central landmark.
Snorkel coral reefs at Luli, Cowrie, and Starfish Islands. White sands and tropical fish in crystal waters. Relaxed beach day on speedboats.
Current sailings visiting this port, sorted by the lowest tracked cabin price per night.
Built 2006
Hong Kong · Coron · Boracay · Puerto Princesa · Muara · Ho Chi Minh City · Bangkok · Koh Samui · Singapore
Built 2004
Singapore · Puerto Princesa · Bitung · Jayapura · Rabaul · Kiriwina Island · Townsville · Cairns · Ribbon Reef · Darwin · Slawi Bay · Bali
Built 2006
Hong Kong · Coron · Puerto Princesa · Kota Kinabalu · Muara · Ho Chi Minh City · Bangkok · Koh Samui · Singapore
Built 2006
Hong Kong · Coron · Boracay · Puerto Princesa · Kota Kinabalu · Muara · Ho Chi Minh City · Bangkok · Koh Samui · Singapore
Built 2006
Singapore · Koh Samui · Bangkok · Ho Chi Minh City · Muara · Kota Kinabalu · Puerto Princesa · Coron · Hong Kong
WWII site honoring 143 martyrs burned alive by Japanese. Lantern vigil and museum. Poignant history lesson.
Giant shell structure for events and viewpoints. Unique photo op. Local culture hub.
Boat mangrove cruise at dusk for mesmerizing firefly light shows. Eco-tour with dinner. Magical evening nature display.
Kayak twisting roots and spot monkeys/birds. Guided eco-adventure. Peaceful alternative to beaches.