8 Big Changes Coming to Princess Cruises in 2027

Princess Cruises has a busy 2027 ahead, and cruisers will have plenty of new options to consider when planning their next trip.

There are bigger deployments, new itinerary options and a few unusual sailings that stand out from the usual schedule.

There are also changes behind the scenes that returning Princess passengers may want to know about before they book.

Princess Cruises ship sailing at sunset with Mount Fuji in the background and “Princess Cruises 2027 — What’s Changing?” text.

So, if you’re considering a Princess cruise in 2027, here are eight of the biggest changes to watch.

1. Princess Is Changing When You Have to Pay For Your Cruise

One of the biggest changes for Princess passengers in 2027 has nothing to do with a new ship or destination. It’s about when your money is due.

For bookings made on or after September 2, 2026, Princess now requires final payment 120 days before departure for cruises of up to 44 days. That’s a noticeable change for anyone used to taking shorter Princess cruises, because bookings made before that date generally had a 90-day final payment deadline on sailings of 13 days or less.

In other words, you could be paying off a week-long cruise about a month earlier than you may have expected.

The cancellation schedule has changed too. For these newer bookings, canceling between 91 and 112 days before sailing can mean losing 50% of the applicable charges. Cancel between 61 and 90 days before sailing and that rises to 75%. At 60 days or less, the cancellation fee can reach 100%.

Long cruises have slightly different rules. On cruises of 45 days or more, Princess requires an initial 10% deposit, followed by another 20% deposit 320 days before departure. Final payment is still due 120 days before the cruise.

So if you’ve sailed with Princess before, don’t assume the payment dates on your next booking will look familiar. Check the terms attached to your reservation, particularly if you’re booking well in advance for 2027.

2. Princess Is Going Bigger Than Ever in Japan

Princess is making Japan a much bigger part of its 2027 plans, with two ships spending the season in the region instead of one.

Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess will operate 78 departures across 50 different itineraries, visiting 45 destinations in six countries. Princess says it will be its biggest Japan season yet, with cruises ranging from seven to 28 days.

Two Princess Cruises ships sailing near Mount Fuji in Japan at sunset.

Rather than having to fit your plans around a smaller number of dates, cruisers will have far more choice when it comes to trip length, departure date and itinerary. Diamond Princess will sail from Yokohama, while Sapphire Princess will sail from Tokyo.

Some itineraries are also timed around major Japanese festivals, including events such as the Nebuta Festival, Yosakoi Festival and Awa Odori Festival. Others visit places such as Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Osaka, Kochi and Shimizu for views of Mount Fuji.

That’s probably the biggest appeal of this expansion. Japan isn’t a destination where most people want to fly halfway around the world and only see one city.

A cruise lets you cover several regions without constantly packing, checking into hotels and dragging your suitcase onto another train.

And in 2027, Princess is giving cruisers considerably more ways to do exactly that.

3. Alaska Is Getting Princess’s Biggest Season Yet

Princess already has a huge presence in Alaska, but it’s going even bigger in 2027.

The cruise line has announced 187 departures across 17 itineraries, with eight ships sailing in the region. Princess describes it as its most expansive Alaska season ever.

Majestic Princess sailing past glaciers and snow-covered mountains in Alaska.

Those eight ships are Star Princess, Coral Princess, Crown Princess, Discovery Princess, Emerald Princess, Island Princess, Royal Princess and Ruby Princess. Between them, they’ll sail from Seattle, Vancouver, Anchorage (Whittier), San Francisco and Los Angeles.

That variety of departure ports is a big plus. If flying all the way to Alaska or Vancouver has put you off before, there are options that begin much farther south. Emerald Princess, for example, will offer two 16-day roundtrip Alaska cruises from Los Angeles, while Ruby Princess will sail 10-day Inside Passage cruises from San Francisco.

