Had an issue with Princess Cruises? Get a real response.
How to submit a complaint with Princess Cruises
If something went wrong before, during, or after your Princess cruise, you don't have to chase it through every channel. Pick the method that fits your situation, log a reference, and keep your booking details handy. Always quote your booking number, cruise name, sailing date, and Captain's Circle number, and attach receipts, photos, screenshots, or onboard folio statements to speed things up.
Onboard — Guest Services Desk (fastest for in-cruise issues)
- Raise cabin, billing, dining, or service problems at the Guest Services Desk while you're still sailing — staff can act on the spot.
- Ask for a written note or reference number before you disembark, so the issue carries over post-cruise.
Phone (Australia & New Zealand)
- Call Princess Cruises Australia on 13 24 88 or 1300 551 853, Monday–Friday during business hours (AEST).
- Captain's Circle members and general support can also reach Customer Care via the official Contact Us page.
Online
- Use the official Princess Cruises Customer Care page to submit a Support Request form — best for written records of billing, refund, or service complaints.
- Use Live Chat via the "Help" or "Live Chat With Us" link on the Princess Cruises Australia site for quick questions and an initial reference.
Email (Australia & New Zealand)
- General enquiries and complaints: info@princesscruises.com.au
- Refund requests and claims (AU/NZ): princess.claims@carnivalaustralia.com
Post or fax (Australia & New Zealand)
- Princess Cruises Australia & New Zealand, PO Box 1429, Chatswood NSW 2057.
- Refunds and claims: PO Box 2006, North Sydney NSW 2059 — Fax +61 2 8424 9150.
For refund-specific timeframes and documentation, see the full Princess Cruises refund process.
Princess Cruises routes post-cruise issues to its Post-Cruise Customer Relations (Guest Relations) team, which reviews concerns raised after you return home — billing errors, missing refunds, or service shortfalls. Here's what to expect from Princess Cruises customer relations once your complaint is logged.
- Acknowledgement: Aim for a reply within about 14 days. If you hear nothing in two weeks, follow up by phone or email and quote your original case reference.
- Investigation and resolution: A typical response takes 2 to 4 weeks, depending on complexity. Refund and claims cases — especially those routed through the claims team — can take longer.
- Who handles it: A Guest Relations representative manages your case and may request clarification or supporting documents before offering a refund, future cruise credit, goodwill gesture, or explanation.
- Keep a paper trail: Note every reference number and the names of staff you speak with. A dated timeline and copies of all correspondence make resolution much faster.
Common complaints against Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises holds a 2.2/5 rating from roughly 520 reviews on ProductReview.com.au (around 57% negative), and the recurring themes below show where Princess Cruises complaints most often arise.
Billing and unexpected charges
- Daily USD "Crew Appreciation" charges added even when packages like Princess Plus advertised them as included.
- Unexplained credit card charges and double-charging that customers had to catch and dispute manually.
Refund delays and poor communication
- Long waits for refunds on cancelled cruises, shore excursions, or packages.
- Limited progress updates while customers wait, a common driver of Princess Cruises refund delay complaints.
Booking changes and package removal
- Packages such as Premier removed after cabin upgrades without notice or refund.
- Bookings altered — extra passengers added, fees charged — without the customer's consent.
Customer service responsiveness
- Difficulty reaching staff and slow email replies.
- Customers report feeling "passed around" before issues are escalated.
Declining onboard experience
- Reports of reduced food quality, fewer activities, and hygiene concerns at buffets.
- Frontline staff described as stretched and burnt-out.
Safety and health communication
- Concerns over rough-sea tender operations during high swells.
- How incidents such as seasickness and water pipe bursts were communicated and managed.
Princess Cruises complaints submitted through Ajust
How other consumers Princess Cruises complaints got resolved
Premier package removed after a cabin upgrade
A customer who paid for a Premier package over 12 months had it removed after a cabin upgrade, with no notification or refund. They were told it was "under investigation" while unable to recover the funds.
Tip: Push past an open-ended "under investigation" reply by demanding formal escalation with all payment records attached.
Booking altered without consent
After emailing to request a pricing change, the customer found Princess had added a passenger and charged an extra ~$500 without communicating, then applied a $204 cancellation fee for the company's own error.
Tip: Document clearly that the error originated with Princess, not you, before escalating.
