David Swanson
December 12, 2024
The Sun Princess’ crown: its glass-paneled dome. James Morgan
Spellbound’s maraschino-topped cocktail.
The Sun Princess in Montenegro.
Don’t miss the food on the first Sphere Class ship.
I love seeing the innovation that goes into creating a new ship class, especially from a time-tested brand like Princess. Finding the balance between new features and the traditions beloved by loyalists can be tricky. It was all on display as I boarded the Sun Princess – which debuted earlier this year as the line’s first liquefied-natural-gas-fueled Sphere Class vessel – for a short cruise out of Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades.
Poolside chats on the Sanctuary’s top-deck.
The 4,300-passenger ship is a beauty, with a see-through dome up top and glass spheres extending from each side. Board on Deck 7 to enter The Piazza, the three-story atrium at the center of all Princess ships. From there, similarities with the “old” Princess start to fade. The spheres frame The Piazza, lending lots of natural light, and the atrium has become livelier and louder, pulsing with music and bustle at all hours – perhaps alluring to the broader audience Princess hopes to attract with this ship. Seating rings The Piazza on all three decks, meaning it’s now a stage for one-off game shows, Zumba sessions, the captain’s welcome party, and silent disco.
Sun Princess’ innovations include smart elevators, which minimize wait times to access the ship’s 21 decks. Cabin design has been retooled, with shelving replacing walk-in closets to free up floor space. Suites also got makeovers: Four lavish Sky Suites feature two bedrooms and bathrooms, a separate living area, and an oversize balcony. A new concept, Deck 9’s Cabana Mini-Suites open onto an exclusive shared deck with a Jacuzzi. Sun Princess also marks the arrival of the Sanctuary Collection, Princess’ first ship-within-a-ship. Guests in these 215 cabins and suites have access to a private dining room and a top-deck, adults-only retreat with private cabanas, a pool and Jacuzzi, beverages and light meals, and sunrise yoga sessions.
Dig into fresh caught lobster tail, porterhouse steaks, and more at Sun Princess’ Crown Grill steak house. James Morgan
One of Sun Princess’ biggest upgrades is its dining, and here Virtuoso travel advisor David Petlin says they knocked it out of the park: “Princess really nailed the cuisine – not only the quality of the food, but the variety and selection, with so many specialty restaurants.” Princess regulars will find traditional options, such as the Crown Grill steak house and Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria, plus a roster of enticing newbies.
The meat-forward Butcher’s Block by Dario offers a fixed-price seven-course feast for carnivores, while Umai Teppanyaki serves up seafood, meat, and veggie shabu-shabu platters. Love by Britto marries Romero Britto’s pop art with an aphrodisiacal menu by Rudi Sodamin, and Spellbound pairs magic shows with roast beef or black cod in a setting mirroring L.A.’s Magic Castle. Even the Lido Grill has evolved beyond pizza, burgers, and fries – there’s now a custom salad stand, taco bar, and shawarma station at the poolside favorite. My pick: lunch or dinner at Makoto Ocean for a menu of Edomae (Tokyo-style) sushi by Makoto Okuwa.
Dressed-up oysters at Love by Britto.
After-dinner entertainment includes Viva La Música, a Latin dance revue held in the Princess Arena. Or make plans to queue early at the surprisingly intimate Dome (just 250 seats) for a trio of acrobatic shows by Cirque Éloize. “Sun Princess is definitely for people who want the amenities of a big ship with the service standards of a small ship,” Petlin says.
Through March 15, 2025, Sun Princess offers voyages to the eastern and western Caribbean, on 7- and 14-night itineraries. The ship then transits to the Mediterranean, running 7-, 14-, and 21-night sailings out of Barcelona, Rome, and Athens starting on April 5. Both schedules will be repeated in 2026. Departures: Multiple dates, January 4, 2025, through December 27, 2026.
