do princess cruise ships have libraries

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Do Cruise Ships Have Libraries?

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Have you ever wondered if cruise ships have libraries? Well, you’re in luck because today we’re going to dive into the world of cruise ship libraries and discover what they have to offer. Whether you’re an avid reader or simply looking for a quiet spot to relax on your vacation, cruise ship libraries can be a hidden gem that many passengers overlook. In this article, we’ll explore the types of books available, the atmosphere of these libraries, and how you can make the most of your reading experience at sea.

Cruise ship libraries are often a well-kept secret, but they can be a bibliophile’s dream come true. These libraries typically offer a wide range of books to cater to various interests and age groups. From classic novels to best-selling thrillers, you’re likely to find something that catches your interest. Some cruise lines even have partnerships with well-known publishers, ensuring that their libraries are stocked with the latest and greatest reads. So, whether you prefer fiction, non-fiction, romance, or travel guides, you’ll likely find it on the shelves of a cruise ship library.

Beyond the selection of books, cruise ship libraries also provide a cozy and inviting atmosphere for readers. Picture yourself curled up in a comfortable chair, with a warm cup of coffee or tea in hand, surrounded by books as the ship glides through the deep blue sea. It’s a serene and peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the other onboard activities. So, if you’re in need of some quiet time or simply want to indulge in a good book, the cruise ship library is the perfect place to unwind and lose yourself in a captivating story.

In conclusion, cruise ship libraries are a wonderful resource for avid readers and anyone looking for a quiet retreat during their vacation. With a wide array of books to choose from and a serene atmosphere, these libraries offer a unique reading experience at sea. So, the next time you find yourself on a cruise, be sure to check out the library and discover the hidden treasures within its shelves. Happy reading!

Introduction

Have you ever wondered if cruise ships have libraries? Well, the answer may surprise you. Libraries play an important role in our society, offering a wide range of books for all age groups and interests. In recent years, cruise lines have recognized the significance of libraries and the impact they can have on enhancing the overall cruise experience. In this article, we will explore the importance of libraries, their relevance on cruise ships, the amenities they offer, the diverse range of book collections available, the services provided, the reading spaces provided, the qualifications and responsibilities of the librarians, the various library programs and events, as well as the accessibility and policies in place. So, let’s dive in and discover the world of libraries on cruise ships.

Cruise Ship Amenities

Cruise ships are known for their luxurious amenities, and libraries have become a prominent feature on many modern cruise ships. These floating resorts offer passengers a diverse range of amenities to cater to their ever-evolving interests. From swimming pools and spas to theaters and shopping centers, cruise ships have it all. However, the addition of libraries on these ships has added a new dimension to the overall experience.

Library Facilities on Cruise Ships

You’ll be glad to know that libraries are widely available on cruise ships. Whether you’re sailing on a small boutique cruise ship or a large mega-ship, chances are you’ll find a library on board. These libraries are designed to provide a peaceful and relaxing environment for passengers to escape the hustle and bustle of the ship and immerse themselves in the world of books.

The size and layout of cruise ship libraries vary from ship to ship. Some cruise ships have small libraries, while others have larger, more extensive collections. Regardless of the size, cruise ship libraries are carefully designed to make the most of the available space, with comfortable seating areas and ample natural light.

Book Collections

Cruise ship libraries aim to cater to the diverse range of interests of their passengers. Therefore, you can expect to find a variety of books on board. From fiction and non-fiction to biographies and travel guides, cruise ship libraries have it all. The book selections are curated to provide passengers with a wide range of options, ensuring that there is something for everyone.

Popular genres found in cruise ship libraries include romance, mystery, science fiction, and self-help. These genres are chosen based on passenger preferences and market trends. Passengers can browse through the shelves and discover hidden literary gems or pick up a bestseller to enjoy during their cruise.

Library Services

Libraries on cruise ships not only offer physical book collections but also provide a range of services to enhance the reading experience for passengers. One of the key services provided is the ability to borrow books and take them back to their cabins. This allows passengers to enjoy the books at their leisure, whether it be by the poolside or in the comfort of their own staterooms.

In addition to physical books, many cruise ship libraries also offer e-books and audiobooks. These digital formats provide passengers with the convenience of accessing their favorite books on their personal devices. Whether you prefer to read on an e-reader or listen to audiobooks while lounging by the pool, cruise ship libraries have you covered.

Reading Spaces

Cruise ship libraries provide quiet areas where passengers can relax and enjoy their reading. These designated spaces are carefully designed to provide a peaceful atmosphere, away from the noise and activities happening elsewhere on the ship. Comfortable seating options such as cozy armchairs and chaise lounges are provided to ensure a comfortable reading experience.

The ambiance of cruise ship libraries is often complemented by beautiful views of the ocean. Large windows allow passengers to enjoy the scenic vistas while immersing themselves in their favorite books. The serene setting of the libraries adds to the overall tranquility of the cruise experience.

Librarian and Staff

Cruise ship libraries are staffed by qualified librarians and knowledgeable staff members who are passionate about books and literature. These individuals play a crucial role in curating the book collections, providing assistance and recommendations, and ensuring that the library operates smoothly.

The librarians on cruise ships are typically experienced professionals with a background in library science or a related field. They are well-versed in various genres and are able to make personalized recommendations based on passenger preferences. Whether you’re looking for a light beach read or a thought-provoking literary masterpiece, the librarians on cruise ships are there to assist you in finding the perfect book.

Library Programs and Events

In addition to offering a wide range of books, cruise ship libraries also host a variety of programs and events to engage passengers. These include book clubs and reading groups where passengers can come together to discuss their favorite books, share recommendations, and participate in stimulating literary conversations.

Author talks and book signings are also common events organized by cruise ship libraries. Renowned authors are invited on board to share insights into their writing process, answer questions, and sign copies of their books. These events provide an opportunity for passengers to interact with their favorite authors and gain a deeper understanding of their works.

