Thinking About a Princess Cruise on the Mediterranean? Here’s My Complete Trip Report

This post contains references to products from one or more of our affiliate partners. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products.

If you’re following along with our epic trip to Europe, then you know we left off after flying from Vienna to Rome and spending the night at a small pensione in Port Civitavecchia, where the owner dropped us off at the Enchanted Princess terminal for our Princess cruise. RELATED: Cruise Review: 22 reasons to sail on Enchanted Princess

According to my photo timestamps (I document everything), she dropped us off at the cruise terminal at 10:51am, we were on board the ship by 11:07am and inside our cabin by 11:15am.

I couldn’t believe how smoothly everything went, especially since we didn’t even have the fast pass (Green Lane). I had booked the cruise just a few weeks earlier, so there wasn’t enough time to have our Medallions shipped to us. Otherwise, the process probably would have been even faster.

I was so relieved because I had imagined standing in a long line under the hot Italian sun. Instead, everything took place inside a modern, air-conditioned terminal. As long as you pre-print your luggage tags or carry your bags on yourself, you can move through the process quickly.

By the way, a company called Cruise On sent me these great Princess Cruises baggage tag holders after they saw my homemade DIY version last year. (I had printed the tags and covered them with packing tape to protect them, but you still needed a stapler to attach them. Thankfully, the porters usually have one.) With these holders, you simply slide in your printed luggage tag, secure it with the included metal wire and head straight to baggage drop. They’re quick, durable and available for other cruise lines as well.

From there, we went through security, which was also surprisingly quick. You don’t need to remove laptops or liquids. After security, we went upstairs for check-in. We were directed into the Blue Line, where an army of agents was processing passengers, so there was virtually no wait. We simply showed our boarding passes (I had mine in my Apple Wallet) and passports. You’ll also need both when you first enter the terminal building.

Once on board, we added the Premier Plus package, which includes Wi-Fi, specialty dining and up to 15 drinks per person, per day (which seems like an awful lot). We only purchased it for two adults since our kids didn’t need it and neither did we for the drinks because my wife and I don’t drink alcohol. Fortunately, Princess covered the cost for us, so we mainly used it for soda, bottled water and the occasional virgin mojito or piña colada. If paying out of pocket, the cost is $980 for two.

We stopped by our cabin just to see if, by chance, we could drop off our carry-ons. To our surprise and delight, it was ready. By 11:15 a.m., we were in our cabin. We definitely got lucky.

This was our third time sailing on Enchanted Princess and our first time back in more than two years. You can read my full review of the ship here. The Enchanted Princess debuted on December 13, 2021, as Princess Cruises’ fifth and final Royal-Class ship. Since then, the cruise line has introduced the new Sphere Class with the Sun Princess and Star Princess. We sailed on the Sun Princess twice last year (here’s my review of Sun Princess) and we’re scheduled to sail on the Star Princess later this year.

We chose to sail on Enchanted Princess again for several reasons. We love the ship but the itinerary was the biggest draw and the dates fit almost perfectly with our travel plans.

In fact, this entire European trip started because I had an Airbnb credit that was about to expire. I needed to use it by the end of last summer, so we booked a week in Ischia (June 23-30) and built the rest of our itinerary around that stay.

Next came the flights. I started searching for award tickets and booked several options using American Airlines (AA) miles. At one point, I had three different itineraries reserved: two flights on Air Tahiti Nui from Los Angeles to Paris for just 30,000 miles per person, departing two weeks apart (June 6 and June 20), in case I couldn’t find anything better before our week in Ischia. Then, months later, I stumbled upon an incredible deal: Los Angeles-Philadelphia-Copenhagen for just 19,000 miles per person on June 9.

I really wanted to use that ticket, but I’d already committed to a Viva Cruises Danube sailing (here’s my review), which departed June 10. It was simply too much travel back-to-back and who wants to spend five hours connecting in Philadelphia with two young kids?

In the end, we canceled everything except the first Air Tahiti Nui flight to Paris (here’s my trip report). It worked out well because my wife and kids had been hoping to spend time in Paris anyway, so we booked a last-minute apartment through Whimstay before continuing on to Italy.

