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Princess Cruise Reviews

1 - 10 of 19,616 Princess Cruise Reviews

Sail Date: April 2024

Review for a Europe - Western Mediterranean Cruise on Sky Princess

In summary, a fantastic cruise. Recently, we've sailed with so-called budget lines (MSC\Costa) with an NCL cruise dotted in. Sometimes it's worth paying that bit extra and Princess certainly felt like that. The quality of the food was 1st class (Bit disappointed with Crown Grill to be honest - scallops overcooked but Sabitinis was absolutely fantastic). Buffet selection was superb. ... Read More

Review for a Asia Cruise on Diamond Princess

Japan and busan were delightful, but this boat is a bore! most of the entertainment has been soloists - a juggler, a magician, a pianist, a harmonica player - and this is in the main theater! the ship is small and there aren't many options provided. the same two violinists, one pianist and a small band rotating around doing the same songs over and over. the food has been unimpressive. some ... Read More

Review for a Caribbean - Eastern Cruise on Enchanted Princess

The only good experience was our room housekeeper and our bed. The premium balcony that we bid up for had no footstools, so they brought us little table things. An officer was out smoking in an area that blew his smoke right into our balcony making us go inside. The crew elsewhere in santorini seemed unhappy. we ordered at salty dog-the girl wrote down wrong number, so as we waited for our ... Read More

Review for a Transatlantic Cruise on Regal Princess

Least favourite of Princess ships. Food is of poorer quality even though the dinner menu is the same on all Princess ships. ventilation system is extremely poor. Did they forget about COVID on this ship. Had many issues on ship but these were addressed quickly ie. shower didn’t work, food was cold in dining room and dirty balcony with broken glass. I am now officially turned off Princess cruises. ... Read More

Review for a Mexican Riviera Cruise on Discovery Princess

Okay this is an objective review based upon our direct experience and conversations onboard with other seasoned cruisers aged between 40 and 60. All of the other cruisers we spoke with were couples and most were US citizens, with the other being British, like ourselves. Discovery Princess was immaculately presented, with no signs of wear and tear or damage anywhere. The deluxe balcony cabin ... Read More

Review for a Pacific Coastal Cruise on Discovery Princess

We decided to give Princess a try for the short 3-day cruise and opted fora mini-suite with the plus package. We started out our first day with lunch in the Skagway didning room so we could try the orance souffle. Service was very odd and our waiter seemed like he really was not having a good morning. When the food did finally arrive it was lukewarm and a little bland. It was just okay. The room ... Read More

Sail Date: March 2024

I recently embarked on a voyage with Princess Cruise Line on the Discovery Princess. While the ship itself was beautiful, my overall experience was disappointing and didn’t meet my expectations. The ship lacked a variety of activities for children. They had a multi-purpose court and two ping pong tables, but the equipment was worn down and in need of repair. They didn’t organize many outdoor ... Read More

Traveled with children

Review for a Australia & New Zealand Cruise on Royal Princess

There were 10 of us that cruised this time. This was our 3rd Princess cruise, this time from Sydney to Hobart-Port Arthur-Kangaroo Island. We had smooth sailing for the first half and lumpy seas with a swell for the second half. On the final leg we sailed through a meeting of three rain events the caused us to be late in getting into Sydney Harbour. The pilot boat couldn’t get out to ... Read More

Review for a Europe - Eastern Mediterranean Cruise on Sun Princess

This was the third sailing of the vessel, so a bunch of stuff was not yet operational which is why she gets 4 out of 5. The itinerary was great, the staff was some of the best drawn from across the Princess fleet and it showed. The ship was brand new and gorgeous, and the glass door showers, sofas in balcony rooms, and revolutionary smart elevators were welcomed innovations that made the trip more ... Read More

Traveled with disabled person

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Bigger ship, better views: 3 takeaways from Princess Cruises' newest vessel

I was rushing to make my dinner reservation on Princess Cruises’ new ship. But when I arrived at the restaurant, the view made me stop.

From the windows at the sushi eatery Makoto Ocean – part of a sphere-shaped structure near the middle of the vessel – I saw the sun sinking below the horizon, a reddish-orange dot on the Mediterranean Sea. The Sun Princess facilitates scenes like that by design.

“We wanted to make sure that within how we designed the (venues) and placed the furniture, we gave maximum opportunity for our guests to be able to celebrate those outward views,” Denise Saviss, Princess’ vice president of entertainment experience, told USA TODAY. “It is really, really unique to have so much glass on the ship.”

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That was one of several striking features during a recent sailing (the ship is now cruising the Mediterranean before it moves to the Caribbean in October). Here are three takeaways from the first in the line’s aptly named Sphere Class.

1. The design showcases views at sea and in port

Makoto isn’t the only venue that offers that kind of view.

Other spaces inside the Sphere – which also houses lobby-slash-entertainment venue The Piazza – feature similarly sweeping vistas across decks 7, 8 and 9. I watched the light sparkle on the water while I sipped coffee one morning at International Café, and patrons dining at Alfredo’s Pizzeria can take in the scenery during their meal from many seats.