Accessibility and Policies

Cruise ship libraries have certain operating hours in place to ensure that passengers have ample time to explore the book collections and utilize the library facilities. These hours may vary from ship to ship, but most libraries are open for a significant portion of the day, allowing passengers to visit at their convenience.

There are also certain rules and protocols in place to ensure the smooth functioning of the libraries. These may include guidelines on borrowing and returning books, as well as a code of conduct to maintain a peaceful and respectful environment for all library users.

In conclusion, cruise ships do have libraries, and they have become an integral part of the overall cruise experience. Libraries on these floating resorts offer passengers a peaceful retreat where they can indulge in their love for books and literature. From the diverse range of book collections to the comfortable reading spaces and knowledgeable staff, cruise ship libraries aim to provide a literary haven at sea. So, if you’re a book lover planning your next cruise, rest assured that there will be a library waiting to welcome you on board, ready to enhance your cruise experience and provide you with literary enrichment while you travel.

• Princess Cruises

How is the library on the Royal Princess?

By islandwoman , February 3, 2017 in Princess Cruises

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islandwoman

I've been sailing on the Pacific Princess and before that on the Ocean Princess and the old Royal Princess - all former R2 ships with good libraries. In the spring I will be on the Royal for 38 days and I'm wondering whether its library is as good as Princess' small ships or if I need to load up my tablet for the voyage.

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If the library on the Royal is similar to the library on the Regal (sister ships), I would have to say - what library ?

It is a small narrow room with little selection variety.

Best to fire up your tablet with reading material before your cruise.

sunsetbeachgal

The library on the Regal in November was the worst I have seen. Hardly any books! I hope for your sake the Royal is better!

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On the Regal the shelves were mostly bare! Don't know if the books have disappeared over time, but I was shocked at how few there were.

Hopefully more have arrived!

dmwnc1959, Are those shelves locked?

If I remember correctly the doors to each one of the units opened up and then slid back into "slot" making the doors mostly hidden. That particular picture I posted the doors are open, and I never made it into the library again after taking that picture to notice if the shelves were ever locked.

One of my favorite things to do on ships is visit the library.. will do so on the Royal in October... I do not travel electronic books...not my thing.

Those of us who like read books need to comment on questionnaires how important this is to us..

I just stick a lot of books on both my tablet and phone. I can read on either one. Much more convenient and I don't have to try and find something I want to read in the Princess library.

One of my favorite things to do on ships is visit the library.. will do so on the Royal in October... I do not travel electronic books...not my thing.   Those of us who like read books need to comment on questionnaires how important this is to us..

You are correct. I was on the Royal last month and found the library fairly well-stocked. I would suggest that you get books early as like us, there are many who still enjoy reading real books and the library does a brisk business with many books getting checked out during the first few days. All books are signed out on the honor system. One can only hope that fellow passengers are honest about returning them.

For what it is worth, I always go to the local book swap in my community and secure several books before my cruise. When finished I leave them on a table in the library with a sticky that says "free" for others to enjoy. I got through five novels on our most recent cruise (including one read pre-cruise). I joke with me darling wife that it leaves a void in the luggage to fill with souvenirs!

We've been on both ships in the last 2 years, and if you want any choice of books you'd better go there first when you board. By evening the shelves will be nearly empty. I found very little to choose from when we stopped in right after first seating dinner.

Is your 38 day cruise a b2b? Our sailings on the Royal and Regal were b2b's, and I found that the last day of the first leg and the morning of turn around day were good times to stock up on books.

You are correct. I was on the Royal last month and found the library fairly well-stocked. I would suggest that you get books early as like us, there are many who still enjoy reading real books and the library does a brisk business with many books getting checked out during the first few days. All books are signed out on the honor system. One can only hope that fellow passengers are honest about returning them.   For what it is worth, I always go to the local book swap in my community and secure several books before my cruise. When finished I leave them on a table in the library with a sticky that says "free" for others to enjoy. I got through five novels on our most recent cruise (including one read pre-cruise). I joke with me darling wife that it leaves a void in the luggage to fill with souvenirs!

Thanks... will check it out early, on a 15 day TA... Have found on Celebrity they have libraries a that are only for "decor" not real books any more ...glad that is not true on the Royal.

I never thought I'd switch from paper to Kindle, but these days all of my paper reading is newspaper and magazines. I used to pack 10-12 books to read and leave (from a used bookstore), which took up a lot of room. DH would read whatever he could find in the library, which didn't give him a lot of choices. After he stayed up almost all night before the last night, trying to finish a book, he became a changed man. He now has a tablet just for travel reading. And with just my Kindle, I have room for shopping.

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I never thought I'd switch from paper to Kindle, but these days all of my paper reading is newspaper and magazines. I used to pack 10-12 books to read and leave (from a used bookstore), which took up a lot of room. DH would read whatever he could find in the library, which didn't give him a lot of choices. After he stayed up almost all night before the last night, trying to finish a book, he became a changed man. He now has a tablet just for travel reading. And with just my Kindle, I have room for shopping.     Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Everyone is different, I have a amazon tablet, I only use it if my desk top computer is down... never use it otherwise... still like to read magazines, newspapers and book in old fashion print...

We bring both books (from a used bookstore....we also leave them when we are done) and load a bunch of stuff to the kindle app on our iPads.

I do still bring an emergency paperback when I travel. Just in case!!

diane.in.ny

A visit to the library first thing of whatever ship we are on is SOP for us.

While I read off a tablet, my husband takes paperbacks to leave behind.

On our last cruise, on the Island Princess, there was very little on a shelf that was obviously donated books. Maybe because people know they are and don't return them.

floridalover5623

The dedicated space for the library has definitely been shrunk due to most people using readers & tablets. Occasionally you'll get some decent up to date books & magazines on turn around day, but don't count on it.

Download your own before leaving home take what you need and at least you know that you'll have something to read.

On Royal a few weeks ago...barely any fiction or paperbacks. If you like reading old travel guides, this is the ship for you!

