Having cruised on lines like Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Celebrity, and Disney, I decided to embark on a fresh adventure and sail on Princess Cruises' newest ship, Sun Princess, during her inaugural voyage from North America.
Princess Cruises launched Sun Princess in February 2024 as the cruise line's first Sphere Class ship. Measuring 177,882 gross registered tons with a passenger capacity of 4,300 at double occupancy, Sun is Princess's largest ship, surpassing Discovery Princess.
She was designed to leave a lasting impression, from the multi-deck grand Piazza to the stunning Dome that is home to an indoor-outdoor pool during the day and jaw-dropping aerial shows at night.
Having just returned from 8 nights onboard and gotten a good grasp at what the ship has to offer in terms of dining, entertainment, and service, I can say that Sun Princess surpassed my expectations in nearly every way.
The dining experience particularly impressed me. Everything from the Main Dining Room to the specialty restaurants showcased why Sun Princess is called "the greatest foodie destination at sea." For instance, Love by Britto, the cruise line's brand-new artistic-inspired restaurant, cannot be missed. Even the casual Alfredo's Pizza dished up freshly made pizzas with a variety of delicious toppings, including fried onion rings!
Still, not everything about my 8-night voyage left a positive impression. For example, I found embarkation to be a hassle, with snake-like lines winding through the terminal. And while I was impressed with OceanNow, Princess' delivery service that allows guests to order food and drinks directly to their location on the ship, the technology experienced some hiccups.
Despite the minor setbacks, my experience on Sun Princess was fantastic, and I would absolutely take another Princess cruise in the future!
Sun Princess' dining experience left little to be desired
Food is subjective. That said, I was impressed by nearly every meal onboard Sun Princess, from poolside tacos to gourmet dinners in the specialty restaurants. Everything from the fried rice at Umai Teppanyaki to tableside prime rib in the Sanctuary Restaurant and the fresh salad bar on the Lido Deck showcased Princess' commitment to quality.
The complimentary pizza was particularly impressive—though Alfredo's should still be on your must-visit list; the Hot Honey Pie is to die for! While many die-hard Royal Caribbean fans swear by Sorrento's, Princess confirms there's much better pizza at sea.
Not only that, but I became an instant fan of Lido Tacos, dishing up everything from chicken tacos to lamb shawarma and nachos. I loved how fresh and flavorful everything was. Plus, the chicken was perfectly seasoned, and I enjoyed building my own tacos with a variety of toppings like pico de gallo, pickled onions, guacamole, sour cream, and more.
However, I was disappointed by how many complimentary food joints closed at 10:00pm. With cruise lines like Royal, Celebrity, and Carnival offering pizza into the late hours of the night, I expected more flexibility with dining options onboard Sun Princess.
Instead, guests could only choose from the 24-hour International Cafe or the free items on the OceanNow delivery menu. On that note, I did enjoy quite a few roasted turkey sandwiches since pizza wasn't available. My fiancée also applauded the tuna salad sandwich on the OceanNow menu.
Only a few meals didn't live up to expectations
One meal I was looking forward to the most was O'Malley's Irish Pub. Earlier during the week, I smelled the onion rings and hadn't been able to shake the thought of them! I had also read that the Broozy Brownie was a must-try dessert, so I was equally excited to try that!
As a hot spot for live music in the evenings, tables fill up quickly. Thankfully, we snagged one right as a group was finishing their meal. To no surprise, I began with the onion rings; however, after trying the Irish Onion Soup that my fiancée ordered, I regretted my appetizer. The rings weren't terrible, but they also weren't worth writing home about.
I liked the horseradish ranch dipping sauce but found they lacked that crispy texture I hoped for. In contrast, the soup's Guinness-infused broth was rich and flavorful. Princess certainly wasn't shy with the caramelized onions, either.
The burger made up for the disappointing onion rings, but I was even more upset with the dessert. The Boozy Brownie was served cold and dry. It lacked the rich chocolate taste usually associated with brownies, as well as the boozy kick implied by the dessert's name.
The Americana Diner was also a letdown. The creamy mac and cheese was creamy; however, it tasted very processed. Similarly, the tempura cauliflower was bland. To be fair, I should have gone with one of their all-day breakfast items or sticky pork ribs, which I heard great things about.
The shows were great, but the venues weren't large enough to accommodate the number of guests onboard
During my 8 nights onboard, I saw just one aerial show in The Dome. While I might have been able to see a second had the service in O'Malley's been quicker, guests started lining up well in advance, with doors closing 30 minutes before showtime because the venue was already too full.
