tour of the sky princess

Sky Princess® Cruise Ship

Taking sea travel to new heights..

• Christener: Captain Kay Hire and Poppy Northcutt
• Guest Cabins: 1,830
• Number of Decks: 19
• Tonnage: 141,000
• Length: 1,083 feet
• Height: 217 feet

Sky Princess®, the newest addition to our fleet, elevates the distinctive, contemporary design and luxurious attractions of our renowned Royal-class ships to even loftier heights. You can look forward to our most exciting entertainment venues yet, our newest dining choices and award-winning chef partnerships, as well as more staterooms than ever to relax in. And that’s just the start!

Reach for the Sky

On December 7, 2019, Princess Cruises honored two pioneering women of the U.S. Space Program: Captain Kay Hire, and engineer Poppy Northcutt, who served as the godmothers, and officially named Sky Princess. Captain Hire began her 30-year NASA career as a mechanical systems engineer, helping to launch more than 40 space missions. Then, as an astronaut, she logged 700 hours in space, flew over 12 million miles, and orbited the earth 475 times. Poppy Northcutt served as the first female mission control engineer when NASA made history with its mission to the moon. When the crew of Apollo 13 became stranded in their service module, it was her team’s calculations that brought them home safely – a feat of heroism that earned the entire mission operations a Presidential Medal of Freedom Team Award.

Your Vacation – Effortless. Personalized.

Make your vacation truly yours on a Princess MedallionClass® cruise that features next-level technology, now on all ships. Enjoy fast, reliable Wi-Fi, TrulyTouchless™ experiences, food and drinks delivered wherever you are and so much more.

Learn more about Princess MedallionClass | Learn more about MedallionNet® Internet  

Accommodations

From the moment you step aboard, we want you to feel welcomed and right at home. And with attentive service from a friendly staff that knows what hospitality means, you’ll find your Princess® ship truly is your home away from home.

Photos, floor plan diagrams, amenities, and furnishings represent typical arrangements and may vary by ship and stateroom.

Unparalleled Service & Our Largest Balcony

Most luxurious accommodations at sea, mini-suite with exclusive vip touches, add an element of luxury to your stay, spectacular views from your room, front row seat for beautiful scenery, a room with an expansive view, our most affordable option, for guests with limited mobility.

The Finest Dining at Sea

Embark on a culinary journey aboard Sky Princess that showcases dishes inspired by the over 380 destinations Princess visits, made from scratch using only the freshest ingredients. Michelin-star chefs, a master mixologist and a master sommelier enhance the Princess commitment to delivering exceptional dining experiences for every palate.

Watch Video: Introducing Sky Princess' Culinary Journey

Dining Options

Indulge your appetite whenever you wish on board Princess®. Every hour, our chefs are busy baking, grilling and sautéing great-tasting fare from scratch. Princess offers unparalleled inclusive dining options throughout the ship with a wide range of culinary delights to suit any palate, from endless buffet choice to gourmet pizza, frosty treats, decadent desserts and much more. 1

Dine My Way℠

Dine when, how and where you like.

Alfredo’s Pizzeria

Hand-tossed pizza, hot out of the oven.

World Fresh Marketplace

International Café

Sip and snack around the clock.

The Salty Dog Grill

Ocean Terrace Sushi Bar

Celebrate seafood.

Slice Pizzeria

Afternoon Tea

Celebration of tasty teas and divine desserts.

A Sweet Treat from Italy

Specialty dining.

Dining on board a Princess® cruise ship is a joyful celebration and our specialty restaurants always deliver an extraordinary experience. They are among the best at sea – or anywhere. We serve dishes made with the freshest ingredients, and our menus reflect regional flavors from around the world. You'll find our specialty restaurants are the perfect place to celebrate any occasion. 1

A Dazzling Dining Adventure

French bistro-style fare with a modern twist, timeless steakhouse traditions, a private breakfast with a view, ship highlights.

On every Princess ship, you'll find so many ways to play, day or night. Explore The Shops of Princess, celebrate cultures at our Festivals of the World or learn a new talent — our onboard activities will keep you engaged every moment of your cruise vacation. 1

Take a Stroll into the European-style Piazza

Pools (Retreat, Wakeview, Top Deck)

So many cool places to unwind.

Vista Show Lounge

Top notch entertainment & crafted cocktails.

The Shops of Princess

Tax and duty-free shopping.

Vegas Style Casino

For novices, casual players, or high rollers.

Vines Wine Bar

Wines from around the world.

Princess Live! Café

Live acts and spirited gatherings.

Princess Theater

Broadway-style productions at sea.

Live Jazz & Craft Cocktails

Activities & entertainment.

Movies Under the Stars®

A reel treat day or night.

Original Musical Productions

Great venues large and small.

Discovery at SEA Programs

Discover even more with discovery™.

Art Gallery & Auctions

Art lovers rejoice—enjoy exquisite art aboard.

Sports Court

Get in the game with a variety of activities.

MedallionNet® Wi-Fi

The best wi-fi at sea.

Music & Dancing

Dazzling entertainment every day and night.

Featured Guest Entertainers

At night, the stars shine bright on our stages.

Good Spirits At Sea

Good spirits, good stories, joyful rejuvenation.

Revitalize and refresh body, mind and soul with Princess®. From rejuvenating spa treatments and the tranquility of a top-deck retreat reserved just for adults to our state-of-the-art fitness centers, you’ll find all the elements to come back new.

Experience the Ultimate Night of Sleep at Sea

Greater tranquility just for adults, go ahead, be pampered – you deserve it, a host of ways to get an energizing workout, luxuriate in our largest-ever thermal suite, kids, teens & family.

From family-friendly stateroom options to enriching youth and family programs, quality time is time well spent. Onboard activities spark curiosity and fuel creativity while excursions ashore engage and inspire!

Explore the Treehouse

Step into the lodge, hang out in the beach house, quality time together.

1 Activities, dining and entertainment options vary by ship and are subject to change. Photos represent typical arrangements and may vary in detail or configuration.

LifeSportTravel: Adventure Awaits in Every Corner

Embrace the Journey, Live the Game

Sky Princess Full Tour & Review: Ultra HD Walkthrough | Princess Cruise Lines

Table of Contents

Welcome to the Sky Princess Cruise Ship!

Welcome to the Sky Princess, a luxurious and exciting cruise ship perfect for your next vacation. This is Jason, and today I will give you a full tour of this incredible ship. From the upper decks to the lower decks, and everything in between, let’s go ahead and get started.

The Upper Decks

The upper decks of the Sky Princess are filled with impressive amenities designed to enhance your cruising experience. Some of the highlights on the upper decks include:

Main Pool Area

The main pool area is vast and features two impressive pools, plenty of comfortable loungers, and hot tubs on either side. Additionally, there are bars on both sides of the pool area, ensuring you have easy access to refreshments.

Retreat Pool

Looking for a quieter, more adult-focused area? The Retreat Pool is your answer. This adult-only pool area features a serene atmosphere, ideal for curling up with a good book or simply relaxing in the sun. The Retreat Pool also includes hot tubs, sun loungers, and poolside cabanas.

World Fresh Marketplace

Located in this area, the World Fresh Marketplace offers buffet-style dining options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Wake View Pool Area

Located at the back of the ship, the Wake View Pool area offers a cozy and intimate spot for relaxation. Complete with a convenient Wake View Bar, this area is perfect for grabbing a drink and soaking up the sun.

The Sanctuary

Looking for an exclusive and private adult area? Head to The Sanctuary, where luxury loungers, cabanas, hot tubs, and panoramic views await.

The Lower Decks

The lower decks of the Sky Princess contain a variety of dining and entertainment options for everyone on board.