Sounds like I need to take a loaded-up e-reader and some paperbacks and visit the ship's library the very first moment I'm onboard and again on turn around day. Last year I took only my e-reader on a 3 week trip to a location that had no library, no bookstore, and no amazon prime delivery. It died the second day of my trip.

On Royal a few weeks ago...barely any fiction or paperbacks. If you like reading old travel guides, this is the ship for you!     Sent from my iPhone using Forums

They should consider removing the so-called library altogether and dedicate the space for something else, for as much good as it serves. ;)

Have been on the Royal, twice. And other ships as well. My experience has been that passengers who arrive early, go to the library and take more books than they likely could read and keep them all until the end of their voyage, thus stock is quickly depleted. Maybe the solution is to require passengers to swipe/wand their room cards for each book removed. It might tell and interesting story.

Now I stock up my e-reader with whatever appeals to me - so it doesn't matter whether their library is stocked. The longer the voyage, the better prepared you might want to be.

• 3 weeks later...

cruisestitch

Royal library can be summed up in one word.....pitiful

• 5 months later...

Does the Royal Princess library contain travel guides and historic cultural info of the ports visited e,g, Lonely Planet Dominican Republic?

long cruiser

The library is a joke.There are puzzles to have fun with.

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The ultimate guide to Princess Cruises ships and itineraries

Call it the cruise line for people who want a big, amenity-filled ship that isn't a floating amusement park.

Princess Cruises operates relatively large, reasonably priced vessels. However, unlike many of its competitors in that space — most notably Royal Caribbean , Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises — it doesn't load them up with sprawling waterparks, go-kart tracks, laser tag courses and other flashy, family-focused diversions.

Compared to most of its big ship-operating rivals, Princess is known for a more serene, almost "old school" sort of cruising that isn't about a lot of gee-whiz attractions.

For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter.

As Princess executives like to say, the line is all about warm and gracious service in an atmosphere of comfortable elegance designed to spark connections between passengers.

Instead of bustling attractions, its top decks offer lots of quiet and relaxing pool and lounge areas where you can enjoy the experience of being at sea without a lot of hustle and bustle. Inside, the experience revolves around dining, classic showroom entertainment and a classy bar and music scene — just as it has on Princess ships for years.

This is, notably, just the way Princess customers like it. Popular with middle-aged couples, retirees and multigenerational families, the "Love Boat" line caters to people who like a more traditional type of cruising than you'll find on the vessels of most other big-ship lines.

Related: Which cruise brand is right for you?

3 things TPG loves about Princess Cruises

• The abundance of outdoor pool and lounge areas on its ships.
• Its expansive spas.
• Its far-flung itineraries.

What we could do without

• The lack of big suites on its vessels.

The Princess Cruises fleet

Princess has downsized the size of its fleet considerably over the past few years with the removal of five vessels. However, it's still the world's fifth-biggest cruise line by passenger capacity, with 15 ships that together offer more than 46,000 berths.

In general, Princess operates big ships, though they're not quite as big as the vessels operated by Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC Cruises — the three lines best known for giant ships. The biggest Princess vessels, the line's six Royal Class ships, measure around 145,000 tons. That's about 35% smaller than the biggest ships operated by Royal Caribbean.

The Royal Class ships are the belles of the ball in the Princess fleet. Newer and more amenity-filled than the line's nine other ships, they began rolling out in 2013 and carry about 3,600 passengers a piece at double occupancy.

(In case you're curious, the name of the series ties to the godmother of the initial Royal Class vessel. Dubbed Royal Princess, it was famously christened by a royal, the U.K.'s Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. The cruise line's first Royal Princess, which debuted in 1984, was christened by Diana, Princess of Wales.)

Related: The best credit cards for booking cruises

Still, just as much at the core of the Princess fleet are its seven Grand Class vessels. Unveiled between 1998 and 2008, the ships are smaller than the Royal Class vessels at around 107,000 to 116,000 tons in size. This smaller size allows them to operate a wider range of itineraries than the Royal Class ships. However, they're still big enough to feature a lot of onboard venues. The Grand Class ships carry between 2,600 to 3,100 passengers at double occupancy.

Princess also has two even smaller vessels that measure around 92,000 tons a piece. Named Coral Princess and Island Princess, they are sister ships that make up the line's small Coral Class of vessels. They each carry around 2,000 passengers at double occupancy.

The downsizing of the Princess fleet over the past few years had a lot to do with the COVID-19 pandemic. Three ships left the line's fleet starting in 2020 as part of an effort to cut costs during the line's coronavirus-caused global shutdown. Another two vessels — Golden Princess and Star Princess — had been scheduled to leave the Princess fleet even before the pandemic began. They were transferred to one of the line's sister companies, P&O Cruises Australia.

The line currently has two more vessels on order that, at around 175,000 tons, will be its biggest ships ever. The first of the vessels (to be called Sun Princess) is due to debut in 2024, followed by an as-yet-unnamed sister due in 2025.

Related: TPG goes on board the new Sky Princess

Destinations and itineraries

Princess Cruises sails to more than 100 countries on seven continents, from North America and Europe to Asia and Australia , and it offers a wide range of itineraries — around 170 in a typical year. The line's ships visit more than 380 different ports and destinations and take passengers to more than 100 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Among the line's voyages, you'll find everything from three-day sampler cruises along the West Coast of the U.S. to 111-day around-the-world voyages.

Princess is particularly known for cruises to Alaska , where it dominates the market for cruises along with sister line Holland America. In a typical year, Princess deploys seven or eight ships to Alaska in the summer — far more than most other lines. It also operates its own wilderness lodges in the state, as well as tourist trains and buses. It uses the lodges, trains and buses to offer a range of 10- to 17-night Alaska "cruisetours" that combine a cruise with land-based touring.

Princess also deploys as many as eight ships to Europe in the summer, and it has a big presence in Australia, where it can deploy as many as six ships for parts of each year. In recent years, it has also become a major player in cruises around Japan that cater to both American and Japanese travelers, as well as Australians.

