princess cruise ship electrical outlets

What are the plug sockets on Princess Cruises?

One question that lots of cruisers have is ‘what plug sockets are on a cruise ship?’ It’s handy to know in advance in case you need to take a plug adapter or charging station. It’s important to note that not all ships are the same and the plug sockets on Princess Cruises differ ship-by-ship.

In this post, I have compiled a comprehensive list of the plug sockets on each Princess cruise ship and which adapters and charging stations you are allowed to take on your cruise.

What plug sockets are on Princess Cruises?

Princess Cruises ships have mainly U.S. plug sockets but the newer, Royal Class ships also include European sockets. On some of its ships there are Universal plug sockets that can take Australian plugs. USB charging points have been introduced on Princess Cruises newest ships.

I have done some research to confirm the plug sockets on each Princess cruise ship so you can plan exactly what you may need to bring.

Caribbean Princess plug sockets

Caribbean Princess has U.S. plug adapters only. There are two or three 110V plug sockets found by the stateroom desk.

Plug sockets on Coral Princess

There is limited plug sockets on Coral Princess with only one U.S. 110V socket located on the desk. Wheelchair accessible cabins have an additional socket on the wall with space to be able to recharge an electric scooter.

Crown Princess sockets

On Crown Princess, you will find two U.S. power sockets that are situated by the desk next to the telephone. I’d recommend taking a power bar so that you can charge two or more devices at a time.

Diamond Princess

There are at least two U.S. plug sockets in Diamond Princess cabins and a universal socket that will take Australian plugs.

What plug sockets are on Discovery Princess?

Discovery Princess has 110V, 60-cycle alternating current (AC) with standard U.S. plug fittings, one European plug fitting and USB sockets.

Emerald Princess plug sockets

Emerald Princess has two U.S. power sockets by the desk and a USB point on the TV.

Enchanted Princess

Enchanted Princess has 110V, 60-cycle alternating current (AC) with standard U.S. plug fittings, one European plug fitting and USB sockets.

Grand Princess plug sockets

On Grand Princess , there are two U.S. 110V sockets by the desk. These are very close together so can be difficult to use at the same time. Consider packing an extender or power strip (without surge protector) if you have lots of devices that will require charging.

What plug sockets are on Island Princess?

Two U.S. 110V sockets are situated by the desk but are very close together so it is difficult to use both at the same without an outlet extender or power strip (make sure it does not have a surge protector). In some instances a third socket may be located near the door but is not standard in every cabin.

Majestic Princess plug sockets

Two USB ports are located beside the bed to charge devices and an Australian power socket (in addition to US and European outlets).

Regal Princess

There are no plug sockets next to the bed on Regal Princess . By the desk, there are three plug sockets: one European socket and two U.S. 120V sockets. It would useful to take a USB charging hub if you have lots of devices that require USB charging.

Royal Princess plug sockets

As with Regal Princess, there are no charging points next to the bed on Royal Princess. By the desk, there are three plug sockets: one European socket and two U.S. 120V sockets. Take a USB charging hub if you have multiple devices that require USB charging points.

Ruby Princess plug points

On Ruby Princess there are two U.S. 110v outlets are situated at the desk with another 110v outlet behind the TV.

Sapphire Princess

There are two standard U.S. plug sockets in cabins on Sapphire Princess , with a ‘secret’ socket under the bed! I happened to capture the sockets on the desk, when I took this photo of the flowers delivered to our cabin.

What plug sockets are on Sky Princess?

Sky Princess has 110V, 60-cycle alternating current (AC) with standard U.S. plug fittings, one European plug fitting and USB sockets on the wall and in lamps.

Plug Adapters for Cruise Ships

If you need to take a plug adapter to use on a cruise ship, you need to make sure you choose one that is suitable for a cruise ship. Cruise ship sockets are different to those on land and therefore you should pick a non-surge protector plug adapter.

A plug adapter with a surge protector runs the risk of overloading the circuit, causing electrical damage and fire. This is why it’s important to check your adapter doesn’t have surge protection built in. If it does, it may be confiscated by the cruise line on arrival.

Electrical devices such as small fans, power strips, multi plug box outlets/adaptors, and extension cords without surge protectors are allowed on board when used with proper caution. However, if such devices are determined to pose a hazard they will be removed and returned the last day of the cruise prior to disembarkation. Princess Cruises

You can take a look at the full list of prohibited items on Princess Cruises .

Best Power Strip for U.S. Cruisers

If you are a U.S. citizen and require more plug sockets than your cabin has (or if the plug sockets are so close together you can only use one at a time), I would recommend purchasing a Cruise On Power Strip from Amazon.

This power strip meets cruise ship requirements, so you know it’s safe to use and won’t be confiscated.

It has three U.S. plug sockets and two USB charging points.

Best Power Strip for U.K. Cruisers

U.K. based cruise passengers need to have plug adapters for the U.S. and European plug sockets mainly found on Princess Cruises.

These are trickier to find but I did come across some non-surge protected options at Screwfix. The best solution is to use a U.K. non surge protected power adapter with a travel adapter. This would allow you to use a cruise approved power strip in any type of socket (provided you had the right travel adapter).

Final Thoughts

It’s important that you check which travel adapters you need before your cruise. Hopefully, this post has helped you to decide what you require. Princess Cruises will always have U.S. plug sockets and so if you live outside of the U.S. it’s important that you pack some travel adapters.

The worst case scenario is that you’ll have to purchase a travel adapter from the onboard shop.

If you have lots of devices that need charging, a power strip is useful to pack. The most important thing is that the power strip does not have surge protection, to ensure that it is safe to use on you cruise.

Laura is a UK cruise blogger based in Cornwall, UK. She founded Cruise Lifestyle in 2016 to share useful advice about cruising, destinations and food. Last port visited: Bridgetown, Barbados Next port of call: unknown, but she can’t wait for cruising to resume safely!

Find me on: Twitter

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This is so helpful – thank you! Do you know if dual voltage hair straighteners will work on Sky Princess if we use a European or US adapter?

My GHD straighteners worked on our Sky Princess cruises so hopefully they will. We used an adapter for our British plugs.

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Complete Cruise Ship Plug Socket Guide: Search by Ship

If you are taking a cruise you may be wondering which plug sockets will be in the cabin.

The below post details the plug sockets found onboard the cruise ships from all major cruise lines.

It’s important to know which plug sockets will be in your cabin as it’s likely you’ll need to bring travel adapters. Get the adapter I use here: Worldwide Travel Adapter

International Power Plug Adapter with 3 USB-C and 2 USB-A Ports, All-in-One Worldwide Wall Charger for USA EU UK AUS

The below table is based on inside cabins, higher-grade cabins may have additional sockets.

Cruise Essentials – Don’t Cruise Without an Adapter!

My favourite universal adapter converts UK, US, AU and EU sockets to each other. It also has 4 USB slots meaning that you can charge 5 things at once and comes with fast charging.

What plug sockets do AIDA cruise ships have?

All AIDA cruise ships have a minimum of 2 European plug sockets per cabin.

What plug sockets do Carnival cruise ships have?

All Carnival cruise ships have a minimum of 1 US and 1 European plug socket per cabin. Carnival Vista, Horizon, Panorama, Mardi Gras and Celebration also have USB sockets.

What plug sockets do Celebrity cruise ships have?

