The nightlife on a Princess cruise might not be all that it’s cracked up to be. At least, that was one TikTok user’s realization when traveling aboard one of the cruise liners and seeing an empty dancing room.
When the TikToker Megan Varilek, who goes by Shipfaced Society (@travelingginga), first stepped foot on a Princess Cruise, she clearly did not expect the dance floor to be so empty. That’s why she posted a video to TikTok, which now has over 60,000 views as of this writing.
In her clip, she tells her audience that Princess Cruise passengers can “come watch all five people dancing,” clearly poking fun at the lack of attendance but enjoying some of the sparsely used amenities. She then pans around the room, which notably has a lack of attendees.
So, why aren’t more people clubbing on a Regal Princesscruise? What ultimately stops them from doing so?
Princess Cruise Line is a line owned by Carnival Corporation Inc. In 2025, there were 17 ships in the line’s fleet, with a recent addition, the Star Princess, added to the bunch. The cruise liner is based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with trips going to all seven continents.
Cruises seem to fall into three distinct categories: those for families, those for seniors, and the few that are for young adults and middle-aged people. In this case, it may be that the Regal Princess is more suited for rest and relaxation than drinking and clubbing.
Commenters shared that they book with “Princess Cruises” because they’re apparently quieter. “It’s all old people,” said one viewer. “We [took] Princess because it’s quiet.”
On places like Reddit, posters generally agreed. When one Redditor asked what the quietest cruise line to take would be, commenters said that Princess was a great option.
“Princess,” one Redditor shared. “20+ with them and peaceful yet fun. Good entertainment, but not a lot of obnoxious people.
Princess Cruises aren’t marketed for partying or children. Instead, they’re a reasonable option for those who want an escape without a lot of noise.
“Not marketed for parties or kids,” another redditor added. “There’s stuff for them, but it’s definitely a different vibe. Especially on anything [seven-plus] days.”
However, other cruise lines are notably more lively. Some ships are notably more fun, like Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruises.
Commenters shared that they thought Princess is a much better fit for cruisers looking for a relaxing journey. Indeed, it does seem like Princess cruises have a better propensity at fulfilling adult cruisers’ needs, especially considering the fact that they’re marketed toward adults rather than being family-friendly. They’re also considered slightly more upscale than Carnival cruises, at least according to some online publications.
Articles from Cruisecritic state that Princess Cruises are “traditional, yet easy-going.” Neither cruise is necessarily “better” than the other, although viewers shared that they prefer Princess cruises over Carnival. They both offer relatively similar amenities, though the nightlife aboard the Regal Princess Cruise ship may leave something to be desired, as Varilek experienced.
In a response to AllHipHop via email, Varilek clarified that they were traveling on the Grand Princess sailing from Jan. 18 to Jan. 25. The ship departed from Puerto Rico.
The intention of her video was to “show the difference in nightlife between Princess and Royal Caribbean.” According to them, by the end of seven nights onboard, the nightlife grew and was “much more fun than that first night.”
Varilek also clarified that there weren’t more activities on the ship that felt better attended or more active. They stated that it had a “much calmer vibe as the population of Princess cruises is older compared to other cruise lines.”
AllHipHop reached out to Carnival Cruise Inc. and Princess Cruise Line via press email. We’ll let you know if they respond.
@travelingginga Not the clurb I’m use to #shipfacedsociety #cruiseaddict #cruiselife #princesscruises #fyp ♬ original sound – Shipfaced Society
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