When booking a cruise, one of the most important questions is what happens to your money if your plans change. Many travelers wonder, does Princess Cruises provide full refunds, especially after paying a deposit or the full cruise fare.
The answer is sometimes, but not in every situation. Princess Cruises uses a cancellation schedule based on the length of the sailing and how far in advance you cancel. Depending on the timing and fare conditions, you may receive a full refund, a partial refund, or little to no refund. Certain specially priced promotions may also be completely nonrefundable.
A full refund may also apply in situations where Princess cancels your cruise or makes certain qualifying changes. In those cases, different rules can apply from a guest-initiated cancellation.
This guide explains how Princess refunds generally work and what you should check before canceling a booking.
Princess Cruises does not automatically provide a full refund whenever a guest cancels.
For a guest-initiated cancellation, the refund depends mainly on:
Princess's published standard policy states that cancellation fees increase as the sailing date gets closer. Your booking confirmation contains the cancellation schedule that applies to your reservation.
This means canceling several months before departure can have a very different financial result from canceling a few weeks or days before sailing.
There are several situations in which a traveler may receive the full amount or substantially all of the eligible cruise charges back.
For shorter cruises, Princess's current published schedule starts with the deposit at the earliest cancellation stage and then increases the cancellation fee as departure approaches.
For sailings of 1 to 13 days, the published schedule is:
Cancellation timingStandard cancellation fee
90 days or more before departureDeposit
75 to 89 days25% of total charges
61 to 74 days50%
31 to 60 days75%
30 days or less100%
Government taxes and fees are excluded from these cancellation fees under the published policy.
So, in a standard booking with a refundable deposit, canceling early may allow you to recover money beyond the applicable deposit amount. However, that does not necessarily mean the entire booking price is refunded.
Longer cruises use different cancellation schedules.
Princess distinguishes between refundable and nonrefundable deposits.
If your reservation was booked with a refundable deposit, you may have greater protection during the earliest cancellation period. By contrast, Princess states that a nonrefundable deposit may not be refunded when you cancel.
This is why checking the fare and deposit terms at the time of booking is important.
A guest cancellation is different from a cruise canceled by Princess.
According to Princess's nonperformance refund policy, if Princess cancels your cruise, or delays it for more than three calendar days and you choose not to travel, you may be entitled to a refund of the cruise fare and eligible charges associated with the canceled or delayed cruise. Princess may also offer an alternative such as a Future Cruise Credit, but its published policy says an eligible guest can decline that alternative and pursue the refund.
The exact rights can depend on the market in which the cruise was booked and the applicable contract.
Last-minute cancellations can be expensive.
For many standard Princess sailings, cancellation fees eventually reach 100% of applicable charges. For example, the current standard schedule for 1-to-13-day sailings applies a 100% cancellation fee at 30 days or less before departure.
This means a traveler who cancels shortly before sailing may not receive a refund of the cruise charges under the standard cancellation policy.
However, certain protection products may change the outcome.
Yes. Princess offers cancellation-related protection options in eligible markets.
Its current Princess Vacation Protection information describes Cancellation Protection as a non-insurance cancellation fee waiver. Princess says that, when its conditions are met, guests can cancel for any reason up to the specified deadline without being assessed the normal cancellation fees. The protection generally requires Princess to receive the cancellation at least 72 hours before midnight on the scheduled departure date.
This is important because Cancellation Protection does not simply mean that every part of a booking becomes refundable under every circumstance. It is specifically designed to address cancellation fees, and its own terms, deadlines, availability, and exclusions apply.
Princess also states that Cancellation Protection is not available to residents of Australia, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom. Availability can vary by market.
Princess also offers Platinum Protection in eligible markets.
According to Princess, Platinum Protection can provide reimbursement of cancellation fees for qualifying reasons. For certain cancellations that are not covered under the listed reasons, its "Any Reason" feature can provide the cancellation-fee amount as a Future Cruise Credit rather than cash.
The distinction matters:
Cash refund and Future Cruise Credit are not the same thing.
A Future Cruise Credit generally has conditions governing how and when it can be used. Princess describes its cruise credits as a form of store credit for eligible Princess purchases, rather than unrestricted cash.
Princess states in its cancellation FAQ that if you have prepaid for shore excursions or onboard purchases, those purchases will receive a full refund when you cancel.
However, individual products and services can have their own terms, so travelers should review the specific cancellation conditions attached to those purchases.
It is also useful to understand that the cruise fare, taxes, fees, transportation, insurance, excursions, and other components of a trip may not all be governed by exactly the same refund rules.
This is one of the most important exceptions.
Princess states that if you purchased a specially priced promotion that is 100% nonrefundable from the point of payment, you are not entitled to a refund, compensation, or credit for the applicable cruise charges if you cancel.