All Celebrity cruise ships have a minimum of 2 US and 1 European plug socket. The Celebrity Constellation, Infinity, Millenium, and Summit have an additional European socket available. Celebrity Reflection, Apex, and Edge also have USB plug sockets.

What plug sockets do Costa cruise ships have?

All Costa cruise ship cabins have a minimum of 1 European plug socket. Many ships also have a US socket available.

What plug sockets do Cunard cruise ships have?

All Cunard cruise ships have a minimum of 2 US sockets per cabin plus 1 UK socket. Many cabin grades will have additional sockets available.

What plug sockets do Disney cruise ships have?

The majority of cabins found on Disney cruise ships will have 4 US plug sockets available and all ships apart from the Disney Wonder also have additional European sockets. The Disney Wonder also has 2 USB sockets.

What plug sockets do Fred Olsen cruise ships have?

All Fred Olsen cruise ships have at least two plug sockets. Borealis and Bolette have 1 US, 1 European, and additional UK sockets. Balmoral and Braemer have two European sockets.

What plug sockets do Holland America cruise ships have?

All Holland America cruise ships have a minimum of 1 US and 1 European plug socket in each cabin. The Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, and Nieuw Statendam have 2 US sockets, 2 European sockets, and 2 USB plug sockets available per cabin.

What plug sockets do MSC cruise ships have?

All MSC cruise ships have a minimum of 2 US and 2 European plug sockets. Cruise ships in the Meraviglia, Meraviglia Plus and Seaside class also have USB sockets available. The USB sockets available range from 3-4 per cabin.

What plug sockets do Marella cruise ships have?

All Marella cruise ship cabins have at least 1 US, 1 European plug socket and 1 USB socket. The Marella Discovery and Discovery 2 has an additional US and European socket bringing the total to 4 sockets plus a USB.

What plug sockets do Norwegian cruise ships have?

All cruise ships owned by Norwegian Cruise Line have a minimum of 1 US and 1 European plug sockets in each cabin. The Norwegian Bliss, Breakaway, Encore, Epic, Escape, Getaway, Joy and Spirit have additional US sockets available. Many of the newer ships within the fleet also have USB sockets available ranging from 2-3 per cabin.

What plug sockets do P&O Australia’s cruise ships have?

All cruise ships owned by P&O Cruises Australia have a minimum of 1 US, 1 European and 1 Australian plug socket.

What plug sockets do P&O Cruises cruise ships have?

P&O’s Arcadia and Aurora only have UK plug sockets with a minimum of 1 per cabin. Some cabins may have additional UK or European sockets. Azura, Britannia, Ventura and Iona have a minimum of 1 US socket plus additional UK sockets. Britannia and Iona have an additional US socket bringing the total to 2 per cabin.

What plug sockets do Princess cruise ships have?

All Princess cruise ships have a minimum of 2 US plug sockets per cabin. Regal, Royal, Enchanted, Sky and Discovery Princess also have an additional European socket. The Sky Princess, Majestic Princess and Enchanted Princess also have USB sockets available.

What plug sockets do Saga cruise ships have?

All Saga cruise ships have at least 3 UK plug sockets and 2 USB sockets. Some higher-grade cabins may have extra sockets.

What plug sockets do Royal Caribbean cruise ships have?

All Royal Caribbean cruise ships have at least 2 US plug sockets and 1 European plug socket per cabin. The newest Royal Caribbean ships in the Quantum and Oasis class will also have 2 USB sockets per cabin.

What plug sockets do Virgin Voyages cruise ships have?

All Virgin Voyages cruise ships have at least 6 USBs, 3US, and 1 European plug socket. Higher grade cabins may have extra plug sockets.

If you feel as though you may need more plug sockets you may tempted to bring a power strip or power cord. These are banned by most cruise lines and as your luggage is searched on embarkation, one should not be brought on board. To find out why they’re banned, check out this post: Cruise Lines Don’t Allow Power Strips – These are Your Alternatives

Alternatives to Power Strips

USB Charging Stations:  Charging stations do not usually include plug outlets but have multiple USB options. They are usually used to charge things like phones, tablets, and cameras. This is my personal favourite option and I’d recommend a charging station for most cruisers. They’re relatively cheap, small and work very well. 

Multi Socket Outlets:  Outlet taps plug into the plug socket and are used to provide additional outlets, most of them include USB options. You may have seen either long or cube-shaped outlet taps which provide 2 or 3 extra sockets.

Outlet Adapters:  Due to the different types of outlets in different countries, outlet adapters provide different types of plugs, and may contain USB options. An outlet adapter may convert a US plug socket to a UK one for example and provide extra USB sockets. An outlet adapter eliminates the need for a separate adapter which you would need if using an outlet tap or charging station. 

Power Banks:  This isn’t so much of an alternative to a power strip as just another thing that you can use to keep your things charged. I’d always recommend bringing a good power bank with you on your cruise, that way you can charge multiple things from the bank and only have to charge the bank up instead of multiple other items. There are many types of power banks and I’ve tried a lot of them over the years. At the moment I am using an Anker power bank which you can find on Amazon here, unlike other banks, it hasn’t lost any capacity as I’ve been using it:  Anker Power Bank*

Note: Some devices will have other names including power port, outlet extender, and wall mount but may still be used onboard as long as there is no surge protection.

Below are some examples of charging stations, outlet taps, and outlet adapters that would be allowed on cruise ships.

Cruise Lines Don’t Allow Power Strips – These are Your Alternatives

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What Type Of Plug Is Used On Princess Cruise Ships

Published: January 5, 2024

by Cristin Chance

Introduction

Welcome aboard a Princess Cruise ship, where you can embark on a remarkable journey filled with breathtaking sights, luxurious accommodations, and unforgettable experiences. As you prepare for your adventure on the high seas, it’s important to consider the practicalities of life on board, including the types of plugs used on Princess Cruise ships.

When it comes to staying connected and keeping your devices powered up during your cruise vacation, understanding the plug types and adapter requirements is essential. Whether you need to charge your phone, use a laptop, or plug in any other electrical devices, knowing which types of plugs are used on Princess Cruise ships will ensure a seamless experience.

In this article, we will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the types of plugs used on Princess Cruise ships, including the North American plug type, European plug type, and other plug types you may encounter. We will also discuss the adapter requirements for passengers, ensuring that you are well-prepared for your cruise adventure.

So, let’s dive in and discover which type of plug is used on Princess Cruise ships, and how you can ensure you have the necessary adapters to keep your devices charged throughout your voyage.

Overview of Princess Cruise Ships

Before we delve into the specifics of plug types used on Princess Cruise ships, let’s take a moment to explore the incredible world of these majestic vessels. Princess Cruises is renowned for its fleet of state-of-the-art ships that offer a wide range of amenities, activities, and entertainment options.

Featuring stunning accommodations, world-class dining, and world-renowned service, Princess Cruise ships provide a luxurious and memorable cruising experience. Each ship is carefully designed to provide comfort and enjoyment for passengers of all ages and interests.

From the breathtaking open decks with panoramic views to the spacious staterooms, Princess Cruise ships offer a perfect combination of elegance and modernity. Whether you’re looking to relax by the pool, indulge in a spa treatment, or enjoy the vibrant nightlife, there is something for everyone on board.

In addition to the onboard amenities, Princess Cruise ships take passengers to some of the most picturesque destinations around the globe. From the stunning glaciers of Alaska to the vibrant cities of Europe , each voyage offers a unique and unforgettable experience.

