Majestic Princess spends this autumn doing the cruising equivalent of changing outfits three times before lunch. She starts with New England leaf-peeping, ducks south for a Caribbean run, then heads for the bottom of South America. Our schedule has 12 sailings across four home ports. This is the guide to which of them deserves your money. For the full dated list, head to the Majestic Princess itineraries page.
Quick Reference: Majestic Princess This Autumn
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Ship | Majestic Princess (Princess Royal class, built 2017, refurbished 2025) |
| Size | 144,216 tons, 3,560 passengers, 1,350 crew, 18 decks |
| Season | Autumn (our schedule runs from October 17 into February 2027) |
| Region | Multi-region: Canada/New England, Southern Caribbean, South America (our database tags it “unclassified” because she roams) |
| Typical lengths | 7, 12, 14, 16, 17, 21, 33 and 35 nights |
| Home ports | New York, Fort Lauderdale, Buenos Aires, San Antonio (for Santiago, Chile) |
| CDC inspection score | 99 out of 100 (inspected March 26, 2026) |
The Ship’s Character, and Who She Suits
Majestic Princess carries 3,560 guests and 1,350 crew, so roughly 2.6 passengers per crew member. She was originally designed for the Chinese market, which explains some of her quirks. A 2025 dry dock stripped out the China-specific venues. According to Cruise Critic, it added the Princess regulars: Sabatini’s, Alfredo’s, O’Malley’s Irish Pub and Bellini’s. That makes her a fairly standard big-ship Princess experience now, minus the identity crisis.
The social hub is the Piazza atrium, with live entertainment through the day. Outside, Movies Under the Stars shows films on a giant poolside screen. That is lovely in the Caribbean and a blanket-and-hot-chocolate sport off Nova Scotia. The Hollywood Pool Club is adults-only, which is useful for anyone whose idea of a sea day does not involve a cannonball contest.
On cleanliness, the ship scored 99 on her latest CDC Vessel Sanitation Program inspection, on March 26, 2026. Anything 85 or above counts as satisfactory, so 99 is near the top of the scale. You can check how that compares with her peers in our CDC cruise ship inspection lookup, and the Majestic Princess ship page has the full profile.
She suits:
- Couples and multigenerational groups who want a full-service big ship without Vegas-level mayhem.
- Long-haul itinerary collectors, since this is the rare big ship doing 33- and 35-night voyages.
- Anyone who likes a sea day with a plan rather than a sea day with a schedule of trivia.
She suits less:
- People who want a boutique, port-heavy small-ship pace.
- Anyone hoping for dramatic Antarctic landings. Princess describes this as scenic cruising, not zodiac excursions.
The Itineraries, and Which One to Pick
A note on our data first: we don’t have port lists recorded for these sailings. What follows comes from Princess announcements and retailer listings. The retailers sometimes disagree on port order, and by a day on how they count dates. Confirm the final day-by-day with Princess before you pay anything.
7 nights from New York: October 17, 24 and 31. This is the Canada and New England loop. Princess lists Newport, Boston, Portland, Saint John (New Brunswick) and Halifax for the October 17, 24 and 31 departures. It’s the easy pick for first-timers, drive-to-port types and anyone who wants fall scenery without a passport stamp collection. It’s also the most flexible if you decide late: the first departure is four days away, and the next two follow a week apart. Check Princess for what’s still open.
12 nights from New York: November 7. This is a one-way run to Fort Lauderdale, arriving November 19. Retailer listings show St. Maarten, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Curaçao and Aruba. It’s the “escape the coat” option for anyone who has done New England already. It also has plenty of sea days, so it suits people who actually like sea days.
17 and 33 nights from Fort Lauderdale: both November 19. The 17-night is the Brazilian Adventure, ending in Buenos Aires. Princess names Rio de Janeiro, Uruguay, Barbados and an overnight in Buenos Aires. The 33-night Brazilian & Cape Horn Grand Adventure is essentially that route stitched to a Patagonia leg. Retailers show it ending in San Antonio (Santiago) on December 22. One neat quirk: the 12-night from New York arrives in Fort Lauderdale on November 19, the same day these two depart. That’s a natural stay-aboard combination to ask Princess about, though I can’t confirm it’s bookable as a package.