In North America, Princess ships sail out of Fort Lauderdale; Los Angeles; San Francisco; San Diego; Seattle; Galveston; Vancouver and Whittier, Alaska, with some sailings from New York City, Quebec City and Honolulu.

In Europe, Princess ships mostly sail out of Southampton in the U.K.; Copenhagen, Denmark; Barcelona, Spain ; Piraeus, Greece (the port for Athens); and Civitavecchia, Italy (the port for Rome ).

Related: The best Caribbean cruises for every type of traveler

Who sails Princess Cruises

Princess 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.

As noted above, these aren't people necessarily craving go-kart tracks and ropes courses at sea. They're people looking to explore the world in a comfortable, classy sort of way that also is relatively affordable. That last part is key. Princess offers a lot of globe-circling itineraries of the sort often offered by high-end luxury lines. However, it does so at a much lower price.

While not the biggest line for families with young children, Princess does draw a lot of multigenerational family groups. It's the line you take if you want an affordable ship that'll appeal to your 70-year-old parents as much as your 12-year-old kid.

Princess also draws a lot of passengers celebrating milestones. The line markets heavily to people marking birthdays and anniversaries with special packages and programs. It's also a huge player in the market for destination weddings at sea, with a division that will help you arrange a ceremony on board or at an exotic location on land during a port call.

Princess was, notably, the first cruise line to host modern-day weddings on ships, offering ceremonies officiated by the ships' captains hosted in onboard chapels.

It is, after all, the "Love Boat" line.

Cabins and suites

When it comes to rooms, Princess is sort of the Marriott of the big-ship cruise world. Its rooms are comfortable and functional but a bit bland. Avant-garde style is not a Princess thing.

The vast majority of the accommodations on Princess ships fall into one of three broad categories: windowless inside cabins, oceanview cabins and balcony cabins. Balcony cabins, in particular, are widespread on Princess ships. Among mass-market lines, Princess was the pioneer in adding large numbers of balcony cabins to ships.

While balcony cabins are common on Princess ships, you'll find relatively few suites on them. Just 46 of the 1,830 rooms on the line's 3-year-old Sky Princess are suites, and — believe it or not — that's an improvement from earlier vessels in the same series, which had just 36 suites.

What this means is there aren't a lot of ways to live large on a Princess ship or to pack a lot of people into a single accommodation. Until the debut of Sky Princess in 2019, the line didn't have a single cabin that could accommodate more than four people.

That said, the Grand Class vessels each offer two "Family Suites" that can be created by connecting a Mini-Suite with an adjacent inside stateroom to create a six- to eight-person complex.

Sky Princess featured the line's first truly large stand-alone suites, dubbed Sky Suites, when that ship debuted in 2019. Such suites have also been added to the line's new Discovery Princess.

There are two of the suites on each of the ships, and they measure a generous 1,800 square feet (though more than half of that space is taken up by a huge wraparound balcony). With two bedrooms plus a living room with a pullout sofa, they're designed for up to five people.

Still, even the Sky Suites on Sky Princess aren't the truly epic suites with huge interior living spaces that you'll find on the latest Royal Caribbean or Regent Seven Seas Cruises ships. If that's what you're after, Princess isn't your line.

Related: The new, $11,000-a-night cruise ship suite that's bigger than a house

Restaurants and dining

Every Princess vessel has one to three main dining rooms where meals are included in the fare, and these dining rooms are at the heart of the dining experience on Princess ships. Many passengers have all or most of their dinners in a main dining room.

For dinners in a main dining room, you can make a reservation for any time, provided a table at the time you want is available. To ensure the time you want, it's best to reserve a table far in advance of your sailing, which you can do online once you've paid for the cruise in full. But you also can make reservations on board ships during your cruise or even show up to a dining room without a reservation (in which case, you will be seated on a space-available basis).

Note that Princess no longer offers a fixed-time "traditional" seating option where you can request the same table at the same time every night of a cruise.

Every vessel also has a casual buffet eatery where meals are included in the fare. Near the main pool area on ships, it's usually called Horizon Court but is also known as the World Fresh Market or Panorama Buffet on some vessels.

Other included-in-the-fare options on at least some Princess ships include poolside pizza outlets and poolside grills serving burgers. Also, on sea days, Princess transforms a bar or dining venue at lunchtime into an included-in-the-fare English-style pub. It serves traditional pub food such as fish and chips and cottage pie, along with (for an extra charge) Bass Ale or Guinness.

Every Princess ship also has at least a couple of extra-charge eateries. On most ships, you'll find the line's signature Italian restaurant, Sabatini's. It serves homemade pasta, seafood and other Italian specialties in an elegant setting and comes with a flat fee of $35 per person.

Most Princess ships also have a signature steakhouse. On most vessels, it's called Crown Grill and offers premium beef and seafood cooked to order in an open, theater-style kitchen. On two ships — Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess — it's called Sterling Steakhouse, where passengers choose their cut of steak from a tray presented by their waiter.

On two ships — Coral Princess and Island Princess — the steakhouse has a Cajun and Creole twist. In addition to steak dishes, the menu features New Orleans-style peel-and-eat shrimp, alligator ribs and gumbo. On those vessels, it's called the Bayou Café and Steakhouse.

All the steakhouses come with a flat fee of $39 per person.

Princess ships also offer a Chef's Table experience — a concept the line pioneered in the cruise world. Costing $95 to $115 per person, it includes pre-dinner cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the ship's galley with the executive chef before a main dining experience at a private table in the dining room.

Another dining option that recently began popping up on Princess ships is a French eatery called Bistro Sur La Mer. The restaurant is only on Enchanted Princess, Sky Princess, Majestic Princess and Discovery Princess. It offers dishes created by star chef Emmanuel Renaut, whose restaurant in the French Alps boasts three Michelin stars. Like the Princess steakhouses, it has a $39 per person cover charge.

Related: The 7 best meals you can have at sea

Entertainment and activities

Princess ships are loaded with entertainment that ranges from Broadway-style theater shows to "street entertainers" who appear in each vessel's central piazza. They're not floating amusement parks, though. Unlike some big-ship lines, Princess isn't topping its vessels with waterslides, go-kart tracks, ropes courses and other family-focused attractions.