Now that we have a glimpse into the world of Princess Cruise ships, let’s continue our exploration by learning about the types of plugs used on these remarkable vessels.

Types of Plugs Used on Princess Cruise Ships

Princess Cruise ships cater to a diverse range of passengers from various parts of the world. As a result, the ships are equipped with different plug types to accommodate different electrical standards. The most common plug types found on Princess Cruise ships are the North American plug type and the European plug type.

The North American plug type, also known as Type A and Type B, is the standard plug used in the United States, Canada , and Mexico. It features two flat parallel pins and, in the case of Type B, an additional grounding pin. If your electrical devices have plugs that match this type, you will generally not require an adapter when on board a Princess Cruise ship.

The European plug type, also known as Type C and Type E, is commonly used throughout Europe. It has two round pins and, in the case of Type E, an additional grounding pin. If your devices have plugs that match this type, you will need an adapter to ensure compatibility with the outlets on Princess Cruise ships.

It’s important to note that while the North American and European plug types are the most common, there may be variations and additional plug types used on specific ships or in certain regions. Therefore, it is always advisable to check with the cruise line or your travel agent regarding the specific plug types used on your chosen Princess Cruise ship.

Now that we have covered the main plug types used on Princess Cruise ships, let’s explore any other plug types that you may encounter during your voyage.

North American Plug Type

The North American plug type is one of the most common plug types used on Princess Cruise ships. It is the standard plug type found in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This plug type is also known as Type A and Type B.

Type A plugs consist of two flat parallel pins and are primarily used in North America, Central America, and some parts of South America and the Caribbean . Type B plugs, on the other hand, have two flat parallel pins and an additional grounding pin. This grounding pin is an important safety feature, providing protection against electrical shocks.

If your electrical devices have plugs that match the North American plug type, you will generally not require an adapter when using them on board a Princess Cruise ship. The ship’s outlets are designed to accommodate these plug types, allowing you to conveniently plug in and charge your devices without any issues.

It’s worth noting that while the North American plug type is commonly used on Princess Cruise ships, it is always a good idea to double-check with the cruise line or your travel agent before your trip. This will ensure that you are fully prepared and aware of the specific plug types used on your chosen ship.

Now that we have covered the North American plug type, let’s move on to the European plug type and explore its usage on Princess Cruise ships.

European Plug Type

The European plug type is another common plug type used on Princess Cruise ships. It is widely used throughout Europe and is known as Type C and Type E.

Type C plugs feature two round pins and are commonly used in most European countries. They are compatible with outlets that accept Type C or Type E plugs, making them suitable for a wide range of electrical devices.

Type E plugs, on the other hand, have two round pins and an additional grounding pin. They are commonly used in countries such as France, Belgium, and Poland . The grounding pin provides added safety by grounding the electrical current and reducing the risk of electrical shocks.

If your electrical devices have plugs that match the European plug type, you will need an adapter to ensure compatibility with the outlets on Princess Cruise ships. These adapters are readily available and can be purchased before your trip or on board the ship itself.

It’s important to note that while the European plug type is commonly used on Princess Cruise ships, there may be variations and additional plug types used on specific ships or in certain regions. It is always recommended to verify the plug types with the cruise line or your travel agent to avoid any inconveniences during your trip.

Now that we have covered the European plug type, let’s move on to discussing any other plug types you may encounter on Princess Cruise ships.

Other Plug Types Used on Princess Cruise Ships

In addition to the North American and European plug types, you may encounter other plug types on Princess Cruise ships depending on the ship’s itinerary and the regions it visits. These plug types may vary depending on the specific ship and the destinations it sails to.

Some of the other plug types that you may come across include:

• British Plug Type: This plug type, also known as Type G, is commonly used in the United Kingdom and has three rectangular prongs. If you have devices with British-style plugs, you will need a suitable adapter to use them on board.
• Australian Plug Type: The Australian plug type, also known as Type I, features two slanted flat pins and an additional grounding pin. If you have devices with Australian plugs, you will need an adapter to ensure compatibility with the ship’s outlets.
• Asian Plug Types: Depending on the ship’s itinerary in Asia , you may encounter various plug types used in different countries such as Type D, Type M, Type J, or Type K. It’s important to research or consult with the cruise line to determine the specific plug types you may encounter.

It’s essential to be prepared for any potential plug types you may encounter on your Princess Cruise ship. Investing in a universal travel adapter that covers multiple plug types can be a convenient solution to ensure compatibility with various outlets.

Remember to check the specific plug types used on your chosen Princess Cruise ship before your trip to avoid any surprises and to guarantee you have the necessary adapters to keep your devices powered up throughout your voyage.

Adapter Requirements for Passengers

As you plan for your Princess Cruise vacation, it’s important to consider the adapter requirements to ensure that you can charge your devices and stay connected throughout your trip. While the specific adapter requirements may vary depending on the destinations visited by the ship, there are some general recommendations to keep in mind.

Firstly, it is recommended to bring a universal travel adapter that can accommodate multiple plug types. This versatile adapter will allow you to charge your devices with different plug styles, ensuring compatibility with the outlets on the ship and in various ports of call.

Make sure to check the voltage requirements of your electronic devices. Most Princess Cruise ships use 110-volt outlets similar to those found in North America. If your devices are compatible with this voltage, you will only need the proper adapter to fit the plug type. However, if your devices require a different voltage, such as 220 volts, you may need a voltage converter in addition to the adapter.

Purchasing adapters before your trip is highly recommended, as they can be easily found in electronics stores or online retailers. Princess Cruise ships may also have adapters available for purchase on board, but it is always best to be prepared in advance to avoid any inconvenience.

Remember to pack multiple adapters if you have multiple devices to charge simultaneously. This will ensure that you can keep all of your devices powered up without the need for constantly swapping out adapters.

Lastly, it’s worth noting that some cruise ships have USB charging ports available, which can be convenient for charging smartphones, tablets, and other small electronic devices. However, it is still advisable to bring adapters in case USB ports are limited or not available in certain areas of the ship.

By being proactive and prepared with the right adapters, you can ensure that all your devices stay charged and ready to use throughout your Princess Cruise vacation, allowing you to capture those special moments and stay connected with loved ones back home.

As you embark on your Princess Cruise adventure, understanding the types of plugs used on the ship is crucial for staying connected and keeping your devices powered throughout your trip. Whether you encounter North American, European, British, Australian, or other plug types, being prepared with the right adapters will ensure a seamless charging experience.

Princess Cruise ships typically feature a combination of North American and European plug types, catering to passengers from different regions. However, depending on the ship’s itinerary, you may come across additional plug types that are specific to certain destinations.

It is always a good idea to research and confirm the plug types used on the specific Princess Cruise ship you will be sailing on. You can contact the cruise line or consult with your travel agent to gather the necessary information and ensure that you have the correct adapters on hand.

Investing in a universal travel adapter that can accommodate multiple plug types is a convenient and practical solution. This way, you can have peace of mind knowing that you can charge all of your devices regardless of the plug type encountered during your cruise.

Remember to also consider the voltage requirements for your electronic devices. Most Princess Cruise ships use 110-volt outlets, similar to those in North America. However, if your devices require a different voltage, you may need to also bring a voltage converter to ensure proper charging.

