Here’s Why Families Are Going to Love Princess Cruises’ Sun Princess
Princess Cruises’ third iteration of Sun Princess will set sail from February 2024 as the line’s next-generation cruise ship – the debut of the line’s Sphere class.
Currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, Sun Princess will become Princess Cruises’ sixteenth and largest ship, carrying up to 4,300 guests. Not only will Sun Princess be equipped with the line’s MedallionClass technology from the off, but the ship has been designed with families – specifically multi-generational groups – in mind from the outset, too.
Families will be lured to decks 19 – 21 for Park19, Sun Princess’s spectacular top-deck attractions, with nine separate activities, including Sea Breeze, the industry’s first rollglider, a high-speed motorised zipline.
From a fresh take on the traditional cruise ship climbing wall to completely revamped kids’ clubs and more interconnecting cabins, find out why families are going to love Sun Princess.
Park19 Debuts Nine New Family Attractions, Including the First-Ever Rollglider at Sea
Explaining all these new spaces, New Build Director Richard Parker said: “Sun Princess offered us a blank slate to experiment and add attractions based on the guest feedback we’ve received – especially more spaces for family and group activities.”
Set across decks 19, 20 and 21, Park19 is a new family space with some fabulous new-to-cruise features. The standout activity is the sky-high (and ADA accessible) Sea Breeze (pictured above), an electric zipline that is essentially designed to recreate an exhilarating experience similar to hang-gliding. Guests are seated and attached to an overhead track, before being whizzed through the air at speeds of up to 11 mph.
“We’re very excited about Sea Breeze – the first Rollglider on a ship," explains Parker. "Our dream was to bring hang-gliding to our ships but in a safe and relaxing environment. The electric ride also provides fantastic views of the ocean and our ports of call.”
There’s more: Coastal Climb offers a fresh take on the traditional cruise ship climbing wall. Guests scaling the wall are taken from decks 19 to 20 via a series of obstacles. At the top, they’ll will be met with sublime sea and port views -- of destinations such as Palma de Mallorca, Spain, and Genoa, Italy -- from The Lookout. This open-air observation deck is the highest point available to guests onboard. After soaking up the views, guests then have the option to take a slide back down to the bottom.
Park19 Has Exhilarating Activities for Every Family Member
In addition to Sea Breeze and Coastal Climb there are more eye-popping new features debuting at Park19 to create an all-encompassing family zone and we love the idea that this sprawling outside space is intended to bring the entire family together.
Harnessed above Deck 19, The Net is Princess Cruises’ version of an adventurous ropes course that will see daring guests cross swinging bridges and balance beams and climb cargo nets. Infinite Horizon features leaning glass tilt walls that will jut out over the side of the ship to allow guests to peek out from Deck 19 and scan down to Deck 9 and beyond. Another new first for Princess Cruises is the Hammock Area, a chilled space for all ages to kick back and relax.
Water lovers will enjoy the Splash Zone, a fun water area with spirting jets and an elegant water sculpture, while the Jogging Track and Recreational Court will bring guests together with team sports, wellness activities such as meditation classes and Xponential Fitness classes. You could even opt to go for a jog -- 6.7 times around the track equals one mile -- as family members fly by on Sea Breeze or scale Coastal Climb high above.
Princess Cruises has not created this vast new space on a whim. It’s based on guest feedback for more family and group activities spaces. By launching Park19 across the top three decks, guests enjoying the space also get to take in some of the best views onboard.
The downside is you’ll struggle to keep your kids and teens away from Park19, but if you’re looking to buy yourself some time, you can relax at the two-storey Lotus Spa, soak up the sun in the adults-only Sanctuary, enjoy fine wine at Vines Wine Bar or simply laze on a lounger at the all-new Wake View Terrace with its glamorous infinity pool as you sail around the Mediterranean.
And just in case Princess cruisers are concerned Sun Princess will be like a theme park, Parker clarified: “We’re not a theme park. Instead of terrifying or exhilarating experiences, with Park19 we wanted to come up with a fun space with outdoor activities that every member of the family can enjoy."
Brand-New Kids’ Clubs Will Captivate Younger Guests
For families travelling with children and teens, a cruise ship with well-equipped kids’ clubs is a non-negotiable, as Parker explained: “Beyond Park19, adding Firefly Park, Neon Grove (pictured above) and The Underground expand our offerings for younger cruisers, who will be able to enjoy age-appropriate activities in spaces where they can explore, play and socialise.”
