Sun Princess - I love this boat - Review with Photos

[Leo37]

Just back from 7 days on the beautiful Sun Princess and, overall, had a fantastic time.  I know there have been some mixed reviews, but just wanted to share my very positive experience.

 

Boarding: We boarded in Barcelona (having spent 48 hours before hand in the city) and process was quick and easy.  45 minutes from being in Taxi, to sitting in the Horizon's Dining Room having lunch. That included collecting medallions (us Brits can't yet get them delivered in advance) and dropping bags in our stateroom.

 

Our Stateroom: We were in a Premium Deluxe Balcony on Deck 17. It's one of the cabins with a balcony where the ship has a 'bump' and while the inside is normally Deluxe Balcony, the 'Premium' bit is the huge balcony. Room was great: comfy bed and good size and useable Sofa. The well-documented replacement of shower curtain for glass is very welcome and immediately makes the bathroom feel more modern. The room has lots of USB charging points (8 by my count) and plenty of plugs (7 I think in total). However many devices you travel with, I think you'll be well covered. The room replaces the Princess standard walk in wardrobe / closet with a different layout, but we had plenty of space for our 7 days to store everything and had space leftover. Our room was near the rear set of elevators, and we found this to be a perfect location - just 60 seconds from the open deck, but also near lifts that went right to the Dining Rooms and Buffet.

 

The Ship: In many ways, an improvement over previous designs (we've sailed on 3 Royal class ships, the Crown and the Coral). The decor and design is in general more contemporary and brighter than past ships (especially the older ones). But at the same time, she still feels like a Princess ship: relaxed, welcoming, refined. There are lots of nice new features: Promenade seating and dining options, the large forward facing Seaview bar and Dome, smart lifts that make getting round the ship quicker, new eating options all over the ship. And plenty of returning favourites too. All over the ship, clever small design touches are evident: the variety of outdoor seating options, for example, includes different types of loungers, hammocks, 'love seats', bistro seating, outdoor sofas etc.

 

We liked the new Piazza, thinking it worked well as a central space with more life and buzz, and the additional seating options they've cleverly added are great. It can get noisy in the evening though vs. the quieter previous atmosphere.

 

Also a nice touch was the new 'Landing' on Deck 4 where you embark and disembark. It's a small area, but has some design, seating, somewhere drinks were available etc. Makes a more welcoming place to leave in port and return to than the old system of entering what felt like a functional space or straight into the lift / elevator lobby.

 

Overall, anyone who has cruised on Princess a few times before will feel at home very quickly I think. There's more of the ship you'll recognise and feel at home in than is different. It feels like evolution and natural progress rather than anything radically different. Finding our way round was easy, and I didn't feel any more or less confusing to navigate than any other ship.

 

Food: Everyone's taste varies, but we ate well. With one exception, meals in the Dining Room were good. The Crown Grill and Alfredos maintained their usual high standards. We very much enjoyed the new American Diner takeover of the top floor of the Dining Room. We had brunch here on both sea days and dinner one evening. Try the milkshakes, try the pancakes. Really enjoyed. Also appreciated the increased number of Lido options (salads, more Mexican inspired options) and the outside promenade options too. We prebooked a private table for 2 every evening in advance via the App now issues, and while there could sometimes be a bit of a wait to be seated (around 10 minutes) this is a first world problem and didn't spoil our enjoyment. I think the chefs could be more liberal with their use of chilli and spice.

 

Entertainment: I think the Princess Arena is a good space, and the 'in the round' seating means you feel closer to the action. We saw one production show: the 80s music pirate themed one. It was technically impressive and entertaining (if you've ever wanted to see a camp pirate, with giant lit up Trident perform Aerosmith & Run-D.M.C.'s Walk this Way, this is the show for you!) although the story was nonsensical and required several minutes of narration to make any sense of. Still entertaining. A show in the new Dome - Blue - was visually stunning and moving. Two good guest performers, one doing Queen songs and another Postmodern Jukebox style were excellent. There was also an underwhelming country rock one that felt dated. Plenty of the usual quizzes, port talks etc as well. We tended to arrive in the Arena and Princess Live 10/15 minutes before start and were able to get seats no problem.