14 nights from Buenos Aires: December 8, and 14 nights from San Antonio: December 22. Both are Cape Horn & Glaciers of Patagonia sailings, in opposite directions. Listings show Cape Horn, Ushuaia, the Beagle Channel, Punta Arenas and Puerto Montt, with Montevideo, Puerto Madryn and Port Stanley on the Buenos Aires-origin route. The December 22 departure puts Christmas and New Year on the water, which is dramatic in all the right ways.
The honest ranking:
- Pick the 7-night for convenience.
- Pick the December 8 for scenery per night.
- Pick the 33-night if you have a month, a budget and a strong relationship with your own company.
After that, the schedule continues into January and February with two 16-night sailings from Buenos Aires (January 7 and 24), plus 21- and 35-night voyages on February 10. Princess’s Antarctica & South America itinerary, which sails in January, is the one with four days in the Antarctic region, but that falls outside autumn.
The Ports, and What’s Actually Worth Doing
New England and Canada.
- Boston rewards a walk of the Freedom Trail and a lobster roll.
- Newport is for the Gilded Age mansions, and wearing your best “I own a boat” face.
- Portland, Maine is a compact, walkable food town.
- Saint John is famous for the Reversing Falls.
- Halifax suits a waterfront wander. Peggy’s Cove is the classic half-day trip if you book it early.
Southern Caribbean. Pick your own priorities here. St. Lucia for the Pitons, Curaçao for Willemstad’s candy-coloured waterfront, Aruba for beaches. None of them requires a heroic itinerary. Let the island do the work.
Brazil and the Atlantic coast. Princess highlights Rio, where the UNESCO-listed Sítio Roberto Burle Marx is the garden-lover’s sleeper. It also highlights Puerto Madryn, the gateway to Peninsula Valdés, another UNESCO site. Buenos Aires gets an overnight on the Brazilian Adventure, which is the correct amount of time for a steak and a tango show.
Patagonia and the Horn. Princess touts the Beagle Channel Fjords and “Glacier Alley” as new for its ships this season. Cape Horn itself is scenic cruising, weather permitting. Ushuaia is the end-of-the-world selfie stop, and Port Stanley in the Falklands is the penguin-and-pub option.
Conditions and Packing
New England in late October is peak “scarf optional but wise.” Coastal foliage typically peaks in mid-to-late October, though timing shifts year to year, so you might catch the tail end of the show. Pack layers, a rain jacket and shoes that tolerate cobblestones. Bring a passport. Princess and government rules decide what’s acceptable for a closed-loop cruise, and a passport is the simplest answer for Canada.
The Caribbean in November is still inside the Atlantic hurricane season, which officially runs June 1 to November 30. The November 7 sailing falls within it, so buy travel insurance that covers itinerary changes and read the fine print on weather diversions.
Patagonia in December is early summer in the Southern Hemisphere. That means long daylight, but also wind. Ushuaia and Punta Arenas typically sit in the single digits to low teens Celsius in December, with Punta Arenas the breezier of the two. Pack a windproof shell, a warm mid-layer, a hat and gloves, and sunscreen, because the sun doesn’t care how cold you are. Charge your camera batteries fully, because cold drains them fast.
Paperwork on the Brazil legs: Brazil reinstated a visa requirement for US citizens in 2025, and one report says cruise passengers have been refused boarding over it. That’s a single secondary source, so check Princess’s document guidance and the official Brazilian e-visa portal for your passport.
Money and Where the Value Is
Prices below are starting fares per person, based on double occupancy, as seen in retailer listings. They move constantly, so treat them as a snapshot, not a quote.
- 7-night, October 17: retailer listings show widely different starting fares for this sailing, depending on the retailer, cabin category and promotion, so there is no single reliable starting price to quote. Check Princess for the live fare.
- 12-night, November 7: retailer starting fares also vary by listing and promotion. Check Princess for the live fare, then divide by 12 to compare the nightly rate with the other sailings.
- 18-night Brazilian Adventure: from $2,125 per person at one agency (about $118 per night). This one is listed at 18 nights, versus 17 in our data, so expect a one-day counting difference between sources.
- 33-night Grand Adventure: from about $4,157 to $4,226 per person, or about $126 to $128 per person per night.
- Cape Horn & Glaciers, December 7 listing: iCruise shows inside at $2,557 per person and balcony at $2,764, so the balcony premium is $207 per person. iCruise lists this as a 15-night sailing from December 7, because you board in Buenos Aires that day and the ship sails at 6 p.m. on December 8. That’s the same voyage as our 14-night December 8 departure, so expect another one-day counting difference. Whether the extra gets you better glacier views is a personal call.
