Sun Princess Review

Note: In October 2024, Sun Princess is revealing new names and locations for some of its included and specialty dining venues. The ship is also opening its Sanctuary Collection suite experience. Cruise Critic will be updating this review with all the changes once we're onboard in October.

Sun Princess is a real game-changer for Princess Cruises. It takes a ‘rip-the-Band-Aid-off’ approach to innovation, offering up a complete re imagining of the brand that has long promised a vacation that’s “exciting and new”, just like the theme song from the 1970’s TV series, The Love Boat, suggests.

Until the debut of Sun Princess in early 2024, Princess could trace its basic design and décor roots to the mid-1990’s, when the first Sun Princess debuted in 1995. Even 1998’s Grand Princess, which ushered in a new physical design for Princess Cruises that was both groundbreaking and controversial thanks to its uncommon appearance, still kept to the basic design and décor tenets established aboard the previous Sun Princess and sisters Dawn Princess and Sea Princess.

Now, just shy of three decades later, Princess has turned tradition on its head. The line’s classic venues are here, like its trademark steakhouse Crown Grill and Princess Cruises’ signature Italian restaurant, Sabatini’s. Venues like Crooner’s take on a new life, located off the new amphitheater-style Piazza Atrium concept that owes more to sister-brand Costa Cruises which developed it for Costa Smeralda and Costa Toscana, than it does to its historic Piazza Atrium that first debuted aboard Crown Princess in 2006.

It's here that Sun Princess stumbles, slightly. Those who have never set foot aboard a Princess ship are likely to be unfazed by the lively, active and boisterous new Piazza Atrium that spans Decks 7, 8 and 9 amidships and which is bookended by The Sphere – an area of wall-to-wall windows overlooking the port and starboard sides of the ship.

Those who are Princess loyalists – past passengers known as Captain’s Circle members with at least one (and in many cases, dozens or even hundreds) of Princess sailings under their belt – may have a harder time adjusting.

As it originally debuted, the Piazza Atrium was a subdued space filled with babbling fountains and soft piano music. It was bordered by a wine bar and a cozy coffee-and-sandwich venue, The International Café. It was subdued; the kind of place you’d snuggle up with a book, or meet family and friends for cocktails and conversation.

That’s not the case on Sun Princess. The Piazza Atrium is a thudding, hip, happening place. Noise is constant, be it Zumba classes in the morning or karaoke and gameshows at night. It’s not a bad thing – but it is very, very different.

That, essentially, is what Sun Princess is: very different from anything that Princess Cruises has built before it. It feels somehow hipper and cooler than the line’s previous vessels, but sometimes unnaturally so.

What doesn’t take getting used to, though, are some of the incredible, welcomed – and long-overdue – improvements Princess Cruises has made aboard Sun Princess. Cabins are, universally, much improved. Sure, we miss the walk-in closets of the Princess Cruises of old, but the crisp, new design, dramatically improved cabin bathrooms, and spacious balconies make up for it. Even the in-room toiletries are new, provided now by Beekman 1802 instead of the previous Princess-branded products.

If you’re in the market for a suite, things look even rosier: Sun Princess debuts Princess Cruises most elaborate suites to-date, complete with a private lounge overlooking the stern of the ship that spans two levels and acts as a private enclave of luxury. It’s not as dramatic as private suite offerings aboard lines like MSC Cruises, with its lavish MSC Yacht Club, but it’s a welcomed starting point.

The ship also offers a host of new features, including a casual dining option known as the Americana Diner that functions as something between a buffet and a physical dining room; and the incredible Spellbound by Magic Castle: a unique magical experience at sea set within a series of hidden rooms aboard the ship.

Then, there is The Dome: Sun Princess’ signature feature, this entertainment-relaxation-bar space does not disappoint as one of the more unique attractions – and vantage points -- at sea.

Go in with an open mind, and Sun Princess shines brightly.

** As entertainment aboard Sun Princess was not completed at the time of our sailing, we have not yet issued our overall Editor's Rating for the ship.

The Sun Princess Deck Plan Includes New Spaces, Experiences

Sun Princess includes a bevy of new spaces, experiences, and dining options for cruisers to enjoy, that goes beyond what Princess has historically offered while continuing to offer the traditional experiences that past loyal Captain’s Circle members have come to expect.

Some of these are easy to identify at first glance: The Dome, Sun Princess’s signature space, is a relaxing solarium by day and a vibrant entertainment space by night filled with acrobatic performances and other entertainment options. Located on Deck 17 forward of the ship’s radar mast, it can hold 250 people at one go and also serves as a gathering place for private parties like Princess’ Captains Circle past-passenger cocktail hours and other special events.

The Sun Princess deck plan also includes new features like Spellbound by Magic Castle. This combination dinner-drinks-entertainment venue is one of the hidden gems aboard Sun Princess and is available as an evening experience for an optional fee.

