Sun Princess - I love this boat - Review with Photos

[Esprit]

It’s great that there are so many restaurant choices.

I'm not a fan of the buffet and will unlikely eat in the American diner on deck 8.

We’ll hopefully enjoy traditional dining on deck 6 at 7.30 pm mixed in with a visit to Sabatini’s and the Teppanyaki venue.

Might try Alfredo’s but with two visits to Naples I’d rather have the real Italian pizza at our favourite Pizzeria we found tucked away from the tourist tracks.

[Leo37]

Enjoy your cruise. Real, authentic pizza in Naples sounds fantastic. Lucky enough to have visited that city three times, and agree the pizza really is superb.

[The_Force]

Thanks for the review and information.  We’re on the Sun Oct. 14th sailing.  Can’t wait to check out the ship!

[KimberlyC]

On 7/22/2024 at 12:30 PM, Leo37 said:

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:

Fabulous review and photos. Thank you. I’m booked on the last 7 day Mediterranean sailing from Athens to Barcelona 9/7-9/14. First cruise on Princess and so far there have been a few hiccups including a port change and inability to book dining reservations for any decent time. I spoke with a supervisor who said they are having system issues even though sailings before 9/14 and all Sun sailings shouldn’t be affected by the system upgrades.
 

So I’m wondering, were there long wait times for Main Dining on Deck 7? Also were there 2 formal nights? We have 2 sea days and I assumed they would both be formal nights, but I’ve not sailed Princess before. 
 

TIA

[KimberlyC]

9 hours ago, Leo37 said:

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.

Fabulous review and photos. Thank you. I’m booked on the last 7 day Mediterranean sailing from Athens to Barcelona 9/7-9/14 before the ship transitions. It’s my first cruise on Princess and so far there have been a few little hiccups including a port change and inability to book dining reservations for any decent time. I spoke with a supervisor who said they are having system issues even though sailings before 9/14 and all Sun sailings shouldn’t be affected by the system upgrades.
 

So I’m wondering, were there long wait times for Main Dining on Deck 7 without reservations? Also were there 2 formal nights? We have 2 sea days and I assumed they would both be formal nights, but I’ve not sailed Princess before. 
 

TIA

[Leo37]

7 hours ago, KimberlyC said:

Fabulous review and photos. Thank you. I’m booked on the last 7 day Mediterranean sailing from Athens to Barcelona 9/7-9/14 before the ship transitions. It’s my first cruise on Princess and so far there have been a few little hiccups including a port change and inability to book dining reservations for any decent time. I spoke with a supervisor who said they are having system issues even though sailings before 9/14 and all Sun sailings shouldn’t be affected by the system upgrades.
 

So I’m wondering, were there long wait times for Main Dining on Deck 7 without reservations? Also were there 2 formal nights? We have 2 sea days and I assumed they would both be formal nights, but I’ve not sailed Princess before. 
 

TIA

Hope you have a great first cruise with Princess. I'm sorry about the port changes.

 

Re dining, yes there was a queue for non reservations, but staff pretty efficient at dealing with the queue. We had a reservation for 7:20 on Deck 7 and something I noticed was then sometimes suggesting to people to get a drink and come back about 20 minutes later at 7:40. That's after the second sitting in the traditional Deck 6 seating so they could reuse empty tables there.

 

If you haven't been able to reserve in advance, worth asking on first day on board. They usually can make things work, make reservations on board etc.

[jennybenny]

Are the casual options open for lunch? Sea days? all days?

Just curious. 

Thank you,

Jenny

[Leo37]

Sea day opening hours 

[Leo37]

Port days:

[Ombud]

On 7/22/2024 at 9:28 AM, Leo37 said:

... 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 ...

Was there a surcharge for the American Diner or milkshakes there? I don't see that listed on the menu but maybe its too small to see on the phone (boarding Sun Princess Sept 23rd)

[Leo37]

12 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Was there a surcharge for the American Diner or milkshakes there? I don't see that listed on the menu but maybe its too small to see on the phone (boarding Sun Princess Sept 23rd)

No charge at all - either for food or the milkshakes.  I liked the Coffee & Donut one, my wife the Strawberry Shortcake one.  There's also a Coca-Cola Float and Rootbeer Float if you want a Diner classic.

[LJRF]

Hi

Great review and information, thank you. We are on the Oct 26th cruise for 2 weeks.

I'm wondering what time princess live ends for the night, our cabin is below it, and I’m nervous about the noise.

[555]

3 hours ago, Leo37 said:

No charge at all - either for food or the milkshakes.  I liked the Coffee & Donut one, my wife the Strawberry Shortcake one.  There's also a Coca-Cola Float and Rootbeer Float if you want a Diner classic.

I to have never seen it advertised but it does sound tempting.

I'm surprised that they don't charge extra for the shakes. 

[Leo37]

1 hour ago, LJRF said:

Hi

Great review and information, thank you. We are on the Oct 26th cruise for 2 weeks.

I'm wondering what time princess live ends for the night, our cabin is below it, and I’m nervous about the noise.

I think the last events finish at 23:45, sometimes a comedian at 23:00, sometimes karaoke at 23:00. Hopefully on a modern ship there's good sound proofing.

[Leo37]

5 minutes ago, 555 said:

I to have never seen it advertised but it does sound tempting.

I'm surprised that they don't charge extra for the shakes. 