Vista Lounge

At the Vista Lounge, you can enjoy comedians, live music, illusions shows, and dance parties throughout your cruise.

Crown Grill

.offer premium seafood and steaks as part of the ship’s specialty dining options.

Princess Live

This venue offers non-stop entertainment, including live concerts, late-night comedy, game shows, and more. Don’t forget to stop by the adjacent Princess Live Café for a drink before the show.

Dining Options

The Sky Princess features several dining rooms, including Estrella, covered, and Soleil. These restaurants offer a diverse range of menu options and are part of the ship’s complimentary dining options. Specialty dining options include the Crown Grill and La Mer, among others.

Treat yourself to a luxurious spa experience at the Lotus Spa, where you’ll find treatments, massages, and salon services to help you relax and unwind during your cruise.

Activities and Entertainment

On the Sky Princess, there’s always something exciting happening, from live music and movies in the Piazza to fitness classes and kids’ activities. Make sure to check out the ship’s schedule for a list of things to do throughout your cruise.

The Sky Princess is a luxurious and exciting ship that offers a multitude of amenities and experiences to enhance your cruise vacation. With a variety of dining options, entertainment venues, and relaxing spaces, you’ll find plenty to see and do on board. To get the best rate guaranteed on your next Sky Princess cruise, make sure to give us a call at the number provided. Happy cruising!

• CruiseMapper
• Princess Cruises

Sky Princess

Cruise line Princess Cruises

• Southampton (England)
• Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades, Florida)
• Port Canaveral (Orlando, Florida)

Sky Princess current position

Sky Princess current location is at North East Atlantic Ocean (coordinates 43.34093 N / -3.02688 W) cruising en route to Bilbao. The AIS position was reported 7 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Sky Princess

Sky Princess current cruise is 7 days, round-trip Spain France . The itinerary starts on 08 Apr, 2024 and ends on 15 Apr, 2024 .

Specifications of Sky Princess

•   Itineraries
•   Review
•   Wiki

Sky Princess Itineraries

Sky princess review, review of sky princess.

The 2019-built Sky Princess cruise ship is the 4th Royal-class vessel in the Princess Cruises fleet, together with the fleet mates Royal Princess (2013), Regal Princess (2014), Majestic Princess (2017), Enchanted Princess (2021) and Discovery Princess (2022). From the same class is also the P&O UK liner Britannia (2015).

The vessel (IMO number 9802396) is currently Bermuda- flagged (MMSI 310780000) and registered in Hamilton .

History - construction and ownership

Princess Cruises is a USA-based passenger shipping company headquartered in Beverly Hills CA. A former subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises (1977-founded), in 2003, the company merged with Carnival Corporation - the world's largest cruise shipowner. Among Princess Cruise Lines Ltd's assets is the Caribbean private island resort Princess Cays (on Bahamas Eleuthera Island's southern end), located approx 80 km (50 mi) from Nassau .

The 3600-passenger ship Sky Princess is among the largest cruise ships sailing the seas. The vessel was built at Fincantieri shipyard, Italy and has 19 decks. Sky Princess features an impressive number (16) of bars and restaurants and a luxury spa. The ship offers unique features to her guests, such as a glass-enclosed walkway over the ocean known as the SeaWalk.

Decks and Cabins

Sky Princess staterooms (1834 total, in 38 categories) include 1438 cabins (80% of all) with step-out balconies. The ship also has 36 wheelchair-accessible and no Oceanview-category cabins. The largest are the 2-Room Sky Suites (950-1010 ft2 / 88-94 m2 plus 700 ft2 / 65 m2 terrace).

The boat has 18 decks , of which 15 are passenger-accessible and 10 with cabins.

Sky Suites (new cabin category) are Princess Cruises first staterooms for 5 people and with 270-degree top-deck views. These are also the fleet's largest cabins and with the fleet's largest balconies. Both Sky Suites are located midship on Sports Deck 18 (portside and starboard). Each Sky Suite has a wraparound terrace and provides a private view of the outdoor "Movies Under the Stars" theatre (fleet's biggest outdoor LED screen).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

There are many for-fee dining options onboard Sky Princess, but guests who would rather not pay are offered enough quality and variety to satisfy. Those who prefer tradition will choose between the three main dining rooms: Allegro, Concerto and Symphony.

Horizon Court and Horizon Bistro are the buffet options, providing a more casual vibe. Passengers who want to have lunch in their swimsuits can take a burger from Trident Grill or a slice at Prego Pizzeria. Indoors, Alfredo's features delicious calzones, salads and thin-crust pizza. Allegro Dining Room is the only option for free dinner with traditional set dining. Passengers can eat at 5:45 p.m. or 8:15 p.m. Allegro's menus are diverse and offer a soup or salad course, an appetizer, pasta and an entree. There is also a special dessert menu.

Follows the complete list of Sky Princess restaurants and food bars.

• Symphony Restaurant (midship location; offers “Anytime Dining” for Dinner; with “Wine Cellar” area serving “Wine Maker’s Dinner” for $40, capacity 12 guests)
• Alfredo’s Pizzeria (121-seat; the largest complimentary pizzeria at sea)
• Concerto Restaurant (forward Dining Room; offers “Anytime Dining” 5:30 p.m. -10 p.m.; serves “Wine Maker’s Dinner” package for $40)
• Allegro Restaurant (aft Dining Room; offers formal dining and two fixed dinner seatings at 6 pm or 8:15 pm; “Chef’s Table Lumiere” private dining for $115, 12 guests)
• OceanFront is a specialty seafood bar with a la carte menu (sushi, sashimi).
• Crown Grill (160-seat steakhouse/seafood restaurant, reservations recommended; on select days serves British Pub Lunch, complimentary)
• Salty Dog Grill (Deck 5) and Alfredo's Pizzeria (Deck 7/fleet's largest) are self-serve complimentary fast food venues. The rustic Salty Dog Gastropub is a new venue where passengers can watch sporting events, gather over small bites and drinks, and partake in Ernesto Burger by chef-partner Ernesto Uchimura (founding chef of the original Umami Burger and owner of the new LA-based restaurant and bar, Electric Owl).
• Calypso Cabana (food bar offering picnic baskets, desserts, champagne and wine packages)
• World Fresh Marketplace (self-service buffet restaurant, complimentary); Horizon Buffet (indoor sitting) and Horizon Terrace (outdoor seating)
• Swirls Bar (ice cream)

Sabatini’s Trattoria (a la carte-priced specialty restaurant on Deck 7) offers a 3-course Italian/seafood menu. Sabatini’s is open between 6 pm - 11 pm, and reservations are recommended. This space blends the spaciousness of a contemporary setting with classic Italian accents, featuring handmade pasta courses (via partnership with celebrity chef Angelo Auriana) which are prepared daily. Sabatini’s Trattoria also offers “Sabatini’s Bites” during wine tastings.

Bistro Sur La Mer (cover charge US$35 per person) was an authentic Parisian bistro with a fine dining dinner menu featuring French cuisine by Michelin-star chef Emmanuel Renaut. In 2023, La Mer was replaced with "The Catch by Rudi" - Princess Cruises' first seafood-dedicated restaurant (introduced on Enchanted Princess) via partnership with celebrity chef Rudi Sodamin, who is also the Head of Princess Culinary Arts (onboard dining program).