Shore excursion refund after a rough-sea tender incident
During tender operations in roughly 3-metre swells, 15–20 passengers suffered severe seasickness and raised safety concerns. The post-cruise refund for cancelled shore excursions took about 7 days.
Tip: Submit full documentation up front — booking details and proof of the cancelled excursion — to shorten turnaround.
If your complaint isn't resolved at first contact, escalate in clear, written stages and keep a timestamped trail. Send escalations by email and give a reasonable deadline (around 14 days) before going external.
Step 1 — Request a supervisor or case manager
- Ask for a supervisor or case manager within Customer Relations.
- Request a written summary of the decision and the reasons behind it.
Step 2 — Escalate in writing to Post-Cruise Customer Relations
- Email the Post-Cruise Customer Relations Department, quoting your case reference and a clear timeline.
- Use info@princesscruises.com.au for AU/NZ matters and princess.claims@carnivalaustralia.com for refund and claims cases.
Step 3 — Corporate / executive escalation (last internal step)
- Princess Cruises corporate office: 24305 Town Center Drive, Santa Clarita, CA 91355, USA.
- Executive contacts published by the Elliott Report include the President's office (gantorcha@princesscruises.com) and VP Hotel Operations (lwarren@princesscruises.com) — use only as a final internal step.
Step 4 — Travel agent route
- If you booked through a travel agent, ask them to escalate on your behalf.
- Agents often have direct trade contacts at Princess and can move a stalled case faster.
Cruise complaints in Australia fall under Australian Consumer Law (ACL). There is no dedicated cruise ombudsman, so escalate externally only after you've given Princess a fair chance to resolve the issue in writing and received an inadequate response — or no response — within a reasonable timeframe.
- State/Territory Fair Trading (start here): Lodge an individual dispute with your state consumer affairs office. Princess Australia is NSW-based — see NSW Fair Trading complaints and enquiries and the NSW guide to flights, cruises and tours.
- ACCC (Australian Competition & Consumer Commission): Handles broader systemic and misleading-conduct concerns rather than individual disputes, and has previously investigated cruise refund practices. See where to go for consumer help.
- National consumer agency directory: Find the right body for your state via consumer protection agencies.
- Small claims tribunal: For disputed amounts, your state tribunal (for example, NCAT in NSW) is an option for a binding decision.
- Princess Cruises Customer Care: Submit a Support Request or contact Customer Relations for billing, refund, and service complaints.
- Princess Cruises Australia homepage: Access Live Chat and Help for quick queries and an initial reference.
- Refund Request Guide (sample PDF): Princess refund request guide showing the documentation typically needed.
- ProductReview (Australian reviews): Read Princess Cruises customer reviews to see common complaint patterns.
- Trustpilot: Princess Cruises Trustpilot profile for additional customer feedback.
Princess Cruises Complaints FAQs
What is the fastest way to make a Princess Cruises complaint?
The fastest way to resolve a Princess Cruises complaint is to raise it at the onboard Guest Services Desk while you're still sailing, so staff can act on the spot. Ask for a written note or reference number before you disembark so the issue carries over. For post-cruise problems, the Customer Care Support Request form gives you the best written record.
How long does Princess Cruises take to resolve a complaint?
Princess Cruises aims to acknowledge a complaint within about 14 days, with a typical resolution taking 2 to 4 weeks depending on complexity. Refund and claims cases routed through the claims team can take longer. If you hear nothing within two weeks, follow up by phone or email and quote your original case reference to keep things moving.
What should I include when submitting a Princess Cruises complaint?
Always quote your Princess Cruises booking number, cruise name, sailing date, and Captain's Circle number. Attach supporting evidence such as receipts, photos, screenshots, or onboard folio statements. Submitting full documentation up front — especially for refund or excursion claims — speeds up the investigation and shortens turnaround. Keep a dated timeline and the names of every staff member you speak with.
Who can I escalate to if Princess Cruises ignores my complaint?
If Princess Cruises doesn't resolve your issue, escalate in writing to a supervisor, then the Post-Cruise Customer Relations team, then corporate or executive contacts. Give a reasonable deadline of around 14 days before going external. Because there's no cruise ombudsman in Australia, you can then lodge a dispute with NSW Fair Trading under Australian Consumer Law, or use NCAT for a binding decision.
You’ve done your part, now it’s time to hold Princess Cruises accountable.
Take the final step and submit a complaint that gets seen and responded to.