To this end, Princess Cruises has entirely revamped its three age-appropriate kids clubs on Sun Princess to create captivating and imaginative spaces for ages six months up to 17 years. Firefly Park on Deck 6 will be for the six-month to seven-years-old set, offering both a place for parents to stay and play or drop and go with a programme of group games, art and crafts and themed parties. Firefly Park also includes a dedicated play area for babies and toddlers. What’s more, this younger kids’ venue is perfectly located next to Lotus Spa so parents can drop their offspring off before indulging in a relaxing spa treatment.
On Deck 7, for tweens aged seven to 12 there will be Neon Grove, while The Underground (pictured above) will be the lively space for teenagers aged up to 17. The separate zones will feature vibrant furnishings with sofas and lounge chairs, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch gaming consoles, foosball, air hockey and seedball with a programme of gaming tournaments, scavenger hunts, movie nights and discos.
Neon Grove and The Underground, while offering an action-packed programme, will also give kids and teens the independence to hang out with new friends and choose how they spend their time while at their respective clubs. After hours group babysitting is also available from 10pm – 1am for $5 per hour, for ages three-12.
Sun Princess Will Have Dedicated Family Dining & Accommodation
Sun Princess will have the widest family offering of any Princess Cruises ship, extending beyond the joy-sparking activities at Park19 and kids clubs to dining and accommodation. There are 100 connecting cabins onboard, offering more options for families and multi-generational groups to stay together in a connecting room.
Sun Princess will also debut the generously sized 329-sq ft Cabana Mini-Suite cabins (pictured above). This new Sphere-class cabin will offer ample outdoor space, including a balcony and a private cabana, with outdoor furniture. The extra-large lounge and separate sitting area will provide a sofa bed, while Cabana Mini-suite guests receive Reserve Collection upgrades with access to the Reserve Collection Restaurant, a private restaurant for Suite and Cabana guests.
When it comes to mealtimes, families can choose to dine when and where they want at a time that works for them. The ship’s show-stopping three-storey Horizons Dining Room (pictured above) offers a special kids’ menu or families could go casual at World Fresh Marketplace self-serve restaurant. One of the most popular choices, however, is Princess Cruises’ renowned Neapolitan-Style pizza. There’s also grilled burgers and hotdogs, while both the Piazza’s International Café and the World Fresh Marketplace restaurant is on hand to provide comforting cookies and milk.
• For more on family friendly accommodation check out our comprehensive guide to cabin types on Sun Princess.
Multi-Generational Entertainment Across Sun Princess
From live theatre at the Princess Arena to the much-loved Movies Under the Stars (which is exactly as it sounds: new and classic movies shown on a big screen under moonlight), Princess Cruises’ family entertainment offering is outstanding.
Families can watch game shows, take in the Voice of the Ocean contest, join top-deck stargazing sessions and learn more about the planet through the line’s Encounters with Discovery at SEA partnership.
On Sun Princess, the jaw-dropping glass-enclosed The Dome (pictured above) -- transforming from pool space by day to starlit stage by night -- will host Cirque Éloize acrobatic performances that will dazzle the whole family. The Dome is another brand-new space for Sun Princess that has been inspired by the terraces of the Greek island of Santorini -- one of the destinations the ship will visit on its maidan season.
Staying Connected to Family Members While at Sea
Sun Princess is a MedallionClass ship. What does this mean for guests? The ship’s technology is, among other things, designed to help guests stay connected onboard via its OceanCompass shipmate locator. It’s free of charge to use, guests just need the MedallionClass app and wearable device to keep track of other family members. So, if your teen wants to head to Park19 and grandma joins a bingo session, while you’re imbibing at a wine-tasting session, you can keep track of the whole brood via OceanCompass. As well as locating your travel companions by adding them to the app, you can ping them a message, too.
Bottom Line: We Can’t Wait for Families to Experience Sun Princess in February 2024
Princess Cruises will carry all of its popular hallmarks -- from the light-filled Piazza (pictured above) to the Lotus Spa -- with a slew of thrilling new family-friendly features and sleek venues that we can’t wait to experience. We love that Princess has pushed itself out of its comfort zone by introducing Park19, while retaining its integrity as a line that values outstanding dining and world-class entertainment for all members of the family.