• The menu is predominantly of seafood dishes based on the freshest catch (sustainably sourced seafood from the current itinerary's ports of call) but also includes surf-and-turf options (including prime beef steaks), as well as vegetarian dishes, gourmet appetizers and desserts.
• The specialty dining experience features creative and engaging food presentations, distinctive settings, and guests being welcomed at the tables with a cocktail crafted by Rob Floyd/celebrity mixologist and liquid chef).
• The menu features "The Daily Catch" items (showcasing the freshest sustainably sourced seafood from local ports of call), international fusion influences (playful twists on seafood favorites like Asian-fried calamari), Rudi Sodamin's contemporary interpretations of classic dishes (like lobsters with garlic butter crust), and signature inventions from his personal repertoire (like Towering Trio, Whole Dover Sole). The Seafood Trolly is a true feast as the dish is piled high with fresh lobster tails, shrimps, oysters, mussels, and other seafood.
• The Catch by Rudi's wine selection is carefully curated to pair with seafood. The waitstaff is knowledgeable (sommelier instructed) to offer recommendations for white, red, rose, and sparkling wines from various coastal wine-growing regions.

The Catch by Rudi's cover charge is US$39 pp and is also included in the Princess Premier package (premium add-on).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The bulk of performance action takes place in the 2-level Princess Theater (decks 6 and 7). This is the ship's main show lounge with palladium-style seating and grand-style evening show productions.

Theatre lounge doesn't offer tables or drink holders, so if you order one preshow or come with a drink, you'll have to hold it. The entertainment program is excellent and varied, with a beat that is quite innovative. In addition to the production shows, the Princess theatre hosts other acts including vocalists and instrumentalists.

In comparison to Royal-Class Princess ships, Sky Princess has the new Wakeview swimming pool (aft-located) plus 2 deep-water top deck swimming pools and Retreat Pool (adults-only), also more Jacuzzis (including 2 cantilevered, over the deep-water pools). The expanded Sanctuary area offers new design and twice as many private cabanas as the sisterships. Vista Lounge is also redesigned. Princess Live is a new cafe serving quick bites, specialty teas and barista-made coffees.

Follows the complete list of Sky Princess lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• The Piazza Atrium (3-deck open floor area; features live performances entertainment and lobby Bar Piazza)
• Princess Fine Arts Gallery; Photo Gallery & Shop; Limelight photo studio; Platinum Studio
• International Cafe (24-hour specialty coffee bar and patisserie)
• Vines Bar (wine/seafood/sushi bar)
• Gelato (the largest ice cream bar at sea)
• Library (with Internet stations); Internet Cafe (24-hour)
• Princess Sky Theatre (2-level musical and show productions; hosts workshops, seminars, game shows)
• Celebrations Shop; Calypso Cove Shop; Essence Shop; Meridian Bay Shop; Facets Shop
• Club 6 Disco & Bar; Churchill’s Lounge & Bar (cigar bar); Bellini’s Bar; Crooners Lounge & Bar; Princess Live Lounge; Vista Lounge; Concierge Lounge (Suite guests only); SkyLight Bar; Seaview Bar
• Princess Casino (gambling lounge and bar)
• Wheelhouse Bar (piano bar during the day and an English pub nightly)
• Lotus Spa complex; Beauty Salon; Fitness Center (with Aerobics Studio)
• Wedding Chapel
• Movies Under the Stars (LED screen outdoor cinema)
• The Game Lounge (Video Games Arcade); Teen Center; Youth Center; Remix Disco & Lounge (teen club)
• The Sanctuary (adult-only sundeck / open-air relaxation complex)
• SeaWalk (glass-bottomed cantilevered walkway, 18 m/60 ft long)
• Fountain Pool area; Retreat Pool area
• Princess Sports Central - Center Court (volleyball, basketball, European football); Tennis Tables, Game Lounge virtual gaming, The Greens golf nets, Golfing Cage, Laser Shooting; Jogging Track
• "Take 5" (located on deck 6 midship-portside) is world's only jazz theater at sea. The new jazz-themed bar lounge features a chic setting, live performances by renown jazz musicians (including iconic female singers), hand-crafted premium cocktails (developed by Rob Floyd/master mixologist), guest performers, late-night themed parties, daily enrichment programming (with engaging speakers and workshops). Custom media content is displayed on lounge's TV screens.

On the sisterships Enchanted and Sky, Princess Cruises introduced the exclusive "Jim Henson’s Inspired Silliness" - a 30-min live production show themed on Jim Henson’s hilarious puppetry works. James Maury Henson (1936-1990) was a US puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor and filmmaker best-known as the creator of "The Muppets" (TV show created in 1955). The cruise company's new production show (hosted at Princess Theater) includes singers and dancers, high-tech visuals, comedy acts and professional puppetry. The show starts with a video introduction by James Henson's son (Brian) and features new puppets from Henson’s Creature Shop plus newly designed characters.

The Experience Center (Deck 18 aft-starboard) has max capacity 6 people and no age restrictions. This is ship's Escape Room hosting the "Phantom Bridge" game that combines physical and virtual/digital elements for unique puzzle-solving experiences at sea. The attraction is part of Princess Cruises' onboard enrichment program (Discovery at SEA) and offers interactive (real-world + virtual) adventure gaming experiences with 700+ different outcomes. Phantom Bridge's gaming sessions last 23 min each and allow passengers to navigate the virtual cruise liner, watch as the generated simulations change, uncover the clues and solve puzzles (current game's mystery). The implemented technologies include a physical steering wheel and touch-screen surfaces (in the room), projection mapping, top-notch sound-, lighting- and digital effects, hidden physical elements (throughout the ship).

Itineraries

Sky Princess itinerary program starts with an inaugural Mediterranean cruise season in Europe. The program includes all 10 voyages with 8 different itineraries. The inaugural cruise was scheduled for October 20, 2019.

The 7-night maiden voyage (October 20) is a one-way Adriatic and Mediterranean cruise itinerary from Piraeus-Athens to Barcelona, visiting the ports Kotor Montenegro, Corfu Greece, Messina Sicily (Italy), Naples Italy. In November 2019, the ship offers a Transatlantic repositioning cruise (Nov 17 - Dec 1) from Europe to Florida-Caribbean (14-day crossing from Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale).

The Caribbean cruise program is based on 7-day roundtrips from homeport Fort Lauderdale (starting December 1, 2019).

Summer 2020 the ship spends in Northern Europe, being homeported in Copenhagen (Denmark) , Warnemunde-Rostock (Germany) and St Petersburg (Russia) . Baltic Sea cruises are priced between USD 2300-2800 pp. Fall 2020 the liner is homeported in NYC New York for 7-day "Canada and New England" cruises (priced ~USD 1000-1100 pp).

Sky Princess - user reviews and comments

Photos of sky princess.

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Other Princess Cruises cruise ships

• Caribbean Princess
• Coral Princess
• Crown Princess
• Diamond Princess
• Discovery Princess
• Emerald Princess
• Enchanted Princess
• Grand Princess
• Island Princess
• Majestic Princess
• Regal Princess
• Royal Princess
• Ruby Princess
• Sapphire Princess
• Star Princess
• Sun Princess

Sky Princess Wiki

The vessel's powerplant includes four Wartsila marine diesel engines (model 46F, 2x 12V and 2x 14V) with combined power output 62,4 MW (83,700 hp). The propulsion system is based on two azipods with combined power output 18 MW (24,000 hp).

The ship has Fincantieri Monfalcone yard/hull number 6268, volume 145281 GT-tons, DWT-deadweight tonnage 11772 tons, LOA length 330 m, beam 38 m (max width 47 m/including the Navigation Bridge's wings), max draught 8,6 m.

