Princess Cruises Reveals Major Updates: Blue Friday Sale, New Alaska Itineraries, and Medallion Shipping Changes

Princess Cruises has outlined a comprehensive slate of updates for travel advisors and passengers, headlined by the upcoming launch of its signature Blue Friday sales event, expanded deployment in Alaska, and key logistical shifts regarding its famous OceanMedallion wearable technology.

Distributed via the cruise line’s weekly communication channel, the latest announcements cover a wide-ranging spectrum of operations. From promotional discounts and forward-looking deployment schedules to updated home-delivery timelines and streamlined embarkation processes, the updates aim to refine the passenger experience both before and during travel.

Blue Friday Sale

Beginning tomorrow, November 6, 2026, Princess Cruises will officially open its annual Blue Friday Sale, giving prospective travelers a month-long window to secure significant savings on upcoming voyages. The promotional event is scheduled to run through December 7, 2026.

During the promotional window, travelers can take advantage of up to $400 in direct savings on select itineraries, alongside promotional fare discounts of up to 50 percent off standard rates. Additionally, the cruise line is catering to families and groups by offering free passage for third and fourth guests sharing a stateroom on eligible sailings.

To make booking even more accessible, Princess is also slashing required cruise deposits by 50 percent for the duration of the sale. The promotional pricing applies to a vast array of global destinations offered by the cruise line, giving eager vacationers an opportunity to lock in future sailings at reduced rates.

Four New Alaskan Cruises

In response to sustained demand for northern voyages, Princess Cruises has bolstered its 2028 deployment by adding four new cruises to Alaska. The newly announced sailings will be operated by the Discovery Princess and the Crown Princess, with departures scheduled for the early shoulder months of April and September.

The revised deployment plan incorporates three distinct seven-day itineraries and a longer nine-day Inside Passage voyage. All four of the newly added cruises will operate as roundtrip journeys originating from Vancouver, British Columbia, allowing travelers to experience the glaciers and coastal communities of the region with seamless homeport logistics.

Accommodating these fresh northern deployments requires adjustments to the broader schedule. Princess Cruises noted that in order to make room for the new Alaska sailings, a selection of existing Mexico and Pacific Coast voyages will be altered, systematically revised, or canceled entirely. Impacted guests and travel advisors are encouraged to review the updated schedules to adjust their travel plans accordingly.

Medallion Shipping Update

Logistical improvements are also underway for the cruise line’s signature wearable technology. Princess Cruises has announced a modified shipping schedule for the OceanMedallion, the quarter-sized device that replaces traditional cruise cards and powers everything from stateroom access to onboard wayfinding and service ordering.

Under the updated protocol, the timeline for delivering Medallions directly to guests’ homes before their voyage is being extended. The initial order drop window will now occur approximately 45 days prior to the cruise, a significant shift from the previous benchmark of 30 days.

Furthermore, the final cutoff date for home delivery is moving from 14 days prior

to departure to 16 days prior to the cruise. According to the cruise line, these adjustments are designed to provide a wider buffer to identify and resolve any unforeseen delivery challenges, ensuring that guests receive their devices well in advance of departure and minimizing the risk of last-minute shipping delays.

2028-2029 Cruises

Looking further ahead on the horizon, Princess Cruises has set a definitive release date for its extensive 2028-2029 deployment covering the Southern Hemisphere. On November 10, 2026, bookings will officially open for a robust collection of itineraries exploring Australia, New Zealand, and the broader South Pacific.

Alongside these regional deployments, the cruise line will simultaneously open reservations for its highly anticipated 2029 Grand World Odyssey. The extended global voyage traditionally attracts seasoned travelers looking to circumnavigate the globe aboard a Princess ship, visiting numerous continents and exotic ports of call over the course of several months.

Arrival Groups

Rounding out the weekly updates, Princess Cruises is preparing to roll out communication regarding Arrival Groups for passengers embarking on voyages departing from Buenos Aires, Argentina, starting November 7, 2026.

The implementation of Arrival Groups is part of a broader, phased rollout of staggered embarkation times across the cruise line’s global fleet. By assigning specific arrival windows—either selected manually by the guest or automatically generated by the system—the cruise line aims to optimize terminal flow, reduce crowding, and minimize wait times on embarkation day.

Guests booked on upcoming sailings out of Buenos Aires will receive an informational email roughly 30 days before their scheduled departure date, detailing the process for selecting an arrival slot. Travelers who have already linked their flight details within the official cruise line mobile app, or those who have booked a pre-cruise hotel stay through a Princess Cruises Plus package, will have their arrival times automatically scheduled based on their travel logistics.

All other passengers will retain the ability to manually choose their preferred arrival window through the online check-in portal. In the event that a guest fails to select an arrival group prior to departure, an arrival time will be assigned automatically 24 hours before embarkation to ensure orderly processing at the terminal.