I was pleasantly surprised too. Maybe I shouldn't have posted and alerted Princess to the fact they could be making a Premier / Plus inclusion! 😂

[dog]

12 hours ago, Leo37 said:

I was pleasantly surprised too. Maybe I shouldn't have posted and alerted Princess to the fact they could be making a Premier / Plus inclusion! 😂

Leo,

 

was your cabin a D0 aft category?

did you get any signature upgrades and benefits, as advertised back when you booked it?

 

What cabin number?

 

can you post cabin pics and info in the sticky thread at top of page.

 

thanks for sharing.

[Leo37]

13 minutes ago, dog said:

Leo,

 

was your cabin a D0 aft category?

did you get any signature upgrades and benefits, as advertised back when you booked it?

 

What cabin number?

 

can you post cabin pics and info in the sticky thread at top of page.

 

thanks for sharing.

Hi dog, well remembered, yes it was booked as having signature upgrades. As expected though, that was a mistake. We were able to book the Signature Dining Room originally, but those reservations were deleted. We didn't try the lounge or Sanctuary but strongly, strongly suspect we would have been politely turned away. In the changes to the Sun from later this year, it's one of four balcony cabins to get those benefits.

 

We weren't too surprised or upset. I think we paid £8 (about 10 USD) a night for the bigger balcony and location we liked, and that seemed like a good deal with or without the extra benefits. Balcony was huge with our own sun loungers as well as normal seats and table 

[dog]

22 minutes ago, Leo37 said:

Hi dog, well remembered, yes it was booked as having signature upgrades. As expected though, that was a mistake. We were able to book the Signature Dining Room originally, but those reservations were deleted. We didn't try the lounge or Sanctuary but strongly, strongly suspect we would have been politely turned away. In the changes to the Sun from later this year, it's one of four balcony cabins to get those benefits.

 

We weren't too surprised or upset. I think we paid £8 (about 10 USD) a night for the bigger balcony and location we liked, and that seemed like a good deal with or without the extra benefits. Balcony was huge with our own sun loungers as well as normal seats and table 

My D0aft now says I am sanctuary collection & the sanctuary & signature rest is included. That was why I chose this location.

Sorry they did not give you something extra.  I am booked in 3 specialty dining so am happy with that and the signature restaurant is still showing my reservations.

glad to see your positive experiences.

[Leo37]

3 minutes ago, dog said:

My D0aft now says I am sanctuary collection & the sanctuary & signature rest is included. That was why I chose this location.

Sorry they did not give you something extra.  I am booked in 3 specialty dining so am happy with that and the signature restaurant is still showing my reservations.

glad to see your positive experiences.

Well done you! When do you sail? Is it after the changes come in? Or before?

[dog]

26 minutes ago, Leo37 said:

Well done you! When do you sail? Is it after the changes come in? Or before?

End of October. Can’t wait!

[colsky]

36 minutes ago, Leo37 said:

Well done you! When do you sail? Is it after the changes come in? Or before?

I saw a YouTuber yesterday say that the restaurants will be moving around. Rudi's and Dario's moving from the buffet area into their own restaurants, and Crown Grill moving into the American Diner. I don't know if this is part of the October changes, or if that means that the American Diner is going.

[Leo37]

Just now, colsky said:

I saw a YouTuber yesterday say that the restaurants will be moving around. Rudi's and Dario's moving from the buffet area into their own restaurants, and Crown Grill moving into the American Diner. I don't know if this is part of the October changes, or if that means that the American Diner is going.

I'm not sure the YouTuber has that right. The rumour here is that Rudi and Dario are moving into the current Signature and Reserve restaurants, those two get combined into the top floor of the Horizon's Dining Room [the MDR] where the Americna Diner is, and the American Diner moves into the back part of the buffet [where Rudi and Dario are currently.]

 

If the Crown Grill moved to the American Diner it would be absolutely huge - much bigger than any other speciality restaurant I've ever seen.

 

I really hope the American Diner stays somewhere. A great addition and gives a nice casual, alternative option.

[Esprit]

1 hour ago, Leo37 said:

I'm not sure the YouTuber has that right. The rumour here is that Rudi and Dario are moving into the current Signature and Reserve restaurants, those two get combined into the top floor of the Horizon's Dining Room [the MDR] where the Americna Diner is, and the American Diner moves into the back part of the buffet [where Rudi and Dario are currently.]

 

That makes much more sense.

[suzyed]

On 7/22/2024 at 12:28 PM, Leo37 said:

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.

Thank you!  Great review!  Not sailing on the Sun until 2026 but really looking forward to it.

[KimberlyC]

On 7/24/2024 at 6:18 AM, Leo37 said:

Hope you have a great first cruise with Princess. I'm sorry about the port changes.

 

Re dining, yes there was a queue for non reservations, but staff pretty efficient at dealing with the queue. We had a reservation for 7:20 on Deck 7 and something I noticed was then sometimes suggesting to people to get a drink and come back about 20 minutes later at 7:40. That's after the second sitting in the traditional Deck 6 seating so they could reuse empty tables there.

 

If you haven't been able to reserve in advance, worth asking on first day on board. They usually can make things work, make reservations on board etc.

Thank you. Were there 2 formal nights? I can tell from the app that as anticipated the first at sea night will be a formal night. I know the port days are all going to be casual because it notes casual portraits taking place on the itinerary, but there’s no mention of the type of photos being taken on the last at sea night before disembarkation or whether it will be casual or formal so I’m trying to plan my packing and have no idea. Most seven night cruise have two formal nights, primarily on sea days, but rarely the night before disembarkation so I’m at a loss and the dissemination of information from Princess is quite honestly pretty poor.