By being prepared and equipped with the right adapters and converters, you can enjoy a hassle-free experience on your Princess Cruise, keeping your devices charged and ready to capture memories, stay connected, and make the most of all the wonderful amenities and activities offered on board.

So set sail with confidence, knowing that you are well-prepared to embrace your Princess Cruise adventure and stay connected throughout your voyage.

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The ultimate guide to Princess Cruises ships and itineraries

Call it the cruise line for people who want a big, amenity-filled ship that isn't a floating amusement park.

Princess Cruises operates relatively large, reasonably priced vessels. However, unlike many of its competitors in that space — most notably Royal Caribbean , Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises — it doesn't load them up with sprawling waterparks, go-kart tracks, laser tag courses and other flashy, family-focused diversions.

Compared to most of its big ship-operating rivals, Princess is known for a more serene, almost "old school" sort of cruising that isn't about a lot of gee-whiz attractions.

For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter.

As Princess executives like to say, the line is all about warm and gracious service in an atmosphere of comfortable elegance designed to spark connections between passengers.

Instead of bustling attractions, its top decks offer lots of quiet and relaxing pool and lounge areas where you can enjoy the experience of being at sea without a lot of hustle and bustle. Inside, the experience revolves around dining, classic showroom entertainment and a classy bar and music scene — just as it has on Princess ships for years.

This is, notably, just the way Princess customers like it. Popular with middle-aged couples, retirees and multigenerational families, the "Love Boat" line caters to people who like a more traditional type of cruising than you'll find on the vessels of most other big-ship lines.

Related: Which cruise brand is right for you?

3 things TPG loves about Princess Cruises

• The abundance of outdoor pool and lounge areas on its ships.
• Its expansive spas.
• Its far-flung itineraries.

What we could do without

• The lack of big suites on its vessels.

The Princess Cruises fleet

Princess has downsized the size of its fleet considerably over the past few years with the removal of five vessels. However, it's still the world's fifth-biggest cruise line by passenger capacity, with 15 ships that together offer more than 46,000 berths.

In general, Princess operates big ships, though they're not quite as big as the vessels operated by Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC Cruises — the three lines best known for giant ships. The biggest Princess vessels, the line's six Royal Class ships, measure around 145,000 tons. That's about 35% smaller than the biggest ships operated by Royal Caribbean.

The Royal Class ships are the belles of the ball in the Princess fleet. Newer and more amenity-filled than the line's nine other ships, they began rolling out in 2013 and carry about 3,600 passengers a piece at double occupancy.

(In case you're curious, the name of the series ties to the godmother of the initial Royal Class vessel. Dubbed Royal Princess, it was famously christened by a royal, the U.K.'s Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. The cruise line's first Royal Princess, which debuted in 1984, was christened by Diana, Princess of Wales.)

Related: The best credit cards for booking cruises

Still, just as much at the core of the Princess fleet are its seven Grand Class vessels. Unveiled between 1998 and 2008, the ships are smaller than the Royal Class vessels at around 107,000 to 116,000 tons in size. This smaller size allows them to operate a wider range of itineraries than the Royal Class ships. However, they're still big enough to feature a lot of onboard venues. The Grand Class ships carry between 2,600 to 3,100 passengers at double occupancy.

Princess also has two even smaller vessels that measure around 92,000 tons a piece. Named Coral Princess and Island Princess, they are sister ships that make up the line's small Coral Class of vessels. They each carry around 2,000 passengers at double occupancy.

The downsizing of the Princess fleet over the past few years had a lot to do with the COVID-19 pandemic. Three ships left the line's fleet starting in 2020 as part of an effort to cut costs during the line's coronavirus-caused global shutdown. Another two vessels — Golden Princess and Star Princess — had been scheduled to leave the Princess fleet even before the pandemic began. They were transferred to one of the line's sister companies, P&O Cruises Australia.

The line currently has two more vessels on order that, at around 175,000 tons, will be its biggest ships ever. The first of the vessels (to be called Sun Princess) is due to debut in 2024, followed by an as-yet-unnamed sister due in 2025.

Related: TPG goes on board the new Sky Princess

Destinations and itineraries

Princess Cruises sails to more than 100 countries on seven continents, from North America and Europe to Asia and Australia , and it offers a wide range of itineraries — around 170 in a typical year. The line's ships visit more than 380 different ports and destinations and take passengers to more than 100 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Among the line's voyages, you'll find everything from three-day sampler cruises along the West Coast of the U.S. to 111-day around-the-world voyages.

Princess is particularly known for cruises to Alaska , where it dominates the market for cruises along with sister line Holland America. In a typical year, Princess deploys seven or eight ships to Alaska in the summer — far more than most other lines. It also operates its own wilderness lodges in the state, as well as tourist trains and buses. It uses the lodges, trains and buses to offer a range of 10- to 17-night Alaska "cruisetours" that combine a cruise with land-based touring.

Princess also deploys as many as eight ships to Europe in the summer, and it has a big presence in Australia, where it can deploy as many as six ships for parts of each year. In recent years, it has also become a major player in cruises around Japan that cater to both American and Japanese travelers, as well as Australians.

In North America, Princess ships sail out of Fort Lauderdale; Los Angeles; San Francisco; San Diego; Seattle; Galveston; Vancouver and Whittier, Alaska, with some sailings from New York City, Quebec City and Honolulu.

In Europe, Princess ships mostly sail out of Southampton in the U.K.; Copenhagen, Denmark; Barcelona, Spain ; Piraeus, Greece (the port for Athens); and Civitavecchia, Italy (the port for Rome ).

Related: The best Caribbean cruises for every type of traveler

Who sails Princess Cruises

Princess appeals to an older demographic than lines such as Carnival and Norwegian. The average age of passengers is around 57, and you'll usually see a lot of couples on board in their 50s, 60s and 70s.

As noted above, these aren't people necessarily craving go-kart tracks and ropes courses at sea. They're people looking to explore the world in a comfortable, classy sort of way that also is relatively affordable. That last part is key. Princess offers a lot of globe-circling itineraries of the sort often offered by high-end luxury lines. However, it does so at a much lower price.

While not the biggest line for families with young children, Princess does draw a lot of multigenerational family groups. It's the line you take if you want an affordable ship that'll appeal to your 70-year-old parents as much as your 12-year-old kid.

Princess also draws a lot of passengers celebrating milestones. The line markets heavily to people marking birthdays and anniversaries with special packages and programs. It's also a huge player in the market for destination weddings at sea, with a division that will help you arrange a ceremony on board or at an exotic location on land during a port call.

Princess was, notably, the first cruise line to host modern-day weddings on ships, offering ceremonies officiated by the ships' captains hosted in onboard chapels.

It is, after all, the "Love Boat" line.

Cabins and suites

When it comes to rooms, Princess is sort of the Marriott of the big-ship cruise world. Its rooms are comfortable and functional but a bit bland. Avant-garde style is not a Princess thing.

The vast majority of the accommodations on Princess ships fall into one of three broad categories: windowless inside cabins, oceanview cabins and balcony cabins. Balcony cabins, in particular, are widespread on Princess ships. Among mass-market lines, Princess was the pioneer in adding large numbers of balcony cabins to ships.

While balcony cabins are common on Princess ships, you'll find relatively few suites on them. Just 46 of the 1,830 rooms on the line's 3-year-old Sky Princess are suites, and — believe it or not — that's an improvement from earlier vessels in the same series, which had just 36 suites.