 

Service: Without exception, we had good service from everyone we dealt with. We had some standout interactions too: from our cabin steward who spotted my running shoes which started a conversation about a a shared interest, to a new waitress on board only since Saturday sharing her perspective of the new ship, to the bar staff who seem to be able to remember 100s of faces and drinks. Can't fault or criticise anyone we dealt with.

 

Drawbacks and Concerns: You'll have gathered, we enjoyed the cruise a great deal. Of course, nothing in life is perfect and a few things we liked less:

 

• The casino already smells strongly of smoke. We played for 10 minutes or so, but didn't feel comfortable in the space and moved on.
• The patter would sometimes be updated over the course of the cruise, or the paper and App version didn't match. This led to a mix up about what nights the American Diner was open (it was listed as open one evening, but when we went was actually serving the main Dining Room menu) and not knowing there was a show in the Dome one evening as it was in the paper but not App listing.
• The gym hasn't got any bigger than from the previous ships, and with the extra passengers, was busy. Used the running track instead.
• And while the Dome is a great venue, it's often closed late afternoon as they convert it for evening use as an entertainment venue. The shows here are good, but takes it 'out of action' for many hours as they set-up and rehearse.

 

Overall: We had a relaxing, enjoyable time, and with good food and service. The 'magic' of a cruise - checking in once, and finding that your floating 4* hotel delivers you most days to a new city - was alive and well. We found plenty of things we liked from past Princess Cruises, and some new things too. Future Cruise Deposit put down - we'd sail on the Sun (or Star) if the itinerary was right, but would happily do one of the other ships too.

[Leo37]

Also wanted to share some photos from our travels - some of the ship and a few of the ports of call. We visited Gibraltar, Marseille, Genoa (our favourite) and La Spezia. We started in Barcelona where we had a few enjoyable days beforehand, but fly straighthome from Rome.

 

Our large balcony - actually larger in person than it appears:

 

Inside the cabin view:

 

The production show that now goes with the Captain's Champagne waterfall on formal night:

 

Gibraltar:

 

Brunch in the American Diner - I can recommend the po' boy:

 

Marseille in the sunshine:

 

The old port in Marseille:

 

Genoa waterfront:

 

Cattedrale di San Lorenzo in Genoa:

 

Sun Princess is hiding on the right hand side:

 

Great corn side dish in the American Diner:

 

Menu for the Diner:

 

Pudding - always the best bit 🙂

 

Sun Princess docked in La Spezia:

 

The Blue show in the Dome:

Edited July 22 by Leo37

[LACruiser88]

Thank you for taking the time for your review.  We are booked in a Sanctuary Collection Mini Suite for a 30-day Med/TA in October of 2025.  We wanted to make sure we gave them time to work out any kinks before we tried this new class of ship.  Your review gives us confidence that prior negative issues are being corrected.  🙂

[Leo37]

Finally, just wanted to share a few tips for anyone else yet to sail on the Sun:

 

1. 1) Try the seaview bar at the front of deck 17 - it's in front of the Dome. On our sailing, this was for adults 16+. Lots of seating of different types, pool, hot tubs, a bar that wasn't too busy (and the Dome's own bar - Cascades, I think, even quieter).
2.  

2) The buffet is split into two areas. The back section - near the Butcher Block and Catch seating - was always quieter than the front section. More relaxed experienced. P.S. - we liked that the buffet is now served to you by staff. More hygenic, and elevated the experience.

 

3) Try the promendade dining and seating - it extends the buffet outside. Burgers, pizza, ice cream etc all available. The pizza was different to the Lido options - served on a thicker base. We liked both!

 

4) Right at the back of the ship are panoramic elevators / lifts. Worth trying once for the impressive aft views.

 

5) Try the American Diner on the top floor of the Horizon's Dining Room. Different menu (fixed and served all day) and great for a brunch or more casual dinner. Some of the best food we had was here and seemed to be a 'hidden' secret. Never too busy.