Theaters and shows

There's no shortage of theater and lounge entertainment on Princess ships. On a typical night, you might find a flashy, fast-paced production show playing in the main theater, a comedian performing in a secondary lounge and live music on offer in several more venues.

In many cases, the main theaters on Princess ships are quite elaborate, with Broadway-show-level lighting and special effects, and the productions housed within the theaters are elaborate, too.

Princess has upped its game with its theater productions in recent years through a partnership with Stephen Schwartz, the Tony Award-winning composer of "Wicked," "Godspell" and "Pippin."

Among new productions that Schwartz has worked on is "The Secret Silk," which features life-size puppetry from Jim Henson's Creature Shop, dance and special effects. It was created and directed by John Tartaglia, a star of Broadway's "Avenue Q" and "Beauty and the Beast."

Schwartz also provided the score for "Magic to Do," a musical revue paired with onstage illusions that features many of his best-known songs, as well as an original number he created just for Princess.

Princess is also known for its karaoke nights, and it recently began holding a new "The Voice of the Ocean" competition during cruises that is a spinoff of the TV show. Passengers compete in a live performance after karaoke auditions and rehearsal sessions with the shipboard band and backup singers. A team of coaches sits in giant "I Want You" chairs just like on the show, and passengers vote to choose the winner.

Other interior attractions and activities

In addition to entertainment spaces, the interiors of Princess ships are filled with other venues where passengers can kick back and let loose day and night, including a range of bars, lounges and nightspots.

On many ships, the hub of activity is the Piazza, a sprawling, multilevel space designed to resemble a square in Italy. The configuration of the Piazza varies by ship, but the area typically offers several shops, a coffee bar called International Cafe, a wine bar called Vines and (on some vessels) additional bars and eateries. The Piazza is also home to roving "street performers."

Every Princess ship also has a casino, often just off the Piazza, and spas are big on Princess ships. The Lotus Spa complexes on the line's Royal Class ships offer nearly two dozen treatment rooms, an extensive beauty salon and a thermal suite with a hydrotherapy pool, heated stone beds, Turkish-style steam bath and other steam chambers.

The recently unveiled Sky Princess was home to the first jazz club on a Princess ship (called Take 5), and a similar venue has since been added to Enchanted Princess and Discovery Princess.

In addition to such venues, Princess offers a lot of enrichment activities on its ships. The line has partnered with Discovery to offer a Discovery at Sea program on vessels that includes activities like stargazing with a specialist from a top deck. The program also brings destination specialists and naturalists on board in places such as Alaska to offer insights.

Inspired by Discovery's popular Shark Week, Princess has also created Shark Week at Sea programming that runs on select sailings in the summer with activities and games designed to challenge both adults and kids on the myths and interesting facts about sharks.

Culinary demonstrations, wine tastings and dance classes also are big on Princess ships.

Top-deck attractions

The top decks of Princess ships are notable for what they don't have: There are no pedal-powered sky rides or ropes courses like you'll find on Carnival ships or the go-kart tracks that top some Norwegian vessels . There are no surfing simulators, sky diving simulators, rock climbing walls or zip lines of the sort found on Royal Caribbean vessels. For the most part, there aren't even waterslides or watery splash zones (one vessel, Caribbean Princess, now offers the Reef Splash Zone for families).

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.

Instead, the line has stuck to the basics with its top decks. They are covered with relaxing pool and lounge zones — and lots of them.

On the last three Royal-class ships, for instance, there's a main pool area at the center of the top deck with two full pools and three hot tubs, and a secondary pool area at the back of the ship with another pool. There's also an adults-only pool area toward the front of the vessel, along with an extra-charge, adults-only relaxation area called the Sanctuary.

Between all these pool and lounge areas, running along the sides of the ship, are additional sunning areas with lounge chairs and four more hot tubs.

In short, there is a ton of space for relaxing on the top deck of these newest Princess vessels — more than you'll find on any other ship of comparable size, save for their earlier sisters in the Royal class.

The one big "attraction" that you will find on the top deck of Princess ships, always at the main pool area, is a giant Movies Under the Stars movie screen. A growing number of cruise ships now have movie screens on their pool decks, but Princess pioneered the concept.

The screens show movies, concerts and sporting events during the day, but at night they really shine. In a longtime Princess tradition, the line turns the main pool areas of its ships into outdoor movie theaters at night by reconfiguring lounge chairs to face the screen and bringing out blankets to ward off the evening chill. They even serve popcorn.

Some ships also feature basketball courts, miniature golf putting courses, shuffleboard games and ping-pong tables tucked into corners of their top decks.

Children's programs

While it doesn't draw as many families with young children as Carnival or Royal Caribbean, Princess offers an extensive children's program that gets high marks from parents.

The Princess Youth and Teen centers were recently rebranded "Camp Discovery" as part of the line's partnership with Discovery Communications, and offer free, supervised activities daily for children ages 3-17.

The line splits children in the program into three age groups: the Treehouse (ages 3 to 7 years), the Lodge (ages 8 to 12 years) and the Beach House (ages 13 to 17 years). Each age group often has its own separate facilities on ships. On some ships, the age groups may be further divided based on available space.

Each group has its own age-appropriate activities, with newly revamped experiences designed to "help young Princess explorers learn, play and create fun memories."

While the free programming for children ages 3 to 12 ends at 10 p.m., you can pay extra to leave your kids at shipboard Youth and Teen centers past 10 p.m. until 1 a.m. During those hours, they're supervised in what is essentially a group child-sitting service.

The Youth and Teen centers also welcome children under the age of 3 if they are accompanied by an adult.

Related: The 12 cruise ships with the most spectacular attractions at sea

What to know before you go

Required documents.

A passport is required for all international itineraries, including sailings to Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, India, Central and South America, Panama Canal (partial and full transit), Caribbean voyages that visit Martinique or Guadeloupe, South Pacific, Tahiti and World Cruises.