Current promotional terms can also specify that changes or refunds may not be permitted and that a nonrefundable deposit is required.
Therefore, a lower promotional fare should always be checked carefully before payment.
There is no single refund amount that applies to every Princess reservation.
Princess explains that your refund depends on the itinerary length and how far ahead of departure you cancel.
For example, on a standard 1-to-13-day cruise:
For cruises lasting 14 days or longer, Princess uses different cancellation periods and percentages. The exact schedule should therefore be checked against the length of your sailing and your reservation documents.
Princess's published cancellation schedule says that Government Taxes and Fees are not subject to the cancellation fee. Its Passage Contract also explains that prepaid government taxes and fees, along with certain other charges, may be refunded after applicable cancellation fees are deducted.
That means even when the cruise fare itself is heavily penalized, the treatment of taxes and fees can be different.
If you booked directly with Princess, the company directs guests to its customer support resources for cancellation assistance.
If you booked through a travel advisor, Princess says you should contact your travel advisor to cancel the reservation.
When requesting a cancellation or refund, keep these details available:
Your booking confirmation is especially important because Princess states that it contains the cancellation schedule and final payment terms applicable to your booking.
Princess's Passage Contract states that eligible refunds are generally made back to the method of payment used for the booking or through the travel advisor, depending on how the reservation was made.
For that reason, travelers should not assume that a refund will automatically be paid in a particular format.
A Future Cruise Credit is also different from a cash refund. Princess says some refundable FCCs can carry a cash value, while nonrefundable credits may not have cash value.
A change to your itinerary does not automatically create the same refund rights as a full cancellation.
The rights associated with changes depend on the nature of the change, the applicable market terms, and the booking contract. In certain Princess terms, qualifying significant changes within the carrier's control can provide options such as accepting the revised itinerary, receiving a Future Cruise Credit, or canceling for a full refund of the fare paid.
Because this area can vary by itinerary and jurisdiction, travelers should read the notification sent by Princess and the contract applicable to that booking.
The best way to understand your refund exposure is to review the cancellation terms before paying.
Check these items carefully:
Find out whether the deposit is refundable or nonrefundable. Do not assume that every Princess fare has the same deposit conditions.
The cancellation schedule is tied to the timing of your cancellation, so knowing the final payment and penalty dates can help you avoid unexpected losses.
Special offers can have stricter restrictions than standard fares. A discount may be accompanied by a nonrefundable deposit or other limitations.
If your travel plans could change, review the available Princess protection options and their deadlines, exclusions, and geographic availability before purchasing.
Your confirmation contains important details about the cancellation schedule and final payment terms for your specific reservation.
Not under the standard cancellation policy.
A guest who cancels simply because plans changed may be subject to cancellation fees. A full refund is more likely to apply when the booking terms specifically allow it, when refundable amounts remain after cancellation penalties, when eligible protection applies, or when Princess cancels the cruise under circumstances covered by its refund policy.
The important point is that "full refund" depends on why the reservation is being canceled and which terms apply to the booking.
Not always. Princess uses a cancellation schedule based on the sailing length and cancellation date. Cancellation fees can increase as departure approaches and can reach 100% under the standard policy.
Generally, no. Princess states that a nonrefundable deposit is not refundable when the guest cancels, subject to any specific protection or exception that applies.
Princess's nonperformance policy states that eligible guests can receive a refund of cruise fare and applicable charges when Princess cancels the cruise, subject to the terms of that policy.
Princess offers cancellation-related protection in eligible markets. Its current protection information describes Cancellation Protection and a Platinum Protection option, each with different terms and benefits.
Princess says prepaid shore excursions and onboard purchases will receive a full refund when you cancel.
In some circumstances, yes. Future Cruise Credits may be provided under certain protection plans or special cancellation situations. Their usage rules differ from cash refunds.
Princess says you can cancel at any time, but the amount refunded depends on the applicable cancellation schedule. For standard shorter sailings, cancellation penalties can reach 100% close to departure.
Not necessarily. Princess publishes different terms and protection availability for different markets, so the rules attached to your booking and region should be checked carefully.
So, does Princess Cruises provide full refunds? The answer is that full refunds are available in certain circumstances, but they are not guaranteed for every guest cancellation.
For a standard guest cancellation, Princess applies fees based on the sailing length and how close the cancellation is to departure. Nonrefundable deposits and specially priced nonrefundable promotions can further limit what you receive back.
On the other hand, eligible cancellations involving Princess-initiated cruise cancellations, qualifying protection plans, refundable booking terms, or prepaid items may provide broader refund rights.
Before canceling, check your booking confirmation, fare conditions, protection plan, and the cancellation schedule that applies to your particular cruise. That is the most reliable way to determine whether your refund will be full, partial, or unavailable.
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