What this means is there aren't a lot of ways to live large on a Princess ship or to pack a lot of people into a single accommodation. Until the debut of Sky Princess in 2019, the line didn't have a single cabin that could accommodate more than four people.

That said, the Grand Class vessels each offer two "Family Suites" that can be created by connecting a Mini-Suite with an adjacent inside stateroom to create a six- to eight-person complex.

Sky Princess featured the line's first truly large stand-alone suites, dubbed Sky Suites, when that ship debuted in 2019. Such suites have also been added to the line's new Discovery Princess.

There are two of the suites on each of the ships, and they measure a generous 1,800 square feet (though more than half of that space is taken up by a huge wraparound balcony). With two bedrooms plus a living room with a pullout sofa, they're designed for up to five people.

Still, even the Sky Suites on Sky Princess aren't the truly epic suites with huge interior living spaces that you'll find on the latest Royal Caribbean or Regent Seven Seas Cruises ships. If that's what you're after, Princess isn't your line.

Related: The new, $11,000-a-night cruise ship suite that's bigger than a house

Restaurants and dining

Every Princess vessel has one to three main dining rooms where meals are included in the fare, and these dining rooms are at the heart of the dining experience on Princess ships. Many passengers have all or most of their dinners in a main dining room.

For dinners in a main dining room, you can make a reservation for any time, provided a table at the time you want is available. To ensure the time you want, it's best to reserve a table far in advance of your sailing, which you can do online once you've paid for the cruise in full. But you also can make reservations on board ships during your cruise or even show up to a dining room without a reservation (in which case, you will be seated on a space-available basis).

Note that Princess no longer offers a fixed-time "traditional" seating option where you can request the same table at the same time every night of a cruise.

Every vessel also has a casual buffet eatery where meals are included in the fare. Near the main pool area on ships, it's usually called Horizon Court but is also known as the World Fresh Market or Panorama Buffet on some vessels.

Other included-in-the-fare options on at least some Princess ships include poolside pizza outlets and poolside grills serving burgers. Also, on sea days, Princess transforms a bar or dining venue at lunchtime into an included-in-the-fare English-style pub. It serves traditional pub food such as fish and chips and cottage pie, along with (for an extra charge) Bass Ale or Guinness.

Every Princess ship also has at least a couple of extra-charge eateries. On most ships, you'll find the line's signature Italian restaurant, Sabatini's. It serves homemade pasta, seafood and other Italian specialties in an elegant setting and comes with a flat fee of $35 per person.

Most Princess ships also have a signature steakhouse. On most vessels, it's called Crown Grill and offers premium beef and seafood cooked to order in an open, theater-style kitchen. On two ships — Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess — it's called Sterling Steakhouse, where passengers choose their cut of steak from a tray presented by their waiter.

On two ships — Coral Princess and Island Princess — the steakhouse has a Cajun and Creole twist. In addition to steak dishes, the menu features New Orleans-style peel-and-eat shrimp, alligator ribs and gumbo. On those vessels, it's called the Bayou Café and Steakhouse.

All the steakhouses come with a flat fee of $39 per person.

Princess ships also offer a Chef's Table experience — a concept the line pioneered in the cruise world. Costing $95 to $115 per person, it includes pre-dinner cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the ship's galley with the executive chef before a main dining experience at a private table in the dining room.

Another dining option that recently began popping up on Princess ships is a French eatery called Bistro Sur La Mer. The restaurant is only on Enchanted Princess, Sky Princess, Majestic Princess and Discovery Princess. It offers dishes created by star chef Emmanuel Renaut, whose restaurant in the French Alps boasts three Michelin stars. Like the Princess steakhouses, it has a $39 per person cover charge.

Related: The 7 best meals you can have at sea

Entertainment and activities

Princess ships are loaded with entertainment that ranges from Broadway-style theater shows to "street entertainers" who appear in each vessel's central piazza. They're not floating amusement parks, though. Unlike some big-ship lines, Princess isn't topping its vessels with waterslides, go-kart tracks, ropes courses and other family-focused attractions.

Theaters and shows

There's no shortage of theater and lounge entertainment on Princess ships. On a typical night, you might find a flashy, fast-paced production show playing in the main theater, a comedian performing in a secondary lounge and live music on offer in several more venues.

In many cases, the main theaters on Princess ships are quite elaborate, with Broadway-show-level lighting and special effects, and the productions housed within the theaters are elaborate, too.

Princess has upped its game with its theater productions in recent years through a partnership with Stephen Schwartz, the Tony Award-winning composer of "Wicked," "Godspell" and "Pippin."

Among new productions that Schwartz has worked on is "The Secret Silk," which features life-size puppetry from Jim Henson's Creature Shop, dance and special effects. It was created and directed by John Tartaglia, a star of Broadway's "Avenue Q" and "Beauty and the Beast."

Schwartz also provided the score for "Magic to Do," a musical revue paired with onstage illusions that features many of his best-known songs, as well as an original number he created just for Princess.

Princess is also known for its karaoke nights, and it recently began holding a new "The Voice of the Ocean" competition during cruises that is a spinoff of the TV show. Passengers compete in a live performance after karaoke auditions and rehearsal sessions with the shipboard band and backup singers. A team of coaches sits in giant "I Want You" chairs just like on the show, and passengers vote to choose the winner.

Other interior attractions and activities

In addition to entertainment spaces, the interiors of Princess ships are filled with other venues where passengers can kick back and let loose day and night, including a range of bars, lounges and nightspots.

On many ships, the hub of activity is the Piazza, a sprawling, multilevel space designed to resemble a square in Italy. The configuration of the Piazza varies by ship, but the area typically offers several shops, a coffee bar called International Cafe, a wine bar called Vines and (on some vessels) additional bars and eateries. The Piazza is also home to roving "street performers."

Every Princess ship also has a casino, often just off the Piazza, and spas are big on Princess ships. The Lotus Spa complexes on the line's Royal Class ships offer nearly two dozen treatment rooms, an extensive beauty salon and a thermal suite with a hydrotherapy pool, heated stone beds, Turkish-style steam bath and other steam chambers.

The recently unveiled Sky Princess was home to the first jazz club on a Princess ship (called Take 5), and a similar venue has since been added to Enchanted Princess and Discovery Princess.

In addition to such venues, Princess offers a lot of enrichment activities on its ships. The line has partnered with Discovery to offer a Discovery at Sea program on vessels that includes activities like stargazing with a specialist from a top deck. The program also brings destination specialists and naturalists on board in places such as Alaska to offer insights.

Inspired by Discovery's popular Shark Week, Princess has also created Shark Week at Sea programming that runs on select sailings in the summer with activities and games designed to challenge both adults and kids on the myths and interesting facts about sharks.

Culinary demonstrations, wine tastings and dance classes also are big on Princess ships.

Top-deck attractions

The top decks of Princess ships are notable for what they don't have: There are no pedal-powered sky rides or ropes courses like you'll find on Carnival ships or the go-kart tracks that top some Norwegian vessels . There are no surfing simulators, sky diving simulators, rock climbing walls or zip lines of the sort found on Royal Caribbean vessels. For the most part, there aren't even waterslides or watery splash zones (one vessel, Caribbean Princess, now offers the Reef Splash Zone for families).

Princess executives long ago decided not to engage in what they call the "amusement park arms race" taking place between lines operating big, resort-like ships.

Instead, the line has stuck to the basics with its top decks. They are covered with relaxing pool and lounge zones — and lots of them.