If you're a U.S. citizen, you don't need a passport for many domestic itineraries (including Alaska, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Hawaii and Mexico sailings). You can instead travel with an official copy of your birth certificate and a driver's license or other government-issued photo identification. A few other forms of identification, such as a passport card, are also acceptable. That said, Princess strongly recommends that all travelers bring a passport.

Passports must be valid for at least six months. The name on your reservation must be exactly as it is stated on your passport or other official proof of nationality.

Princess adds an automatic service gratuity of $16 to $18 per person per day to final bills, depending on your cabin category. If you are unhappy with the service you receive, you can adjust this amount at the Guest Services desk before disembarking. (You can also increase the tip amount if so desired.) Also, an 18% gratuity is added to bills at bars, dining room wine accounts and spas.

Related: Everything you need to know about tipping on a cruise ship

Princess has been rolling out faster Wi-Fi systems with land-like speeds across its fleet in recent years, such that you now can stream video on some ships. Pricing changes over time, but the line recently charged $9.99 per day to hook up a single device. In February 2023, the rate for a single device is scheduled to rise to $15.

The faster Princess Wi-Fi system is called MedallionNet, and it's one of several technological upgrades that Princess is rolling out to ships under an umbrella called MedallionClass. MedallionClass also brings expedited embarkation, keyless cabin entry, on-demand food and beverage delivery, and the ability to locate friends and family on board — all via several apps for mobile devices and a Princess-issued medallion that passengers carry while traveling.

Related: Wi-Fi on ships really is getting better

Carry-on drinks policy

Princess allows you to bring one bottle of wine or Champagne per person onto ships at boarding at no charge (for consuming in your room; you'll be charged a $15 corkage fee if you want to bring it to an onboard restaurant or bar to drink). You can bring even more bottles of wine on board, but you will pay a $15 corkage fee per bottle.

Smoking policy

On all ships, smoking (including electronic cigarettes) is only allowed in designated outdoor areas and in cigar lounges, designated sections within nightclubs and at designated slot machines within casinos (for those who are playing). It's forbidden in cabins and on cabin balconies. Passengers caught smoking in their cabins will be charged a $250 fine per occurrence. One exception to the above rule is that e-cigarettes are allowed in cabins (but not on cabin balconies).

Princess ships have self-serve launderettes on cabin decks with washing machines, dryers, irons and ironing boards. There's a $3 per load charge to use a washer or dryer. The launderettes also have vending machines that dispense small boxes of detergent and water softener at $1.50 per box. In addition, vessels offer extra-charge laundry and dry cleaning services.

Related: Everything you need to know about cruise ship laundry services

Electrical outlets

All vessels have standard North American-style, 110-volt outlets in rooms, and some also have European-style, 220-volt outlets and USB ports in cabins.

The currency used on most Princess itineraries is U.S. dollars. The exceptions are select sailings on ships based in Australia, where pricing is listed in Australian dollars. All vessels operate on a "cashless system," with any onboard purchases you make posting automatically to your onboard account. You'll receive a medallion that you can use to make charges. This same card or medallion also is what lets you into your cabin.

Drinking age

You must be 21 to consume alcohol on many Princess itineraries. The exceptions include sailings between ports in Europe, China, Australia and New Zealand, and Singapore, where the drinking age is 18. For cruises between Japan ports, the drinking age is 20.

During the day, there is no specific dress code, and people dress casually. If it's a sea day in a warm-weather destination, and you're bound for the top deck, that means looking like you're going to the beach — T-shirts, shorts and bathing suits (with a cover-up to go inside) are just fine.

During the evenings, there is an official dress code that is enforced when entering restaurants. Most nights are designated "smart casual," which Princess takes to mean pants and an open-neck shirt for men and skirts and dresses or slacks for women.

Beach attire, shorts, baseball caps and casual jeans (think the fraying kind or those with holes) are not allowed. One or more nights per cruise, depending on the cruise length, will be designated as a "formal" night when men are expected to turn out in dark suits with a tie or even a tuxedo. The suggested attire for women on such nights is evening gowns or cocktail dresses.

Related: What to pack for your first cruise

Princess Cruises' loyalty program

Princess has a four-tier frequent cruiser program, the Captain's Circle, that is worth joining for the perks — if you're willing to bear with its convoluted tier qualifying structure.

You reach the first tier, Gold, by taking a single cruise. However, from there, you move to each successive tier either by accruing a certain number of "cruise credits" (which aren't necessarily the same as the number of cruises you've taken) or by sailing a certain number of days.

To reach the Ruby level, for instance, requires three cruise credits (more on those in a moment) or 30 days on Princess ships. Platinum status kicks in after five cruise credits or 50 days on ships.

Related: The Princess loyalty program in detail

In most cases, members earn one cruise credit for every cruise they take. However, members who book a suite or travel solo in a cabin meant for two will receive two cruise credits for the voyage. The number of cruise credits you have earned is thus often the same as the number of cruises you have taken, but not always.

As is typical with cruise line loyalty programs, lower tiers don't bring all that much in terms of truly valuable benefits. You'll receive things like an invite to a private party (at the Gold tier) and a free upgrade to your travel insurance package when buying it through the line (at the Ruby tier). However, higher levels of the program start to be enticing.

The second-to-highest tier, Platinum, brings such perks as priority check-in and boarding, and a free internet package.

The top Elite level (15 cruise credits or 151 cruise days) adds such things as an exclusive window to preview and book new itineraries, priority ship-to-shore water shuttle service, complimentary laundry and a complimentary minibar setup.

Members at all tier levels get access to special pricing on certain cruises. They also receive a monthly newsletter and membership pin.

Note that, in contrast to airline frequent flyer programs, cruise line loyalty programs do not require you to requalify for status every year. So, yes, the perks with lower tiers aren't great. However, it's not as difficult as it might at first seem to hit the more rewarding higher-level tiers in just a few years if you're cruising a lot.

A Princess passenger staying in suites will hit the Platinum level after just three cruises. The top Elite level is reachable within just eight cruises for someone staying in suites.

