Mother–daughter time is precious. Especially once your daughter has flown the nest and now leads an active adult life.
Thirty years ago, my mother took me on my first cruise. I had two little kids at home and really needed a break. I happily accepted her offer to take me on a weeklong cruise to Alaska. I enjoyed the vacation and the beautiful scenery. I know she enjoyed spending time together, a rare commodity once I left home after college.
Fast forward thirty years, and now it’s my turn to take my adult daughter on her first Princess cruise and offer her some downtime after a tough year.
The author was hosted.
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What is Special About the Sun Princess?
Princess currently has sixteen ships in its fleet, and the Sun Princess is the newest. As the first vessel in the Sphere Class, the Sun is a completely new ship design for Princess, though it also incorporates some perennial favorite features.
I felt super excited to try the new Sun Princess. Its innovative modern design offers more restaurants, more bars and more entertainment options, so I was confident that my thirty-something daughter would enjoy it as well (she did!)
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The Beautiful Sun Princess Ship
My first thought after stepping on board was WOW! The massive, multistory glass sphere that anchors the center of the ship gives it the Spere Class name. Inside this glass sphere, the three-level Piazza is the heart of the ship, providing events and entertainment throughout the day.
Circles and curves fill every space, giving the ship a very organic and fluid feel. On the top deck, the Dome continues the spherical theme. It serves as a quiet indoor lounging area with a pool during the day, and transforms into another entertainment venue at night. The round main theater also offers more varied entertainment options.
Our Sun Princess Cabin
Our cabin was on Deck 15, a good location for access to all public spaces on board. Our favorite things about our Deluxe Balcony Cabin are:
- Plenty of room with two beds in a twin configuration and a full-sized sofa.
- Loads of closet and storage space for two women and all their stuff.
- A Dry Bar hairdryer at the desk/vanity area.
- Plenty of outlets and USB ports by the desk and by each bed.
- An upgraded glass-enclosed shower makes the bathroom feel more spacious.
Dining on the Sun Princess
The Sun Princess offers more restaurant options than the other ships in the Princess fleet, especially specialty restaurants. With the Premier package, we enjoyed unlimited specialty dining, a really good perk with so many eateries on board.
We especially like these dining venues:
- Lido Tacos, Lido Pizza and Lido Greens: a variety of quick options when lounging by the pools.
- International Café: an expanded version of my favorite spot to get a light breakfast or a snack after an excursion.
- Umai Teppanyaki: a Japanese grill restaurant where the meal preparation is also a comedic show.
- Makato Ocean: great, made-to-order sushi with incredible Sphere views. A good option for lunch.
- Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria: a traditional Princess favorite offering very good Italian dishes (but way too much food).
- The Crown Grill: another Princess standard serving a variety of steaks.
- The Catch by Rudi: one of my favorite Princess restaurants with innovatively presented seafood.
- Love By Brito: a love-themed menu made this a special way to celebrate my time with my daughter.
SheBuysTravel Tip: For a very special experience, reserve a table at Love by Brito about 30 minutes before sunset. Reservations can be made before the cruise on the Princess app or after you board the ship.
Special Dining Experiences for Foodies
Try these Special Experiential Dining events to make the week even more unforgettable.
- Book the Chef’s Table: I’ve tried the Chef’s Table on other Princess ships, but this eight-course meal topped them all. It delivered a true foodie experience, blending unique flavor combinations with creative presentations.
- Drink Some Tea: I love afternoon tea, so I could not pass up the Royal Afternoon Tea experience that was presided over by Queen Elizabeth’s personal chef. Chef McGrady shared entertaining stories about working for the royal family via a video screen while we enjoyed traditional afternoon tea tidbits.
- Enjoy the Ultimate Balcony Breakfast: To celebrate our mother-daughter time, we ended the cruise with the Ultimate Balcony Breakfast on the last morning of our cruise. It was such a treat to linger together over mimosas and more food than we could possibly finish as the ocean rolled by.
Entertainment on the Sun Princess
The Sun Princess is a next-generation ship for the next generation of cruisers. The entertainment on board reflects that spirit. Each evening, multiple venues across the ship host game shows, musical performances, comedy and other forms of amusements.
The house cover band is a favorite, belting out classic rock songs along with more modern dance tunes that had all ages on the dance floor late into the night.
I will always treasure the time I spent on the Sun Princess with my daughter. As she said, it offers the perfect mix for individual interests while also giving us plenty of options to enjoy time together.
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