Our seven-night itinerary was:

• June 16, 2026: Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
• June 17, 2026: Amalfi Coast (Salerno), Italy
• June 18, 2026: At Sea
• June 19, 2026: Kotor, Montenegro
• June 20, 2026: Corfu, Greece
• June 21, 2026: Messina, Sicily, Italy
• June 22, 2026: Naples (Capri & Pompeii), Italy
• June 23, 2026: Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy

We stayed in a Mini-Suite (stateroom M216). I booked it using a friends-and-family rate, which knocked nearly 50% off the regular fare.

According to our amazing maître d’, Nicolas (pictured above), there were 3,983 guests on board. Here’s the approximate breakdown:

• 2,180 Americans
• 584 Canadians
• More than 300 British
• Australians and New Zealanders were next
• 59 Israelis

I didn’t quite catch the rest but there were dozens of nationalities represented, which made for a fun international mix.

The Wi-Fi was excellent for almost the entire cruise, except for a few hours on one sea day. I was able to get a lot of work done, which isn’t always the case at sea.

Tip: You really only need to pay for Wi-Fi on one device because Princess makes it incredibly easy to switch between devices. I was constantly toggling between my laptop, phone and my kids’ iPad. As soon as you log in on another device, it automatically signs you out of the previous one. Another helpful tip: To access the ship’s Wi-Fi portal, simply type medallion.net into your browser.

It felt so good to be back on board. I always find cruising incredibly relaxing because everything you need is right there and you wake up somewhere new almost every day.

What’s funny is that before my first cruise more than 30 years ago, I was convinced I’d get seasick or feel claustrophobic. Instead, it’s been just the opposite for our family. My wife has never been seasick either and this was our kids’ fifth Princess cruise. Knock on wood, none of us has ever gotten seasick and the kids have never been bored.

Here’s why we keep coming back to Princess.

Wednesday, June 17: Amalfi Coast (Salerno)

In port: 7am to 6:30pm

Our first stop was Salerno, the gateway to the Amalfi Coast. I believe Princess added either this port or Messina, Sicily, later in the planning process because the original itinerary included Dubrovnik, Croatia. Cruise itineraries can change for a variety of reasons, including weather, port availability or operational considerations.

According to the captain, we sailed past my grandparents’ native island of Ischia and nearby Capri around 4am, but I was fast asleep. I did manage to drag myself out of my incredibly comfortable bed at 6am to catch our arrival along the Amalfi Coast. Seeing Vietri sul Mare glowing in the morning sun was well worth the early wake-up call.

Note: Starting the following night, my daughter wanted to sleep in the big, cozy bed, so I happily swapped with her and took the bottom bunk. It was perfectly comfortable. My only complaint was that I was either too hot or too cold. I’m not a fan of thick duvets but everyone else in my family loves them.

One thing I discovered at the end of the cruise: When I helped our cabin attendant strip the bed, I realized there was a Velcro strap securing the mattress in place, and it had been pressing right into my back the whole time. That explained why I could never get completely comfortable. Other than that, the bed was very comfortable. So if you’re sleeping in the lower bunk, it’s worth checking to make sure the Velcro strap isn’t positioned where you’ll be lying.

One tip I discovered: If the bright night light in the hallway by the bathroom bothers you, just place a small piece of tape over the light sensor on the side. It’s one of the many reasons I always travel with a mini roll of gaffer tape. Just remember to peel it off in the morning so you have enough light.

Salerno requires shuttle buses between the ship and the terminal, which is a bit of a hassle, but Princess runs them incredibly efficiently. There seemed to be an endless number of buses waiting. We only waited about two minutes to get off the ship and when we returned around 1pm, there was virtually no wait then either.

I did make one expensive mistake. A taxi driver charged me €50 to take us to Vietri sul Mare, which turned out to be only about a 10-minute ride. On the way back, another driver also quoted €50. I laughed and started to walk away. He immediately dropped the price to €45, but when I showed him that UberX was quoting €23, he waved me off.

I ordered an UberX, but the app showed the driver was 13 miles away with a 20-minute wait. I had a feeling the driver might cancel, so instead I booked an Uber Black for €33. A black Mercedes Sprinter van pulled up just a minute later. I think I got lucky but it ended up being a much better ride for only a little more.

FYI: Princess also offered an Amalfi Coast excursion for a reasonable $109 per person. I passed because it included about two hours on a boat in the hot sun and that just wasn’t how my family wanted to spend the day.

