Sun Princess

As cruising continues to gain in popularity with the travelling public, the major cruise lines are building and launching new ships to attract their share of this growing market. Cruisers have come to have high expectations of these new ships and Princess Cruises certainly did not disappoint with the launch of Sun Princess, their latest ship, and the first in their entirely new Sphere Class. I was lucky enough to spend a week on her when I sailed from Civitavecchia to Athens in March 2024. This afforded me the opportunity to try out the new venues and innovations as well as explore the incredible layout and design.

The design centres on the sunlit, multi-story, plaza area, where a lot of dining and drinking venues can be found, and the area is a real hub, day and night. Although busy, it never seemed overcrowded, even though the ships accommodates 4,300 passengers and 1,600 crew.

With 30 bars and restaurants onboard, you will never be stuck for choice, I did my best to visit as many as possible, all in the name of research. The general standard of dining in the complementary venues such as The Eatery, a buffet style restaurant without the self-service, Horizons, the main dining room, Alfredos Pizzeria, and the poolside dining options, was really good and I could not fault the service. The International Café is open till late for those that like a late-night snack and you don’t want to miss out on the Nachos from Horizons all day, American diner menu. I was also tempted to try some of the speciality dining options. The Catch by Rudi is a must for seafood lovers and Umai Teppanyaki not only served us fabulous Asian cuisine, but the chefs are also amazing entertainers, putting on an hilarious show while cooking the meal.

All this food was often washed down by cocktails from the Good Spirits Lounge, a lively contemporary space where the bartenders regularly teach the guests how to mix delicious drinks. I felt it my patriotic duty to check out the Irish Bar, O’Malley’s, and I am happy to report that it is an incredible venue. A lot of ships will boast an Irish bar, but few have captured the atmosphere of one like this buzzing, music filled spot.

The Sun Deck had 2 large pools and several Jacuzzis where you can spend the day soaking up the sun and of course indulging in snacks from the Lido snack bar and maybe an Aperol Spritz or two. The beautiful, glass covered ’Dome’ is another area where you can enjoy the sun during the day, and it turns into a spectacular entertainment area at night. I stayed in a Seaview Balcony Cabin that was spacious with bright modern décor and a really comfortable bed. The balcony is lovely for spending a few quite moments to yourself but in truth there is so much to do and experience on this ship that you will spend very little time in your cabin. One thing that really gives Sun Princess an edge is its use of the Princess Medallion technology. The medallion, that you can wear like a bracelet, allows you order food and drink without queueing at a bar or counter and the staff can then track you on the ship and deliver your order straight to you. Very convenient, as you wander around discovering all the wonders this exceptional ship has to offer.