Star Princess is also returning for her second Alaska season, sailing seven-night Inside Passage cruises roundtrip from Seattle. Royal Princess will offer seven-night Seattle sailings too, including visits to Glacier Bay National Park.

And if seven days of Alaska doesn’t feel like enough, Princess is offering 28 cruisetour itineraries that combine a cruise with time on land. Depending on the trip, that can include Princess wilderness lodges, Denali National Park and its Direct-to-the-Wilderness rail service.

For cruisers who’ve always had Alaska somewhere on the wish list, 2027 is going to offer a lot of ways to finally make it happen.

4. Princess Is Expanding Its Europe Season in 2027

Princess has a big European season planned for 2027, and the two solar eclipse cruises are only part of it.

The cruise line is offering more than 200 sailings across the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and transatlantic routes, covering 108 destinations in 31 countries. Five ships are scheduled to take part: Caribbean Princess, Enchanted Princess, Majestic Princess, Sky Princess and Sun Princess.

There’s a lot of variety in there too.

Princess says the Mediterranean program alone includes more than 136 departures across 51 different itineraries, with cruises ranging from seven to 42 days. Sailings will leave from ports including Athens, Barcelona, Civitavecchia for Rome, Istanbul and Trieste.

Caribbean Princess is also joining the European lineup with new Baltic itineraries, including visits to Stockholm and sailings through Norway’s fjords.

But the part that’s likely to get the most attention happens on August 2, 2027.

Both Enchanted Princess and Sky Princess are scheduled to be at sea for the total solar eclipse. Each ship will sail a 14-day cruise departing July 24, with Enchanted Princess sailing roundtrip from Civitavecchia and Sky Princess sailing roundtrip from Southampton. Princess is also planning special eclipse-themed activities onboard.

Solar eclipse over a hazy mountain silhouette, with a glowing ring of light reflecting across calm water in warm golden tones.

More importantly, though, the eclipse cruises sit inside a much larger expansion across Europe. So even if watching the sun disappear from the deck of a cruise ship isn’t on your bucket list, Princess is giving cruisers a huge number of ways to explore the region in 2027.

5. Celebration Key Is Becoming Part of the Princess Experience

Princess is adding a new Caribbean stop to its itineraries, although this one comes with a small technicality.

Celebration Key officially joins Princess itineraries on November 1, 2026, when Star Princess is scheduled to make the cruise line’s first visit. Regal Princess follows on November 9, with Caribbean Princess, Enchanted Princess, Sky Princess and Sun Princess also scheduled to visit during the 2026–27 and 2027–28 seasons.

Couple relaxing with drinks in an infinity pool overlooking a tropical beach and ocean at Celebration Key in the Bahamas.

So while Celebration Key isn’t technically debuting in 2027, that’s the year it starts becoming a much more familiar part of a Princess Caribbean cruise.

The destination sits on Grand Bahama Island and was developed by Carnival Corporation. It includes more than a mile of shoreline, large freshwater lagoons and more than 30 places to eat and drink.

The cruise line’s 2027–28 Caribbean season includes 187 departures across 43 itineraries and 31 destinations, with Celebration Key joining established stops such as Princess Cays, St. Thomas, Cozumel, Aruba and Grand Cayman.

That means you could start seeing Celebration Key appear on a lot more Princess searches when you’re comparing Caribbean cruises in 2027.

And if you’ve cruised the Caribbean with Princess several times already, having somewhere new to get off the ship certainly doesn’t hurt.

6. Princess Is Sending Coral Princess on a 129-Day Pacific Adventure

If a two-week cruise feels long to you, Princess has something very different planned for 2027.

Coral Princess is scheduled to leave Fort Lauderdale on January 6, 2027, for a 129-day Grand Circle Pacific voyage. The sailing covers more than 35,000 nautical miles and visits 61 destinations across 20 countries and three continents. Princess says it will be the most destination-packed itinerary the cruise line has ever offered.

