Diamond Princess Pros and Cons: Is It Right for You?

Choose Diamond Princess if your ideal cruise pairs busy days ashore with proper dinners, an evening show, and somewhere comfortable to unwind afterward.

Before you book, make sure its Japanese baths and traditional cruise rhythm matter more to you than waterslides, enormous family attractions, or a brand-new room.

The strongest reason to choose Diamond Princess

Book this ship for an itinerary you want to explore, then treat the ship as a comfortable place to recover between ports. Its appeal is the combination of varied indoor lounges, several dining choices, pools, and Izumi Japanese Bath rather than one attraction that needs to fill every afternoon.

That suits couples who enjoy a show after dinner, friends who want independent daytime plans, and families happy to combine the youth clubs with time together. It also works for a longer trip where washing clothes and settling into a familiar routine matter more than trying a different thrill ride every day.

Give yourself enough time aboard to enjoy what you are paying for, though. If your itinerary has early starts followed by late returns almost every day, an expensive suite, daily dining upgrade, and several paid relaxation passes may compete for the same small window of free time.

Start with the ports and the cabin you can comfortably afford, then add the extras you will actually use. Our Diamond planning tips help turn those choices into a workable first day aboard.

Izumi is a distinctive extra worth planning around

Put Izumi on your shortlist if a soak after sightseeing sounds better than another poolside afternoon. It is aft on Deck 15, with indoor bathing facilities and an outdoor bathing area, and it requires a reservation and an admission fee.

This is an adults-only experience for guests 18 and older, so families should plan it around confirmed childcare or take turns. It is separate from the Lotus Spa and fitness center at the forward end of the same deck, a distinction that saves you a long walk when you arrive for a booking.

Bring swimwear for the outdoor area and ask about the indoor rules for your particular session. For cruises outside Japan, bring swimwear for indoor bathing too and ask which sessions have different rules in the Japanese onboard FAQ.

Choose a single session before committing to a longer pass. You may love the bath enough to return, but your shore plans, the available times, and your comfort with the bathing arrangements should decide that purchase.

The updated restaurants give food lovers more choice

Set aside one evening for the restaurant that best matches how you like to eat. Crown Grill now occupies the former Savoy space on Deck 5, while Makoto Ocean brings Japanese specialty dining to Deck 7.

Choose Crown Grill for a steak dinner with familiar sides, or Makoto for sushi and dishes such as truffle salmon and snow crab hand rolls. Sabatini’s, also on Deck 7, is the better match if handmade pasta and a leisurely Italian meal are your idea of a special evening.

These restaurants carry extra charges unless an eligible package includes the meal. The current dining update prices Crown Grill and Makoto at $55 per adult before the applicable service charge, and premium menu items can still add to the bill.

Keep at least one evening open for the included main dining rooms before deciding how many specialty reservations you need. Vivaldi, Pacific Moon, Santa Fe, and International give you a proper sit-down dinner without making every night an upgrade.

Our Diamond dining guide explains the useful differences, including the aft route to International and the cheaper casual Churrascaria option. It is especially helpful when two people want different things from a dining package.

Covered swimming makes changing weather easier

Use the Calypso pool area on Deck 14 when you want a pool afternoon with more protection from the weather. The Conservatory above it provides the covered setting that is useful when a sunny itinerary turns cooler or wetter than expected.

Neptune’s Reef on the same deck gives you the more open poolside experience, with nearby pizza and grill counters. Choose that area when being close to a quick lunch matters more than finding a quieter corner.

Walk aft to the Terrace Pool on Deck 12 when you want a different view and a break from the central pool scene. These spaces are spread around the ship, so explore them before deciding that the first busy pool you see is your only option.

Families with children in diapers should make another plan for water play, because swim diapers do not make the pools available to them. A covered pool helps with the weather; it does not remove the pool rules or replace active adult supervision.

Evenings offer several ways to spend your time

Make your first evening a short tour of the venues rather than committing your whole cruise to one routine. Princess Theater is forward on Decks 6 and 7, Explorers Lounge is farther aft on Deck 7, and Club Fusion is at the aft end of that deck.

Try a production show if you enjoy a full performance, then look for the smaller live-music or game-show events on another evening. Crooners and Wheelhouse give you alternatives when you would rather hear music with a drink than sit through a large show.

Skywalkers, high at the aft end, is another option for later nightlife when it is operating. Check the daily program for the event and time instead of assuming every venue will be equally lively on every itinerary.

The benefit is choice at a manageable scale, but it also means walking between venues. If a late night followed by an early excursion leaves you exhausted, choose the one event you most want and let the rest go.

Families can have a good cruise without a water park

Choose Diamond Princess for children who enjoy crafts, games, movies, swimming, and making friends in a youth club. It is less compelling for a child who mainly wants a huge splash park or a succession of slides and climbing attractions.

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

Register before the cruise where possible and visit the facilities at the embarkation open house. The family program notes that participation is subject to capacity, so agree on a backup plan before promising the children a particular session.

Port-day childcare can be particularly useful for adults who want a longer excursion than the children would enjoy. Confirm the opening time, collection arrangements, and your return plan with the youth staff before booking that day around it.

Cabin choice can make this ship feel much better

Spend your cabin budget on the feature that changes your daily life. A balcony makes sense if you will sit outside between ports; a mini-suite is more useful if you want a separate sitting area and a bathtub.

For a couple who values sleep and easy access over a dramatic view, begin with Baja B400 or B401. These central balconies have accommodation above and below, with the central elevators useful for both lounges and the pool deck.

An aft-facing balcony is a different choice, with a wake view and a longer walk to forward venues. Check the individual room’s notes, because some aft rooms have support beams affecting the balcony view even when their category sounds especially appealing.

Use our best Diamond cabins to compare those tradeoffs before choosing a number. A well-chosen ordinary room can suit your trip better than a larger one below a busy public space.

The older layout has practical drawbacks

Expect a traditional ship layout with some routes you need to learn. The International Dining Room is aft on Deck 6, separated from the main forward and central Deck 6 areas, so reach it through the aft stairs or elevators rather than trying to walk straight through that deck.

That is easy once you know it, but it matters if someone in your group walks slowly or has limited mobility. Choose a cabin near the elevator bank serving the venues you expect to use most, and confirm an accessible room and suitable routes before paying for a convenient-looking location.

The official deck plans let you select the map for your sailing date. Our Diamond deck guide turns those locations into everyday routes.

Do not book expecting every older room and public area to look like a recent ship launch. If contemporary room design or a very large collection of new attractions is a deciding factor, compare an cabin photo and the exact venue roster before choosing this ship on itinerary alone.

Packages help only when the included extras fit

Price your cruise with the extras you would buy separately, especially crew appreciation, Wi-Fi, drinks, and paid dining. Then compare that total with the package quote for every day of the voyage, including days when you spend most of your time ashore.

For current eligible 2026-and-later bookings, Plus includes four casual dining meals over the voyage; it does not turn Crown Grill or Sabatini’s into included restaurants. Premier includes specialty cover charges within its meal-period limits, but reservations and premium menu supplements still matter.

Avoid assigning the highest advertised shore-excursion credit to every itinerary. Premier’s current credit is $100 for 6–9 days, $200 for 10–20 days, and $300 for 21 days or longer, and it applies to Princess-booked excursions under the package conditions.

Read the package terms for your purchase and departure dates before paying. If you mainly want one special dinner and occasional drinks, buying those separately may leave more money for the ports you chose the cruise to see.