Changing a cruise booking is sometimes necessary. A vacation plan can change because of work, family commitments, travel documents, or a simple change in dates. But before moving a Princess Cruises reservation, it is important to understand that a cruise date change may be treated as a cancellation, which means the normal cancellation fee schedule can apply.
There is not one flat fee that applies to every Princess Cruises booking. The amount depends on factors such as when the reservation was made, how many days long the cruise is, how close you are to departure, and the specific terms attached to your booking. Princess also states that guests should check their booking confirmation because it contains the cancellation schedule and final-payment terms that apply to that reservation.
This guide explains the current Princess Cruises rules in simple terms and shows how the fees can affect a booking.
Yes, a fee can apply when you change certain parts of a cruise reservation.
The most important point is that changing the departure date is considered a reservation cancellation under Princess's published terms. Therefore, the cancellation-fee schedule can apply when a guest moves the booking to another sailing. Princess also states that name changes require prior approval and may not always be possible.
This means travelers should not assume that moving a reservation is simply an administrative change with a small fixed charge.
For example, if you originally booked a cruise for one week and later ask to move it to another departure date, Princess may calculate the applicable cancellation charge based on the timing of the requested change.
Princess uses different penalty levels depending on how close the cancellation or qualifying change is to departure. Under the current terms for applicable new bookings, the penalty becomes progressively higher as the departure date approaches.
Princess Cruises updated its booking terms for bookings made on or after September 2, 2026. The current Passage Contract provides a new schedule for cruises of up to 44 days and another schedule for cruises of 45 days or longer.
For bookings made on or after September 2, 2026, the final payment date is 120 days before departure. The cancellation schedule is as follows:
Time before departureCancellation fee
120 days or moreDeposit
113–119 days25%
91–112 days50%
61–90 days75%
60 days or less100%
These percentages apply to the items covered by Princess's published schedule. The contract defines the applicable items broadly, including the cruise price and certain cruise packages and pre-purchased items. Reduced-deposit promotions can have special limitations, including a provision that the initial cancellation fee will not exceed the required or paid deposit.
Long cruises have a separate schedule. For bookings made on or after September 2, 2026, Princess lists the following cancellation fees:
Time before departureCancellation fee
321 days or moreDeposit
121–320 daysDeposit
113–120 days30%
61–112 days50%
60 days or less100%
For cruises of 45 days or longer, Princess states that an initial 10% deposit is due when booking, another 20% is due 320 days before departure, bringing the deposit to 30%, and final payment is due 120 days before departure.
Not every reservation follows the new schedule.
Princess's current Passage Contract separately lists rules for bookings made before September 2, 2026. For example, older bookings for cruises of 1 to 13 days had a 90-day final-payment deadline and a penalty schedule beginning with the deposit, followed by 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% depending on how close the cancellation was to departure.
For bookings made before September 2, 2026, the relevant schedule depends on the cruise length:
Cruise lengthEarlier cancellation schedule
1–13 daysDeposit at 90+ days; 25% at 75–89 days; 50% at 61–74 days; 75% at 31–60 days; 100% at 30 days or less
14–24 daysDeposit at 120+ days; 25% at 113–119 days; 50% at 91–112 days; 75% at 61–90 days; 100% at 60 days or less
25–44 daysDeposit at 120+ days; 25% at 113–119 days; 50% at 61–112 days; 100% at 60 days or less
45+ daysDeposit at 121+ days; 30% at 113–120 days; 50% at 61–112 days; 100% at 60 days or less
Because different reservations can have different rules, the booking confirmation is the safest document to check before making a change. Princess specifically tells booked guests to review their confirmation email for the cancellation schedule and final-payment terms applicable to their reservation.
For Princess Cruises, the answer can be yes.
Princess's current cancellation policy says that departure date changes are considered reservation cancellations and are subject to cancellation fees.
This is particularly important when someone wants to move from an existing sailing to a later date.
For example, suppose your booking falls under the current up-to-44-day schedule and your applicable cruise price is $2,000:
These are illustrations of the published percentages, not a quote for a particular reservation. Your actual amount depends on the terms and charges attached to your booking.
Name changes are different from changing the sailing date.
Princess states that name changes require prior approval and may not always be possible. Its published cancellation policy also says that name changes are considered reservation cancellations and may be subject to cancellation fees.
Travelers should therefore be careful when entering passenger information during the original booking.
A simple spelling correction should not automatically be assumed to have the same treatment as replacing a traveler. Policies can vary by market and booking conditions, so the safest approach is to have Princess or the travel advisor review the specific reservation before the change is processed.
Not every modification necessarily creates the same charge.
The fee question depends on what you are changing and the terms governing your booking. A date change has particularly important consequences because Princess classifies departure-date changes as reservation cancellations.
Some Princess international booking materials also state that certain administrative changes, such as spelling corrections or replacing a guest other than the first guest, may not have an administration fee, although additional charges from airlines or other service providers can still apply. Those terms also require at least one original guest to remain on the booking.