On the last three Royal-class ships, for instance, there's a main pool area at the center of the top deck with two full pools and three hot tubs, and a secondary pool area at the back of the ship with another pool. There's also an adults-only pool area toward the front of the vessel, along with an extra-charge, adults-only relaxation area called the Sanctuary.

Between all these pool and lounge areas, running along the sides of the ship, are additional sunning areas with lounge chairs and four more hot tubs.

In short, there is a ton of space for relaxing on the top deck of these newest Princess vessels — more than you'll find on any other ship of comparable size, save for their earlier sisters in the Royal class.

The one big "attraction" that you will find on the top deck of Princess ships, always at the main pool area, is a giant Movies Under the Stars movie screen. A growing number of cruise ships now have movie screens on their pool decks, but Princess pioneered the concept.

The screens show movies, concerts and sporting events during the day, but at night they really shine. In a longtime Princess tradition, the line turns the main pool areas of its ships into outdoor movie theaters at night by reconfiguring lounge chairs to face the screen and bringing out blankets to ward off the evening chill. They even serve popcorn.

Some ships also feature basketball courts, miniature golf putting courses, shuffleboard games and ping-pong tables tucked into corners of their top decks.

Children's programs

While it doesn't draw as many families with young children as Carnival or Royal Caribbean, Princess offers an extensive children's program that gets high marks from parents.

The Princess Youth and Teen centers were recently rebranded "Camp Discovery" as part of the line's partnership with Discovery Communications, and offer free, supervised activities daily for children ages 3-17.

The line splits children in the program into three age groups: the Treehouse (ages 3 to 7 years), the Lodge (ages 8 to 12 years) and the Beach House (ages 13 to 17 years). Each age group often has its own separate facilities on ships. On some ships, the age groups may be further divided based on available space.

Each group has its own age-appropriate activities, with newly revamped experiences designed to "help young Princess explorers learn, play and create fun memories."

While the free programming for children ages 3 to 12 ends at 10 p.m., you can pay extra to leave your kids at shipboard Youth and Teen centers past 10 p.m. until 1 a.m. During those hours, they're supervised in what is essentially a group child-sitting service.

The Youth and Teen centers also welcome children under the age of 3 if they are accompanied by an adult.

Related: The 12 cruise ships with the most spectacular attractions at sea

What to know before you go

Required documents.

A passport is required for all international itineraries, including sailings to Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, India, Central and South America, Panama Canal (partial and full transit), Caribbean voyages that visit Martinique or Guadeloupe, South Pacific, Tahiti and World Cruises.

If you're a U.S. citizen, you don't need a passport for many domestic itineraries (including Alaska, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Hawaii and Mexico sailings). You can instead travel with an official copy of your birth certificate and a driver's license or other government-issued photo identification. A few other forms of identification, such as a passport card, are also acceptable. That said, Princess strongly recommends that all travelers bring a passport.

Passports must be valid for at least six months. The name on your reservation must be exactly as it is stated on your passport or other official proof of nationality.

Princess adds an automatic service gratuity of $16 to $18 per person per day to final bills, depending on your cabin category. If you are unhappy with the service you receive, you can adjust this amount at the Guest Services desk before disembarking. (You can also increase the tip amount if so desired.) Also, an 18% gratuity is added to bills at bars, dining room wine accounts and spas.

Related: Everything you need to know about tipping on a cruise ship

Princess has been rolling out faster Wi-Fi systems with land-like speeds across its fleet in recent years, such that you now can stream video on some ships. Pricing changes over time, but the line recently charged $9.99 per day to hook up a single device. In February 2023, the rate for a single device is scheduled to rise to $15.

The faster Princess Wi-Fi system is called MedallionNet, and it's one of several technological upgrades that Princess is rolling out to ships under an umbrella called MedallionClass. MedallionClass also brings expedited embarkation, keyless cabin entry, on-demand food and beverage delivery, and the ability to locate friends and family on board — all via several apps for mobile devices and a Princess-issued medallion that passengers carry while traveling.

Related: Wi-Fi on ships really is getting better

Carry-on drinks policy

Princess allows you to bring one bottle of wine or Champagne per person onto ships at boarding at no charge (for consuming in your room; you'll be charged a $15 corkage fee if you want to bring it to an onboard restaurant or bar to drink). You can bring even more bottles of wine on board, but you will pay a $15 corkage fee per bottle.

Smoking policy

On all ships, smoking (including electronic cigarettes) is only allowed in designated outdoor areas and in cigar lounges, designated sections within nightclubs and at designated slot machines within casinos (for those who are playing). It's forbidden in cabins and on cabin balconies. Passengers caught smoking in their cabins will be charged a $250 fine per occurrence. One exception to the above rule is that e-cigarettes are allowed in cabins (but not on cabin balconies).

Princess ships have self-serve launderettes on cabin decks with washing machines, dryers, irons and ironing boards. There's a $3 per load charge to use a washer or dryer. The launderettes also have vending machines that dispense small boxes of detergent and water softener at $1.50 per box. In addition, vessels offer extra-charge laundry and dry cleaning services.

Related: Everything you need to know about cruise ship laundry services

Electrical outlets

All vessels have standard North American-style, 110-volt outlets in rooms, and some also have European-style, 220-volt outlets and USB ports in cabins.

The currency used on most Princess itineraries is U.S. dollars. The exceptions are select sailings on ships based in Australia, where pricing is listed in Australian dollars. All vessels operate on a "cashless system," with any onboard purchases you make posting automatically to your onboard account. You'll receive a medallion that you can use to make charges. This same card or medallion also is what lets you into your cabin.

Drinking age

You must be 21 to consume alcohol on many Princess itineraries. The exceptions include sailings between ports in Europe, China, Australia and New Zealand, and Singapore, where the drinking age is 18. For cruises between Japan ports, the drinking age is 20.

During the day, there is no specific dress code, and people dress casually. If it's a sea day in a warm-weather destination, and you're bound for the top deck, that means looking like you're going to the beach — T-shirts, shorts and bathing suits (with a cover-up to go inside) are just fine.

During the evenings, there is an official dress code that is enforced when entering restaurants. Most nights are designated "smart casual," which Princess takes to mean pants and an open-neck shirt for men and skirts and dresses or slacks for women.

Beach attire, shorts, baseball caps and casual jeans (think the fraying kind or those with holes) are not allowed. One or more nights per cruise, depending on the cruise length, will be designated as a "formal" night when men are expected to turn out in dark suits with a tie or even a tuxedo. The suggested attire for women on such nights is evening gowns or cocktail dresses.

Related: What to pack for your first cruise

Princess Cruises' loyalty program

Princess has a four-tier frequent cruiser program, the Captain's Circle, that is worth joining for the perks — if you're willing to bear with its convoluted tier qualifying structure.

You reach the first tier, Gold, by taking a single cruise. However, from there, you move to each successive tier either by accruing a certain number of "cruise credits" (which aren't necessarily the same as the number of cruises you've taken) or by sailing a certain number of days.

To reach the Ruby level, for instance, requires three cruise credits (more on those in a moment) or 30 days on Princess ships. Platinum status kicks in after five cruise credits or 50 days on ships.

Related: The Princess loyalty program in detail

In most cases, members earn one cruise credit for every cruise they take. However, members who book a suite or travel solo in a cabin meant for two will receive two cruise credits for the voyage. The number of cruise credits you have earned is thus often the same as the number of cruises you have taken, but not always.

