Sun Princess Shipyard Tour: Princess Plays Catch Up & Gets Ahead

With Sun Princess, Princess Cruises is playing catch up to the rest of the cruise industry, adding elements that can already be found on other cruise lines – an outside promenade with al fresco dining; suites-only restaurant, lounge, and pool deck; and food and dining options which are de rigueur across the industry including a Teppanyaki venue and a pub.

None of the changes are revolutionary for either Princess Cruises or the cruise industry. For Princess, specifically, the changes are more evolutionary, as president John Padgett said (via a video call) at the start of a recent shipyard tour of the vessel at the Monfalcone shipyard in Italy.

“The Sun Princess will be our apex expression of Princess. It’s a significant evolution of Princess, but it’s not revolutionary. We’re not trying to be revolutionary. Our guests love our brand. We’re giving them more of everything they like about Princess, while injecting it with new things.”

In order to be the “apex expression” for the brand, Princess did have to go bigger with Sun Princess, which will be the largest ship in the fleet. However, while it’s 20% larger in terms of gross tonnage, it is only 17% larger in terms of passenger capacity (4,300 at double occupancy).

“We’ll have that bigger space-to-guest ratio that will make the ship feel roomier,” said Vicki Johnson, senior vice president of communications for Princess.

While Princess Cruises has lagged a little behind the rest of the industry, with Sun Princess, the line is fully catching up, and even drifting ahead of the curve in a few areas.

The addition of a permanent tender launch location (always on deck 4), that provides for easier embarkation and disembarking, for instance, is something only Celebrity Cruises currently offers.

Spellbound by Magic Castle, an all-new extra-fee entertainment options is unlike anything else at sea. The at-sea version of L.A.’s famous Magic Castle member’s only club feels completely different than the rest of the ship, and is perfect for anyone who enjoys having their mind blown – think Victorian-styling, roving magicians, and jaw-dropping illusions spread across several rooms.

Many of the changes onboard are small details that makes a big difference. Like smart elevators that cut down on the time spent waiting for an elevator, or much higher ceilings in the casino and front lobby that give these parts of the ship an airier feeling. Or, like the transition to all-glass shower doors, three banks of USB (and USC) chargers in each cabin, and the transition from narrow walk-in closets to wardrobes with lots of storage space. 

New & re-imagined venues
Of course, many of the changes are massive. Like the forward Dome, an all-new ship feature that would have been a first for the industry if not for Royal Caribbean announcing a similar feature for Icon of the Seas around the same time as Princess.

In person, the multi-purpose Dome is stunning (and that’s while it’s under construction). Described as being inspired by the terraces of Santorini, The Dome is a light-filled (and air-conditioned) space surrounded by a massive glass dome. Tiered levels of seating encircle a swimming pool by day. The pool, itself, is located half inside the dome and half outside on the outer deck. There is no separation between the halves, and swimmers can wade between the two.

In the evening, the swimming pool is covered by a stage and up to 250 guests at a time can enjoy one of three immersive shows by Canadian circus group Cirque Eloize.

The Dome is one of three major entertainment venues on Sun Princess, as is the re-imagined Piazza (deck 7). Surrounded on two sides by the ship’s exterior Sphere, the central Piazza can be configured in several ways (the stage can be elevated, for instance) in order to provide different experiences, including largescale theater shows or for dancing in the Piazza, a Princess cruisers’ favorite activity.

“Our piazzas on our existing ships are fantastic,” said Richard Parker, director of shipbuild, guest experience, and product development for Princess Cruises, who led our tour of Sun Princess. “But very often we design the Piazza and then put entertainment in it. What we did here is designed an entertainment venue that is a piazza.”

Parker told TMR, Princess conducted a sightline study and learned from mistakes that were made with Carnival Cruise Line’s similar venue, to ensure “great” sightlines for everyone regardless of where they’re sitting in the three-deck venue.

Nearby the Piazza, on deck 7 cruisers will find Coffee Current with its specialty coffees (the International Café moves up to deck 9 on Sun Princess), Bellini’s cocktail bar, and the Signature suites-only restaurant on the bottom level.