Related: The TPG guide to cruise line loyalty programs

How much does a Princess cruise cost?

Princess ships are very reasonably priced. They're not the least expensive vessels out there, but they're not pricey by any means. It's possible to find Princess voyages to the Caribbean, Bahamas or Mexico starting under $100 per person, per night, including all taxes and fees — at least in the offseason.

As of the date of this story's posting, for instance, seven-night sailings from Fort Lauderdale to the Eastern Caribbean in May started at just $571 per person, not including taxes and fees of $140. That works out to just $102 per night, per person, with taxes and fees for a package that includes your lodging, transportation and meals.

As you might expect, pricing for ships will generally be lower during offseason periods such as September, October, November (not including Thanksgiving week) and parts of December.

When you book can also matter. Cruises book up much further in advance than airplanes or hotels. Many cruisers will tell you that the best pricing for any given sailing is often available when cruises first go on sale (which can be a good two years before a departure). Booking far in advance also gives you the best chance of getting your preferred cabin type and location on a ship.

Once on board a Princess ship, you'll pay extra for most drinks, extra-charge restaurants, spa services, shore excursions, internet service and a few other things — unless you've bought a package for some of these items in advance.

Specifically, the line recently unveiled new bundle pricing for extra-charge items such as gratuity fees, Wi-Fi fees and a few other fees for onboard items if passengers pay for them in advance.

The line's new Princess Plus plan gives passengers pre-paid gratuities, a single-device Wi-Fi plan and a basic beverage package for a bundled price of $50 per person per day.

The line also recently launched an enhanced version of the above plan called Princess Premier, which adds a photo package and two free meals at restaurants that normally have an extra charge. The Princess Premier plan costs $75 per person per day.

Most onboard activities, such as theater shows, are included in the fare.

Related: 15 ways that first-time cruisers waste money on a cruise

How to book

If you're sure you know what sort of cabin you want, on which ship, on which itinerary — and about a dozen other things — you can head over to Princess.com to make a booking directly.

That said, given the complexity of booking a cruise — there are a lot of decisions to make during the booking process, trust us — we recommend that you use a seasoned travel agent who specializes in cruises.

A good travel agent will quiz you about your particular interests, travel style and preferences, and steer you to the perfect cruise line, ship, itinerary and cabin for you. They can also help you if something goes wrong just before, during or after your voyage.

If you're sure that Princess is your line, look for a travel agent who specializes in trips with the brand. You want someone who understands all the little quirks that are unique to Princess cabin categories and, preferably, has done ship inspections to see the cabins first hand.

Related: How to book a cruise with points and miles

Whether you use a travel agent or not, make sure to maximize your credit card points when paying for the cruise by using a credit card that offers extra points for travel purchases . This could be the Chase Sapphire Reserve , which offers 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on travel and dining (excluding the annual up-to-$300 travel credit). There's also the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card , which brings 2 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on travel and 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on dining.

Bottom line

Princess offers big, amenity-filled ships that are comfortable and classy, at an affordable price.

If you're looking for a lot of deck-top pizzazz — waterslides, go-kart tracks and the like — it's probably not the line for you. However, if you're on the hunt for not-too-expensive vessels that will take you to the farthest corners of the world in comfort, the ships of Princess should be on your shortlist.

It's also a great line if you're trying to put together a multigenerational trip, as its ships are designed to appeal to a wide range of age groups.

• Princess Cruises

Island Princess - library?

By beachbum6264 , March 6, 2020 in Princess Cruises

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beachbum6264

DH would like to know if there is a library on Island. Or should he just load up the Kindle?  

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I don't even know if there is a library on Island. It's not on the deck plans. Even if there is one though the selection would most likely be abysmal. I haven't seen any kind of decent selection in a Princess library. I take a ton of books on my tablet and phone. Much easier and not heavy for flights. Island is missing a few things - such as Vines and IC. No reason it shouldn't be missing a library as well.

1 hour ago, beachbum6264 said: DH would like to know if there is a library on Island. Or should he just load up the Kindle?  

We were on Island last summer, she did have a nice library on deck 8, same lay out as the one on Coral.   I do not know their books selections, but its a very pleasant place to sit and read, the chairs were always occupied every time I went by the Library.

I go there to pick Sudoku every day.

Colo Cruiser

Yes 1 of the best (views/location) on Princess with nice easy chairs/windows over looking the sea.

My bad. I forgot that Island and Coral have public areas on Dolphin Deck. I only sailed Island once - for 7 days - and we both caught horrendous colds the second day onboard. The whole ship was sick. However, I sailed Coral twice - once for 17 days and once for 19 days - so one would think I would have remembered. Sigh... Must be getting old.

1 hour ago, Thrak said: My bad. I forgot that Island and Coral have public areas on Dolphin Deck. I only sailed Island once - for 7 days - and we both caught horrendous colds the second day onboard. The whole ship was sick. However, I sailed Coral twice - once for 17 days and once for 19 days - so one would think I would have remembered. Sigh... Must be getting old.

Emerald Deck - mid-ship.

With the exception of the Pacific Princess, I always load up the Kindle, because the libraries, as a source of a books from an  exchange shelf, let alone books for borrowing, on the other ships is iffy. We were on the Regal recently, and there were many empty shelves and more table games on the shelves than books.

In contrast, the Pacific's library is cozily gorgeous, very inviting, plenty of comfortable seating, and has an enormous selection of all sorts of topics that can be borrowed, and several shelves of exchange books which is very popular, and heavily used. Even if one is not looking for a book to read, that library deserves to be visited. It's a treasure!

pilgrimduke

I'd load up the Kindle.  We were on the Island Princess in October.  My impression was that if I needed something to read, I could find something that would be OK, but it wouldn't have been my first choice.  My wife was less impressed than I was.  It depends on what your interests are, of course.  The selection seemed more geared to fiction and there were some more literary selections--as well as popular fiction.

