Royal Princess Review & Guide
Royal Princess, was the first Royal-class ship from Princess Cruises. The ship, launched in 2012 carries about 3,600 passengers at double occupancy. The ship was famously christened by a royal, the U.K.’s Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge in 2013.
The ship does a fantastic job of balancing traditional cruising with modern comforts. You won't find waterparks, go-kart tracks or other flashy, family-focused additions. Instead, Royal Princess focuses on relaxation, classic entertainment, and great dining. That's not to say it's boring though, the daily schedules are full with plenty to do to keep anyone busy.
The ship is Ocean Medallion enabled too. The Ocean Medallion replaces your traditional cruise card with a small round disk. Bit it's more than a replacement for the cruise card. The Ocean Medallion technology includes; friends and family locator, food and drinks ordering from your mobile phone and information about your voyage. Furthermore, the Ocean Medallion opens cabin doors automatically as you approach your stateroom. Find out more in our Guide to Ocean Medallion by Princess Cruises.
In this guide, we will highlight everything you need to know about the Royal Princess cruise ship. Including the ship Dining, Entertainment and Accommodations.
Entertainment & Activities
What the ship lacks in water slides or other gimmicks, it makes up for in an impressive amount of activities. Many of these are more traditional such as dancing, trivia, talks and demonstrations.
A new addition is The Voice of the Ocean. Like the actual TV show, this is a multi-night event with different rounds. It all begins with two nights of Karaoke battles where the entries are whittled down to just a handful of singers. Princess' professional singers then mentor the finalists throughout the week as they prepare for the grand final. It all ends with the live final hosted by the cruise director where guests vote to choose the winner.
The 925 Princess Theatre seat theatre offers uninterrupted sightlines from every vantage point. The theatre is small for the size of the ship and does fill up so we recommend arriving early to secure a seat. Entertainment in the theatre includes original musical productions and variety of visiting singers and comedians.
Princess Live! is the ships TV Studio. This venue hosts game shows, culinary shows, live concerts, and late-night comedy. You will also occasionally find live music here. Again, this space is quite small and does fill up for popular events.
At the aft of the ship is the Vista Lounge. During the day this space hosts dance classes and events. On an evening the lounge is a great place to hear live bands and comedians.
The Piazza is the heart of the ship and is surrounded by bars, cafes and restaurants. Throughout the day you will find activities such as dancing, trivia, demonstrations and live music. Many parties are held here on an evening including the captains' reception.
On the lido deck, the gigantic screen shows concerts and movies during the day. There is also live music and activities on the lido deck during the day.
On an evening the whole pool deck transforms into "Movies Under the Stars". It includes comfortable seats with blankets, popcorn and cookies.
On a night the lido deck features the Princess Watercolor Fantasy Show. The show dancing fountains that shoot water 33 feet into the air. It's like something you would see in Las Vegas!
The all-smoking casino features slot machines, gambling tables and a full bar. Age limit is 21+ years (18+ while sailing in Europe).
Bars & Lounges
There are plenty of places on Royal Princess to enjoy your favourite drink and relax. While they all serve the same basic bar menu, there are some that specialising in certain drinks.
Bellinis (Deck 6): A popular cocktail bar serving bellini-inspired cocktails and sparkling wines that overlooks the Piazza.
Club 6 (Deck 6): The ship's nightclub that has a DJ on duty nightly. The club had large dance floor and bar.
Churchill's (Deck 6): A smoking lounge with a small amount of seating and TVs. You can also purchase cigars here. The lounge does not have a bar but bartenders do come in and take drink orders.
Crooners (Deck 7): A piano bar that serves an extensive Martini selection.
Mermaid's Tail (Deck 16): The pool-side bar for the Lido pool area.
Princess Casino Bar (Deck 6): A full-bar serving the casino. Open during Cainso hours. This bar is usually quieter so a good place to grab a drink if the Piazza bars are busy.
Princess Live Bar (Deck 7): The small bar located near Princess Live! The bar also serves speciality coffee and teas during the day.
Outrigger Bar (Deck 16): Located on the Horizon Terrace. The bar includes comfortable lounges to enjoy the spectacular views of the horizon. The menu specialises in in Bloody Marys.
