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When travelers search for which cruise line has the most complaints, they are usually trying to answer a more practical question: Which cruise companies have the most reported customer problems, and what kinds of issues should I watch for before booking?
There is no single official worldwide ranking that identifies one cruise line as having the most complaints. Complaint numbers depend on the source, time period, number of passengers, destinations, and the way complaints are recorded.
For example, current Better Business Bureau complaint records show more than 1,300 complaints for Carnival Corporation over the previous three years, while Norwegian Cruise Line has around 1,000 and Princess Cruises has around 500 in their respective BBB profiles. These figures should not be treated as a direct measure of passenger satisfaction because the companies and complaint databases may cover different corporate structures and customer populations.
The more useful approach is to look at what passengers complain about, how frequently complaints appear in a particular source, and whether the same type of problem could affect your cruise.
Not in a way that can be stated universally.
Cruise companies do not all report customer complaints using the same system. A complaint filed with the BBB is different from a complaint made directly to a cruise line, a consumer-protection agency, a regulator, or a review platform.
The number of complaints can also be affected by fleet size and passenger volume. A cruise company carrying millions of guests can naturally generate more complaints in absolute numbers than a much smaller operator.
This means that simply saying "Cruise Line X has the most complaints" without explaining the source can give travelers a misleading impression.
Several factors can influence complaint totals:
Number of passengers carried
Number of ships in the fleet
Number of destinations served
Length of time covered by the database
Whether complaints cover one brand or a parent company
How easy it is for customers to file complaints
Whether complaints are resolved or remain unanswered
The type of passenger included in the database
For that reason, complaint rates and complaint categories can sometimes provide more useful information than raw totals.
Public BBB profiles provide one way to see reported consumer complaints, although BBB itself cautions that the complaints shown may not represent every complaint made about a company.
As of September 2026, the BBB profile for Carnival Corporation lists 1,327 complaints during the previous three years. Norwegian Cruise Line's profile lists about 1,010, while Princess Cruises lists 499. MSC Cruises has about 473 complaints in its U.S. BBB profile.
Cruise company/profileApprox. BBB complaints in last 3 years
Carnival Corporation1,327
Norwegian Cruise Line1,010
Princess Cruises499
MSC Cruises473
These numbers are not a cruise-line quality ranking. Carnival Corporation is a corporate parent, while the other figures represent individual cruise-company profiles, so the comparison is not perfectly like-for-like.
The main takeaway is that large cruise brands can have substantial numbers of consumer complaints without those numbers alone proving that the cruise experience is poor.
Complaint categories tend to be more useful than the total number.
BBB records for major cruise companies commonly include complaints involving product or service problems, billing, customer service, sales and advertising, cancellations, reservations, and other booking-related issues.
Money-related complaints can involve:
Unexpected onboard charges
Refund delays
Incorrect charges
Promotional packages
Cancellation fees
Disputes about deposits
Charges passengers say were not clearly explained
Before sailing, it is useful to understand exactly what your fare includes and which services cost extra.
A common source of frustration is difficulty getting a problem resolved.
Passengers may contact customer service about a booking, refund, cabin issue, cancellation, or onboard charge and feel that they have been transferred between departments without receiving a clear answer.
Keeping written records of important conversations can make these situations easier to resolve.
Cruises are subject to cancellation and change policies that can vary according to the fare, booking date, itinerary, and circumstances.
Passengers may complain when they misunderstand:
Deposit rules
Final-payment deadlines
Cancellation penalties
Refund conditions
Future cruise credits
Rebooking rules
Reading the fare conditions before paying a deposit can prevent many disputes.
Some complaints concern the physical cruise experience, including cabin conditions, maintenance, food service, entertainment, accessibility, or other onboard services.
A complaint about one ship does not automatically mean that every ship in the same fleet has the same problem.
This is particularly important for large cruise companies operating many ships with different ages, designs, and itineraries.
If you are specifically searching for a Princess cruise complaint, it is important to separate individual customer experiences from broader evidence.
Current BBB records show 499 complaints for Princess Cruises during the previous three years, with 126 complaints closed during the last 12 months. The complaints include product issues, service or repair issues, billing, customer service, sales and advertising, and order-related concerns.
That number does not mean that 499 Princess passengers had the same problem. Each complaint can involve a different situation.
Recent publicly available complaints include disputes involving refunds, booking support, promotional packages, additional charges, and customer-service communication. Some complaints shown in the BBB database are marked resolved, while others are listed as answered rather than verified as resolved by the customer.
If you experience a problem with Princess, start by documenting the issue.
Keep:
Booking confirmation
Receipts
Emails
Screenshots
Payment records
Names or identification details of representatives
Dates and times of conversations
Photos or videos when they are relevant
Explain the problem clearly and state the resolution you are requesting.
For example, if the issue concerns an incorrect charge, identify the exact charge, date, amount, and why you believe it is incorrect.
A detailed complaint is generally easier for a customer-service representative to investigate than a general statement that the service was poor.
No.
A raw complaint count cannot establish that by itself.
Imagine Cruise Line A carries twice as many passengers as Cruise Line B. Even if both companies have exactly the same complaint rate, Cruise Line A could generate more complaints simply because more people travel with it.