Thanks to all who replied - I will load up his Kindle, just in case. He likes 'real books' better, but the Kindle will be ready if needed. My Kindle is always ready to go!

Was on the Regal Princess at the beginning of Feb. The library can only be described as "library without books" and that became a joke among the passengers. It looked as if the books that had been left behind by passengers were thrown into the cabinets, no order or organization. I found one book that was readable so glad I had my Kindle loaded with good books. There were lots of puzzles and board games and I think on about 5 days they had Suduko. My husband always likes to stop and pick that up. 

Spoke to another passenger and she told me that this seems to be a trend and that the new ship, the Sky has no library at all.  i can only compare that to the incredible library from our HAL cruise in 2009 and more recently the Norwegian Breakaway which had a nice selection of books for both adults and picture books for the youngest passengers. Very charming to watch young families come in and read to their toddlers for an hour or so.

Just off the Island yesterday - as reported in my live from thread the library is quite large and includes table to play games.  Around half the cupboards were bare of books.  

There are more reference books than regular books.  the reference books are not to be taken from the library.   There is a section for guest to donate books and for other guest to take them.  I noticed a couple days before the end of our 58-day cruise a lot of books had been donated. 

There are daily puzzles /trivia sheets to take.

8 hours ago, Waynetor said: Just off the Island yesterday - as reported in my live from thread the library is quite large and includes table to play games.  Around half the cupboards were bare of books.     There are more reference books than regular books.  the reference books are not to be taken from the library.   There is a section for guest to donate books and for other guest to take them.  I noticed a couple days before the end of our 58-day cruise a lot of books had been donated.    There are daily puzzles /trivia sheets to take.

I have found that embarkation day can be a good time to look for books on the exchange shelf ….. books that were left behind by departing cruisers at the end of their cruise.

15 minutes ago, flamomo said: I have found that embarkation day can be a good time to look for books on the exchange shelf ….. books that were left behind by departing cruisers at the end of their cruise.

I agree. I have picked up a few books over time I would never have considered reading and thoroughly enjoyed them. I often take books I've finished to leave on board.

I won't be doing this during the current health concerns.

Markanddonna

I was on a cruise in mid-Feb and the ship had removed all the books and games from the cases "due to health considerations."  They still had self serve in the buffets, but took out books...

I suspect most books from ship's libraries are used to hold loungers for chair hogs anyway.

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Princess Cruises Unveils Exclusive New Sanctuary Collection

• April 24, 2024

Princess Cruises announced an exclusive Sanctuary Collection aboard the Sun Princess, which is sailing now, and the Star Princess to debut in 2025.

Guests reserving in the Sanctuary Collection enjoy exclusive access to the ship’s top-deck retreat area and high-end amenities such as exclusive private dining and relaxation areas and the Princess Premier bundle.

“Our new Sanctuary Collection offers guests those ultra-private, tucked away spaces that rival any high-end resort and surpasses the offerings of comparable cruise lines featuring similar ship-within-a-ship amenities,” said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises. “With spacious and well-appointed accommodations, along with an array of premium extras and its exclusivity, our new Sanctuary Collection delivers the ultimate in access and indulgence to deliver an unparalleled experience.”

On the Sun Princess, the top-deck Sanctuary Club is now reserved exclusively for Sanctuary Collection guests who access the private entry via their Princess Medallion. In the adults-only area, guests will find lounge furniture, private cabanas, a pool and jacuzzi, refreshing beverages and more. The Club also features exclusive programming, including sunrise yoga classes and sail-away receptions.

Other Sanctuary Collection amenities include priority specialty restaurant reservations and premium stateroom amenities.

The new Sanctuary Collection aboard the Sun Princess includes three levels of stateroom types: Signature Collection Suites, Mini Suites and Premium Deluxe Balconies.

Sanctuary Collection staterooms on the Sun Princess and Star Princess open for sale on April 23. Guests who book as of April 23, 2024 and reserve Sanctuary Collection staterooms on either ship will enjoy extra amenities at no additional cost, excluding the premier bundle.

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With wall-to-wall activities, most people wouldn’t think of their cruise vacation as a great time to read a book, but you’ll find the bibliophilic faithful stretched out on deck chairs, enjoying the sun, sea breeze… and a page-turner. Forgot to bring a book? E-reader battery just died? Every Carnival ® ship features an onboard library stocked with the good stuff. For the silent types, it’s a great place to read, but if the roar of the ocean is more your soundtrack, the library is a great place to find a good read to borrow and devour, al fresco. You’ll also find our libraries stocked with a variety of awesome board games for the whole family to enjoy!

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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.

When is the best time to take a cruise?: We broke it down by region.

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

Princess Cruises' Star Princess ship delayed, 9 sailings canceled

Travelers will have to wait longer than planned to sail on Princess Cruises’ upcoming ship.

The delivery of Star Princess, which was set to debut next summer, will be pushed back by about two months. The cruise line said the delay was a “mutual” decision with shipbuilder Fincantieri.

“Following a comprehensive review of the remaining construction milestones, both parties have elected to adjust the ship's delivery date from July 29, 2025 to September 26, 2025, which will result in the cancellation of the nine inaugural sailings,” Princess said in a news release .

Guests whose cruises are impacted will be able to rebook on any Princess ship and, depending on which sailing they pick, receive future cruise and onboard credits. They will also be able to opt for a full refund of their fare instead.

“Despite our collective dedication and relentless pursuit to deliver the ship in late July, it has become evident that additional time is required to ensure the Star Princess is delivered to the highest standards expected by our guests,” Princess Cruises President John Padgett said in the release.

Your cruise was canceled: Now what?

The ship’s new inaugural itineraries will include 11 and seven-day Mediterranean cruises on Oct. 4 and 15, 2025, respectively. Those will be followed by a two-week transatlantic voyage to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Oct. 22, 2025.

Those sailings will be available to book on April 30.

Star Princess will be the second in the line’s Sphere Class. Sister ship Sun Princess was also delayed ahead of its launch earlier this year, with Princess citing “additional technical work” needed at the shipyard.

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