Piazza Bar (Deck 5): The main bar serving the Piazza that is open all day and into the evening.
Retreat Pool Bar (Deck 16): The pool-side bar the adults-only pool area.
SeaView Bar (Deck 16): SeaView is located on the SeaWalk, a cantilevered walkway over the ship edge. IT offers fantastic views and "flair" bartending - shows with bottle-tossing,.
Vines (Deck 5): A wine bar that also serves complimentary tapas and small bites on an evening. The bar is located off from the Pizza.
Wheelhouse Pub (Deck 7): A British-style pub adjacent to the Crown Grill. The bar serves a wide selection of craft beers, whiskeys and bourbons. The Pub has live piano-music and is popular for after-dinner drinks
Kids Clubs
Families are well catered for with a range of children’s clubs created with Discovery Channel. Camp Discovery blends fun and education for all ages. The clubs divided three age-groups, each has a separate space on Deck 17.
The Treehouse (Ages 3-7):The club features a soft play area and an outdoor play area. Activities include hands-on activities such as games and arts & crafts.
The Lodge (Ages 8-12): It features sports actives, fun science experiments, competitions, arts & crafts. The space, reflecting the great outdoors, includes arcade games and sofas for chilling.
The Beach House (Ages 13 - 17): This is an urban-themed lounge with sofas, books, games consoles and televisions. Actives include themed parties, competitions, movie nights.
Outside the clubs, many of the daily activities are also aimed at families. This includes; video gameplay, paper aeroplane challenges and LEGO boat-building competitions
Discover more of what families need to know about Royal Princess.
Pools & Recreation
Main Pool Area (Deck 16/17)
The pools noticeably small for the size of the ship. The main pool area has two pools - one barely bigger than a plunge pool. There are also two hot tubs in the main pool area, as well as two on the deck above.
The Retreat (Deck 17)
The adults-only "Retreat" is free to use and has a pool, two hot tubs, a bar and cabanas for rent at an extra charge.
The Sanctuary (Deck 17)
At the very front of the ship is The Sanctuary. This is a private sunbathing area that costs extra to use. It includes extra comfortable sun loungers, four cabanas and light bites delivered to your lounger.
The Sanctuary costs $20 for a half-day, $40 for a full day or $30 per day if you buy a pass for the length of the cruise. There is also a service charge of $3 per person, per food delivery.
A massage cabana in the Sanctuary is available for single and couples massages. These are an extra cost.
The Sanctuary Cabanas are very private and are like a mini-apartment outdoors. They have a TV, large sofas and sun loungers. You are also provided with robes and slippers. The cabanas come with a fully stocked mini-bar that includes soft drinks, beer and wine. You also receive a welcome cocktail and snacks. The Sanctuary Cabana cost form $140 for a half day to $220 for the full day.
Fitness & Recreation
Royal Princess offers plenty of opportunities to stay fit and active. At the very back of the ship on Deck 18 is the large sports court. This has the usual sports facilities plus a golf practice cage. Next to this on deck 19 is the Lawn Court. This has traditional cruise games such as bocce and croquet.
The Fitness Centre (Deck 16)
The fitness centre has an extensive range of equipment free to use. At the back of the fitness centre is a private aerobics studio that offers fitness classes for an extra charge. The gym gets busy and crowded at peak times.
The Lotus Spa (Deck 5)
The Lotus Spa offers the usual range of treatments. The spa features a salon, barbershop, a relaxation room and 18 treatment rooms. The highlight of the treatments room is the two couples villas. These provide side-by-side massages, followed by an hour's relaxation in a whirlpool bath or sitting area with ocean views.
At the centre of the spa is the Enclave, a thermal suite with a dramatic hydrotherapy pool. The suite is not as large as some cruise lines, such as Viking Cruises, but it still offers a good range of experiences. The Enclave is an extra charge starting at Day $39 per person, per day.
Amenities
Library: (Deck 7) The library is narrow room with small selection of books. It has a conference-like table at the centre to write or read. We recommend bringing your own books.
Internet Cafe (Deck 5): The internet cafe located off the PIazza is a small room with a computer to access the internet and printing. Its open 24-hours with staff help is during the day.