That’s also true elsewhere on the ship. At Horizons Dining Room, floor-to-ceiling windows face the ship’s wake. At the other end of the vessel, the Dome, a geodesic structure that Princess has said was inspired by the hills of Santorini, is like a massive solarium.

The space – which will also host shows including acrobatics – has multiple tiers of loungers, an indoor-outdoor pool and the Cascade Bar (which comes in handy for cooling off, as it felt a bit muggy in the Dome at one point on a sunny sea day).

The overall effect helped to bring the outside in.

2. The ship is bigger but still intimate

Sun Princess is the largest ship in the Princess fleet, and the 21-deck vessel can accommodate 4,300 guests. But that doesn’t mean everything is huge.

Given the scale of the offerings, a number of spaces on board feel notably intimate. One night, I walked to Good Spirits at Sea, a cocktail bar crafted in partnership with mixologist Rob Floyd that also hosts classes, and thought I was lost before stumbling upon it tucked around a corner on Deck 7. Inside, the 40-person venue offered a laid-back alternative to other more boisterous nightlife options.

On Deck 9, the ship’s buffet-like venue, The Eatery, gives way to narrower hallways toward the aft with backlit wood paneling and benches. At the end, they open back up to reveal specialty restaurants The Catch by Rudi and The Butcher’s Block by Dario (from Princess’ head of culinary arts, Rudi Sodamin, and in partnership with famed butcher Dario Cecchini, respectively).

Even the multi-configuration Princess Arena felt cozier than its near-1,000-guest capacity would suggest. I sat in the second-to-last row of my section for a performance by the vocal group ODY·C and was still close enough to see clearly.

3. The line leans into family-friendly activities

Part of Sun Princess’ expanded footprint has been used to broaden the line’s family offerings.

Park19, a new space on the ship’s top decks, features a variety of activities in an open-air setting. Saviss said the line worked to balance the interests of core customers and a growing family market “and make sure we're prioritizing spaces that everybody can enjoy.”

“There are some attractions that I think naturally, at first blush, people would say, ‘Oh, it's just for kids,’ but actually, the space is really comprehensive,” she said. “Our attractions are available for many different levels of ability and mobility.”

Those include Coastal Climb, an obstacle course that culminates in 360-degree views from The Lookout observation deck (the highest point accessible to guests on the ship, also reachable via elevator) and The Net ropes course.

On Sea Breeze, billed as the first Rollglider on a cruise ship, passengers will glide along the outer edges of the ship on an electric track (the ride will also be ADA-accessible, though Saviss said some mobility is required for maneuvering into the seat).

It’s as close as the ship gets to an amusement park (Princess’ version). “We're not running the rat race, if you will, of like, who can do it bigger, better,” Saviss said. “If you want to just have a really incredible bird's-eye view of Sun Princess, and in and around where the ship is sailing, you can do that. But there is an option to push a little lever while you're riding it and dial up the speed a bit faster, and then it does become a bit more thrilling.”

The ride was not yet available when I was on board, as the line moved through a testing, certification and training process, but is expected to open on April 27. Sun Princess’ original launch was delayed with the cruise line citing “additional technical work” needed at the shipyard, which pushed back the opening of some onboard amenities.

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There is also a hammock area to chill when guests need a break, a recreational court that can host activities from pingpong to morning meditation, a jogging track and more. Elsewhere on board, guests will find the Firefly Park kids club and hangout spaces Neon Grove and The Underground for tweens and teens, respectively.

The reporter on this story received access to this sailing from Princess Cruises. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.  

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bigger ship, better views: 3 takeaways from Princess Cruises' newest vessel

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Princess Cruises revolutionizes main dining with 3 unique options

Princess Cruises has unveiled a significant enhancement to its main dining options across its fleet, aimed at providing guests with increased flexibility and choice in their dining experiences. This enhancement introduces 3 distinct table service options – Traditional, Reservable, and Walk-in Anytime – complemented by the brand's exclusive OceanNow location-based service.

In an effort to cater to individual preferences and offer personalized service, Princess will allocate separate dining rooms on each ship for the three table service options. One dining room will be dedicated to traditional dining, offering both early and late seating every evening. Another will provide reservable dining times, while a third will offer open seating to accommodate walk-ins anytime. These options seamlessly integrate with Princess's OceanNow service, allowing guests to order anything, anytime, and have it delivered anywhere onboard.

The decision to make all dining formats available fleetwide follows the success of this approach already implemented aboard the new Sun Princess . The ship introduced a 3-story dining room, with each floor dedicated to a different dining option.

Beginning April 15, 2024, the new dining approach will launch on Princess voyages departing September 14, 2024, and beyond. To facilitate the transition, main dining reservations made for voyages sailing on or after September 14, except for Sun Princess, will be canceled. Existing reservations for voyages through September 13 will remain unaffected.

Starting June 17th, guests with bookings will have the option to use the app before their voyage to select between traditional seating in a dedicated dining room, where they will have the same waiter, table, and time each night, or flexible dining in either the Reservable or Open Seating dining rooms.

These changes do not impact guests booked in specialty dining restaurants or those in suite or reserve collection accommodations, as they already have access to dedicated dining rooms where reservations are not required.