In April 2016, Princess Cruises (via Carnival Corporation ) signed a shipbuilding order for 2 new liners , scheduled for deliveries in 2019 (Sky) and 2020 ( Enchanted ). These are 4th and 5th Royal-class ships (same-designed as Royal, Regal and Majestic ) constructed at Fincantieri Monfalcone shipyard as part of a previous agreement between Carnival Corporation (shipowner) and Fincantieri (shipbuilder). At that time, Carnival Corp had a total of 16 shipbuilding orders, with scheduled deliveries between 2016-2020. All these new liners are fleet's largest and feature Movies Under the Stars (outdoor theatre), Piazza Atrium, 80% balconied staterooms, new dining venues.

In late-January 2017, Carnival Corporation announced 2 more shipbuilding orders. The new ships were ordered for the fleets of Princess (Royal-class / Discovery Princess ) and Holland America Line (Pinnacle-class / Nieuw Rotterdam ). Carnival had signed an MoA (memorandum of agreement) with Fincantieri to construct both vessels, with scheduled deliveries in 2021 (for HAL, at Marghera yard) and 2022 (for Princess, at Monfalcone yard). By the time when both contracts were finalized (February 2017), Carnival Corporation had a total of 19 new ships scheduled for deliveries between 2017-2022.

The vessel's construction officially started with the steel-cutting ceremony on September 8, 2017. On July 5, 2018, at Monfalcone shipyard was held the keel-laying ceremony, traditionally signifying the start of its physical construction. The process is mainly an assembly of pre-fabricated blocks (modular components) joined together at the yard's drydock facility.

Sky Princess was officially delivered to Princess Cruises on October 15, 2019, at Monfalcone Shipyard. The ceremony was attended by Laura Castelli (France's Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance), Giuseppe Bono (Fincantieri's CEO), Micky Arison (Carnival Corporation's Chairman), Arnold Donald (Carnival Corporation's President and CEO), Stein Kruse (Group CEO for the subsidiaries Holland America, Seabourn, Carnival Australia, Carnival UK), Jan Swartz (Group President of the subsidiaries Princess Cruises and Carnival Australia).

Sky Princess is the 17th vessel built by Fincantieri for Princess Cruises. As of October 2019, Fincantieri built a total of 95 cruise liners (since 1990), of which 68 for Carnival Corporation and 49 being on order or under construction .

Fun facts: It takes 3 million man-hours to build a Royal-class liner. For its construction are used 37,000 tons of steel. For instance, about 12,000 tons of steel were used for constructing the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles . The paint used for the vessel is 95,000 gallons (360,000 L), which is two times more than the quantity consumed for Golden Gate Bridge (re-painted annually). The electrical cables wiring the whole vessel are long 2484 ml (4000 km) which is enough to link NYC with LA .

The vessel was launched/floated out from drydock on February 14, 2019. On the same day (Feb 14th) was held the keel-laying ceremony for the sistership Enchanted Princess (2021) and the steel-cutting for the 6th/final ROYAL-Class liner Discovery Princess (2022). Sky Princess' float-out was led by godmother Kerry Ann Wright (2nd officer for Princess Cruises) nominated as Madrina by her fellow crew. The ship's 6-day Mediterranean Sea trials were successfully completed in early-September.

Princess Cruises Sky Princess was officially christened on December 7, 2019, in Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale Florida USA) . The liner has two godmothers (former NASA personnel) - Kathryn Patricia Hire (1959-born, former astronaut, now US Navy Reserve Captain) and Frances "Poppy" Northcutt (1943-born, NASA Apollo Program engineer).

The ship's first commanding officers were Heikki Laakkonen and Michele Tuvo (Captains), Fabio Braccelli and Mladen Ratkovic (Chief Engineers), Terri Cybuliak and Richard Harry (General Hotel Managers), Giovanni Cardile and Brian Whelan (Staff Captains).

Sky Princess refurbishment 2023 review

The ship's first drydocking was in 2023 (2023 (April 19-May 6).

The 16-day project (conducted at Damen Verolme Rotterdam in Rotterdam Holland ) was mainly for regularly scheduled maintenance works and minor technical upgrades. 2023 (April 19-May 6) Rotterdam Holland

It involved ~700 contractor workers in addition to the ship's own ~1200 crew members.

The works included installing a new air lubrication/hull system, underwater hull cleaning and painting, renovation of some staterooms and public spaces. "The Catch by Rudi" (new seafood restaurant) replaced the "Bistro Sur La Mer".

Inaugural itineraries 2019

The following tables show the ship's "Inaugural Cruise" itineraries (by destination) as departure dates, call ports, port times and regions. Prices shown are per person (USD), lowest category Inside Cabin rates based on double occupancy.

7-day "Inaugural Cruise" (Athens to Barcelona) - prices started from USD 1890 pp

14-day Inaugural Transatlantic cruise (repositioning from Europe to Florida-Caribbean) - prices started from USD 1260 pp.

3-day "Sky Princess Inaugural Getaway" (maiden Caribbean voyage)

7-day inaugural Western Caribbean cruise - from USD 830 pp

14-day inaugural Caribbean East/West Adventurer cruise - from USD 1590 pp

7-day inaugural Eastern Caribbean cruise - from USD 800 pp

Everything cruisers need to know about the new Sky Princess ship

It's been a long time coming, but there's finally — finally! — a new ship for North American fans of Princess Cruises: the just-unveiled, 3,660-passenger Sky Princess.

Yeah, sure, the "Love Boat line" rolled out a fancy new vessel, Majestic Princess, just two-and-a-half years ago. But, initially at least, that ship was aimed exclusively at the China market. It's been more than five years since travelers based in North America had an all-new Princess ship to call their own.

So, if you're a loyal Princess cruiser, that means you're probably pretty excited about Sky Princess, which departed from Athens on Sunday on its inaugural voyage. After getting a sneak peek at the vessel over the weekend during a short pre-inaugural "shakedown cruise," I will say this: There's more on board than you might think.

At first glance, Sky Princess appears to be almost identical to the last few vessels unveiled by the line. It has the same central Piazza lined with cafes, bars, shops and restaurants, and its signature steakhouse, Lotus Spa and namesake theater are all right there where you'd expect to find them.

But it doesn't take long to realize that, in its hallmark quiet and subtle way, Princess has made significant changes to this vessel — as compared to Majestic Princess and its two predecessors, Regal Princess and Royal Princess, all of which share the same basic architecture. All four are part of the Royal Class, which began rolling out in 2013.

As is always the case with Princess, you won't see any radically over-the-top new features such as the deck-top roller coaster that Carnival is planning for its soon-to-debut Mardi Gras, or the record-size water slide that Royal Caribbean just added to its Navigator of the Seas. Compared to most of its big-ship rivals, Princess is known for a more serene, almost "old school" sort of cruising that isn't about a lot of deck-top amusements.

The fifth-biggest brand after Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess has none of those upper deck flashes: no giant water parks, go-kart tracks, rock climbing walls or kiddie splash zones. And that's on purpose. Princess executives long ago decided not to engage in what they call the "amusement park arms race" taking place between lines operating big, resort-like ships . Princess is a line that sticks to the basics, with top decks mostly featuring relaxing pool and lounge zones.

But you will find several new elements on Sky Princess that are groundbreaking in their own way, as well as quite a few tweaks to the basic Princess ship design that, for the most part, make it much better. Indeed, for Princess regulars, this might just be the best Princess ship yet. Here's what to expect if you book a cruise on Sky Princess.

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The biggest suites ever on a Princess ship

Perhaps the most noticeable additions to Sky Princess are the giant twin Sky Suites that lord over the main pool area on the top of the ship.

Measuring more than 1,800 square feet a piece, these are by far the biggest suites ever on a Princess vessel, which hasn't really toyed with big suites. They're also the first cabins at the line that can accommodate more than four people. With two bedrooms plus a living room with a pullout sofa, they're designed for up to five people.

