I recently had the opportunity to check out Sun Princess, the newest and largest cruise ship from Princess Cruises. The cruise line invited me on as a guest for five days to check out everything that this new ship has to offer.
While I was on the ship, I wrote about my first impressions of Sun Princess that you can read here. Now that I am home from the cruise, here are 12 things that I loved about this new cruise ship from Princess.
The Dome
Let’s start at the top of the ship, where the Dome is located. In the above photo, you can see the Dome and where it’s located on Sun Princess.
This completed enclosed area offers incredible views and comfortable loungers and it’s going to be really popular on sea days. Princess will also have shows at night in this area adding to the ship’s unique entertainment.
There is a pool that is partially indoor and outdoors. You can swim from outside to inside the Dome.
The Piazza
For those who have sailed on Costa’s two new ships, you will be familiar with the layout of the Piazza. This open circular area allows for better entertainment with stadium-like seating on three floors.
On my cruise, there was everything from a silent disco, to Zumba, to game shows, and even a juggler in the Piazza. It really is the heartbeat and center of the ship.
Spellbound
Spellbound by Magic Castle is Princess Cruises’ newest Extraordinary Experience. When on my cruise, I was able to get a sneak peek of this area and the amazing experience that it offers.
The price is $149 per person and includes a special dinner (I did not get to sample this part) and entrance into Spellbound. There are several rooms in Spellbound including an intimate theater for close up magic.
There is a bar with unique drinks that are not found anywhere else on the ship. Everything is included (including drinks) in the $149 price tag and you can stay here as long as you want. They also have a nice selection of non-alcoholic cocktails for those who don’t drink. I tried them and they were delicious.
I would definitely recommend to book an earlier time for Spellbound. This allows you time to enjoy and explore this amazing area that is unlike anything else you can find at sea.
I didn’t go into too much detail on Spellbound because I don’t want to ruin all of the surprises here. You’re best off going in knowing a little, but not everything. You’ll understand once you’re onboard. It’s by far the best themed space I’ve seen on over 75 cruises.
Dress code for Spellbound is “Cocktail Attire”, something to take note of if you are booking this experience.
Crew
I can’t say enough good things about the crew on Sun Princess. The group that works at Crooners, Wirat, Farral, Nino, Joy, April, and Mashael were nothing short of superb. Seriously, pay them a visit if you have a cruise booked on Sun Princess.
Everywhere I went on the ship, the crew was friendly and I overheard many passengers complimenting the staff on the amazing job they were doing.
The Eatery
The Eatery is the buffet on board Sun Princess and it is located off of the Piazza, this is a change from the traditional location by the pool deck. I think having it in this area works so much better since the Piazza is the heartbeat of the ship.
At the very back of the Eatery, it turns into specialty dining in the evenings. However, for breakfast and lunch, it offers the same food as the rest of the buffet but usually isn’t as crowded. This is where I went each morning because it was much easier to find a table, and usually quieter.
Main Dining Room
The main dining room is three floors but with a unique twist to deck 8. On deck 8, the main dining room is Americana Diner and it’s for those who want to get in and out without having a long dinner.
I ate here one night and we were in and out in 45 minutes. The food portions are a little small so don’t be afraid to order more than one thing if you are hungry. It’s such a great option if you don’t want a drawn-out dinner after a long day in port.
For those who want traditional cruise dining, you can have that on decks 6 and 7. Deck 6 is for set times (early and late) with deck 7 for anytime dining.
No matter what you are looking for, there’s an option for you on Sun Princess.
Food
Since we are on the topic different places to eat, let’s talk about the food. There is a really nice variety of food options on board, from complimentary to specialty. I wasn’t the only one impressed by the food quality on the ship.
Stewart Chiron, America’s most quoted cruise expert, said the following about the food on Sun Princess during my sailing: “Unequivocally, the food quality and options aboard Princess Cruises’ brand new Sun Princess has reached its highest level since its founding in 1965.”
This was my eighth cruise on Princess and it has by far the best food in the fleet. From finger food options by the pool to Alfredo’s and Umai Teppanyaki, I loved every meal that I had.
Of course, Sun Princess also has the Princess staples, Crown Grill and Sabatini’s.
Cabins
Since it is Princess Cruises’ newest ship, it has the best cabins in their fleet. I stayed in a standard balcony cabin on deck 14. From the 55″ TV to more power outlets than you could ever use, it was a nice, comfortable cabin.
It amazes me how some new cruise ships still are still not putting power outlets on both sides on the bed. On Sun Princess, each side had multiple power outlets and the cabin really had everything you needed. There was plenty of storage, a good shower, and of course, the Princess Luxury Bed.
I have a video of my cabin in my first impressions piece that I linked to at the start of this article, for those are you interested.
Wake View Terrace
One of my favorite parts of the ship is the lower aft section. There a pool with glass walls that overlooks the ship’s wake, a bar, and plenty of loungers. It was never that crowded during my cruise because you do have to go a bit out of your way to get here.
There’s also elevators here with glass walls for incredible views of the ship’s wake.
Elevators
I rarely take elevators on cruise ships, they are normally just too crowded for me and I enjoy the exercise from taking the stairs. On Sun Princess, they have “smart” elevators where you push the floor you want to go to and it tells you which elevator to take.
Even though the ship was near capacity, there was never a line and I usually had it all to myself, or with just 2 or 3 others. This new system works incredibly well and every cruise ship should do what they did on Sun Princess.
High Ceilings in Parts of the Ship
Several areas of the ship, including the casino, have high ceilings that really open things up and make them feel less crowded and more comfortable. The high ceilings in the casino also help a bit with the nasty smell of cigarette smoke.
Princess Live!
Princess Live! is more open and has more seating than the ones found on Royal class ships. It makes this space so much better for trivia, bingo, and other activities.
Other Unique Features on Sun Princess
For those who like to shop, there are by far more shops on the ship than any other Princess ship.
The Sanctuary has been moved from the front to back of the ship.
While there is no basketball/sports court, there is a ropes course and other activities for families and younger cruisers on the top deck.
The Guests Services Desk has been moved away from the Piazza area and is now in an area completely by itself on deck 6.
There are two different places off of the Piazza to get coffee. There’s the International Cafe and Coffee Currents.
I really enjoyed my five days on board Sun Princess, it’s a great ship with an awesome crew.
Sun Princess is currently sailing cruises in Europe but will be repositioning to Florida this fall for cruises to the Caribbean. You can see prices for these cruises here.