The Wedding Chapel (Deck 14): The Wedding Chapel can be hired for ceremonies. Space is also used for conferences and meetings.
Launderettes: Self-service laundry is available on each deck. Washing and drying is an extra cost but the irons are free to use.
Shopping
Photo and Video Gallery (Deck 8): The large photo and video gallery feature touch screens to view your photos taken by the ship's photographers. They also sell a range of photo-related gifts, DVDs and photography equipment. The photo gallery gets very busy on the final night of voyages so we recommend buying your photos before the final evening.
Shops of Princess (Deck 7) A mall-like space with multiple stores. These sell the usual items; Duty-free, cosmetics, fashion, jewellery and Princess branded merchandise.
The Fine Art Gallery (Deck 7): The Fine Art Gallery has pieces to buy and art auctions during the cruise.
Celebrations (Deck 5): A small store selling party items, special occasions gifts and tuxedo rentals.
Dining
Royal Princess has a wide range of dining venues offering a fantastic choice. There are plenty of included options too outside the typical Main Dining Rooms. Our favourites are the International Cafe and Alfredo’s Pizza serving the best pizza at sea.
We always find the included food, particularly in the Main Dining Rooms, on very good. On par with some more Luxury cruise lines. But, we are always let down by the room service which would not plan a night-in around.
For an extra special experience, we recommend trying one of the speciality restaurants. These include the Crown Grill and Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria. While these are an extra charge - we find them great value for money.
Included Dining
Alfredo’s Pizzeria (Deck 6)
Lunch and Dinner | Table-service | Reservations Not Available
Alfredo's is a table-service restaurant serving delicious hand-tossed pizzas made to order plus antipasti, salads, soups, desserts. We highly recommend you try this restaurant for lunch, dinner or just for dessert! Alfredo's is open for Lunch and Dinner. Reservations are not available.
International Cafe (Deck 5)
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner | Counter-service | Reservations Not Available
The International Café counter service location within the PIazza. It's open 24-hours a day and is great for a late evening snack, quick breakfast or a light lunch. You order food to go or sit in the Piazza.
Main Dining Rooms (Allegro, Symphony and Concerto) (Decks 5 & 6)
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner | Table-service | Reservations Available
The main dining rooms are all similar in design and share the same menu each evening. You will be allocated a main dining room at the star of your cruise.
Symphony and Concerto are for those who requested "Anytime Dining". These resturants are available for dining anytime between 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. It's also possible to make a reservation for a specific time when you board.
Allegro is for guests on “Traditional Dining". You can choose either a 5:00 p.m. or 7:15 p.m. seating.
One of the dining rooms will also be open every day forbreakfast and lunch on sea days only. Breakfast and lunch are open seating forall guests regardless of which dining room they are allocated.
Horizon Court & Horizon Bistro (Deck 16)
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner | Buffet | Reservations Not Available
The Horizon Court and Horizon Bistro are the buffet open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The buffet serves a huge selection of dishes that change daily. The buffet has plenty of seating and the multiple food stations to help ease the crowds at busy times. On certain nights the buffet hosts themed evenings such as Italian night or British night.
At the drinks stations, you will find complimentary ice, water, lemonade, iced tea, filter coffee and tea.
The Pastry Shop (Deck 16)
Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Dinner | Counter Service | Reservations Not Available
The Pastry Shop is located within the buffet. It serves desserts, cakes and cookies at lunch and dinner. There is also a selection of sandwiches and cakes for afternoon tea. A coffee bar serves speciality hot drinks.
Prego Pizzeria (Deck 16)
Lunch and Dinner | Counter Service | Reservations Not Available
Prego PIzza is a pool size pizzeria that serves complimentary pizza by the slice and open toasted sandwiches. It’s great for a quick lunch or afternoon snack. The pizzas on offer change daily.
The Trident Grill (Deck 16)
Lunch and Dinner | Counter Service | Reservations Not Available
The Trident Grill is the poolside grill serving burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches
Swirls (Deck 16)
Daytime and Evenings | Counter Service | Reservations Not Available
Swirls is small ice-cream bar tucked away in the corner of the pool deck that serves complimentary soft-serve ice cream. On an evening, the bar also features delicious free cookies and popcorn for “Movies Under the Stars”.
