What should have been a smooth repositioning voyage has turned into an uncomfortable journey for some guests aboard Grand Princess, with technical issues impacting air conditioning and even toilet facilities.
The 16-night cruise left Los Angeles on 15th September 2025, as the 107,500-gross-ton ship shifted from her Alaska season to new Caribbean itineraries from San Juan.
Along the way, she is visiting ports including the Mexican Riviera, Costa Rica, Panama, and Aruba before arriving in Fort Lauderdale on 1st October.
Cooling Problems and Malfunctioning Toilets
As the ship moved from cooler northern climates to warmer regions, stateroom air conditioning systems struggled to keep up.
According to a letter distributed to impacted passengers, adjustments are needed in certain cabins to maintain comfortable temperatures.
At the same time, parts of the vessel’s plumbing system have been disrupted.
“Ongoing treatment to the system is causing temporary disruptions,” Princess Cruises explained, adding that engineers are working to restore full service as quickly as possible.
While not every cabin has been affected, the problems are widespread enough that the line is compensating guests.
Compensation for Guests
Cruisers with affected staterooms are receiving partial refunds covering the days they’ve endured the disruptions.
Taxes, port fees, gratuities, and extras such as drink packages are excluded, but the refunded amount varies based on each passenger’s cruise fare and the number of days impacted.
In addition, Princess Cruises is providing a future cruise credit worth 25% of the full fare.
The credit will appear in guests’ Captain’s Circle accounts after this voyage and must be used on sailings booked by 1st April 2026, for departures no later than 1st April 2027.
It is unclear whether the future cruise credit will extend to all passengers onboard or only to those whose staterooms were directly affected.
Should Every Technical Issue Mean Refunds?
While most guests are likely glad for some financial relief, the incident raises questions about when cruise lines should offer compensation.
Stateroom comfort is subjective – one guest may find 68 degrees (20 degrees centigrade) acceptable while another considers it too warm – but widespread failures such as non-functioning toilets clearly warrant attention.
Ultimately, reporting issues promptly is the best way for guests to ensure problems are addressed.
Cruise lines cannot resolve what they don’t know about, and engineering teams will always prioritize comfort and safety.
With luck, Grand Princess’s problems will be resolved before she completes her repositioning run in Florida on 1st October leaving guests with better memories of their journey.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
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