Key Aspects:
- Shipping fees for Princess Cruises’ Medallions have increased by $2 for guests in the US and Canada.
- The shipping rate increase is effective from Thursday, August 20, 2026 for all new orders.
- Guests may still pick up their Medallions for free during embarkation check-in at the cruise terminal.
Princess Cruises’ guests eager to get their Medallions ahead of embarkation so they are ready for smooth sailing onboard will now have to pay a bit more for the privilege.
In a communication sent to travel agents and shared widely online, the Medallion shipping fee for new orders is increased by $2 (USD) as of Thursday, August 20, 2026.
For guests in the US, this means the shipping fee is increasing from $20 to $22, while in Canada, the fee is increasing from $25 to $27. Not all guests will need to pay this fee, however.
The change only applies to new orders placed on or after August 20. If guests have previously ordered a Medallion ahead of an upcoming, already booked Princess sailing, the shipping fee is not changed for that purchase, regardless of when the Medallion is scheduled to be shipped.
Read Also: Princess Cruises Reducing MedallionPay Cash Back
Medallions can still be picked up for free at the cruise terminal during embarkation. Not only can this be a savings, but it also ensures Medallions are not lost in the mail or delayed due to postal congestion. It does mean, however, that guests must take the extra time on embarkation day to pick it up as they check in at the cruise terminal.
The shipping cost covers all Medallions shipped under one order to the same mailing address. If guests ship to multiple addresses or place orders separately, however, shipping fees apply each time even if the cruise reservations may be linked.
Second Price Increase in 2026
This is the second price increase for Princess Cruises’ Medallion shipping in 2026. Cruise Hive reported in early March that shipping was increased from $10 to $20 for US addresses, and from $15 to $25 for guests in Canada.
“While we have made every effort to maintain affordable shipping rates for our guests, this adjustment is necessary to align pricing and ensure continued high-quality, reliable shipping services,” the cruise line stated at the time of that first increase.
At the same time as the first increase, free shipping for booked guests with the Plus or Premier amenities packages was also discontinued and all guests began to pay for the full shipping cost.
For context, the US Postal Service increased various postal rates effective July 12, 2026. While the rate for a first-class letter up to one ounce increased by just $.04 (from $.78 to $.82), other shipping prices increased on periodicals, flat rate postage for packages, and marketing mail.
This follows previous postal service time-limited rate increases on retail and commercial domestic shipping that went into effect on April 26, 2026. That change increased domestic packages by roughly 8% per package through mid-January 2027.
In comparison, the increase on Medallion shipping is a 10% increase for US addresses and an 8% increase for Canadian addresses, though Princess Cruises has not cited increased postal fees as a reason for the increase in the Medallion shipping fees.
The Medallion fulfills all the functions of a ship card onboard Princess Cruises’ ships: stateroom key, boarding and services identification, and onboard payment method. It can also connect to the Princess app for further customization and preference management throughout a cruise.