A photo of the Coral Princess in Panama Canal — Coral Princess in the Panama Canal

The route is huge. After passing through the Panama Canal, Coral Princess will continue through Hawaii, the South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and Japan before eventually reaching Alaska. The itinerary also includes nine late-night or overnight stays, including an overnight visit to Hong Kong.

Spending more than four months on one cruise obviously isn’t going to work for everyone. You’d need the time, the budget and probably a very different approach to packing.

But Princess isn’t making the full 129 days your only option.

There’s also a 114-day roundtrip voyage from Los Angeles and a 110-day sailing from Los Angeles to Vancouver, along with shorter segments for cruisers who want part of the experience without disappearing for a third of the year.

For anyone who dreams about seeing a huge chunk of the world without constantly changing hotels and catching flights, this is about as ambitious as Princess gets.

7. Majestic Princess Is Heading Back to South America and Antarctica

Princess is also giving Majestic Princess a very different job toward the end of 2027.

From October 2027 through January 2028, the ship will operate six departures across four South America and Antarctica itineraries. The program covers 19 destinations in eight countries, with cruises ranging from 15 to 37 days.

One of the main options is a 17-day Antarctica and South America cruise sailing roundtrip from Buenos Aires. These voyages include scenic cruising around the Antarctic Peninsula, with time around areas such as Elephant Island, the Antarctic Sound, Deception Island, Gerlache Strait and the South Shetland Islands.

Princess cruise ship sailing through icy waters surrounded by snow-covered mountains in Antarctica.

There are also 15-day Cape Horn and Patagonia cruises between Buenos Aires and San Antonio, Chile, plus a 37-day South America Passage Grand Adventure that starts in Southampton before crossing the Atlantic and continuing around the southern end of the continent.

Princess is adding more time ashore too. Every sailing includes an overnight stay in Buenos Aires, while selected itineraries feature late-night calls in places such as Rio de Janeiro and Ushuaia.

And if the cruise itself isn’t enough, there are land-and-sea options that add either Machu Picchu or Iguazu Falls before or after the voyage.

It’s a very different side of Princess from the usual Caribbean or Alaska cruise, and it gives cruisers another big-ticket option to consider for late 2027.

8. Three Princess Ships Will Spend the 2027–28 Summer Down Under

Princess is also expanding its presence in Australia for the 2027–28 summer season, with three ships based in the region.

Royal Princess, Grand Princess and Sapphire Princess will offer 79 departures across 64 itineraries, covering Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

The image features the Majestic Princess cruise ship in the beautiful harbor of Sydney, Australia. The iconic Sydney Opera House with its unique sail-like design and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, known for its arch-based structure, are both prominently visible, framing the vessel. The image captures the essence of Sydney's maritime allure, with the elegant cruise ship contributing to the dynamic and picturesque waterfront of this world-renowned city.

One of the most notable changes is Sapphire Princess being based in Fremantle. That gives Princess a homeported ship in Western Australia, which opens up more options for cruisers who don’t want to start every trip from Sydney or Brisbane.

There’s also a much bigger voyage in the mix.

Grand Princess is scheduled to sail a 94-day Circle Pacific itinerary, taking passengers across a huge stretch of the Pacific and visiting destinations in Australia, Asia, North America and the South Pacific.

For most cruisers, though, the bigger takeaway is choice. Princess is spreading its ships across more Australian ports and offering everything from shorter regional cruises to much longer voyages.

So while Alaska and Japan may grab more headlines, Princess is making some serious moves in Australia too.

Final Word

Princess has a lot going on in 2027, and the changes go well beyond simply adding a few new itineraries.

There are more choices in some of its biggest cruise regions, a few genuinely unusual sailings, and booking changes that could matter just as much as the destinations themselves.

If you’re already looking at a Princess cruise for 2027, it’s worth checking the details carefully rather than assuming things will work exactly the same as before.

And with more announcements still possible, this could end up being an even busier year for Princess than it already looks.