[Leo37]

8 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

Thank you for taking the time for your review.  We are booked in a Sanctuary Collection Mini Suite for a 30-day Med/TA in October of 2025.  We wanted to make sure we gave them time to work out any kinks before we tried this new class of ship.  Your review gives us confidence that prior negative issues are being corrected.  🙂

 

Sounds fantastic - 30 days plenty to explore the ship and enjoy all those Sanctuary collection benefits. Any questions (or if anyone else has any) happy to answer.

[555]

41 minutes ago, Leo37 said:

Food: Everyone's taste varies, but we ate well. With one exception, meals in the Dining Room were good. The Crown Grill and Alfredos maintained their usual high standards. We very much enjoyed the new American Diner takeover of the top floor of the Dining Room. We had brunch here on both sea days and dinner one evening. Try the milkshakes, try the pancakes. Really enjoyed. Also appreciated the increased number of Lido options (salads, more Mexican inspired options) and the outside promenade options too. We prebooked a private table for 2 every evening in advance via the App now issues, and while there could sometimes be a bit of a wait to be seated (around 10 minutes) this is a first world problem and didn't spoil our enjoyment. I think the chefs could be more liberal with their use of chilli and spice.

That sounds interesting for dessert. Were they ordered from the wait staff or using the app?

[Leo37]

From the wait staff. Great one with coffee, tiramisu and donuts. All included in the base fare (e.g. no charge if not on Plus or Premier).

[dides]

Great review - we also loved the Seaview Terrace and the Promenade food options- mmm that rustic pizza! And really enjoyed those panoramic - or Willy Wonka - elevators (as the crew call them).

 

Did you do a few of the trivia quizzes? If so, how did you get on?.

 

Edited July 22 by dides

[Esprit]

Thanks @Leo37

Great tips too.

We are on the Sun in 18 days time and plan to use the Sea view terrace and bar often. Our cabin is on Deck 15 below it so perfectly positioned.

We’ve done our itinerary many times so the ship is the real point of our holiday and to get away from the rubbish U.K. weather!

[Esprit]

Did you try the Umai Teppanyaki restaurant or Sabatini’s?
How hot was the food in the MDR?

[voljeep]

1 minute ago, Esprit said:

Did you try the Umai Teppanyaki restaurant or Sabatini’s?
How hot was the food in the MDR?

we are doing Umai as a shared table?  seems like the right thing to do.

[Esprit]

Just now, voljeep said:

we are doing Umai as a shared table?  seems like the right thing to do.

That’s our plan too. We are not foodies so I’m hoping it will be an entertaining experience with others sitting around watching the process.

 

[PacnGoNow]

Great positive review.  Appreciate you taking the time with a very informative review of the Sun.

[startedwithamouse]

The decor on the new ships is like a breath of fresh air. They need to do a facelift of the older ships and get rid of that dated dark and depressing decor.  

[jennybenny]

Thank you @Leo37, this is just what I was looking for about the Sun princess! We are doing the same itinerary in a couple of weeks and our main goal is enjoying the ship. 

 

A couple of questions, if you get a chance.

What time did you arrive to the Barcelona port for boarding? 

Why was Genoa your favorite? Did you do a tour that you enjoyed your you just enjoy touring the Cathedral?

Was it easy to get to the Old Port in Marseille? We were planning on getting a taxi, as I wasn't sure it would be a safe walk. 

Thank you and I love the details on the ship and your experience. 

 

[CruzerDeb]

2 hours ago, Leo37 said:

 

 

5) Try the American Diner on the top floor of the Horizon's Dining Room. Different menu (fixed and served all day) and great for a brunch or more casual dinner. Some of the best food we had was here and seemed to be a 'hidden' secret. Never too busy.

Thanks for the review and all the great tips! I’ll be on her in 39 days and can’t wait! Can I just show up at the American Diner, or do I need reservations?

[Leo37]

1 hour ago, dides said:

Great review - we also loved the Seaview Terrace and the Promenade food options- mmm that rustic pizza! And really enjoyed those panoramic - or Willy Wonka - elevators (as the crew call them).

 

Did you do a few of the trivia quizzes? If so, how did you get on?.