Friday, June 19: Kotor, Montenegro

In port: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

After a relaxing sea day, we arrived in Kotor, Montenegro. It was my second visit and I set my alarm for 5am because I remembered just how spectacular the fjord-like scenery is as ships sail into the Bay of Kotor.

It was worth the early wake-up call.

We caught one of the first tender boats ashore and practically had Kotor’s beautiful medieval Old Town to ourselves. A couple of hours later, it was packed with tourists.

By then, we were ready to head back to the ship. The temperature only reached about 82°F (28°C), which isn’t especially hot by local standards, but the sun and humidity made it feel much warmer.

If there’s one takeaway from our visit, it’s this: The early bird really does get the worm.

Saturday, June 20: Corfu, Greece

In port: 8am to 5pm.

The following day we arrived in Corfu, Greece. Corfu is one hour ahead of Kotor, so it was 10 hours ahead of Los Angeles. As we sailed into port around 7am, I called a couple of friends back home, where it was just after 9pm, to show them the view. Even after all my years of traveling, it’s still hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that I’m just starting my day while they’re getting ready for bed.

After docking, we took the complimentary port shuttle to the cruise terminal. I noticed a sign advertising ferries to Albania, which immediately caught my attention since it’s one of the few countries in Europe I still haven’t visited. Hopefully, I’ll make that crossing one day.

Princess also offered a round-trip shuttle into Corfu Town for $15 per person, but for a family of four, it didn’t make much financial sense.

A local pointed out that we could take the public bus, which departs right next to the cruise shuttle, for just €2 per person. We were about to do that but as we walked past the taxi stand, I asked about the fare. The driver told me it was a flat rate of €15 to Corfu Town and a posted sign confirmed it.

When we arrived, however, he said the fare would be €20 if we wanted to pay by credit card. I wasn’t thrilled about the extra €5 surcharge, so I paid him in cash.

On the way back, our driver didn’t charge a credit card surcharge, though he said he much preferred cash. He was friendly and helpful so I added a little extra to the fare when paying by credit card.

I really fell in love with Corfu on this cruise. I loved wandering through the Old Town, especially along its grand boulevard, Theotoki Georgiou Street, with its beautiful tree-lined, cobblestone streets. There are plenty of cafés and shops, including Marks & Spencer, where we stocked up on some favorite British treats and Sephora, where my wife found a couple of products she’d run out of. We certainly weren’t there to shop, but it was convenient to pick up a few essentials.

One of my favorite discoveries was Faliraki Beach, a historic swimming spot tucked beneath Corfu’s Old Fortress. It’s a gorgeous place to take a dip and the beachfront restaurant welcomes visitors to use its restrooms and changing facilities without requiring a purchase. It’s little touches like that that can really make a destination memorable.

Sunday, June 21: Sicily (Messina), Italy

In port: 9am to 6pm

We had a wonderfully relaxing day in Messina. We visited last year and took a 40-minute taxi ride to the beautiful hilltop town of Taormina. It’s become incredibly popular (see photo bel0w), thanks in large part to the second season of The White Lotus, which used the San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel, as the show’s fictional hotel.

As beautiful as Taormina is, I didn’t feel the need to go back so soon. Since it was also Father’s Day, we decided to keep things simple, stay close to the ship and enjoy a relaxing day together.

We went to Sunday Mass at the beautiful Messina Cathedral, which made Father’s Day feel even more special. Afterward, we watched the cathedral’s famous astronomical clock tower come to life at noon. Built by the Strasbourg-based Ungerer Company and inaugurated in 1933, it’s considered one of the largest and most complex mechanical astronomical clocks in the world. As the bells chimed, gilded figures began moving, including a roaring lion that waved the city’s flag, a crowing rooster and scenes depicting important moments in Messina’s history. It’s definitely worth timing your visit around the noon performance if you can.

Of course, we also had to try a Sicilian cannoli since they’re famous here. Unfortunately, it wasn’t my favorite because it was coated with chopped pistachios. I know that’s authentic and many people love it but I’m just not a huge pistachio fan.

One of the Most Epic Sunsets

As we were eating dinner while sailing between Sicily and Naples, I glanced out the dining room window and saw one of the most spectacular sunsets I’ve ever witnessed. I immediately grabbed my phone and raced to the elevator to go 12 decks up so I could capture it before it disappeared. I usually take the stairs on a cruise (to get a mini workout), but I couldn’t risk losing even a minute.