On deck 8 within the Sphere is Crooners and Kai Sushi, and on deck 9, at the top of Sphere, is Alfredo’s and the International Cafe. Also nearby on deck 9 is the start of the outdoor Promenade (with al fresco dining spots for Alfredo’s), and the World Fresh Marketplace, which on other ships is located on the upper Lido deck.

Rather than a traditional buffet, Parkers said World Fresh Marketplace will offer “storefronts that will offer different types of food options,” such as grab-and-go sandwiches, Mongolian Grill, vegetarian and vegan offerings, Mediterranean, and more. At the rear of World Fresh Marketplace will be two sections that transform, at night, to the extra fee specialty restaurants The Catch by Rudi and The Butcher’s Block.

The third entertainment venue is the main theater, which on Sun Princess is referred to as the Arena. The 990-passenger Arena can also be configured in multiple ways: as a regular-style (ie proscenium) or keyhole-style theater, or a theater in the round. Additionally, it features oversized, moveable LED screens to add a special F/X element.

Another re-imagined venue onboard Sun Princess is the Horizon main dining room, which has been expanded to three decks at the back of the ship. While each deck will feature the same menu, deck 8 will feature faster in-and-our service, perfect for people who want to make it to a show or families with young kids that can’t sit for long. Deck 6 will be a slightly more formal and longer-lasting dinner service. According to Parker, the large banquet-style restaurant has been carved up into smaller spaces to give diners a more intimate feel.

Like Horizons, which Princess has up-sized on Sun Princess, the casino is also larger than on other ships. It’s 50% larger and has 30% more games, and has some of the tallest ceilings on the ship, which Parker said are needed to accommodate the taller, more elaborate slot machines that are becoming more common in land-based casinos. The casino will also be the first in the Princess fleet to have a 100% fresh-air replenishment system that continuously works to eliminate the smell of cigarettes.

A first for Princess is a so-called Entertainment Zone, just off of the Piazza on deck 7. Here cruisers will find bars like O’Malley’s Irish Pub and Good Spirits at sea. O’Malley’s, which is currently only found on Enchanted Princess. Expanded to a larger size, the pub will feature live entertainment, pub games, and extra-fee pub food. And Good Spirits at Sea, which on other ships is an “experience” in another lounge, has its own dedicated venue.  Also in the Entertainment District is Princess Live; Crown Grill; and the Gelateria, which features an expanded menu of gelato and alcoholic drinks.

Accommodations
Princess has upped its game with accommodations onboard Sun Princess, with the addition of new styles of cabins – Cove Balconies and Cabanas, to name two – as well as an expanded suite offering.

We didn’t get to see much of the cabins during our shipyard tour, though we viewed mock-ups of the interiors of an inside, oceanview, standard balcony, cabana balcony, mini-suite, and suite. We also briefly visited one half of the private Cabana Deck, reserved for cruisers staying in Cabana cabins.

The 76 Cabana cabins are a cool new addition. An evolution of Carnival Cruise Line’s Havana Cabana concept, the Cabana cabins on Sun Princess can be configured either as an interior sun room or an expanded outdoor patio. Cruisers can also choose a Cabana cabin that has an actual balcony. The cabana section of all come with a sofa and extra TV.

Past Princess cruisers will notice some big differences in the cabins. In standard cabins, the narrow walk-in closets that are opposite the entrance to the bathroom have been removed. Instead, cabins now have armoire-style storage with multiple drawers, shelves, and hanging space. Showers all have glass doors and a shaving bar. There are bedside outlets, including USB and USC chargers, on both sides of the bed, as well as outlets and chargers by the desk.

Suites (there are 80 in total) have all been relocated to the back of the ship. Suite cruisers have access to the Signature Restaurant, two-deck Signature Concierge Lounge, and an outdoor Signature sun deck.

A few other notable moves past Princess cruisers will notice: The Sanctuary has been moved up and aft to deck 18; the spa has been broken up with the Enclave and treatment rooms on decks 5 and 6, and the hair and nail salon, and fitness center, at the top of the ship on deck 18.