Speciality/Paid dining
Crab Shack (Deck 16 inside the Buffet)
Dinner | Table Service | Reservations Recommended
Crab Shack is a space cordoned off from the buffet. The restaurant is very casual and is just the regular buffet seating. Dishes include Bayou-style boiled crawfish, popcorn shrimp, steaming clam chowder and a mixed steamer pots filled with snow crab, jumbo shrimp, clams and mussels.
Price: $25 Per-adult. Includes: 3 courses; soup or salad, main course and dessert. Additional main courses are available for $10.
Crown Grill (Deck 7)
Dinner | Table Service | Reservations Recommended
Crown Grill is the elegant steakhouse restaurant serving premium steaks and seafood. The restaurant is dark and cosy, perfect for a couples evening.
Price: $25 for Adults. $14.50 for children ages 3 to 12. Price includes: As many appetisers and desserts and you like and 1 main dish. Additional main dishes are available for $10.
Chef's Table Lumiere (Deck 5 Aft MDR)
Dinner | Table Service | Reservations Required
A private exclusive dining experience located in the centre of the dining room surrounded by a curtain made of lights around the table. The experience begins with a galley tour accompanied by hors d’oeuvres and champagne followed by a multi-course dinner designed by celebrity chef Curtis Stone.
Price: $115 per-person with paired wines, $100 per-person without.
Gelato (Deck 5)
Dahtime & Evenings | Counter Service | Reservations not available
Gelato bar with a small seating area. All items are an extra charge.
Price: à la carte
Ocean Terrace Seafood Bar (Deck 7)
Lunch & Dinner | Counter Service | Reservations not available
The Ocean Terrace Seafood Bar overlooks the Piazza and serves serves sushi, sashimi, ceviche and caviar.
Price: à la carte
Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria (Deck 5)
Dinner | Table Service | Reservations Reccomended
Sabatini's serves Northern Italian cuisine created in collaboration with Chef Angelo Auriana. Dishes include pasta, seafood and traditional entrees. The restaurant is casual with a welcoming cosy atmosphere.
Price: $25 Per-adult. Includes: 4 courses; soup or salad, antipasti, main course and dessert. Additional main courses are available for $10.
Wine Cellar (Deck 6 Mid Ship MDR)
Dinner | Table Service | Reservations Required
The Wine Cellar is a private area of the main dining room that seats up to 12 people surrounded by wine bottles. Here you can enjoy the Winemaker’s Dinner. A set menu featuring an amuse-bouche, appetizer, soup, main and dessert. Each course is paired with a matching wine included in the price.
Price: $40 per-person. Includes: Amuse-bouche, appetizer, soup, main dish, dessert and wine.
Accommodation
The cabins on Royal Princess are smaller compared to older Princess Ships. The balconies in particular are noticeably thinner. Despite the smaller size, they are well designed and comfortable.
Most cabins feature a private balcony. Royal Princess does not feature any Oceanview cabins which are unusual for a ship of this size.
The highlight of the Royal Princess cabins is The Princess Luxury Bed. The bed, designed by sleep expert Dr Michael Breus, are incredibly comfortable with premium sheets and bedding.
Cabin Types
All cabins include; two twin beds or one queen, a small armchair, an interactive TV with a wide selection of free on-demand content, refrigerator, hairdryer, digital safe and free 24-hour room service.
There's a large open-plan closet area which is unique on Princess Cruises. We prefer this as it gives you more hanging space but does make the cabin feel smaller.
The bathrooms in the standard cabins are small but do include a large shower with basic toiletries (shampoo and shower gel). One downside of the shower is the dreaded sticky shower curtain. The bathroom has plenty of shelving and mirrors.
Inside Cabin
This is the most affordable cabins on Royal Princess. They are very small but comfortable and perfect if you don't plan on spending much time in your room.
They feature two twin beds or a queen-size bed. Some cabins can also accommodate up to 4 people with 2 pulldown beds. Other amenities include an armchair, vanity unit/writing table, walk-in closet area. All inside cabins are 161 ft²/15 m2 and sleep up to 4 people. Accessible inside cabins are 240 ft²/22 m2.
