This is what it's actually like to go on a Sun Princess cruise
Full disclosure – I didn’t really think cruises were ever for me. The only person I’d ever known to set sail across the seven seas for a holiday is my 70-year-old mother Sheila, who hadn’t made cruising (no, not that sort of cruising, you animals) sound appealing. Her time on a cruise ship sounded more like a calamity of errors than a nice, relaxing holiday – accompanied by another silver-haired friend, Sheila’s adventures at sea saw her and a series of other pensioners effectively sit around eating food for several days, before Sheila succumbed to seasickness. Her hair lank, bags under her eyes and an inability to keep any food down, Sheila was forced to head to the onboard doctor’s office, where she was deftly administered an injection into her left buttock. Sickness abated, but fed up of being adrift at sea, she shot off the cruise when they docked at Southampton. Sheila has not been on a cruise since.
So, unsurprisingly, a five day cruise on Sun Princess cruise’s next generation ship filled me with little enthusiasm, expecting to feel suffocated and seasick. However, after five days on board, I immediately take back all my reservations about cruises. They are holidays comprising two halves, to be entirely curated at your leisure. Whether you want a relaxing break sipping cocktails by various pools or Jacuzzis, or a cultural excursion by day to be followed by gourmet food and late night dancing, the world (or the ocean) is your oyster.
A cruise is more than just a floating hotel – it’s a city on the sea where anything goes. We’re converted cruisers; here’s what it’s actually like to go on a Sun Princess cruise holiday…
What actually is a Sun Princess cruise?
Forget Below Deck – this is not some small on-sea bungalow for the super-rich: this is a newly built sphere-class ship that would put even the most luxurious hotel to shame. With an astonishing 21 decks (that’s floors to us ground-dwellers), the ship holds 4300 guests, 1600 staff and plenty to see and do while at sea – you could spend days on board and still be finding restaurants and bars you’ve yet to enjoy.
The facilities on board include five spas, nine hot tubs, five pools, two on board theatres, pubs, two floors of shops, a casino and even a cinema, so there’s plenty to cram in when you’re at sea.
The cruise’s outdoor sections have been architecturally inspired by the terraces of Santorini, with its open concept allowing for guests to enjoy the expansive ocean views (and makes for a great Instagram shot).
Where does a Sun Princess cruise go?
Cosmopolitan UK’s trip on the Sun Princess was a shortened version of their Mediterranean tour; we boarded in Athens and explored the Turkish port town of Kuşadası, Crete and Santorini before docking in Rome.
But there are other options if you want to explore beyond European shores. There are both five, seven, nine and 14 day trips to the Caribbean, with some voyages stopping in Mexico and Florida, as well as other sun-soaked locations.
However, it’s the Mediterranean tours which Sun Princess does best – with some of the more extensive voyages lasting a staggering 26 days, destinations include: Barcelona, Naples, Sicily, Montenegro and Mykonos.
The shorter cruises can come in at £479 per person, while the 21 day trip around the Mediterranean is £2749 per person for a standard room. When you bear in mind how many places you visit and how long you’d be away from, the price is fairly reasonable (it would work out at around £130 a night for accommodation, which is not too shabby at all).
What are the food and drink options like on a Sun Princess cruise?
Think all of the world’s best restaurants are available on dry land? Think again. The Sun Princess boasts an incredible array of onboard premiere eateries, with menus devised by the food industry’s most in-demand chefs. Among the numerous eateries aboard, some highlights include The Catch by Rudi, one of the Sun Princess’s flagship restaurants. With the menu devised by decorated American chef Rudi Sodamin, passengers can sample generous portions of freshly caught seafood; we recommend the Seafood Platter made up of prawns, muscles, oysters and lobster meat, as well as their Catch of the Day, which was a soft and light sea bream during our visit.
Of course, if seafood isn’t your bag, then you may fancy a visit to Sabatini’s - the onboard slice of little Italy. However, there’s nothing little at all about this six course dinner, which comes paired with authentic Italian wine. The braised short rib with penne pasta was a delectable pasta course, topped only by the 10 ounce strip steak for as the secondi piatti, you’ll be heading back to your cabin with a very full belly.
But the most dedicated carnivores need to stop by the Butchers Block by world famous butcher Dario Cecchini. While you just know all the steaks will be the best, the unexpected highlight of this restaurant is their Tuscan bread paired with the burro del chianti - a specialised pork ‘butter’. Definitely not one for the vegetarians out there, but if anything is going to convince you to come back to the meat-eating side, it’s this.
And for those who like their dinner to come with a side of theatre should be sure to book in at Umai Teppanyaki. The Japanese cuisine is defined by good humoured chefs who slice and dice meat, fish and vegetables on the iron “Teppan” grill that serves as their stage. The pork belly and the filet mignon are unmissable, ideally paired with the spicy Wasabi cocktail.
What can you do on board a Sun Princess cruise?
Or rather, what can’t you do. A ship with 21 decks was hardly going to be short of activities (there’s just so much room for them, after all).
If you’re sun-starved (like pretty much everyone is in the UK right now), the Lido on the upper floors (complete with pools and jacuzzis) will be your first port of call (no pun intended). But things aren’t boring if you’re looking to catch a tan - the huge cinema screen airs concert footage as well as live music, so it’ll feel like you’re attending an open-air Harry Styles concert. That’s not the only thing broadcast on the cinema screen - late at night, Sun Princess puts on classic movies (Dirty Dancing, anyone?) so you can enjoy some cinema under the stars.
If it’s live entertainment you’re after, there’s the Victorian-inspired Spellbound by Magic Castle. This clandestine, two-part experience sees guests invited into a hidden room to enjoy vintage curiosities, interactive special effects (and a hidden bar, to boot) before being invited to watch a show fronted by one of a handful of world-class magicians hand-picked from around the world in what is sure to leave you puzzled and intrigued for the rest of the cruise.
And if you’re a fan of seeing live music, the Sun Princess is effectively a floating festival. As well as a live band that performs in the atrium pretty much every night, there’s also a string group that takes any request (you’ve not lived until you’ve heard Darude’s 'Sandstorm' on violins), a pianist that performs at Crooners, an onboard cocktail bar, and various other singers and performers. However, the best of the bunch are the Irish folk band that play at O’Malleys, the onboard Irish pub. Interspersing their traditional, upbeat folk songs with the spiciest craic not safe to repeat in this review, O’Malleys is the best place to get the party going on sea.
And that’s not mentioning the karaoke nights, pub quizzes, free facials, seminars and demonstrations that crop up all day, every day on board. Of course, you are welcome to leave the ship too, when it docks at a port. Sun Princess offers a range of tours at each destination, which you can book in online or on board. Think walking tours, wine tastings and even food-based excursions.
Think cruises are just for your grandparents? Think again…
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