A third of Princess Cruises' Australian sailings for the rest of 2026 are already sold out, driving prices up sharply and leaving cabin hunters with limited options. Interior cabins on 12- to 14-day voyages are now commanding over $4,000 per person, and premium categories such as suites and balconies have vanished from many departures entirely.
The crush reflects an imbalance between demand and supply. Princess currently operates just two ships from Australian ports: Royal Princess and Grand Princess, with Crown Princess staying through early November. This is a step down from earlier years, when the line regularly deployed three or four vessels to the region. By comparison, the Caribbean is seeing only 7 percent of available cruises sell out for the same period, while Australia has hit 33 percent. The appetite for Australian cruises appears to outpace even popular Caribbean itineraries.
Relief may come in 2027/28, when Princess plans to add Sapphire Princess to its Australian deployment. She will sail from Perth along the West Coast and operate some circumnavigation voyages. However, industry observers argue that Australia could easily sustain four Princess ships, particularly as cruising grows in popularity locally. A long-running campaign by Melbourne-based passengers seeks the return of home-ported sailings at that port, which Princess dropped after port fees increased several years ago.
For travelers still hunting availability, balcony and suite cabins are largely gone, but interior options remain on select sailings. Those booking now should prioritize flexibility on dates and expect to pay premium fares for last-minute departures. The supply-demand mismatch underscores growing competition for berths on popular Australian routes and suggests Princess may need to expand its fleet commitment to the region sooner rather than later.
Originally reported by Cruise Passenger Australia, Tallis Boerne Marcus (August 25, 2026).
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