The tidy way to compare is per night, on the same cabin type, using live fares from Princess. Starting fares from different retailers and promotions aren’t a fair fight.
Then there’s the add-on you’ll pay regardless: Princess’s daily crew gratuity rose on March 8, 2026 to $18 per person per day for standard cabins, $19 for mini-suites and $20 for suites. For two people in standard cabins on the 7-night, that’s $252 over seven days. For one person on the 33-night, it’s $594 over 33 days. Princess Plus and Premier packages include it. Our cruise ship tipping guide covers extra tipping etiquette. One report also says the onboard service charge on drinks and dining went up to 20%, so check the current figure before you build a bar tab.
Timing: When to Book and What Sells Out
Today is October 13. Here’s how the calendar looks:
- The October 17 sailing is 4 days away, and the October 24 and 31 sailings are 11 and 18 days away. These are last-minute territory, where cabin choice is thin but fares can soften.
- The November 7 sailing is 25 days out. The November 19 pair is 37 days out.
- The December 8 and 22 sailings are 56 and 70 days out.
I can’t see live inventory, so I can’t tell you what’s about to sell out. The practical rule is that single-departure, one-off itineraries like the 33-night (retailers note she sails it just once) and the holiday-week December 22 departure have the least wiggle room. Princess’s early booking perks for this season ended in June 2025, so any current deals will be a different set. Call Princess or a travel advisor for what’s live today.
FAQ: Majestic Princess This Autumn
Where does Majestic Princess sail in fall 2026?
She starts with 7-night Canada and New England loops from New York on October 17, 24 and 31, then a 12-night Southern Caribbean run to Fort Lauderdale on November 7. From November 19 she heads to South America, with Brazil and Patagonia sailings from Fort Lauderdale, Buenos Aires and San Antonio running through December.
Is Majestic Princess a clean ship? What’s her CDC score?
Her latest CDC Vessel Sanitation Program score is 99 out of 100, from an inspection on March 26, 2026. A score of 85 or higher counts as satisfactory, so she sits comfortably above that line. Scores are snapshots of one inspection, so check our CDC inspection lookup for the full record and how she compares with other ships.
Do I need a passport for the Canada and New England cruise from New York?
Bring one. This itinerary calls at Saint John and Halifax, and a passport is the simplest document for Canada. Closed-loop rules can allow other proof of citizenship for some travelers, but they are stricter and easier to get wrong. Check Princess’s current documentation guidance for your citizenship, and make sure your passport is valid well beyond your return date.
How much is the daily gratuity on Princess in 2026?
Since March 8, 2026, Princess charges $18 per person per day in standard cabins, $19 in mini-suites, cabanas and the Reserve Collection, and $20 in suites. For two guests in a standard cabin on a 7-night cruise, that’s $252 across seven days. Princess Plus and Premier packages include it, and you can adjust it onboard.
Is a November Caribbean cruise risky because of hurricane season?
The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs through November 30, so the November 7 sailing is inside it, though late-season activity is usually quieter than the August to October peak. The practical risk is itinerary changes, not guaranteed disaster. Buy insurance that covers weather diversions, keep your flights flexible, and expect Princess to reroute if conditions require it.
Does Majestic Princess go to Antarctica?
Yes, on selected sailings, but not in autumn. Princess’s Antarctica & South America itinerary sails from Buenos Aires in January 2027 and includes four days in the Antarctic region. Princess’s regional sites list the departures as January 6 and 23, while our schedule shows 16-night Buenos Aires sailings on January 7 and 24, so expect a one-day counting difference and confirm the exact date with Princess. It’s scenic cruising from the ship, not landings. The autumn Patagonia sailings reach Cape Horn and the Beagle Channel instead.
The Bottom Line
Pick the 7-night New York loop if you want an easy, scenic week and can book fast. Pick the 12-night Caribbean run if you want a one-way trip to the sun with plenty of sea days. Pick the December 8 Cape Horn & Glaciers sailing if you want the best scenery for a reasonable length of time. Save the 33-night for when you have a month and a very understanding employer.
The ship herself is solid, well-scored and freshly refurbished. The real decision is which of her three personalities you want to meet. Before you book, open the Majestic Princess itineraries page for the current dates, and check the port list with Princess directly, since ours isn’t recorded.
Ships in This Story
- Majestic Princess Princess · Latest CDC score 99
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