As the weather inches toward warmer and the months flow into spring, we’re thinking about one thing and one thing only: vacations.
The notion of setting sail in opulent blue seas aboard a massive, state-of-the-line ship simply sounds incredible. Better yet, cruises are becoming more and more luxury leaning, with massive silhouettes and all-inclusive amenities that are newfound additions to signature fleets.
Enter the newly debuted Sun Princess. Dubbed the next-level “Love Boat,” this gorgeous new ship has joined the namesake of Princess Cruises and has made her maiden voyage on Feb. 28.
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“Princess Cruises became a household name as the setting and ocean-going co-star of ‘The Love Boat’ that featured over 950 celebrity guest stars,” John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises, exclusively told the New York Post. “The show has been widely credited with introducing millions of viewers to the concept of contemporary cruise vacations and leading to the dramatic expansion of the industry and its global success.”
Since that infamous TV show’s opening sequence with a timeless theme song that to this day precisely describes the Princess brand DNA, Princess Cruises has been connected to and is synonymous with “The Love Boat.”
Sun Princess
“Sun Princess offers the greatest assembly of culinary experiences from celebrated chefs and celebrity collaborators, as well as ingredients from high-end purveyors and a lineup of exciting new experiences,” Padgett told The Post.
Standout options include Spellbound by Magic Castle, which blends the captivating world of magic with the art of culinary and mixology to create an immersive dining experience, and Makoto Ocean, which reshapes traditional sushi with a creative approach by James Beard Honoree Makoto Okuwa.
“Beyond the setting of the show, the original cast members have participated in the Princess brand to this day, including two ship christenings – Dawn Princess (1997) and Regal Princess (2014), appearing on the cruise line’s Rose Parade float and sailing on a throwback cruise in 2015 all celebrating the lines 50th anniversary,” Padgett explained.
“In May 2018, the six original cast members of ‘The Love Boat’ and Princess Cruises received an honorary star plaque on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of their contributions to the history of television and support of the preservation of the Walk of Fame.”
An overview of the food and dining experiences on the Sun Princess
Ahead, find a premium assortment of dining options aboard the Sun Princess. Upon booking, you’ll have unlimited access to both buffet and sit-down dining, while some additional dining destinations are offered on an a la carte fee:
- The Butcher’s Block by Dario: This is a specialty restaurant from the world’s most famous butcher, Dario Checchini, grilling up perfectly prepared beef and steak, including Cecchini’s signature cuts.
- The Catch by Rudi: This is a luxe exceptional dinner concept from renowned chef Rudi Sodamin showcasing treasures from the sea.
- Love by Britto: a first-of-its-kind collaboration, Princess partnered with world-renowned artist Romero Britto to create Love by Britto, an artistic-inspired dining experience celebrating the essence of “Love” aboard Sun Princess.
- Kai Sushi by Makoto: Here, the Master of Edomae-style sushi, Chef Makoto Okuwa, presents a new concept of crafting playful, exquisitely presented dishes paying tribute to Japanese traditions. After showcasing his skills on Food Network’s popular “Iron Chef,” Chef Okuwa has been recognized by the prestigious James Beard Foundation. He also spearheads popular restaurants in Miami, Brazil, Mexico City and Panama.
One of the most unique experiences the ship offers is The Dome, a geodesic, glass-enclosed structure at the top of the ship inspired by the terraces of Santorini. “The Dome is also the backdrop for the incredible artistry of one of the biggest names in entertainment – Cirque Éloize – coming to life by presenting three original, contemporary acrobatic performances,” Padgett said.
Another unique feature is the outward and suspended Sphere. “The namesake of this new class of ship takes the central Piazza hub of the ship into a new dimension,” he highlighted. “Here guests can take in expansive ocean views, sunrises and sunsets. Being a premium global cruise line, guests are able to see some of the world’s most beautiful natural wonders including glaciers and icebergs while drinking coffee, having a meal or enjoying entertainment.”
Speaking of entertainment, Sun Princess boasts the pinnacle of technological innovation in the world of cruise ship entertainment with the configurable Princess Arena that supports shows in the round, in a 270-degree keyhole configuration, as well as via a traditional proscenium theater.
“Additionally, guests can enjoy our largest casino in the fleet, a two-story Lotus Spa, and an expanded retail environment with over 200 premium brands,” Padgett pinpointed. “The retail space also includes several firsts at sea including an upscale showroom dedicated to luxury horology showcasing TAG Heuer and Breitling and more than 25 new brands available to cruise guests like Italian handbag brand, Pinko and athleisure favorites Beyond Yoga and Varley.”
How does Princess differ from other cruise lines?
A standout feature of Princess at large is its implementation and use of its MedallionClass service, which began in 2017 and was completed fleet-wide in 2022.
“MedallionClass service is enabled by patented and proprietary technology that gives Princess completely unique capabilities to deliver an individualized and personalized service at a big ship scale,” Padgett detailed. “There have been other vacation brands including cruise, theme parks, all-inclusive options and casinos that have attempted to replicate these unique contactless on-demand real-time dynamic location-based service capabilities, but none have succeeded.”
MedallionClass service is available on every ship in the Princess fleet because the Princess service promise is universal and not dependent on any physical ship vintage or configuration. “When it comes to exceptional service, Princess guests never have to worry about what ship they are sailing on within the fleet or where that ship is in the world because all ships are guaranteed to offer the exclusive Princess MedallionClass experience,” he noted.
If you’re a frequent cruiser, you know the *struggle* of traditional credit card-style IDs. With the Medallion, you can cruise a bit more conveniently, whether accessing your ocean-view stateroom or buying a watermelon martini at the bar.
What other Princess cruises should I consider?
Princess has a fleet of 16 ships that sail to 330 ports around the world, including sailings to the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Hawaii, and two World Cruises, one that leaves from Australia and one from the United States.
“This April, we are celebrating our 55th year sailing to Alaska and bringing more people to experience this extraordinary land,” Padgett said. “And for our guests in North America, we have sailings from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, Galveston, Port Canaveral (Orlando), Ft. Lauderdale, Boston and New York providing exciting new voyage options that guests can conveniently access from major drive markets.”
What’s more, we’ll be sailing on the Discovery Princess in April 2024, a Pacific Wine Country tour to San Diego; San Francisco; Astoria, OR; Victoria, Canada and Vancouver, Canada.
What to know as a first-time cruiser, according to an expert
“First-time cruisers need to know that cruising is an easy, convenient way to travel,” Padgett said. “You unpack once and experience the best of the region you are visiting in one cruise vacation.” Simply put, there is nothing easier than simply waking up in the morning in the world’s most exciting and interesting cities.
On top of that a cruise vacation provides an incredible value. “Your cruise fare includes accommodations, dining, entertainment and an endless array of activities and ‘transportation’ to a variety of destinations featured on each itinerary,” Padgett added. “With packages like Princess’ Plus and Premiere, guests have maximum options and superior value with the inclusion of drinks, daily gratuity, Wi-Fi, fitness class, specialty desserts and specialty dining.”
Not to mention, the Sun Princess is the newest and already highly adored ship worth considering for your next vacation.
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