As is typical with cruise line loyalty programs, lower tiers don't bring all that much in terms of truly valuable benefits. You'll receive things like an invite to a private party (at the Gold tier) and a free upgrade to your travel insurance package when buying it through the line (at the Ruby tier). However, higher levels of the program start to be enticing.

The second-to-highest tier, Platinum, brings such perks as priority check-in and boarding, and a free internet package.

The top Elite level (15 cruise credits or 151 cruise days) adds such things as an exclusive window to preview and book new itineraries, priority ship-to-shore water shuttle service, complimentary laundry and a complimentary minibar setup.

Members at all tier levels get access to special pricing on certain cruises. They also receive a monthly newsletter and membership pin.

Note that, in contrast to airline frequent flyer programs, cruise line loyalty programs do not require you to requalify for status every year. So, yes, the perks with lower tiers aren't great. However, it's not as difficult as it might at first seem to hit the more rewarding higher-level tiers in just a few years if you're cruising a lot.

A Princess passenger staying in suites will hit the Platinum level after just three cruises. The top Elite level is reachable within just eight cruises for someone staying in suites.

Related: The TPG guide to cruise line loyalty programs

How much does a Princess cruise cost?

Princess ships are very reasonably priced. They're not the least expensive vessels out there, but they're not pricey by any means. It's possible to find Princess voyages to the Caribbean, Bahamas or Mexico starting under $100 per person, per night, including all taxes and fees — at least in the offseason.

As of the date of this story's posting, for instance, seven-night sailings from Fort Lauderdale to the Eastern Caribbean in May started at just $571 per person, not including taxes and fees of $140. That works out to just $102 per night, per person, with taxes and fees for a package that includes your lodging, transportation and meals.

As you might expect, pricing for ships will generally be lower during offseason periods such as September, October, November (not including Thanksgiving week) and parts of December.

When you book can also matter. Cruises book up much further in advance than airplanes or hotels. Many cruisers will tell you that the best pricing for any given sailing is often available when cruises first go on sale (which can be a good two years before a departure). Booking far in advance also gives you the best chance of getting your preferred cabin type and location on a ship.

Once on board a Princess ship, you'll pay extra for most drinks, extra-charge restaurants, spa services, shore excursions, internet service and a few other things — unless you've bought a package for some of these items in advance.

Specifically, the line recently unveiled new bundle pricing for extra-charge items such as gratuity fees, Wi-Fi fees and a few other fees for onboard items if passengers pay for them in advance.

The line's new Princess Plus plan gives passengers pre-paid gratuities, a single-device Wi-Fi plan and a basic beverage package for a bundled price of $50 per person per day.

The line also recently launched an enhanced version of the above plan called Princess Premier, which adds a photo package and two free meals at restaurants that normally have an extra charge. The Princess Premier plan costs $75 per person per day.

Most onboard activities, such as theater shows, are included in the fare.

Related: 15 ways that first-time cruisers waste money on a cruise

How to book

If you're sure you know what sort of cabin you want, on which ship, on which itinerary — and about a dozen other things — you can head over to Princess.com to make a booking directly.

That said, given the complexity of booking a cruise — there are a lot of decisions to make during the booking process, trust us — we recommend that you use a seasoned travel agent who specializes in cruises.

A good travel agent will quiz you about your particular interests, travel style and preferences, and steer you to the perfect cruise line, ship, itinerary and cabin for you. They can also help you if something goes wrong just before, during or after your voyage.

If you're sure that Princess is your line, look for a travel agent who specializes in trips with the brand. You want someone who understands all the little quirks that are unique to Princess cabin categories and, preferably, has done ship inspections to see the cabins first hand.

Related: How to book a cruise with points and miles

Whether you use a travel agent or not, make sure to maximize your credit card points when paying for the cruise by using a credit card that offers extra points for travel purchases . This could be the Chase Sapphire Reserve , which offers 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on travel and dining (excluding the annual up-to-$300 travel credit). There's also the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card , which brings 2 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on travel and 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on dining.

Bottom line

Princess offers big, amenity-filled ships that are comfortable and classy, at an affordable price.

If you're looking for a lot of deck-top pizzazz — waterslides, go-kart tracks and the like — it's probably not the line for you. However, if you're on the hunt for not-too-expensive vessels that will take you to the farthest corners of the world in comfort, the ships of Princess should be on your shortlist.

It's also a great line if you're trying to put together a multigenerational trip, as its ships are designed to appeal to a wide range of age groups.

Royal Princess Staterooms

Royal Princess’ staterooms offer a number of updated features and subtle changes inspired by passengers suggestions. Among the changes are more contemporary décor, larger showers with hand-held shower heads, pillow top mattresses, upholstered headboards, bigger television screens with on-demand programming, and energy efficient lighting with card readers to help conserve electricity.

Room décor uses rich finishes, modern carpet patterns, and soft, soothing colors. Bathrooms feature square sinks to provide more vanity space, and mirrors feature built-in vanity lighting. Decorative wall sconces provide enhanced lighting and televisions are wall-mounted.

Some changes have also been added to make traveling with technology easier. Electrical sockets have been spaced farther apart to accommodate multiple plugs and now offer a 220-volt socket. Additionally, several energy-saving features have been built in to the staterooms, including a card reader that activates the room’s lighting, plus low-energy LED lighting fixtures.

Families traveling in multiple rooms can take advantage of another new option with the addition of 50 adjoining staterooms.

The deluxe balcony, a new stateroom category, offers an extra spacious balcony room with a comfortable sofa bed and some of the upgraded amenities found in a mini-suite stateroom, including enhanced bathroom amenities, waffle bathrobe and an upgraded duvet.

In addition to the new general stateroom amenities, mini-suites offer a decorative central lighting fixture, a privacy curtain between the bed and sitting area, and marble-topped counters.

Suites feature larger televisions, two sinks in the bathroom, accent lighting and a glass-paneled shower. For the first time on a Princess ship, suite passengers have use of a dedicated concierge lounge, an exclusive area to relax or work, with access to full front desk services, plus light snacks and beverages. Here, these passengers have dedicated staff to assist with such things as shore excursions, specialty dining or Lotus Spa reservations. It is also used as a private disembarkation lounge for suite passengers.

Total Staterooms – 1,780, including:                                                                                              

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Electrical Outlets on Princess

By chrisahx , November 11, 2009 in Princess Cruises

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On Sunday we will be cruising on the Caribbean Princess and since this is the first time we have sailed with Princess I'm wondering about the electrical outlets in the cabins? Do I need to bring along an adaptor in order for the plug to fit? Also, what about the voltage?

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There will be two plugs, American style, on the desk/table thing. They're really close together, though, so if you need to plug in multiple chargers or something else that takes up more than just the outlet space, bring a power strip.

There's also an American style plug in the bathroom, but it is for low-powered electric razors only.

No worries on the voltage. If you have one of the small devices with multiple plugs and a USB port (Belkin's and others cost about $15), they are much smaller, lighter and more handy than a surge protector power strip, especially if you have a device like a camera or Ipod than can charge off of a USB port.

Party Teacher

I charged my cel phone (for use on land only ;)) from the outlet in the bathroom.

"no worries on the voltage. If you have one of the small devices with multiple plugs and a USB port (Belkin's and others cost about $15), they are much smaller, lighter and more handy than a surge protector power strip, especially if you have a device like a camera or Ipod than can charge off of a USB port".

