Last month, ROL Cruise team member Hayley spent five days on the brand-new Sun Princess. Here, Hayley recalls what it was like to be one of the first people to step onboard this much-anticipated ship:
As soon as I stepped on board Sun Princess, I knew the next few days were going to be amazing. The music was blaring as staff welcomed us onboard, smiling and dancing as they did. As we entered The Piazza, we were handed a glass of fizz and given a moment to take everything in. When I looked up, I noticed the most beautiful luminous glass sun and, dotted around The Piazza was a plethora of restaurants and bars. Wherever you looked, you could see the sea. I would soon find that I would enjoy spending time sitting here and watching the world go by.
We headed straight for the top deck and were greeted by two swimming pools, plenty of sunbeds, chairs, a huge television screen (which showed everything from movies to sporting events) and a number of hot tubs that were already bubbling away.
Afterwards, we made our way to our Deluxe Cabin where we were greeted by Luke, our cabin steward. Luke showed us around our beautiful cabin - the beds were super soft with huge duvets, the bathroom had everything we needed and the balcony was a great size with two chairs and a table. Another great addition was the in-cabin television which proved very useful during our cruise thanks to all the information it boasted.
For our first evening onboard, we made our way to Horizons Dining Room on Deck 6 and 7 for dinner. As we arrived, we were greeted by the friendliest staff who handed us extensive menus. Everything sounded amazing, how on Earth was I supposed to choose what to eat? The service here was truly incredible, our every wish was granted. After dinner, we headed to O’Malley’s Irish Pub on Deck 7 for an evening of entertainment and a spot of Irish dancing.
The following morning, we were woken up by the Captain who announced we were arriving at Naples. We jumped out of bed and rushed to the balcony to be greeted by views of Mount Vesuvius and glorious blue skies. Before disembarking, I took the opportunity to go for a quick run on the jogging track - it was so nice to have the views of Naples as my backdrop.
Then it was time to explore Naples. Disembarkation was super quick and easy thanks to the Medallion® that we were given at check-in. The Medallion® is a revolutionary wearable device that elevates every moment before, during and after your cruise. From on-demand food and drinks to interactive gaming, custom entertainment to smart navigation, MedallionClass® makes cruising simpler, more personal and more enjoyable than ever before.
After a day of exploration, we’d worked up an appetite so it was back to Horizons Restaurant for a delicious dinner followed by a cocktail at Bellini’s Cocktail Bar on Deck 7. There was such a lovely atmosphere here thanks to the live music and flowing drinks.
The next day was our day at sea, and what better way to kick-start it than with room service? We ordered croissants, fresh fruit, coffee and juice to enjoy on our balcony as we watched clear water and blue skies pass us by.
I wanted to use our day at sea to explore Sun Princess in more detail so I took myself off on a tour of the ship, visiting the casino, spa and a number of different restaurants along the way. One thing that stood out to me wherever I went was how light the ship was. The floor-to-ceiling windows that are found in many areas of the ship combined with the light decor make for a really calming atmosphere.
This evening, we were invited to a welcome ceremony in which the Captain introduced us to all of his top officers across every department. It was an incredibly special meeting and so nice to see how excited all the staff were to be sailing for the first time - their passion shone through.
Afterwards, we headed for dinner at one of Sun Princess’ speciality restaurants, The Butcher’s Block by Dario. The experience here is really unique - the tables are set up _ which allows everyone to mingle and make friends. We ended the evening with karaoke at Princess Live!.
For our last night, we enjoyed dinner at the Buffet Restaurant. There was so much choice and I filled my plate to the brim. For dessert, we went to International Cafe on Deck 9 where we found brownies, warm cookies and cakes. To round off a fun evening, we visited Good Spirits at Sea on Deck 7. With incredible luck, the expert mixologist Rob Floyd was on board and introduced the concept of Good Spirits at Sea to us. Each cocktail has been exclusively created for Princess Cruises. They use ingredients from different destinations to create unique flavours. We loved the concept so much that we stayed for another session to watch them create even more cocktails.
Before we knew it, it was time to head home. I had the most amazing five days onboard Sun Princess and would highly recommend the ship to everyone as there really is something for all.
