Diamond Princess Tips, Secrets, and Things to Know Before You Sail

Make Diamond Princess easier from the first afternoon by sorting your reservations, learning the aft dining route, and checking what your fare actually includes.

These are the small choices that save unnecessary walks, unexpected charges, and time spent correcting a plan once your cruise has started.

Choose the room for its beds, view and daily route

Read the individual room’s obstruction, bed, and capacity notes before paying for an upgrade. A Premium Balcony or full suite can still have a support beam affecting the view, and a large total size does not tell you how the additional beds work.

Emerald E735, Vista Suites E730 and E733, and Baja suites B750 and B751 carry support-beam notes. Grand Suite B750 also has a queen bed that does not separate into twins, a particularly important detail for adults who want different beds.

Diamond’s linked family-suite combinations D104 with D100 and D105 with D101 sleep up to six, not the eight mentioned in some broader fleet descriptions. Require a clear sleeping plan for each member of the group before comparing the price with separate rooms.

Use our Diamond room choices for specific recommendations and our cabin location cautions for the compromises. Check the official deck plans selected for your sailing rather than a map saved for another year.

Book around the new dining names

Use Crown Grill and Makoto Ocean when searching for the ship’s newer specialty restaurants. Crown Grill occupies the former Savoy space on Deck 5, while Makoto is on Deck 7 where older information describes the sushi offering differently.

Savoy should no longer be part of your included main-dining shortlist. The included rooms are Vivaldi, Pacific Moon, Santa Fe, and International, alongside the buffet and other included food options.

Choose one paid dinner you are looking forward to before filling every evening with reservations. A busy itinerary can leave less time for specialty meals than the number of restaurants suggests.

Our Diamond dining advice compares the meals, prices, and casual alternatives. It is useful when one person wants sushi, another prefers pasta, and you need a decision before the best reservation times disappear.

Learn the International Dining Room route before dinner

Find the aft elevator bank on your first afternoon if you will eat in International Dining Room. The restaurant is on Deck 6, separated from the main central areas on that deck, so walking straight aft through those spaces will not get you there.

From the atrium or forward theater, use Deck 7 to walk aft, then take the aft elevators or stairs down one deck. From a higher deck, use the aft elevator bank directly when that suits your starting position.

Allow extra time if someone in your party needs a slower route or an elevator. A short practice walk when you are relaxed saves a much less pleasant detour while everyone is dressed for dinner.

Our Diamond route guide also helps distinguish the forward and aft facilities on Deck 15. Izumi and the youth facilities are aft, while Lotus Spa and the gym are forward.

Compare packages with the whole voyage’s spending

Calculate what you would pay separately for drinks, Wi-Fi, crew appreciation, and the dining you actually want. Compare that with the package cost across every day of the cruise, including the ones spent mostly ashore.

For new purchases, Diamond’s published USD prices are $70 per person per day for Plus and $105 for Premier when bought at least 96 hours before departure. Within four days or onboard, the published prices rise to $75 and $110 respectively; your booking currency and offer determine the quote.

Plus includes four eligible casual dining meals over the voyage, not four full specialty dinners. Premier includes specialty cover charges within one meal per meal period each day, with reservation availability and premium menu supplements still relevant.

For a 2026 sailing, Princess honors Plus or Premier benefits purchased before October 13, 2026 as purchased. Keep that original confirmation beside any new upgrade quote so a change in package terms does not get mistaken for an extra benefit you already own.

Premier’s excursion credit depends on cruise length

Use the correct credit when comparing Premier with your shore plans. The current allowance is $100 for a 6–9-day voyage, $200 for 10–20 days, and $300 for 21 days or longer.

The credit applies to Princess-booked excursions under the package conditions, not to an independent guide or a taxi you arrange yourself. It is also subject to excursion availability, so check the trips you want before treating it as money already saved.

Compare the excursion price and remaining balance rather than choosing an unsuitable tour just to spend the credit. If your preferred day is independent sightseeing, leave that plan intact and value the benefit accordingly.

Unused credit is forfeited, so review the balance with time left to use it on something worthwhile. Do not assume that leaving it untouched creates refundable cash at the end of the cruise.

Choose the delivery method before ordering food

Check how you are placing a delivery order, because the current standard-fare fees differ. OceanNow has a $14.99 one-time access fee per person per voyage, while ordering room service by cabin phone has a $5 delivery fee per order.