As mentioned earlier, Sun Princess' capacity at double occupancy is over 4,000, and The Dome can seat just 250 people per performance. Even at 3 shows per night, that's not even one-fourth of the total guests onboard.
Similarly, Princess Live!, a popular venue for karaoke, trivia, game shows, and more, can seat around 200 passengers. After trivia ended, guests would flock in like vultures trying to secure a seat for comedy shows, asking if anyone was planning to leave. When it became evident all seating was filled, passengers began to sit on the floor and stand outside, watching through the divider.
Activities in The Piazza were also popular. Though there are seats on Deck 7, 8, and 9, they fill up quickly for game shows. That said, we enjoyed these events the most. For example, Piazza Pandemonium was essentially a family-friendly version of Royal Caribbean's The Quest. Despite appealing to all ages, that didn't stop the antics from being hilariously entertaining.
Variety acts in the Princess Arena were entertaining and much easier to get into. The theater didn't start to fill up until roughly 15 minutes before showtime; however, if you want front-row seats, I'd recommend getting there at least 30 minutes in advance.
The overall service was also disappointing
I had high expectations for the service on Sun Princess after cruising on Celebrity Ascent, rival Celebrity Cruises' newest ship, twice this year.
While I understand that a new ship can come with growing pains, I assumed they would have worked out most kinks in the eight months since its launch.
On multiple occasions, I noticed service delays, from our meal in O'Malleys—which took nearly two hours—to OceanNow orders being mysteriously canceled. Not only that, but my cabin steward never introduced himself; I had no idea who was servicing my stateroom!
It seemed as though half the cruise was spent waiting in line for something. Many bars required passengers to order their beverages at the Medallion tablet, meaning bartenders weren't rotating and serving the bar first-come, first-serve.
Moreover, OceanNow was flakey. Sometimes, we'd receive an order promptly. Other times, it would take an hour or so for food or drinks to be delivered. One afternoon, I waited an hour for an iced coffee!
That said, the activities staff was impeccable—from Cruise Director Corinne to Assistant Cruise Director Sam. I don't think I've ever enjoyed the entertainment team as much as I did on this cruise. They brought an infectious energy to every event and went out of their way to lead with enthusiasm and ensure everyone felt included.
During the deck party, crew members started jumping in the pool fully clothed and invited passengers to join the fun!
Princess Plus offers guests an exceptional value by bundling popular add-ons for just $60/day
Since Princess isn't an ultra-luxury line, it's not all-inclusive. Outside of complimentary dining options—such as The Eatery (buffet), Main Dining Room, Lido food stalls, and International Cafe—guests may want to budget for specialty dining venues, which often feature unique cuisines and immersive dining experiences. Additionally, alcoholic beverages and Wi-Fi come with extra costs.
Instead of buying popular add-ons individually, Princess makes it easier to budget by offering bundled packages. The lowest tier, Princess Plus, costs just $60 per day and includes 15 alcoholic drinks valued up to $15/day, Wi-Fi for one device, two casual meals, two daily premium desserts, two fitness classes, gratuities, and more. With gratuities costing $17 per day for standard cabins, that's just $43 extra to make your cruise feel more inclusive.
The next tier, Princess Premier, is for guests who want even more perks and flexibility, including unlimited premium beverages, specialty dining, and fitness classes; Wi-Fi for four devices; and more. While more expensive at $90 per day, those who value specialty dining will find it a worthwhile investment.
Read more: Guide to Princess Cruises Drink Packages (2024)
With some cruise lines—namely Royal Caribbean and Carnival—charging upwards of $60 per day just for their drink packages, I was surprised by how competitive Princess's pricing is for their bundled offerings, as they are technically considered an upscale cruise line.
I enjoyed tasty cocktails, premium gelato, specialty pizzas, and more during my cruise and didn't leave feeling nickeled and dimed! It was a refreshing change compared to other cruise experiences I've had recently.
For example, this summer, I sailed on Celebrity Ascent to the Greek Isles. Though I purchased their "All Included" bundle, I had to pay an extra $100 for premium drink and Wi-Fi packages, whereas on Sun Princess, all drinks up to $15 were included. This meant I could indulge in crafted martinis, top-shelf liquor, and more without worrying about hitting a limit! While some beverages did cost more than $15, they were few and far between.
Read more: 5 things I liked better about Princess than Carnival, after my first Princess cruise
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
