May 8, 2024
Sun Princess, the latest addition to the Princess Cruises fleet, is the line’s largest ship to date, weighing in at 177,882 gross tons and able to accommodate 4,300 passengers. By comparison, the company’s Discovery Princess, which made its maiden voyage in 2022, is a mere 145,000 gross tons and can sleep almost 1,000 fewer cruisers.
Sun Princess, the first in the line’s Sphere class of ships, is a 21-deck, next-level Love Boat with an innovative design aimed at bringing the outdoors inside and connecting passengers to the sea—and giving them some spectacular views.
Additionally, the ship’s grand total of 30 dining and drinking venues outnumber the food-and-beverage offerings on any other Princess vessel, while a number of upgrades to suites, staterooms, entertainment, and kid-friendly attractions seem geared toward attracting more families and expanding the line’s appeal to a younger, hipper demographic.
To find out what works—and what needs work—on Sun Princess, I took a weeklong cruise (at the invitation of the cruise line) from Rome to Barcelona, where the ship had its naming ceremony in April 2024.
Read on to find out where the Sun shines brightest—and where its light is dimmed.
Sun Princess Quick Facts
Launched: February 2024
Passengers: 4,300 (double occupancy)
Crew: 1,600
Size: 177,882 gross tons, 1,133 feet long, 139 feet wide
Booking: Princess.com, 800/774-6237