That said, as I saw during a tour of the two complexes, these aren't the sort of truly epic suites with huge interior living spaces you'll find on the latest Royal Caribbean or Regent Seven Seas ships. If that's what you're after, Princess still isn't your line.

It turns out, more than half the touted square footage of the Sky Suites is occupied by giant wraparound balconies, leaving less than 1,000 square feet for the interior spaces (which, a bit to my surprise, almost seemed cramped). What the suites do offer is a pretty awesome home-theater experience. From lounge chairs on their elevated balconies, you have an eye-level view across the pool deck to the ship's massive Movies Under the Star LED screen, which plays films at night. Not only is this the best seat in the house, but (for an extra charge, yet to be set) you can pick the movie that will play on the giant screen. In other words, if you're staying in one of these suites, you can subject the entire vessel to your movie preferences.

My take? Clearly, the balconies steal the show. Princess claims they're the biggest balconies in the cruise industry, which is a bit of a stretch (the massive Regent Suite on Regent Seven Seas' Seven Seas Explorer has more balcony space). Still, they're absolutely stellar for entertaining. If you're traveling with a big group of friends or an affinity group, we could see booking one of these suites just to use as the ultimate party-at-sea spot — that is, if you can afford it. The Sky Suites also come with the highest price tag ever for a Princess cabin, with fares for seven-night sailings starting around $7,000 per person.

New balcony cabins and smaller suites, too

Eagle-eyed Princess fans will notice that Sky Princess is a tad bulkier at its front than earlier Royal Class vessels. The line has added a partial deck to make room for not just the giant Sky Suites, but also 52 more cabins.

These include 38 new balcony cabins and six ocean-view cabins around the adults-only Retreat area on Deck 17. But the big story (in addition to the Sky Suites) is the addition of six new Penthouse Suites, which are more than twice the size of standard balcony cabins and feature wide balconies. There also are two new forward-facing Window Suites that are even larger. Though they lack balconies, they sit at the corners of the front of Deck 17, and offer spectacular views over the bow.

In all, Sky Princess boasts 46 suites: 10 more than earlier vessels in the Royal Class. That's a big increase, and a sign that suites are in hot demand at the line. If you're the kind of Princess cruiser who wouldn't be caught cruising in anything smaller than a minisuite, you'll be pleased with the inventory on this ship.

Of course, there's a downside to all the added suites and cabins. By ever so slightly increasing the passenger count on Sky Princess as compared to its older sisters, these extra rooms are ever so slightly making the public areas of the vessel a bit more crowded.

Sky Princess wasn't running anywhere near full during the pre-inaugural "shakedown cruise" I boarded, so I couldn't really get a sense of whether the extra passenger count will be noticeable. But it's not a huge increase. At double occupancy of two passengers per cabin, we're talking about an additional 108 passengers across a vessel designed for 3,660 people. That's only a 3% jump.

A revamped pool and sun decks

Princess went into big-time tinkering mode when it came to the top decks of Sky Princess. Again, you won't find any industry-first attractions, but there is more pool, hot tub and lounge space on the vessel than on any of the earlier Royal Class ships.

At the heart of the change is a revamp of the main pool area on Deck 16, also known as the Lido Deck. There are now two large pools (instead of one large pool and a smaller plunge pool), as well as three hot tubs, up from two on the earlier vessels; expanded lounge areas; and a relocated SeaView bar (which devout Princess cruisers will note no longer has nearly as good a sea view).

The additions were made by removing the mid-deck dancing fountain feature found on other Royal Class ships and drastically scaling back the over-the-ocean SeaWalk feature, which was initially touted as one of the signature attractions of the class.

Other top-deck changes include a doubling of the number of hot tubs (from two to four) in the sunning areas along the sides of Deck 17. There's also a new pool at the very back of the ship on Deck 16, dubbed the Wake View. It's backed by a bar and just behind the Horizon Court buffet in a space that, on earlier Royal Class-ships, is just a bar zone. The adults-only Retreat Pool and extra-charge Sanctuary near the front of Sky Princess have also been reconfigured.

Here, Princess hits a home run. It's great that Princess added more places on the top decks to soak, whether in a pool or a hot tub. On a ship designed for more than 3,000 people, there really can never be too many places to get your toes wet, particularly on a sea day. The changes to the main pool area, in particular, also have improved the flow of people across the deck.

New twists on dining and entertainment

The interior public areas of Sky Princess have been tweaked quite a bit, too, though not in a way that anyone but a rabid Princess lover might immediately notice. As top executives like to say, Princess is a line that doesn't do "revolution" when it comes to the design of each new vessel. It's all about "evolution," and in a gradual, don't-upset-the-apple-cart sort of way. Princess likes its (many) regulars to see a consistent product as they hop from vessel to vessel around the world.

So, the basic layout of the ship's main interior public decks (Decks 5 through 7) is pretty much the same as on earlier Royal Class ships, but with a somewhat lighter color scheme palate of neutral creams, browns and blues, with a few splashes of yellow and orange thrown in for good measure. As is Princess tradition, it's nothing flashy like you'd find on a Carnival or Norwegian Cruise Line ship. Classy continues to be the mantra.

What has been added, as compared to early ships in the series, is a French eatery around the Piazza, Bistro Sur La Mer, with dishes by chef Emmanuel Renaut (whose restaurant in the French Alps boasts three Michelin stars). In a location that had been a lounge on the Royal Princess and Regal Princess, it comes with a $29 per person cover charge, just like the signature Crown Grill steakhouse. The concept first debuted on Majestic Princess in Asia.

There's also, finally, al fresco restaurant seating at two of the restaurants around the Piazza (the bistro and a redesigned Alfredo's pizzeria across the way). Princess is sort of late to the party when it comes to al fresco dining, which has been a growing trend at lines like Norwegian and Royal Caribbean.

The Sky Princess designers also tinkered with the layout of one of the hottest places to grab a cocktail on Royal Class ships: The centrally-located bar outside the Crown Grill (named the Wheelhouse Bar on earlier vessels, now the Crown Grill Bar). The rectangular bar for this venue was, notably, moved from the side of the space to the center and reoriented to face the crossing corridor, which is no longer set off with waist-high dividers. This makes the space feel far more open and inviting. The bar also got a new lineup of concoctions dreamed up by mixologist Rob Floyd (of Paramount Network's "Bar Rescue").

Other changes include the addition of a jazz venue next to the casino; a revamped Gelato outlet; a more contemporary aesthetic in the main dining rooms; and an overhauled menu at the line's extra-charge Italian restaurant, Sabatini's.

In a final piece of the puzzle, Princess also is joining the escape room craze with its first escape room on a ship. Alas, this still wasn't ready over the weekend, so I couldn't test it, and it's not expected to open until December.

I would give high marks to most of the changes to interior spaces, though I might quibble with some of the new menu offerings. Despite being the creation of a superstar chef, the dishes I tasted at Bistro Sur La Mer seemed oddly uninspired. I ordered a filet mignon that was skimpy (read: thin and small) and overwhelmed by a chunky wine sauce and sautéed onion. If you have a good cut of beef, there's no reason to smother it with so much "stuff." Similarly, the dishes coming out of the kitchen at Sabatini's were a letdown, not just to me but other cruise writers on board.

That said, it could be that these restaurants just were having a bad day. This was, after all, a pre-inaugural cruise, when it's perfectly normal to still be working out the kinks in advance of "real" passengers arriving. That's the whole point of a shakedown. Princess only took delivery of Sky Princess from the Fincantieri shipyard a day before we sailed, which means the chefs in these restaurants barely had time to unpack their knives before we sat down to order. The fact they could turn out filet mignon at all is sort of remarkable.

