Princess is a third sold out for the year – here are the best last minute deals you can still find

• Princess‘ Australian season is selling fast, with a third of cruises for the rest of the year already sold out, and many cabin categories are already sold out on other voyages.
• This means that prices are inflated for last minute cruises and shows that Australia should have more Princess ships.
• However, there are still good deals to be found, Cruise Passenger has picked out the five best still going.

Princess Cruises is considered one of the most popular cruise lines in Australia, and the upcoming 2026/27 wave season is selling out faster than ever.

This season, Princess will have two ships home-ported in Australia for most of the season – the Royal Princess and Grand Princess. Crown Princess will be here until early November.

In the past, Princess has had up to three or four ships in Australia at a time, meaning that when only two ships are sailing here, suites tend to sell out a lot faster.

Next year, Princess will bring back three ships in Australia, with Sapphire Princess arriving in Perth and sailing up and down the West Coast, as well as some circumnavigation sailings as well. 

However, for now, Aussies will have to deal with some sold out cruises and elevated prices due to just having two ships. 

If we look at sailings until the end of the year, 12 out of 36 sailings are already sold out. If you’re hoping to grab a suite or balcony, these cabin categories have already sold out on a range of other voyages. 

The knock-on effect of fast selling cabins is of course higher prices, with most voyages of 12 to 14 days now running at over $4000 per person for an interior cabin.

Previous analysis from Cruise Passenger showed that the Crown Princess was selling out faster than any ship in the world.

Australia continues to sell faster than even some of the most popular regions for cruising. For example, out of 54 cruises for the rest of this year in the Caribbean, only four are sold out. This is just seven per cent of cruises, compared to 33 per cent of cruises in Australia being sold out for the rest of the year.

The return to three ships for the 2027/28 season is a big step in the right direction, but really Australia easily has the demand to fill four Princess ships, particularly as cruising continues to climb in popularity.

There’s also been an ongoing campaign from cruisers in Melbourne to bring Princess back, after Princess ceased regular home-ported sailings out of Melbourne after an increase in port fees a few years ago.

Having an extra ship that could go between Melbourne, Adelaide and Hobart for home-ported cruises would be a hugely popular decision, and would reduce pricing pressure and stop cruises selling out so far. 

For now, here are the best deals you can still find with Princess for the season ahead, even as prices spike. 

The best deals still going

For a last-minute Princess cruise in a season where cabins are going quickly, the price range you can expect is between $200 and $320 per person for an interior cabin. 

For destinations like New Zealand, Tasmania or South Australia, you can expect prices on the higher end of that range, and for destinations like Queensland or the South Pacific, you can expect prices on the lower end of that range.

Here are a few last minute deals for the year-ahead that still offer good value.

12-day cruise to Fiji on Royal Princess from $2486

Leaving on January 4, 2027 as a roundtrip out of Sydney, this cruise still sits at only just over $200 a night. Guests will visit Suva, Lautoka and Dravuni Island. The cruise is a roundtrip out of Sydney.

17-day Northern Explorer on Grand Princess from $3505

Leaving on April 30, 2027, this cruise also starts from just over $200 a night and offers a great, varied itinerary. Guests will get a great exploration of Australia’s top end as they go from Sydney to Perth.

Guests will visit Brisbane, Willis Island, Cairns, Darwin, The Kimberley Coast, Yampi Sound and Broome.

Four-day Hunter Coast Section on Grand Princess from $649

This short, easy-going cruise leaves on March 16, 2027 and is a great option if you’re short on time or just want to try out Princess for a couple of days. It’s a simple trip from Brisbane to Sydney with a stop in Newcastle along the way. 

13-day New Zealand cruise on Royal Princess from $3350

This New Zealand cruise is a great, genuine last minute option as it leaves December 5 this year. The cruise is a roundtrip out of Sydney and still has a great price. Guests will visit the Bay of Islands, Auckland, Picton, Christchurch, Dunedin and Fiordland National Park. 

12-day Great Barrier Reef cruise on Grand Princess from $2671 

There are still plenty of great deals for a Queensland cruise, including this Brisbane to Sydney sailing, which visits the Great Barrier Reef and leaves on March 8, 2027. Guests will stop off at Airlie Beach, Townsville, Port Douglas, Cairns, Willis Island, Brisbane and Newcastle.