The sun was setting directly behind Stromboli, the iconic volcanic island in the Aeolian Islands, about 40 miles (65 km) north of Sicily. Seeing the volcano silhouetted against the fiery sky made for an unforgettable scene and one of the highlights of the entire cruise.

Below is the quick TikTok I filmed. (P.S. If you enjoy travel videos like this, don’t forget to follow me!)

@johnnyjetTonight’s sunset from our Princess Cruise was epic!♬ Island In The Sun – Weezer

Monday, June 22: Naples, Italy (for Capri & Pompeii)

In port: 7am to 6pm

The following day we docked in Naples and joined Princess’ family excursion to Pompeii (pictured above). We absolutely loved it. If you’re traveling solo or as a couple, I think it’s a great value at $144.95 per person. For a family of four, however, it adds up quickly. Even so, I was glad we booked it because Princess handled all the logistics.

I had actually tried to buy Pompeii tickets on my own about two weeks before our visit, but they were already sold out. Our guide explained that the archaeological park limits daily attendance to around 20,000 visitors, and with so many cruise ships calling on Naples each day, tickets can disappear well in advance. Booking through the cruise line took all the stress out of the experience.

The drive from the port to Pompeii took about 30 minutes. One thing that surprised us was how chilly the air-conditioned bus was, so I’d recommend bringing a light sweater or sweatshirt. The good news is you can leave it on the bus since it’s the same one that brings you back to the ship.

Once you arrive, it’s a different story. It was incredibly hot and there’s a moderate uphill walk from the parking area to the entrance. Walking through one of the world’s most remarkable archaeological sites is an unforgettable experience.

You’re allowed to bring a small backpack into Pompeii, but come prepared. The water fountains inside weren’t working during our visit, so be sure to bring plenty of water, along with hats, portable fans and a sun umbrella (or one that doubles as a rain umbrella for unexpected showers).

A nice perk of Princess’ family excursion is that it includes a complimentary scoop of gelato or your choice of a soda or cold bottled water at the end of the tour.

Gear tip: I used this portable fan, while my son and daughter preferred the JisuLife portable handheld fan because it doubles as a flashlight. My wife liked this portable fan because it has an LED display that shows the remaining battery life. The one thing I regretted leaving at home was my neck fan. If you’re visiting Southern Europe in the summer, it’s worth packing.

Side note: On a separate trip to Naples, we finally made it to L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, the legendary pizzeria made famous by the film Eat Pray Love and one of the oldest pizzeria in Naples. It’s just a 10-minute drive from the cruise port, so it’s an easy stop if you have extra time before heading back to the ship. The pizza was simple, authentic and delicious, and at just €6 (about $6.83 USD) per pie, it was also one of the best values we’ve found at a touristy spot.

Tuesday, June 23: Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy

We sailed back to Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, where our cruise came to an end. When I booked this sailing just a month earlier, I asked whether we could disembark in Naples instead so we could continue on to the island of Ischia. Unfortunately, Princess told me that early disembarkation in Naples wasn’t permitted because the voyage both began and ended in Italy.

It’s not entirely clear whether that’s due to an Italian maritime regulation or a cruise line or port authority policy specific to this itinerary. Either way, it meant we couldn’t simply leave the ship in Naples and had to sail all the way back to Civitavecchia before making our way south again. It wasn’t the end of the world but it definitely complicated our plans.

I woke up at 5:05am and looked out the window to see where we were. We were already docked in Civitavecchia and a beautiful sunrise was just beginning. It was the perfect ending to an incredibly smooth cruise.

In fact, the entire voyage was remarkably calm (the photo above was taken somewhere along the way). Only once did I feel the ship move enough to notice and even then it was just a slight sway as I walked down the hallway. It lasted less than a minute.

On departure day, you need to vacate your cabin by around 8am but the disembarkation process itself was quick and easy. There was no passport control and we were off the ship in no time.

One piece of advice: Arrange your transportation in advance. The area outside the terminal was pretty chaotic and having a driver waiting for us made things much less stressful. We used DayTrip, which made the four-hour journey back to Naples a breeze.

Next stop: Ischia!