I sailed on my first-ever Princess cruise and discovered it was nothing like I imagined.
The upscale cruise line has a reputation for being geared toward older crowds, so as someone in their mid-twenties, I feared I'd find the entertainment lacking and boring. Though I'm not interested in partying into the late hours, I enjoy a lively social scene with fun game shows fueled by audience participation.
I wasn't sure whether that would be the vibe on my Princess cruise, especially if the programming was geared toward older adults. Still, I was confident I'd enjoy my time onboard because of her craft cocktail bars, world-class cuisine, and modern amenities.
After spending 8 nights on the brand-new Sun Princess, I found that Princess' onboard experience was far from what I envisioned. Though Princess is far from brands like Carnival, I appreciated the relaxed atmosphere and found it less overwhelming than party ships.
Of course, there's a reason lines like Carnival are so popular. Everyone has different vacation preferences, and just because someone enjoys the rowdier crowds on Carnival doesn't make them wrong.
In fact, I took my first Carnival cruise aboard Carnival Celebration and realized why the line remains a favorite for so many. However, at the end of the day, I prefer what Princess offers regarding food, amenities, and entertainment, even if I'm not necessarily their target audience.
Popular, lively activities
Perhaps the most surprising part about my Princess cruise was how lively the ship became at night. Everything from silent discos to comedians, original shows, karaoke sessions, variety acts, and more kept the energy alive into the late hours.
My favorite activities were the game shows led by Cruise Director Corinne and Assistant Cruise Director Sam. Piazza Pandemonium, for example, was essentially a family-friendly version of Royal Caribbean's adult game show, The Quest. The antics were entertaining, with passengers—myself included—crawling around on the floor like hound dogs!
I also enjoyed watching The Marriage Match game show and the guest dance competition. Plus, after Viva La Música, an original production show in the theater, ended, passengers flooded to the floor for a dance party with the cast. It looked like a scene from a hot new club!
In short, the activities line-up wasn't the trivia and lecture-heavy schedule I envisioned. The only thing I wish was different was the size of the venues.
For instance, The Dome, which is unique to Sun Princes, can only seat 250 guests per performance though the vessel can accommodate over 4,000 passengers. Princess Live! is another popular venue for events like game shows, karaoke, trivia, and comedy shows. However, there's only seating for around 200 guests.
The dining left little to be desired
Dining is subjective. What pleases my palette might be someone else's least favorite food.
That said, I was blown away by the quality of the food aboard Sun Princess. Everything from the lump crab cakes at The Catch to the freshly carved prime rib in the Sanctuary Restaurant was exceptional and exceeded my expectations of cruise ship food.
The fast-casual bites were particularly impressive, including the poolside tacos, salad bar, and pizza. For an upscale line, I didn't expect daytime dining to feel so casual, but I loved it!
Still, if you're cruising on Sun Princess, don't pass up the opportunity to dine at the specialty restaurant Alfredo's. I'm dreaming about the Hot Honey Pie months later!
The only meals that weren't quite a home run were O'Malley's, the Americana Diner, and my surf & turf from The Catch.
Other than those few missteps, the overall dining experience on Princess was superior to other mainstream cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and MSC.
Read more: I ate at 6 specialty restaurants on Princess’ newest ship. Here’s how they rank
Nicely appointed accommodations
I stayed in two staterooms on Sun Princess: a Premium Deluxe Balcony Cabin and a Cabana Mini-Suite.
Overall, the two cabins were more similar than not. The biggest differences were the décor and layout with the bed closer to the balcony in the Mini-Suite.
However, everything about the staterooms felt luxurious, and the attention to detail was impeccable.
I loved the automatic floor lightning that illuminated the cabin at night. The Dry Bar hair dryer and premium Beekman 1802 toiletry products were also a plus.
Though compact, I loved how thoughtfully designed the bathroom was. The spacious shower made it easy to freshen up without worrying about hitting my elbows, and the ample storage kept everything organized and within reach. It never felt cluttered!
Which was better? Well, I preferred the location and perks of my Mini-Suite. Being on Deck 9 meant we were steps away from the Piazza, making navigating Princess' largest ship a breeze.
Plus, I loved having access to the Sanctuary Restaurant, which provided a more upscale dining experience compared to the equally beautiful Main Dining Room.