Standard Balcony Cabins
Balcony cabins offer more space than an inside but are still smaller than most other cruise lines. There is no sofa or armchair to relax in, only the chair from the desk. This can be uncomfortable if you want to watch tv but don't want to sit in bed. The balcony is much smaller too. It feels very tight with the balcony furniture so keep that in mind.
If you like to use your balcony or spend time relaxing in your cabin, we recommend upgrading to a Mini-Suite.
All cabins offer 180 ft²/17 m2 of space and feature 1 queen or 2 twin beds, a desk chair, vanity unit/writing table and walk-in closet area. The 40 ft² / 4 m² balcony features two chairs and a table.
Deluxe Balcony Cabins
Deluxe balconies are slightly larger with 233 ft² / 21.5 m2 of space and a larger 41 ft² balcony. They also offer some of the amenities found in a Mini-Suite stateroom. Such as nicer toiletries, bathrobes and high-quality linens.
They also include a small sofa that doubles as a single sofa bed. The sofa can comfortably seat one person.
Accessible Balcony Cabins
Accessible Balcony Cabins, adapted for those with disabilities, are fully accessible. They include a wider door and step-free access to the bathroom and the balcony. The main cabin area includes a larger space for wheelchairs, lower hanging rails and lower storage.
The bathroom is a large wet room with a seat in the shower, adjustable handheld showerhead, lower sinks and adjustable mirrors.
Mini-Suites
Mini-Suites are larger than balcony cabins with between 245 – 335 ft² / 22-31 m2 of space. These can accommodate up to 4 passengers.
They include a living area with a sofa, vanity unit/writing table, coffee table and TV. The bedroom area, separated by a curtain, features 2 twin or 1 queen beds with a large TV. The bathrooms feature a bathtub with a shower and premium bathroom amenities.
These cabins are very comfortable and spacious. While they sleep up to four passengers, remember the living space is only separated by a curtain. This may not be ideal for adults sharing. Also, the balcony is the same size as a standard balcony cabin.
Club Class Mini-Suites
Club Class mini-suites are mini-suite cabins in a better location with added benefits. These include use of the exclusive Club Class dining area in the main dining room, priority embarkation and disembarkation, 1/2 bottle of red and 1/2 bottle of white wine in your stateroom upon arrival, evening Canapés upon request and upgraded bathrobes in the cabin.
The Club Class dining area includes an extended menu and table-side cooking. If you are travelling with non-club-class passengers, they will not be able to dine with you in the Club Class dining area.
Suites
Royal Princess features three types of suites; Penthouse suites located on deck 14, Premium Suites on deck 9 – 12 and Owners Suites on decks 8 – 15.
The suites offer between 440 ft² / 41 m2 and 682 ft2 / 64 m2 of space and can accommodate up to 4 guests.
All suites are split into a living space and bedroom space divided by a curtain. Again, this may not be appealing to adults sharing who prefer a separate room.
The living space includes a double sofa bed, coffee table, armchair, side table, writing desk and kitchenette with a stocked mini-bar and dining table for 4 guests. The bedroom includes 2 twin or queen beds, vanity unity, en suite marble bathroom with a separate bathtub and shower.
All suites feature a private balcony features 2 lounges, a dining table for 4 people and a small table and chair.
What's Included
Most entertainment and activities are free. Most facilities including the pools, gym and children's clubs are included. Extra charges include the Sanctuary, excursions, the spa, speciality restaurants and drinks.
For a full list of what's included see our guide Princess Cruises: What’s included and what’s not?.
Fellow Passengers
Royal Princess appeals to a large mix of travellers. Generally, the crowd is more mature with many couples. But, you can find a good amount of multi-generational families, particularly in the school holidays.
This is, notably, just the way Princess customers like it. Popular with middle-age couples, retirees and multigenerational families, the line caters to people who like a more traditional type of cruising than you’ll find on the vessels of most other big-ship lines.
While the majority of cruisers are North Americans, you will also find many Brits, Australians and New Zealand cruisers.