Because these provisions can depend on the applicable market and contract, do not use an older or different-region rule as a guarantee for your reservation.
The deposit can be one of the most important parts of a Princess booking when you request a change.
Under the published cancellation schedules, the deposit can become the cancellation charge when the booking is cancelled far enough in advance. Some deposits may also be refundable depending on the booking terms, while specially priced promotions can make a deposit fully non-refundable.
Princess specifically states that if a guest booked a cruise with a non-refundable deposit, or under a promotion where the deposit is 100% non-refundable from the point of payment, that deposit is not entitled to a refund, payment, compensation, or credit under the stated cancellation terms.
That is why travelers should check their fare conditions before requesting a change.
It can, depending on the plan, reason for cancellation, and applicable conditions.
Princess says that guests who purchase Princess Vacation Protection may have cancellation fees waived for certain covered cancellations. Princess also states that Platinum Protection may, depending on the circumstances, provide reimbursement in cash or as a future cruise credit. The applicable terms, conditions, eligibility requirements, and exclusions control the result.
Travel protection should therefore not be viewed as an automatic waiver of every Princess Cruises change fee.
Read the plan documents before relying on coverage for a planned change.
A guest-requested change is different from a change made by Princess.
The Princess Passage Contract gives the cruise line rights to change routes, ports, schedules, embarkation or disembarkation arrangements, and other voyage details under specified circumstances. It also provides particular refund or accommodation provisions for some situations, including certain cancellations controlled by the carrier or mechanical failures.
Therefore, a passenger should not automatically apply the standard guest cancellation-fee schedule to a cruise that Princess itself has cancelled or materially changed.
The remedy depends on the reason for the change and the applicable terms.
The best way to reduce surprises is to check the booking before requesting a change.
First determine whether your reservation was made before or after September 2, 2026. Princess currently publishes different cancellation schedules for those two groups.
A cruise of 10 days and a cruise of 50 days can have different cancellation rules. The 45-day threshold is especially important under the current schedule.
Under the new terms for applicable bookings made on or after September 2, 2026, final payment is due 120 days before departure. Earlier bookings can have different final-payment deadlines.
A non-refundable deposit or a specially priced non-refundable promotion can limit the amount that can be recovered when a reservation is changed or cancelled.
Rather than cancelling first and deciding later, ask Princess or your travel advisor to explain the charge that would apply to your specific reservation.
That is especially important when moving to another cruise because the original reservation may be subject to cancellation terms.
For a booking made directly with Princess, use Princess's customer support channels or the available Manage Booking services. If the reservation was made through a travel advisor, Princess says the traveler should contact that advisor for booking changes.
Before authorizing the change, have your:
available.
This helps the representative identify the correct terms and explain what will happen to the original booking.
No. Princess does not publish one universal flat fee for every cruise change. The financial impact depends on the type of change and the cancellation terms that apply to the reservation. Departure-date changes are treated as cancellations under the published policy.
A departure-date change can be subject to cancellation fees because Princess considers a departure-date change a reservation cancellation. The amount depends on your booking's applicable terms and how close you are to departure.
For the current schedule covering applicable bookings made on or after September 2, 2026, cruises up to 44 days have a 100% cancellation fee at 60 days or less before departure. Cruises of 45 days or longer also have a 100% fee at 60 days or less.
It depends on the booking terms. Some bookings permit a refundable deposit, while non-refundable deposits and certain special promotions can be fully non-refundable.
Name changes require Princess's prior approval and may not always be possible. The published cancellation policy states that name changes can be treated as reservation cancellations and may be subject to cancellation fees.
Depending on the plan, reason for cancellation, and eligibility requirements, Princess Vacation Protection may waive or reimburse certain cancellation costs. Coverage is governed by the specific plan terms and exclusions.
Not necessarily, but the original reservation may be subject to applicable cancellation charges because Princess treats departure-date changes as reservation cancellations. The exact financial result must be determined from the booking's terms.
Start with your Princess booking confirmation or invoice. Princess specifically advises booked guests to review the confirmation for the cancellation schedule and final-payment terms applying to that reservation.
The answer to “What are the change fees on Princess Cruises cruises?” depends largely on what you want to change and when you make the request.
The key point is that changing a Princess cruise departure date can be treated as cancelling the original reservation, so cancellation penalties may apply. For bookings made on or after September 2, 2026, the current published schedule for cruises up to 44 days ranges from the deposit to 25%, 50%, 75%, and finally 100% as departure approaches. Cruises of 45 days or longer follow a separate schedule.
Because Princess also has different rules for bookings made before September 2, 2026, travelers should rely on the terms shown in their own reservation rather than assuming that a general fee applies to every cruise.
Before making any change, check the booking confirmation, review the deposit and fare conditions, and ask Princess or your travel advisor for the exact cost of the proposed change. That simple step can help you understand your options before the original reservation is cancelled or modified.
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