Entire Cruise Season Cancelled for Majestic Princess as Line Exits Texas Port
Cruise passengers received surprising news this week as Princess Cruises announced the cancellation of an entire season of sailings aboard its popular ship, Majestic Princess.
The cancellations affect cruises scheduled from Galveston between November 2026 and March 2027, significantly altering travel plans for many guests.
Princess Cruises issued a statement about the cancellations, expressing regret and understanding toward affected passengers. “Princess Cruises has made the difficult decision to cancel all sailings aboard Majestic Princess from Galveston scheduled between November 2026 and March 2027. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may cause our guests and appreciate their understanding as we work to enhance our global offerings,” the cruise line stated.
Guests booked on any of the 15 cancelled Majestic Princess sailings will automatically receive full refunds. Princess Cruises has also pledged assistance to travelers seeking alternative voyages.
However, several affected cruisers have raised concerns that rebooking their vacations may lead to higher prices compared to their original reservations.
Texas Departure Signals Strategic Shift
The announcement is particularly surprising given Princess Cruises’ previous enthusiasm for the Texas market. Just a few years earlier, in November 2023, Princess positioned the Regal Princess, a 3,560-passenger ship, in Galveston.
At that time, the cruise line expressed optimism about Texas as a growing market and warmly embraced the local cruising community.
Now, with Majestic Princess withdrawn from Galveston and Regal Princess concluding its current schedule there by March 2026, Princess Cruises effectively removes Texas from its sailing map, at least temporarily.
Global Realignment Underway?
The move to cancel the entire Majestic Princess season in Galveston seems to reflect broader strategic adjustments within Princess Cruises.
Reports from passengers indicate that several other lengthy voyages scheduled for around the same time period have also been cancelled, suggesting the company might be restructuring its fleet deployment globally.
One traveler noted their disappointment over the cancellation of a 32-day voyage aboard Island Princess from Los Angeles to the South Pacific and Hawaii planned for September 2026. Another mentioned their Southeast Asia sailing had also been scrapped.
Princess Cruises has not yet revealed specific details regarding the reasons for these wider cancellations, nor announced replacement voyages or updated deployments.
Galveston Cruises Remain Strong
Though the withdrawal of Majestic Princess is disappointing news for loyal Princess passengers, the Port of Galveston continues to thrive. In 2024, Galveston celebrated record-setting numbers with more than 380 ship visits and 3.4 million cruise guests passing through.
Major cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Disney Cruise Line, continue to operate from Galveston, offering travelers numerous alternatives for cruise vacations.
Awaiting Princess Cruises’ Next Steps
Princess Cruises has suggested that an announcement revealing future deployments will soon follow. Travelers impacted by the cancellations or curious about future itineraries should watch for updates closely.
For now, the line recommends affected guests directly contact Princess Cruises to discuss refunds and alternate vacation arrangements.
This sudden shift indicates broader changes within the cruise line, and more reshuffling may still occur as Princess Cruises unveils its long-term global cruising strategy.
