Princess Cruises Cancels Two Ports, Adds Puerto Rico and St. Maarten
Key Aspects:
Princess Cruises is swapping out two port calls on a 2026 Caribbean cruise.
Regal Princess will visit Puerto Rico and St. Maarten rather than Amber Cove and Grand Turk on her August 1, 2026 cruise.
The cruise line attributes the change to enhancing the guest experience.
Guests booked to sail on a 2026 Princess Cruises voyage to the Caribbean will have to rethink some of their shore experience plans after the line revealed two major itinerary changes.
In an alert to passengers on Regal Princess’s August 1, 2026 sailing from Fort Lauderdale, the cruise line explained it has removed two of the itinerary’s three port calls — Amber Cove, Dominican Republic, and Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos.
“Please be advised that to enhance the guest experience, Regal Princess will now call to San Juan, Puerto Rico on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 and St. Maarten on Wednesday, August 5,” states Princess Cruises’ notice to booked guests.
“As a result, we will no longer visit Amber Cove, Dominican Republic or Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos on these dates,” it adds.
The notice does not provide a specific reason for the change, but it could be something as simple as port congestion, which can impact guests’ land-side experiences. Amber Cove, for example, is a popular port owned by Carnival Corporation and visited by several cruise brands.
The 30-acre tropical paradise can berth two ships at a time and accommodate up to 8,000 guests per day. The 3,560-guest Regal Princess is a Royal-class ship that entered service in 2014.
Read Also: What You Should Know About Cruise Port Cancellations
Guests who have already booked shore excursions for Amber Cove and Grand Turk through the cruise line will automatically be refunded to their original form of payment.
The ship’s third scheduled call, to Princess Cays, will go forward. However, that visit, on August 2, 2026, will conclude at 4 p.m. rather than the originally scheduled 5 p.m., giving guests an hour less time in port.
Regal Princess sails roundtrip from the Florida port and offers 7- and 14-night Caribbean voyages to multiple islands. Following the impacted itinerary on August 1, 2026, the ship’s next scheduled calls to Amber Cove and Grand Turk are set for September 1 and 2, respectively, on a 14-night cruise.
The line has not indicated any port changes yet for the “Eastern/Western Caribbean Adventurer” sailing, which also calls at Belize, Honduras, and Princess Cays.
Plenty of Local Color on Island Shore Excursions
In its notice to booked guests, Princess Cruises pledges that updated shore excursion details will soon be available on each passenger’s “Manage Booking” page of its website.
Several exciting shore tour options are offered in both San Juan and St. Maarten. In San Juan, for instance, guests can book the El Yunque National Rainforest Scenic Drive, the Beach Escape at Vivo Beach Club, or the History & Cuisine of San Juan on Foot tour.
On St. Maarten, choices include the Trail & Beach Horseback Ride & Scenic Drive, the Toppers Rhum Tasting & Cooking Class, and the Lagoon Kayaking Adventure, among several others.
While private island destinations such as Princess Cays are guest favorites, Princess Cruises will soon expand its land-side options to include Celebration Key, Carnival Cruise Line’s new private island in the Bahamas.
Starting in 2026, several Princess Cruises’ ships, including Regal Princess, will be allowed to call at the destination, which opened in July 2025.
Princess Cruises Cancels Two Ports, Adds Puerto Rico and St. Maarten