I've sailed on 3 Princess Cruises in the past 18 months. They're not for everyone, but I'd definitel

• I've sailed 35 nights total on three Princess Cruises in the last 18 months.
• Princess Cruises makes it quick and easy to gain elite status and valuable perks.
• I also appreciate the cruise line's delicious food, fast internet, and relaxed vibe. 

I'm an avid cruiser and I've spent 35 nights sailing across three different Princess Cruises in the past year and a half.

I enjoyed my sailings on the Caribbean Princess, Regal Princess, and Sky Princess and each experience solidified my decision to book another cruise with Princess this year.

Princess may not be a perfect fit for every traveler — but here's why I'll be booking again, plus what drawbacks to look out for. 

The food at the buffet and in the main dining rooms is so good I never needed to pay extra for specialty dining.

Each Princess cruise I've sailed on had identical or very similar dining outlets and dishes. 

I always found plenty of quality food choices at no extra charge whether I was eating breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, or dinner in the main dining rooms or taking trips around the World Fresh Marketplace buffet (Horizon Court on Regal Princess).

The food always tasted fresh and delicious, never mass-produced or stale. Menus were constantly being rotated out, too. 

Plus, each ship I've been on has a 24-hour International Cafe that serves grab-and-go snacks like a delightful brie sandwich or house-smoked salmon farmhouse quiche. 

No matter the ship, the amenities and service have been (mostly) consistent so I always know what to expect.

There have been very few unwelcome surprises on my three Princess Cruises to the Southern Caribbean, Eastern/Southern Caribbean, and Canada/Greenland.

Each ship offered similar entertainment options — song-and-dance shows, comedians, pianists —  and amenities like a fitness center, and The Lotus Spa. Every cabin I slept in even had the same comfy luxury bed with a medium-firm mattress and plush, 2-inch-thick pillow top. 

I like consistency and found there's even continuity across ships with each main dining room offering the same lineup of desserts like Princess Love Boat Dream, traditional New York cheesecake, and a create-your-own sundae alongside nightly specials.

The internet on board has been reliable and lightning-fast.

On my latest cruise, I bought two one-day MedallianNet passes for $20 per day in order to access the internet at sea. 

I was so impressed with its speed and stability. I was even able to stream television shows without any buffering issues.

This, alone, is enough for me to choose Princess Cruises for when I need to reliably work remotely.

I don't get FOMO on Princess Cruises, so I can truly relax.

This may be a deal-breaker for many cruisers, but I like that Princess Cruises doesn't offer many daily activities.

Some cruises have jam-packed schedules with shows, games, and performances but Princess' entertainment offerings are lighter in comparison. This helps me truly relax and not feel like I'm missing out on anything. 

Princess also isn't really a "party" cruise line. I found the passengers on my three cruises were predominantly senior citizens who seemed like they liked to have a good time, but by 10 p.m., each ship got pretty quiet. 

I also didn't see many children on each Princess cruise — to be honest, I don't think there'd be a ton for them to do on the ship anyway. 

You can get to elite status much quicker with Princess than other popular cruise lines, and there are great perks before you get all the way to the top.

In my experience, gaining elite status on the Princess Cruises loyalty program is much easier than it is with other cruise lines. Travelers move up the four Princess Captain's Circle levels (gold, ruby, platinum, elite) via the number of cruises taken and cruise nights accumulated. 

Unlike other cruise lines, the minimums you must reach seem attainable.

I was already a second-tier ruby member by the time I embarked on my third cruise because I earned double cruise credit on my second when I sailed as a solo guest and paid the single-traveler supplement.

I'll be platinum if I sail one more cruise — and the status comes with perks. At platinum, I'll get 50% off MedallianNet, access to special lounges, 10% off treatments at The Lotus Spa, and priority boarding.

To get to elite, I'll have to sail 10 more times or reach 100 more cruise days, which could be accomplished in one cruise if I sail on Princess Cruises' longest voyage ever, which is supposed to set sail for 116 days in 2025. 

There are some downsides, but the value for money outweighs them (for now).

There were some disappointments on my latest sailing — for example, I noticed the fitness and meditation classes that were once free on my first two cruises now cost $20 to $30 each.

And, depending on your ship and cruise length, I think the limited onboard entertainment can feel repetitive. The drinks are reasonably priced if you don't buy a drink package but, in my opinion, Princess ships' cocktails aren't the best in terms of quality and taste. 

These minor disappointments won't deter me from a future cruise with Princess, though. Now, I just have to figure out which of Princess Cruises' 330+ worldwide destinations I want to sail to next.

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