Everything aboard Sun Princess has been re-thought, including Princess’s trademark gathering spot, The Piazza. A quiet, subdued atrium on past Princess ships, the Sun Princess deck plan now outlines The Piazza as a rotunda-style amphitheater chocked full of entertainment options. From day to night, The Piazza is the place to be for trivia, gameshows, Zumba classes, morning stretch and yoga sessions, and more.

Cabins on Sun Princess are Reimagined and Include New Suites – and a Private Lounge

For the first time in decades, Princess Cruises has completely re-thought cabin design aboard Sun Princess. All cabins, from cozy insides to spacious oceanview and balcony staterooms, and lavish suites, have been completely redesigned from the ground up. They offer improved bathrooms and closet storage spaces, more electrical outlets, an entirely new décor scheme and – most importantly – more living space.

The real take-home story here, however, revolves around the new suites offered aboard Sun Princess. These are larger, more varied and more numerous than aboard Princess ships of the past, broken down into four distinct categories: Mini-Suites, Cabana Mini-Suites, Signature Collection Suites, and Sky Suites – Princess Cruises’ largest-ever category of accommodation that features two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a separate living area, and an expansive balcony.

Guests booked in full suites will also receive special perks aboard Sun Princess – the largest of which is included admission to the brand-new Signature Lounge designed just for passengers in suite accommodations.

The Signature Lounge spans two full decks on Deck 15 and 16 and overlooks the stern of Sun Princess for some amazing views of the ocean receding behind the ship. It offers suite passengers a quiet place to work, read and socialize, along with canapes and light bites, cocktails, beers, wines and soft drinks. This keycard-access-only lounge is a private haven that is a first for Princess Cruises, and which sets the tone for the elevated experience passengers can expect aboard Sun Princess.

Princess has also focused more on families and friends travelling together aboard Sun Princess: the vessel features more connecting staterooms than other Princess ships, and accessible suites and staterooms are available across nearly every cabin category.

Sun Princess Reimagines the Cruise Ship Dining Experience

One of the more interesting things Princess has done with Sun Princess is to completely reimagine the dining experience in a subtle but meaningful way.

The Horizons Dining Room on Decks 6 and 7 is a spectacular space overlooking a bank of two-story windows that wrap attractively around the stern of the ship. Horizons on Deck 6 is for those passengers that have selected traditional early or late seating dining. Passengers without set dining reservations can make reservations, or walk-in, on the Deck 7 level of Horizons.

But Princess has added another unique twist to the traditional main dining concept aboard Sun Princess. In addition to the more casual Eatery buffet that spans most of Deck 9 (but which is still undersized, in our experience), Princess has rolled out another dining option on Deck 8 aft that fits somewhere between the casualness of The Eatery and the more traditional dining in Horizons.

Princess calls this area The Americana Diner, and its location on Deck 8 is directly above Horizons. A set menu of classic American fare is offered here, with options for breakfast, lunch and dinner – or breakfast for dinner, if you so choose! The emphasis here is on fast, quick and casual meals that still offer table service. It’s a great addition for those who want a sit-down dinner without devoting the time needed for the more traditional experience at Horizons.

In addition to Princess Cruises’ complimentary food options, Sun Princess rolls out a variety of specialty restaurants ranging from long-standing classics like Sabatini’s and the Crown Grill steakhouse, to newer creations that include pub fare at O’Malley’s, the seafood driven Catch by Rudi, the Asian-inspired Uma Teppanyaki and Uma Hot Pot, delectable sushi and sashimi at Makoto Ocean, and the meatitarian Butchers Block by Dario, to name a few.

Whether your tastes run to more casual, American-style food or authentic flavors from around the world, Sun Princess delivers with cuisine that really raises the bar for the line.

Sun Princess is Princess Cruises’ Most Family-Oriented Ship Yet

You could tell Princess was slowly moving into the families-with-kids arena back in 2019, when it refitted the 2004-built Caribbean Princess with a new kids play area and splash park. Sun Princess, however, expands on the line’s offerings with revised spaces and new diversions that are sure to be attractive to families with little ones.

Firefly Park, Princess Cruises’ kids club for ages 0 to 6 aboard Sun Princess, is the largest in the fleet. Painted in hues of forest green and chocked with games, diversions and crafts, it is located on Deck 6 near guest relations and the ship’s sheltered Cove Balcony staterooms.

Older kids and teens aboard Sun Princess are given their own dedicated clubs and rooms. The line has decided not to go ahead with the attractions in the Park19 activity deck; the line has not announced what will take its place.

Princess doesn’t go out of its way with the whiz-bang activities for kids like Carnival and Royal Caribbean do (not to mention Disney Cruise Line), but these enhancements aboard Sun Princess make it easier than ever for families with kids, teenagers or even grown adult children to take a cruise with Princess.