Lots of high-tech features  

First, I should say that Sky Princess has stunningly fast internet — at least for a cruise ship. For the past few years, Royal Caribbean's Zoom internet has been the gold standard for fast internet on ships , way ahead of what other lines offer. But Princess clearly caught up. If you pay the $9.99 per day fee to hook up a device, you really will be able to stream Netflix shows, just like the line promised. Retiring early to my cabin one night, I had no trouble binge-watching several episodes of the French-Belgian thriller "Black Spot" (the dubbed version, of course).

But fast internet is just the beginning when it comes to new technology on display. Sky Princess is the first Princess ship purpose-built to work with the line's new suite of high-tech OceanMedallion features, some of which are breaking ground in the cruise industry. Already available on four of Princess's 17 other vessels, the features include the ability to order a wide array of food and drinks to any place you happen to be on the ship via an app (think: Uber Eats, but at sea) and to find and chat with friends and family via an app no matter where they are on board.

In both cases, the technology relies on each passenger carrying around a poker chip-size, RFID-tagged "medallion" that lets the ship know his or her location at every moment. More than 7,000 sensors embedded around the vessel pick up the signals emitted by the medallions.

Issued before boarding, the medallions allow for a lot of cool things. Perhaps the coolest is that, assuming you have your medallion with you, your cabin door will magically unlock as you approach it: No more rooting around for lost keys.

In what might strike some as a bit Big Brother, the medallions also tip off crew that you're approaching, allowing them to address you by name — and maybe offer a favorite aperitif.

Big Brother or not, some of the features, such as the app-based ordering, are game-changing. Sitting in a comfy chair near the ship's Crown Grill steakhouse, with no server in sight, I used Princess's MedallionClass app to order my favorite cocktail, a sidecar, directly to my location. A few minutes later, a smiling server appeared with the drink on a tray. Since the ship knew where I was, thanks to the medallion in my pocket, she had no trouble finding me. She could see my location (and a picture of me) on her Princess-issued mobile device.

On the flip side, I could track my order from start to finish on the app. It very cutely showed a little ship "sailing" across the screen from "ordered" to "preparing" and "serving."

The app also makes settling bills for such transactions seamless. The server with my sidecar didn't ask me to sign anything, since the transaction had been recorded electronically.

Incidentally, the drink was free. To get more passengers to try the MedallionClass app, Princess is making the first drink you order with it gratis. Which is great, because sidecars on Sky Princess cost nearly $12!

In addition to food and drinks, you can order a wide range of retail items such as sunscreen and clothing by app to wherever you are on board. The app also allows you to check your bill, book shore excursions, buy a beverage package and play interactive games. In what could be a dangerous innovation for those who love to gamble, the app also allows for the playing of casino games from anywhere on board, including your room.

A handful of hiccups  

Princess executives are super excited about the new medallion-related technology — so excited, they've made it a core element of recent marketing efforts. But after trying it out for a few days, I think they jumped the gun a tad. I would have waited on the rollout until it was a bit more refined.

Perhaps the most obvious flaw is that it takes not one but four different apps to access all the medallion-based features. In addition to the main MedallionClass app, which handles several functions, there are separate apps for shipboard navigation, game playing and casino play. Believe it or not, this is an improvement, as it initially took even more apps to run everything. Princess is in the process of streamlining the system.

The MedallionClass app also still lacks some basic functions, like the ability to make dining and spa reservations on board (or even see what options are available in those areas). It can be a bit wonky, too, if you don't have your medallion close to your device. I struggled to order a drink when my medallion was in my back pocket instead of on a lanyard around my neck — talk about cruise wear.

And not to pile on too much, but I also will say the four apps eat up a stunning amount of storage space on devices. On my iPhone, the cumulative count was nearly 2 gigabytes.

What it costs  

Sky Princess will sail several voyages in the Mediterranean over the next month before repositioning to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for seven-night trips to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. The Eastern Caribbean trips will feature stops in St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Princess Cays, the line's private island in the Bahamas. The Western Caribbean itinerary will bring calls in Belize City, Belize; Roatan, Honduras; and Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico.

As of Monday, Eastern Caribbean trips were available from $649 per person, not including taxes and fees of $136.80. That works out to about $112 per night, per person, with taxes and fees for a package that includes your lodging, transportation and meals. The Western Caribbean trips are starting at $789 per person, plus another $150.23 in taxes and fees. That's closer to $132 per night, per person.

Yes, there's a premium to go to the Western Caribbean.

Of course, the rates are just for one person and based on "double occupancy" of your cabin, so the per room rate really is twice that amount. It also doesn't include extra charges you ring up on board. While meals are included at several onboard restaurants, you'll pay extra for the Crown Grill steakhouse and other specialty dining destinations. And you'll also pay extra for drinks. Most beers at Sky Princess bars run from $6.25 to $6.75, and wine starts at $8 per glass ($32 for the least expensive bottle).

The aforementioned fares are also for the least-expensive, windowless "interior" cabin. There are all sorts of cabin categories on Princess ships, including those bigger balcony cabins and suites, at a wide range of price points. And pricing for cruises fluctuate week-by-week depending on demand, just as they do with flights. The rates above are for sailings during off-season weeks. You'll pay more for more popular times of year, such as over Christmas.

One other thing for which you'll need to budget is the automatic service gratuity that Princess adds to bills, which runs $14.50 per person, per day for most cabins. Suite passengers pay more.

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Bottom line

Princess has made significant changes to Sky Princess as compared to earlier vessels in its Royal Class series and, for the most part, they are all for the better. I've sailed on nearly all the line's new ships over the past couple decades, and I have no qualms saying Sky Princess is the best I've seen. The technological enhancements on the vessel, in particular, are impressive (if still in need of a little work).

Of course, one thing to keep in mind is that, whatever the changes, Sky Princess still is a Princess ship. If you haven't liked Princess vessels in the past, you're not going to suddenly fall in love with this one, even if it has more hot tubs and cabin doors that unlock when you approach.

Princess also appeals to an older demographic than lines such as Carnival and Norwegian. The average age of passengers is around 57, and you'll usually see a lot of couples on board in their 50s, 60s and 70s. These aren't people necessarily craving roller coasters and skydiving simulators at sea. Princess gets some families with kids, too — just not the kind expecting an amusement park experience.

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• Arts and Crafts Classes *
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• Hot Tubs (9)
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• World Fresh Marketplace - Casual
• Churchill's - Clubby Bar *
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• The Mix - Cocktail Bar *
• International Café - Coffee & Pastries *
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• Sabatini's Trattoria - italian *
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• The Pastry Shop - pastries
• Slice Pizzeria - Pizza
• SeaView Bar - Pool Bar *
• Ocean Terrace Seafood Bar - Seafood *
• La Mer - Specialty *
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• Vines - Wine Bar *

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'The ship can move': Why you should watch next solar eclipses from a cruise ship

Cheers broke out on Holland America Line’s Koningsdam ship when the total solar eclipse began on Monday.

Off the coast of Mazatlan, Mexico, passengers were perched on loungers, reclining on beach towels and lining the railings of Deck 14 with cameras on tripods at the ready. When the sliver of fiery orange that remained of the sun disappeared, a black circle ringed by white light took its place. Passengers applauded the moment they'd been awaiting since the ship departed from San Diego on Friday.

The sunny, 72-degree weather – quintessential cruise weather – gave way to chilly wind and late morning’s best impression of sunset. The horizon line glowed orange in the dusky sky.

