Princess Cruises
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The Worst cruise I ever took!
My family and I have cruised on several ships over the years, and we were excited to take a multigenerational trip—15 of us across six cabins—aboard the Royal Princess to Alaska. Unfortunately, this turned out to be the most disappointing cruise we’ve ever experienced, with issues arising from the very beginning and persisting throughout the trip. Key Issues That Impacted Our Experience: 1. Poor Communication Around Pre-Arrival Requirements The requirement for a passport—even for a closed-loop cruise (departing and returning to the U.S.)—was not clearly emphasized. This critical information was buried in small text in a PDF after payment was collected. The lack of clear, prominent communication resulted in a last-minute scramble and a costly same-day passport trip for some of our group. 2. Unclean and Poorly Maintained Rooms Upon arrival, our sheets were stained, the room was visibly dirty, and the bathroom smelled of urine. It took three requests before the room attendant, John, addressed the issue, stating he was “too busy”—suggesting a possible staffing shortage. 3. Repetitive and Limited Buffet Options The buffet offered limited variety with the same repetitive dishes each night across Asian, Mexican, Italian, and Middle Eastern cuisines. The overall dining experience lacked excitement and freshness. 4. Lack of Allergy-Friendly Dining My son, who has a tree nut allergy, experienced a reaction after unknowingly consuming a pastry that contained nuts—there were no allergen labels. I also have an egg allergy and found it extremely difficult to navigate the buffet without clear food labeling, which negatively affected my experience. 5. Inadequate Indoor Dining & Cold Weather Provisions The ship lacked sufficient indoor seating at the buffet, and with outdoor areas being too cold to use, dining became a challenge. There were no cold-weather amenities like blankets—only pool towels—which felt like poor planning for an Alaskan cruise. 6. Poor Service and Slow Delivery The OceanNow food and drink service was slow (averaging an hour) and frequently inaccurate. Bartenders had to reference recipe books to make standard drinks, and the cocktails were consistently weak. The drink package was not worth the cost due to slow service, bar closures, and minimal alcohol in drinks. 7. Limited Entertainment and Activities There were very few activities geared toward a range of age groups, leaving much of the cruise feeling dull. The DJ offered a poor musical selection, ended parties early, and didn’t cater to a diverse crowd. 8. Subpar Customer Service and Potential Bias Some dining staff were visibly rude—eye-rolling, delayed clearing of tables, and reluctance to serve our group. It felt as though certain ethnicities were treated with more courtesy and priority, leaving members of our group uncomfortable and unwelcome.