The same problem exists when comparing companies with different fleet sizes, geographic markets, and customer bases.
A better evaluation considers several factors together:
Complaint volume
Complaint rate when reliable passenger data is available
Type of complaint
Frequency of recurring issues
Resolution practices
Refund and cancellation policies
Independent inspection or regulatory information
Recent passenger experiences
This gives travelers a more complete picture than a single complaint number.
Before paying for a cruise, spend some time checking the specific company and ship.
Do not research only the cruise-line brand.
Look at the ship you will actually sail on. A company may operate older ships alongside recently launched vessels, and the onboard experience can vary between them.
Older reviews can become less useful when:
Management changes
Ships are refurbished
Policies change
Dining or entertainment programs change
Customer-service systems are updated
Focus on recent experiences and look for repeated themes rather than one extremely positive or negative review.
Understand the rules before making a deposit.
Pay particular attention to:
Deposit conditions
Final payment date
Cancellation penalties
Refund eligibility
Name-change rules
Cruise-date changes
Travel insurance requirements
A low advertised fare may not include everything you want.
Check whether your price includes items such as:
Drinks
Specialty dining
Wi-Fi
Gratuities
Excursions
Transfers
Certain onboard activities
Knowing the inclusions in advance reduces the chance of an unexpected bill.
The best approach is to escalate gradually.
Start with the cruise line's customer-service or guest-relations department.
Explain the problem and provide supporting documentation.
If the matter involves money, cancellation, refund, or another important commitment, request confirmation in writing.
Written communication creates a clearer record of what was discussed.
If the first representative cannot resolve the issue, ask whether the case can be reviewed by a supervisor or specialized customer-relations team.
Keep your explanation consistent as the case moves between departments.
Depending on where you live and the nature of the dispute, you may have access to a consumer-protection agency or complaint-resolution service.
For example, U.S. consumers can use appropriate federal or state consumer-protection channels depending on the issue. In India, the National Consumer Helpline provides a grievance-registration mechanism for consumers and can be reached through its official channels.
The appropriate route depends on the company, booking location, payment method, and applicable consumer law.
You cannot eliminate every possible problem, but you can reduce avoidable disputes.
Read the fare conditions.
Check the cancellation deadline.
Compare what is included in the fare.
Check the ship rather than only the cruise brand.
Review the payment schedule.
Consider suitable travel insurance.
Save your confirmation documents.
Check your reservation details.
Keep records of major changes.
Confirm special requests in writing.
Monitor final-payment deadlines.
Review your onboard account regularly.
Report problems promptly.
Keep receipts for disputed purchases.
Take photos when documenting a physical problem.
Ask guest services for a case or reference number when available.
These simple steps can make a major difference if you later need to challenge a charge or request compensation.
So, which cruise line has the most complaints? There is no single reliable worldwide answer because complaint databases measure different things and cover different customer populations.
Current BBB records show substantial complaint volumes for several major cruise companies, including Carnival Corporation, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Princess Cruises. Princess Cruises alone has hundreds of complaints recorded in its current BBB profile, covering issues such as service, billing, products, and customer support.
For travelers, the more useful question is not simply which company has the largest number of complaints. It is what passengers are complaining about, how frequently similar problems occur, and how those issues relate to the particular ship and booking you are considering.
That approach gives you more practical information before you put down a deposit and helps you prepare if something goes wrong during your cruise.
Which cruise line has the most complaints?
There is no universally accepted answer because there is no single standardized global database covering all cruise-line complaints. Current BBB data shows high complaint volumes for several major cruise companies, but those figures should not be treated as a definitive industry ranking.
Does Carnival have a lot of complaints?
Carnival Corporation's current BBB profile lists 1,327 complaints over the previous three years. However, this is a corporate-level BBB figure and should not automatically be interpreted as a complaint rate for every Carnival passenger.
How many complaints does Princess Cruises have?
The current BBB profile for Princess Cruises lists 499 complaints during the previous three years and 126 complaints closed during the previous 12 months.
What is the most common type of cruise complaint?
Complaint categories vary by company, but public complaint records commonly include product or service problems, billing issues, customer-service concerns, sales and advertising disputes, and reservation or order problems.
Is a cruise line with many complaints automatically bad?
No. A high complaint count can partly reflect a company's size, passenger volume, and the number of customers who use a particular complaint platform. The nature and rate of complaints provide more context than the raw number alone.
What should I do about a Princess cruise complaint?
First, contact Princess through its customer-service or guest-relations channels and provide your booking information and supporting documents. Keep records of communications and ask for written confirmation of important decisions or refund commitments.
Can I complain about an unexpected cruise charge?
Yes. Start by checking your onboard account and receipt, then contact the cruise line and identify the exact charge you are disputing. Provide documentation and clearly explain the resolution you are requesting.
Should I cancel a cruise because I see complaints online?
Online complaints are useful for identifying potential issues, but one complaint or a raw complaint count does not establish the overall quality of a cruise line. Look for repeated patterns involving the specific ship, itinerary, policy, or service you are considering.
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