Cruise ships can help take guests to the path of totality for eclipses, allowing passengers to get a prime viewing spot and make a vacation of it.

What is a total solar eclipse?

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon completely blocks the face of the sun as it moves between the sun and Earth.

While the sun is about 400 times bigger than the moon, the moon is roughly 400 times closer to Earth. “In the past, the moon was much closer, and in the future, the moon will be much further away,” said Adam Burgasser, a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of California, San Diego, and director of the Cool Star Lab, who served as an onboard expert during the cruise. “And so we're in a special time, which, of course, lasts for billions of years, where it's set up just right to block out the sun.”

Total solar eclipses take place about every 18 months on average, but the last one visible from the U.S. was in 2017 .

The phenomenon creates a multi-sensory experience, with a cold front moving in ahead of the eclipse. “You block the sun, and it gets cold,” said Burgasser. “It’s actually just that simple. And it's slow enough that the atmosphere can react.”

Plants and animals respond, too: Birds often begin to chirp, plants may close up, and nocturnal will come out. “It’s kind of an all-around-you experience where it's not just the fact that the sun has been blocked that’s so fascinating, but just the effect it has on the entire environment.” Those effects weren’t easily discernible on Koningsdam, though, which was about 150 miles from shore.

Nicole Chaput, a 57-year-old passenger from Calgary in Canada, said partial and total eclipses are “totally different.”

“I heard someone describe it as being partly pregnant,” she said. “You can’t do it. There’s no comparison.”

What makes a cruise a good place to see an eclipse?

Bad weather can wreck even the best-laid viewing plans. If a city in the path of totality has overcast skies, it can be tough to quickly move to an alternate site.

“If you're on a cruise ship and a little bit farther to the east or a little bit farther to the west along the path, there's clear sky, the ship can move,” said Dan Jarrell, who was on the cruise with his wife, Kay, and friends. The Washington, D.C.-area resident has seen solar eclipses with friends during two other sailings, including on Holland America’s Veendam in 1998.

“If you're on land and there's not a road there, you’d better have a tank,” Jarrell said.

That’s where a cruise ship comes in handy. “Having the ability to map out based on what the current weather is where you can catch the eclipse, and having a range over the course of the ocean where you could chase that a little bit is certainly helpful,” Burgasser added.

Capt. Ane Smit, Master aboard Holland America’s Zaandam for the viewing, said the ship can move at a maximum of 20 knots, so the crew needs to scout out the conditions with enough time to move as needed.

“If it's not good enough, we really need to start finding another spot because we are not the quickest vehicle, of course, to be driving around, but we have the luxury of being able to go in any direction without any restriction,” he said. “It’s a pretty wide highway that we have.”

The view of the horizon also allows passengers to “see that shadow coming in and leaving more so than you can in a topographical area,” said Burgasser. Being in the ocean away from city lights is also helpful for seeing stars and other parts of the sky usually only visible at night.

The cruise line also made the practicalities of watching an eclipse easier: eclipse glasses were distributed to guests’ staterooms and Burgasser guided guests through the event via the ship’s speaker system, before and after totality.

More eclipse cruises on the horizon

If you missed your chance to see it this time or want another go, Holland America has more eclipse-viewing opportunities on the books.

“Guests have reacted positively to our 2024 eclipse cruises and with the next full eclipse in 2026 we plan to have three sailings in Europe that will align with the path of the eclipse,” Paul Grigsby, the line's Vice President of Deployment & Itinerary Planning, said in an email. Details have not yet been released.

Other cruise lines offer similar opportunities as well. Princess Cruises' Emerald Princess was near Koningsdam on Monday.

Chaput, the Canadian passenger, said she’s been “chasing” total solar eclipses since seeing her first one in 1991. Monday’s eclipse marked her seventh viewing and second on a cruise ship.

“I think it’s just such an amazing natural phenomenon,” she said. “It’s seeing science in action.”

Contributing: Josh Rivera, USA TODAY

The reporter on this story received access to this sailing from Holland America Line. 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]

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Four Spots Onboard the All-New Sun Princess We’re Not in Love With

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Travel Market Report returned earlier this week from five days onboard the all-new Sun Princess. With not a lot of time onboard and several areas still not ready, we didn’t get the complete Sun Princess experience. But we had enough time to determine which spaces we believe your clients will love – and which, particularly for past Princess passengers, they might not be 100% thrilled with.

Last week we broke down all the spaces onboard the ship we think your clients will love . This week, we dive into which spots we walked away from feeling ambivalent. Especially for past Princess cruisers, some of these spots could be a real disappointment and warrant a little head's up from you, their travel advisor.

1. Piazza – One of the most popular spots onboard any Princess ship, we're not quite convinced that the new version of the Piazza works. Located inside the Sphere, the atrium stretches three stories tall, with stadium-style seating on the middle and upper levels, and less seating on the bottom level than on other ships.

Princess kept the small press group busy onboard Sun Princess, so we only had a few opportunities to see the Sphere atrium in action.

Similar in design to the atrium theater on Carnival Cruise Line's newest ships, which sounds great on paper but doesn’t work in reality, the Sphere Atrium on Sun Princess has one thing going for it that Carnival's doesn't. Other than a short "show" with aerialists and a hoop twirler prior to Princess’ signature Champagne tower welcome, and a second "farewell" performance towards the end of the cruise (both not yet ready on our sailing, though anyone could watch the performers rehearse throughout the day), there are no production shows in this space. Instead, Princess uses it for events hosted by the entertainment team. From our limited experience checking out each of the three levels, it appears guests can see the main floor action for all three. 

Still, despite being taller than on the rest of the fleet, the atrium itself feels smaller, with less seating on the main level. The few events we passed by were standing room only, on all levels because there was just nowhere to sit.

2. The Arena – For the most part, the Arena, ie the main theater on Sun Princess, is pretty cool. It can be configured in three different ways, to allow for different types of shows. We saw two during our five days onboard. One was a Welsh singer belting out hits from various divas. The other was the first of four new mainstage production show that feature some of the best stage production we've seen at sea, cool costumes, and a loose plotline using mostly classic rock songs to push the plot along.

Both shows used the keyhole configuration of the theater, which features the smallest amount of seating. (The theater in the round and standard setup each provide more seating.) Not a problem for the night of the Welsh singer, the limited seating kicked up a fuss among cruisers for the production of Vallora, a Pirate's Quest.

The seating issue is exacerbated by the large swath of reserved seating for Princess Premium cruisers. A GREAT perk for cruisers who have forked over the extra cost for Princess Premium, it really does reduce the number of seats for "regular" passengers. People showed up an hour (or more) early to snag seats, so that the entire theater was pretty much full more than 20 minutes before each performance (there were three on our sailing).

A Princess spokesperson said the line is not considering requiring reservations. But adding reservation functionality might not be a bad idea, in order to make the process smoother for everyone. People will know if a showing has already filled up without having to camp out for 30 minutes, and Princess can control how many times people see each show to give more people a chance. It's also possible that by the time that all four shows are up and running (some time in July we're told), that guests on any particular sailing won't feel a strong need to see every show. With practically no production-style entertainment on our sailing, the demand for this one show was outsized.

3. Wheelhouse Bar – Wheelhouse Bar is a beloved lounge onboard Princess ships. Sadly, on Sun Princess it has been reduced to just another bar. It's small, with limited seating, and there's no stage or open space for any type of entertainment. It's located near the back of the ship on Deck 7, not far from the Anytime section of the three-level Horizons restaurant, making it more of a pre- or post-dinner spot than anything.

One Elite cruiser from Australia that we spoke to lamented the loss of Wheelhouse Bar as a proper third lounge. Events that might be held in Wheelhouse on other ships are now either held in Princess Live or the Sphere atrium.