Eligible current Plus and Premier packages cover those delivery charges. They do not make every food item, premium selection, or drink free, so review the order total before confirming.

Use delivery when it solves a real problem, such as wanting a quiet break after an excursion or avoiding another walk while a child rests. For a quick ordinary snack, an included counter you are already passing may be easier.

The onboard service FAQ explains the current delivery distinction. Check the charge shown on your own order if your package predates the latest terms or your sailing uses another currency.

Use the laundry to pack less

Plan one laundry session during a longer voyage instead of packing a fresh outfit for every day. Diamond has self-service laundry rooms, and the current Princess guidance says laundry tokens can be purchased with your Medallion.

Bring the clothes you actually wear ashore and leave time for washing and drying when you are aboard. Do not start a load shortly before an excursion or a dinner reservation, because other guests may also be using the machines.

Irons and ironing boards are available in the laundry rooms, so use those rather than packing a personal clothes steamer for the cabin. The current FAQ says ironing and personal steamers are not permitted in staterooms.

Ask about the operating hours if your itinerary has water-use restrictions. For a full-suite or eligible loyalty booking, compare the included laundry benefit with your needs, while remembering that same-day express service can still carry a charge.

Book Izumi for your itinerary and comfort level

Choose an Izumi session when you will have time to enjoy the bath rather than fitting it into a rushed gap between dinner and a show. The facility is aft on Deck 15 and requires a reservation and admission fee.

Guests must be 18 or older, so plan around confirmed childcare or adults taking turns. Ask about the available session and clothes requirement when booking rather than copying the etiquette from a different sailing.

Bring swimwear for the outdoor area. Princess’s Japanese bath FAQ also says indoor swimwear is required on cruises outside Japan except during certain periods, an important difference from blanket advice about unclothed indoor bathing.

Try one visit before buying a longer pass if your port schedule is busy. If bathing arrangements or tattoo policies are important to your decision, ask the staff about the session before paying.

Give children a proper introduction to the youth facilities

Register through Manage Booking where possible, then visit the aft Deck 15 facilities at the embarkation open house. Meeting staff and seeing the rooms early makes the first activity less daunting for a child who is unsure about joining.

The age groups are Treehouse for 3–7, Lodge for 8–12, and Beach House for 13–17. Independent participation starts at age 3 and requires toilet training; younger children have designated parent-accompanied play times.

For ages 3–7, confirm who is authorized to sign the child in and out, while ages 8–12 can sign themselves with parental approval. Agree on the rule with the child and staff before the first session.

Port-day childcare is available, but check the hours and capacity before booking an adults-only excursion around it. Late groupsitting for ages 3–12 is currently listed from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. at $5 per child per hour, so include it in a late-evening budget.

Pack for pools, covered afternoons, and cooler evenings

Bring a layer for an outside movie or sea-air walk after dinner, even if you expect warm weather ashore. An exposed deck can feel different from the sheltered daytime pool setting.

Use Calypso on Deck 14 beneath the Conservatory when a more protected pool setting suits the weather. Neptune’s Reef gives you the open poolside option, while Terrace Pool aft on Deck 12 is worth checking when you want a different view.

Children in diapers, including swim diapers, cannot use the pools, so prepare another activity rather than expecting the covered pool to be an exception. Our Diamond activity ideas help with family alternatives and indoor choices.

If you want The Sanctuary’s paid reserved relaxation space, ask about time, shade, access, and the complete price before booking. Compare it with the free spaces you already like rather than automatically adding another pass.

Set up your phone before you rely on it aboard

Install the Princess app and complete the pre-cruise steps while you have a dependable connection. Link travel companions and check your dining bookings before boarding so the first afternoon is not spent correcting a missing reservation.

Once aboard, use airplane mode with Wi-Fi enabled if you want to avoid unintended cellular roaming at sea. Access to the ship’s local services and paying for general internet are different questions, so buy internet based on whether you need to reach people or services ashore.

Use the app’s daily schedule to choose one evening event and note its time and venue. If the phone is inconvenient, ask for help or available printed information rather than allowing the technology to dictate your plans.

Before leaving for each port, note the all-aboard time, required identification, and gangway location. Keep a little margin in an independent day’s return plan, and check what you need for the next port while you still have time to arrange it.