Thanks for the info. I don't understand what this USB thing is though. We will have 2 cell phones, walkie talkies, curling iron, hair dryer, 1 laptop & 1 netbook & 1 Iphone (which is the only type USB power- plug I know of) I'll bring an 8 outlet power strip, although I hope the plugs will accommodate 3 prongs. We are in a suite (3-Persons), do they provide hair-dryers in those bathrooms, or would they have one that could borrowed for the 7 days?

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Power Outlets on Princess Cruise Ships

By OR_Cowboy_1952 , August 2, 2018 in Princess Cruises

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OR_Cowboy_1952

Princess Ships have 110V 60Hz power for North America. But there are very few outlets in the cabin. Typically there are 2 grounded outlets at the desk and a single non-grounded outlet in the bathroom. The 2 desk outlets are very close together. If you are like us, you will bring several devices that need to be plugged in or charged, especially phones, tablets, cameras, and computers. Princess prohibits surge protectors. We have found a very useful power strip and USB charger that is neat and compact, the NTONPOWER donut. It has 3 grounded NA 110V outlets, 3 USB, an on/off switch, no surge protector, and can store its own cord.

http://www.ntonpower.com/NTONPOWER-Office-Power-Strip-with-3-USB-3-Outlets-Round-Donut-Design-Portable-Slim-Size-with-Short-Extension-Cord-37cm-for-Hotel-Business-Travel.html

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0727WZM6R/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_c_x_1_w?th=1

BTW: don’t forget a night light.

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But there are very few outlets in the cabin. Typically there are 2 grounded outlets at the desk and a single non-grounded outlet in the bathroom.

On the Grand Class ships (still the majority for the time being), there is also an outlet behind the TV. It might require a 3 foot (or longer) extension cord that ends with a multi-plug in order to put it to good use, but that is what we use to charge phones, cameras, tablets, etc. during the night.

I always bring extension cords and a non-surge-protected power strip and a multi-USB strip. And a night light. Never had a problem, being prepared!

Here is the power strip that I use.

Bathroom night light

The bathroom night light makes it easier to pee in the dark

For a nightlight, we bring on board two or three "flameless candles" in votives. They are great for use on the balcony at night. And when we go to bed, we place one at the bottom of the bathroom shelf, near where the trash can is, because this helps illuminate the "step up" transition between the cabin and bathroom. Can't tell you how many times that has saved me from smashing my toes on that transition. It's easy to forget to step over the threshold.

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Moscow is a Volga River cruise port, Russia's capital and largest city (population over 12,2 million, metro 17 million). Moscow City covers a total area of approx 2610 km 2 (970 mi2). By population, the city is ranked the world's 14th largest. Moscow is one of the Russian Federation's all 3 federal cities - together with St Petersburg and Sevastopol .

Being Russian Federation's capital, Moscow is a major economic, political, scientific and cultural center, as well as Europe's biggest city.

According to Forbes 2013, Moscow has been ranked as the 9th most expensive city in the world by Mercer and has one of the largest urban economies, being ranked as an alpha global city according to Globalization and World Cities Research Network. It is also one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the world according to MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index. Moscow is the northernmost and the coldest megacity and metropolis on the Earth. It's home to Ostankino Tower, the tallest free-standing European structure; the Federation Tower, the tallest European skyscraper; and the Moscow International Business Center. 

Moscow is situated on Moskva River in the Central Federal District of European Russia, which makes it the most populated inland city in the world. Moscow city is well known for architecture, particularly its historic buildings like Saint Basil's Cathedral. With over 40% of its territory covered by greenery, it's one of the greenest capitals and major cities in Europe and the world. Moscow is the seat of power of the Russian Government, being the site of Moscow Kremlin, a medieval city-fortress that is now the residence of the President of Russia. Moscow Kremlin and Red Square are among the several World Heritage Sites in the city. 

Moscow has 2 passenger terminals, North River Terminal (Rechnoy vokzal) and South River Terminal. The regular ship routes and cruises along Moskva and Oka rivers are used mostly for entertainment. North River Terminal (1937-built) is currently the main hub for long-range routes along the river. There are 3 freight ports that serve Moscow.

In late-July 2021 the city announced plans to incorporate a fleet (unspecified number) of fully electric passenger ferries into its public transportation network from summer 2022, the goal being to reduce the dependence on cars.

• The boats are designed with length ~22 m (72 ft), passenger capacity 42, modern amenities (Wi-Fi, USB charging points, tables for working commuters), spaces for storing scooters and bicycles.
• Moscow Transport confirmed that two routes (with max daily capacity ~16,000 passengers) have already been mapped out.
• Passengers will be able to pay via bank cards, the city’s Troika card (smart card for travel by any public transportation) or biometric payment cards. Those with monthly/yearly public transit tickets will use the boats at no extra cost.
• The new electric ferry service is up to 5 times faster (in comparison to other city public transports) and ~2 times faster than by car.

Moscow cruise terminal

Moscow's cruise terminal is called North River Terminal or River Station  ("Rechnoy Vokzal" / "речной вокзал").

The terminal was opened in 1937 and is one of 2 passenger terminals (the other being South River Terminal) of the city's river transport. North River Terminal is the main hub for long-range (including cruise) shipping routes. 

South River Terminal (above photo) was opened in 1985.

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Moscow - user reviews and comments

THE 10 BEST Moscow Shopping Malls

Shopping malls in moscow.

• Gift & Specialty Shops
• Art Galleries
• Shopping Malls
• Antique Stores
• Flea & Street Markets
• Farmers Markets
• Department Stores
• Shopping Tours
• Factory Outlets
• Fashion Shows & Tours
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3rd Transport Ring (TTK)
• District Central (TsAO)
• District Western (ZAO)
• Garden Ring
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Good for Kids
• Budget-friendly
• Good for Big Groups
• Good for Couples
• Adventurous
• Hidden Gems
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Central Children's Store

2. Aviapark Shopping Mall

3. Mall Yevropeyskiy

4. Gostiny Dvor

5. Okhotny Ryad

6. Vegas Kashirskoye Shosse

7. Afimoll City

8. Shopping-Entertainment Complex Atrium

9. Mall Columbus

10. METROPOLIS shopping mall

11. Tsvetnoy Central Market

12. Bagration Bridge

13. Riviera

14. Paveletskaya Plaza Mall

15. Zolotoi Vavilon

16. Russian Watches

17. Crocus City Mall

18. Kuznetsovo Plaza

19. Raikin Plaza

20. Shopping and Entertainment Center Gagarinskiy

21. SM Okeaniya

22. techno mall gorbushkin dvor.

23. Shopping-Entertainment Center Festival

24. RIGAMALL

25. Tishinka Trade and Exhibition Complex

26. Shopping Center Kaleidoscope

28. VEGAS Crocus City

29. Mall Nikolskaya Plaza

30. RIO Dmitrovka

What travelers are saying.

• Aviapark Mall
• Central Children's Store
• Gostiny Dvor
• Vegas Kashirskoye Shosse
• Shopping-Entertainment Complex Atrium
• Techno Mall Gorbushkin Dvor
• Mall Yevropeyskiy
• Okhotny Ryad
• Afimoll City

• Bahasa Indonesia
• Slovenščina
• Science & Tech
• Russian Kitchen

Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

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