4. Horizons Dining – Princess is trying something new with Horizons dining on Sun Princess, dividing its three-level restaurant into three distinct experiences, each with its own name.

The bottom level – or Soleil Dining Room – is for traditional early and late seating dining. There's room for 941 people and clients need to sign up ahead of time for whichever seating they want or sign up on embarkation day.

In the middle is the Eclipse Dining Room, which can fit up to 664 Anytime diners. Clients cannot make reservations – which is different from the rest of the fleet. They must just show up and either get a table on the spot or wait until a spot opens up. Unused space in the Soleil section will be used for Anytime diners as Eclipse fills up.

Both Soleil and Eclipse have the same menu.

Not true on the third level, also called the All American Dining Room, which is the smallest of the three, with room for just 326 people. Like Eclipse, there are no reservations required (or permitted). Crew claimed you can always snag a table, which happened to be true for our one lunch there.

The more casual experience at All American offers a diner-like menu, with a rotating selection of three dishes from the main menu. It's open from brunch to dinner (always the same menu, other than the three rotating selections) every day of the cruise.

We tried out All American one day for lunch and found the menu to be a bit limited (and in some cases, short on taste, namely our mac & cheese and veggie burger). There are a few all-day breakfast options, along with typical diner foods including a cheeseburger (or veggie burger, though Princess would do really well to invest in Impossible Burgers or Beyond Burgers rather than trying to make them from scratch), fish and chips (which gets a thumbs up, here and in O'Malley's), fried chicken, shrimp n' grits, and more plus comfort sides like nachos, tots & poppers, loaded fries, and more.

The single salad option – the house salad – is simply lettuce, parmesan cheese, and croutons. A few cucumbers or a tomato would have been nice! (The Lido Green salad bar, on the other hand, is fantastic and quickly became my favorite spot for a light meal. Plus, it's open for lunch and dinner.)

The dessert menu at All America, is by far, the best part of the menu with indulgencies like a Mississippi mud pie, apple pie, strawberry shortcake, and banana split.

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The unmissable addition to Disneyland’s Star Tours ride? Space whales

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Disneyland’s Star Tours: The Adventures Continue has proved to be one of the theme park’s most versatile attractions.

Though perhaps no longer the groundbreaking technological marvel that it was when it debuted in 1987, the flight simulator ride has shifted with the franchise, withstanding cultural trends and aligning with whichever version of “Star Wars” is popular at the moment — or in need of a marketing boost.

The latest update to Star Tours brings the ride into the Disney+ era, with nods to series such as “The Mandalorian,” “Ahsoka” and “Andor.” More noteworthy, at least for Disneyland guests, is that the centerpiece of the latest upgrades is a scene that provides a slight tonal shift for the attraction, one focused, albeit briefly, on slowing down and giving so-called starspeeder riders a look at one of “Star Wars’” more majestic creatures. Star Tours will now rocket guests straight to a moment that boasts a close-up with the purrgil, essentially large, mysterious space whales that move with a galactic grace.

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For the 3-D attraction, its a moment that provides a breather. The motion simulator lingers for a few seconds, and our makeshift animatronic captain, the golden droid C-3PO, turns to face riders. C-3PO shifts into tour guide mode, appearing in awe of the purrgil and commenting on how serene the animals are.

“This will be different from other sequences, to have a moment,” said Tom Fitzgerald, a senior creative executive with Walt Disney Imagineering, the company’s secretive arm devoted to theme park attractions, when asked about taking a patient approach to the scene. “You don’t get many moments. It’s so compact. But it’s a moment to let people look at the beauty of this, and the 3-D gives you the scale of those creatures.”

The additions to Star Tours are arguably the centerpiece of Disneyland’s all-things-”Star Wars” promotion Season of the Force , which debuted this past weekend and runs through June 2. The “Star Wars” festival also sees new droids making their way to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge through the duration of the event, as well as the return of Space Mountain overlay Hyperspace Mountain and a new free scavenger hunt that aims to get players to pay close attention to the minute details of Galaxy’s Edge.

Fitzgerald has been with Star Tours since the ride’s beginning, and oversaw the latest Star Tours additions, which further deviate the attraction from any strict “Star Wars” timeline and instead focus it on being a sort of “greatest hits” for the brand. The purrgil scene also features Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka Tano and the character’s svelte, fast-rotating starship above the planet of Seatos. Tano’s ship inspired Imagineers to see if they could add some new tricks to the attraction, mainly in the way the simulator can move. When Tano’s vessel twists and spins, for instance, the starspeeder attempts to mimic it, endeavoring to create the feeling of a 360-barrel roll. At other times, the starspeeder glides among the purrgil.

Key to Star Tours’ longevity, and what makes it the rare motion simulator that doesn’t feel rooted in the 1980s, is its ability to create new sensations via its movements. The ride now has more than 250 storyline variations, and when adding to the attraction, Imagineers are looking for ways to heighten the contrast among its various scenes, both tonally and in its maneuvers. Though Star Tours is typically randomized — for the foreseeable future, and definitely throughout Disneyland’s spring Season of the Force promotion — all riders are guaranteed to visit the new location and receive an early-flight transmission from one of the recently added characters.

“How do we make each of the places we go have a different color palette?” says Fitzgerald, who then recalls different “Star Wars” planets that can be featured in the attraction’s random programming. “Mustafar is all lava. Kashyyyk is all green jungle. So they feel very different when you get the combos. And then motion-based. Could we do a barrel roll? That’s the fun of doing it, and programming it and trying it. And we needed something else. What have we not done? So with the purrgils, what if we do skiing through the tentacles? We had never done that. So those are the two big motion changes.”

The attraction is also livened up by appearances from Dawnson’s Tano, Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor and a masked Din Djarin from “The Mandalorian.” While the latter is played and portrayed by Pedro Pascal on the Disney+ series, many have noted that the Djarin on “Star Tours” features a slightly different vocal cadence than Pascal, and an Imagineering spokesperson says the company is not revealing its voice actors for the attraction. Nevertheless, “The Mandalorian” moment features some comic relief — and clever 3-D usage — courtesy of Grogu, colloquially refered to as “baby Yoda,” and his penchant to use Force powers to toy with and eat frogs.

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The three appear as transmissions that help define the suddenly urgent narrative of Star Tours. “Each one is different,” Fitzgerald says. “Mando and Grogu we played for comedy. And Andor is mysterious. You don’t see his face. You see this thing coming toward you. Is that a friend or foe? And then he pulls his hood and the music changes.” Tano, meanwhile, arrives like an old friend who knows C-3PO and fellow droid R2D2. Riders are advised to pay close attention to the opening cinematic in a ship’s hangar, as there is a new randomized opening that features Tano in a lightsaber battle with Stormtroopers.

As for why the new additions perhaps lean a bit more heavily on “Ahsoka,” as it is that series that features the planet of Seatos and the purrgil, Fitzgerald had a simple answer: yes, it’s the space whales.

With access to early scripts from Lucasfilm, Fitzgerald says he singled out the purrgil scenes. “Reading about that, not knowing what they looked like initially, I was going, that’s going to be really cool.” And, at least for a few seconds, relatively calming.

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Todd Martens joined the Los Angeles Times in 2007 and covers a mix of interactive entertainment (video games) and pop music. Previously, Martens reported on the music business for Billboard Magazine. He has contributed to numerous books, including “The Big Lebowski: An Illustrated, Annotated History of the Greatest Cult Film of All Time.” He continues to torture himself by rooting for the Chicago Cubs and, while he likes dogs, he is more of a cat person.

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