The Cabana deck was also a perk. It was nice being located near a private hot tub! However, the Mini-Suite didn't have a traditional balcony, so there was no clear ocean view.
It felt strange to pay over $5,000 for a stateroom with an obstructed view and lack of privacy.
In comparison, the Premium Deluxe Balcony was nearly identical, minus the cabana and Mini-Suite perks.
The expansive balcony was nice, too. I enjoyed starting my morning with room service breakfast and a view as we sailed into Nassau.
Both cabins were great in the end; however, I'm not sure I'd pay for the Cabana Mini-Suite again. We didn't spend enough time on the private deck to justify the extra cost.
And with so many delicious specialty restaurants onboard, dining in the Sanctuary Restaurant isn't a must-do. I'd rather eat at Umai, The Catch, Love by Britto, the Crown Grill, or Sabatini's!
Read more: How 25,000 meals a day are made on Princess' largest cruise ship
Amazing value
Let's face it—cruising has gotten so expensive! From higher fares to add-ons like Wi-Fi and drink packages, it's easy to spend more on a cruise vacation in 2025 than a few years ago. However, that doesn't mean it isn't affordable if you look at the right deals!
While the Cabana Mini-Suite wasn't budget-friendly, Princess Plus—one of the cruise line's two inclusive fares—was. For just $60 per person, per day, Princess Plus included Wi-Fi, gratuities, two daily premium desserts, alcoholic beverages, two fitness classes, two casual specialty meals, and a waived OceanNow delivery fee.
All passengers must pay mandatory daily gratuities regardless of whether they book Princess Plus or Princess Premier. For my Cabana Mini-Suite, they would have cost $18/day, making the daily price for Princess Plus around $42.
The upgrade was absolutely worth it for the drink package and Wi-Fi alone. Some cruise lines, including Carnival, charge over $80/day for their beverage package.
Not only that but internet packages are an extra cost, too. When sailing on Carnival, you could easily spend over $100 per day on drink and Wi-Fi packages before you factor gratuities in!
I loved Princess Plus so much that I'd consider upgrading to Princess Premier on future cruises, which includes an unlimited beverage package and specialty dining visits.
Though it's more expensive at $90/day, considering that many specialty restaurants have a cover charge of $45, you'd save even more money with the top-tier package if eating in the intimate venues is on your list.
Read more: 5 things I liked better about Princess than Carnival, after my first Princess cruise
Biggest gripe was that the service didn't meet expectations
Because of Princess' reputation, I expected the service to be top-notch. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
Compared to cruises on Celebrity Ascent and Disney Magic, I found the service underwhelming and more akin to what you might expect on an MSC ship. It didn't seem like the friendly crew members could provide a seamless guest experience because of how overextended they were.
I wasn't expecting anything like a private butler available at my beck and call, but I didn't think I'd have to wait in line for 20+ minutes for a drink at the bar.
Not only were the bar lines long but I had minimal interactions with my cabin steward. The experience wasn't limited to one of my two staterooms, either. I only met each of my stateroom attendants once and spent the majority of the cruise unaware of who was servicing my cabin.
Princess isn't as wild as Carnival or MSC, but it's not exclusively for older cruisers, either
Don't expect a constant party vibe like on Carnival aboard a Princess cruise. However, the atmosphere isn't dead. From lively game shows to captivating production shows and upbeat silent discos, there's plenty to do rather than sitting at trivia sessions or sunbathing on the pool deck.
The average cruiser wasn't in their mid-twenties, but I enjoyed my time on Sun Princess more than some family-friendly lines. For example, though Carnival Celebration has a lot to offer in terms of fast-casual dining, I'd be more likely to book another cruise on Sun Princess versus Celebration.
While that's not to say I didn't enjoy my Carnival Celebration cruise, I just appreciated the quality of the food, general atmosphere, and unique entertainment on Princess.
Plus, Princess has more worldly itineraries, so for someone looking to explore destinations outside of the Caribbean, Princess Cruises is appealing to travelers who want to see more of the world while still embracing all the pros of a cruise vacation.
Read more: Inside Princess Cruises' new suites-only area that is just like an ultra-luxury 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.