 

We did some. I think our highest was 15/20 which was far from a winning score. Some were tough! Have a few of the fabulous prizes from previous cruises, so not too upset not to do better!

[Leo37]

1 hour ago, Esprit said:

Did you try the Umai Teppanyaki restaurant or Sabatini’s?
How hot was the food in the MDR?

I'm sorry no. They looked popular, and Sabatini's particularly in a very nice looking venue. Food that was supposed to be hot in the MDR was. We enjoyed our meals and had good service. One bland chicken dish, but otherwise we were happy.

[Leo37]

1 hour ago, startedwithamouse said:

The decor on the new ships is like a breath of fresh air. They need to do a facelift of the older ships and get rid of that dated dark and depressing decor.  

Something we noticed on the Sky Vs old Royal ships like the Royal and Regal too. Brighter more modern colours. So agree with you 

[Leo37]

1 hour ago, jennybenny said:

Thank you @Leo37, this is just what I was looking for about the Sun princess! We are doing the same itinerary in a couple of weeks and our main goal is enjoying the ship. 

 

A couple of questions, if you get a chance.

What time did you arrive to the Barcelona port for boarding? 

Why was Genoa your favorite? Did you do a tour that you enjoyed your you just enjoy touring the Cathedral?

Was it easy to get to the Old Port in Marseille? We were planning on getting a taxi, as I wasn't sure it would be a safe walk. 

Thank you and I love the details on the ship and your experience. 

 

Hi, hope you have a great cruise. Happy to try and answer your questions.

 

We got to Barcelona port about midday. There was an alarming looking queue out the door, but that was for people without luggage tags. Everything moved quickly, and made it from taxi, through security, collecting medallion, dodging the photo opp, dropping bags, to being sat down for a civilised lunch in 45 minutes.

 

Genoa felt like 'real' Italy. Lots of history, Vespas everywhere, washing hanging over the streets etc. But without the tourist crowds of Florence or Venice. We explored ourselves. Walk out the port, turn right and after 5 minutes of a dodgy walk alongside a busy road, you're into the redeveloped water front on your right or old city on the left.

 

In Marseille, we paid Princess about 15 dollars each for the shuttle bus. Dropped us right near where the old town starts (the Cathedrale La Major). From there, probably about a ten minute very easy, safe walk to the old town harbour. Marseille has a poor reputation, but the central old town part felt busy with tourists, relatively affluent and is hosting some of the Olympics sailing events and football. So I think a safe time and place to visit.

 

Have a great cruise. Any more questions, happy to answer!

 

 

Edited July 22 by Leo37

[paddingtonbear]

Great review, thank you. 
it would be great if you also post part of this review in the Sky princess review section to give a more balanced view of the existing reviews. 
 

Edited July 22 by paddingtonbear

[Leo37]

17 hours ago, CruzerDeb said:

Thanks for the review and all the great tips! I’ll be on her in 39 days and can’t wait! Can I just show up at the American Diner, or do I need reservations?

Sorry to miss this yesterday - no reservations, just turn up when you're hungry! We had brunch about 11:00 on two sea days, and dinner about 19:00 one evening and just walked in and were sat right away. 38 days to go, enjoy!

[HMSDingy]

Great review. My sister is on the Sun right now and this is her first Princess cruise having sailed on may cruises with HAL. She mentioned that she finds the food on HAL better and so-so on the Sun. . We are Platinum with Princess but we also have sailed with HAL and find the opposite on the two cruises we had with HAL. The food was in one word, MEH. 

[Leo37]

I think food is so subjective, and on a ship like the Sun served across a dozen different venues, three or four times a day, by 100s of staff. Entirely possible on any cruise someone is having great food, great service while someone else is unlucky or ordered badly, and gets bad food, bad service etc.

[zyx2008]

We just got off the Sun Princess after 14 days, and I agree 100%.  It's a fantastic ship.  Our favorite to date.  We loved lunch at the American Diner and ate there every sea day.  We also loved the Eatery, and ended up there 9 out of the 14 nights.  We found that the MDR took too long for us to get to all of the fun evening activities that my family wanted to attend.