We visited the Sun Princess at the Monfalcone shipyards in Italy, belonging to Fincantieri, where two months before its maiden voyage, the new concepts incorporated in the first Sphere class ship are becoming visible.
Article from CruisesNews magazine no. 67 – December 2023
When Princess Cruises announced the construction of two new 175,500 gross tonnage ships in 2018, it distanced itself from the Excellence class of its parent company, Carnival Corporation, which supplies similar ships to AIDA, Costa, P&O, and Carnival, built by Meyer Werft and Meyer Turku in Germany and Finland respectively.
Instead, it opted for Fincantieri in Italy, where they have built 19 of its ships; and for creating a new class, Sphere, which begins with two ships, Sun Princess and Star Princess, planned for 2024 and 2025 respectively, but which, knowing the shipyard's track record, will possibly order more units in the future.
More restaurants, experiences and cabins evolve Princess Cruises' traditional cruise concept.
The Sun Princess will be a ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), which significantly reduces emissions into the atmosphere, and will be the company's largest ship. With a capacity for 4,300 passengers, it will be the company's third vessel to bear the Sun Princess name, following its predecessors from 1974 and 1995. It will also feature the most advanced environmental technologies: shore power connection, food waste biodigesters, heat recovery, an air bubble hull lubrication system, LED lighting, and more.
The class name, Sphere, is chosen based on the most distinctive feature of the Sun Princess: a crystal sphere embedded in the very center of the ship, which will give plenty of natural light to one of the unique spaces of the Princess ships, the Piazza, a central atrium of three decks, center of social life.
There is another glass semi-sphere easily distinguishable from the outside of the Sun Princess. Located high at the bow, it is The Dome, a glass-enclosed sun deck where you can enjoy shows under the stars.
Other new features announced will be the Spellbound magic club, a Teppanyaki restaurant, an outdoor sports and adventure area, and new Signature Collection cabin categories, with exclusive access to a restaurant, a lounge and a private deck area.
Some features of the Sun Princess and their current state:
The Dome.
Inspired by the terraces of Santorini, this multi-level deck is the first glass dome ever built on a cruise ship. During the day, The Dome features an indoor/outdoor pool and a unique water feature in a comfortable and relaxed space. At night, the pool becomes a stage, and The Dome transforms completely into an entertainment venue with a South Beach vibe, state-of-the-art lighting effects, and the capacity to host breathtaking aerial shows.
The Piazza
extends over three floors, forming an architectural element that offers guests a space suspended towards the outside with comfortable seating and areas to enjoy sea views in all directions.
In the center of the Piazza is an impressive LED screen that can be moved and configured to offer live entertainment programs. Adjacent to the Piazza's atrium will be a new café, Coffee Currents, joining Princess's classic establishments: the Crooners Bar, Bellini's Cocktail Bar, and Alfredo's Pizzeria.
O'Malley's Irish Pub
will be a traditional Irish pub with live music, interactive entertainment, and delicious menu items: ribs, burgers, etc. It is located in the heart of the ship, next to the Piazza, and is open for lunch, dinner, and late-night dining.
Good Spirits at Sea
Good Spirits will offer cocktails with the world's most exotic ingredients in a fully immersive experience that will connect us with the history of spirits and extraordinary people.
Princess Arena
is a technologically advanced theater that accommodates performances in a 270-degree configuration, as well as through a traditional proscenium stage. The company has announced four shows with different themes for this space.
Horizons Dining Room
is a stunning three-story main dining room with a total capacity of 1,931 guests. This open and flexible space elevates the traditional main dining experience with breathtaking views of the wake and natural light that highlights a decorative sculpture, spanning from Deck 6 to Deck 8.
Princess Cruises takes a step forward in facilities with the Sun Princess, incorporating many new features.
Umai Teppanyaki
, featuring two Teppan grills where skilled chefs combine cooking and entertainment, performing acrobatics while preparing dishes for diners seated around the Teppan.
Lido Pool
The central area of the ship will feature two pools under a huge high-definition LED screen, bright enough to be seen in full sunlight, but also for Princess Cruises' famous "cinema under the stars".
Cabana and Cabana Deck Cabins
One of the most striking new features in terms of accommodation will be the Cabana cabins, located on deck 9, which have a private semi-outdoor space with sofa and TV, a terrace with sun loungers and access to an exclusive terrace with sea views to sunbathe or relax in the jacuzzi.
Spellbound by Magic Castle
is a collaboration between Princess Cruises and Magic Castle, a Hollywood castle dedicated to magic that has been enchanting audiences for decades.
In this bar with several Victorian-inspired rooms, you'll encounter ghosts, surprises in themed rooms, magicians performing tricks at your table, and theatrical cocktails served by sleight-of-hand bartenders.
Other announced facilities
In addition to the facilities mentioned and which we were able to visit on site, the Sun Princess will have other spectacular areas, such as The Wake Terrace at the stern of the ship, the Park19 outdoor sports area, or the Sanctuary, which is moved to the stern.
Itinerary
The Sun Princess will spend more than half of 2024 in the Mediterranean, as from its launch in February until September it will be making cruises with embarkation in Civitavecchia, Athens and Barcelona.
The inaugural cruise on February 8 will be a 10-day Barcelona – Civitavecchia trip, although from then until the end of April most of its cruises will be round trips from Civitavecchia, except for a Civitavecchia – Barcelona cruise on February 28 and a Barcelona – Civitavecchia cruise on March 9.
Next, it will begin operating 7-day cruises Civitavecchia – Athens, Athens – Barcelona, Barcelona – Civitavecchia, which can be combined into 14 or 21-day cruises.
On September 14, it will sail from Barcelona to Southampton, using the latter port as a base for its transatlantic route, which will take it to Portland, Vigo, Funchal, and Tenerife before a long 8-day ocean crossing to Fort Lauderdale.
Once based in Fort Lauderdale, it will alternate 7-day cruises through the Eastern and Western Caribbean, combinable into 14-day routes.
This will continue until the end of March 2025, when it will return to Barcelona to repeat, until November 2025, the sequence of 7-day cruises Barcelona – Civitavecchia, Civitavecchia – Athens, Athens – Barcelona, which can be combined into 14 or 21-day segments.
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