Call us free on 0800 023 1273
Mobiles / International call 0203 371 7641
13th Feb 2027 | 12 nights | Princess | Enchanted Princess
Why do we love this cruise holiday? Sunshine, sea breezes and a balcony to enjoy them from, not bad when it’s a free upgrade. Add 2-nights in Miami to kick things off, then 10-nights sailing the Caribbean with Princess, stopping at a mix of islands including their private spot in the Bahamas. Oh, and there’s a FREE Everglades tour thrown in too, just to keep things interesting. When you add it all up, the value really stacks up. With so much included, it’s one of those holidays where you feel like you’re getting a bit more than you bargained for. A proper Florida and Caribbean combo, with plenty of variety along the way and a nice balance of beach, city and a splash of adventure.
What's included?
Want to go all-inclusive? Ask our team about the onboard packages available with Princess Cruises.
Cruise Circle Collection packages adhere to our 7 point charter:
Caribbean Escape | Miami, Everglades & Private Island Getaway
24th Jan 27 | 12 nights
Princess | Enchanted Princess
from £1599.00
View Package
Caribbean Escape | Miami, Everglades & Private Island Getaway
5th Mar 27 | 12 nights
Princess | Enchanted Princess
from £1599.00
View PackageToday your Caribbean holiday begins with your flight to Miami.
Check-in to your 4* hotel for a 2-night stay.
Experience the wild heart of Florida on an Everglades tour, where airboats, alligators, and natural wonders await.
Spend your final night in Miami before your cruise tomorrow.
In 1493, Christopher Columbus was allegedly so smitten with this volcanic island that he named it after St. Christopher, the patron saint of travellers. Since its discovery, St. Christopher (later shortened by British sailors to St. Kitts) has been fought over by the British and French who, tragically, made it a centre of the West Indian slave trade. Pirates, including the notorious William Kidd who was marooned on Nevis after his crew mutinied, enjoyed lucrative careers in Basseterre Harbour. St. Kitts and sister isle Nevis were part of the British Empire until 1967, earning semi-independent status when they were named associated states of Great Britain. In 1983, the 68-square-mile St. Kitts and Nevis became an independent, two-island nation with a parliamentary government headed by a prime minister. While British holdovers such as cricket and driving on the left side of the road remain, the Kittitians are extremely proud of their history and how far they've come on their own. The island's lush geography lends itself to eco-tourism, starting with the dense tropical rainforests that surround dormant volcano Mount Liamuiga. Colourful birds and butterflies, as well as the green vervet monkey, reside here. Sugar cane, the staple of the economy since the 17th century, was St. Kitts' main export until production stopped just a few years ago. However, wild sugar cane fields remain, particularly in the west, and offer a scenic ambience that is more reminiscent of Hawaii than the Caribbean these days. While tourists have discovered St. Kitts (evidenced by the row of lively beach bars on South Frigate Bay, known as "The Strip"), the island is still relatively unspoiled and crowd-free, with a relaxed, authentic atmosphere.
Antiguans like to boast that they have 365 beaches -- one for each day of the year. And while no one counts to ensure the accuracy of this catchy marketing claim, the squiggly shaped island indeed is full of beachy gems, each with its own unique appeal. Part of the West Indies, Antigua was first occupied by the peaceful Arawak Indians around 200 B.C. They stayed until the arrival of the Caribs, an Amazonian tribe, whose name was derived from the Spanish word "caribal," meaning "cannibal." Then, the island was known as Wadadli until 1493 when Columbus, who never made landfall, sailed by and named the island in honor of Maria de la Antigua, a saint he worshipped in Seville. The English arrived in 1632, establishing sugar plantations and bringing African slaves; slavery was fully abolished in 1838. Great Britain held the island until 1981, when Antigua (pronounced "An-tee-gah") achieved independence. The island was an important colonial base of the Royal Navy, with English Harbour serving as its headquarters. The remains of the navy's presence represent some of the most fascinating attractions -- a walk around historic Nelson's Dockyard and the grounds of Shirley Heights reveals remnants of a working Georgian-era harbor, old forts and officer's quarters, as well as a multitude of crumbling sugar mills from the days when sugar plantations ruled the island. In more recent years, English Harbour has become the capital of international yachting and sailing, and those activities are responsible for a surge in population during the winter months. The season opens in December with the Antigua Yacht Show and ends in May with Antigua Sailing Week, one of the largest annual regattas in the Caribbean. Since gaining independence, Antigua has all but abandoned its agricultural heritage in favor of a tourist economy. The island can hold its own in the duty-free shopping category, but the real highlights lie well beyond the capital and port town of St. John's. And if all those beaches aren't enough, Antigua's sister island, Barbuda, is accessible by ferry for day-trippers. The ferry drops you in the middle of 14 miles of unspoiled pink shell beaches -- including one that used to be a favorite of Princess Diana; it's now named in her honor. Antigua owns an average high temperature of a pleasant 81 degrees, but it's a slightly less hospitable climate in the summer when the trade winds die down. Antiguans celebrate these slower summer months with the annual Carnival at the end of July and beginning of August. The island is susceptible to hurricanes and tropical storms, with a direct hurricane hitting about every seven years on average. The highest risk is in early September -- so there's little need to worry during peak cruising season. Bring your umbrella, though, because more than half of the days in November through February experience rainfall.
St. Maarten is busier than ever, as cruise lines call on Philipsburg with their biggest ships. (Sometimes there are a half-dozen in port at one time.) There's also more to do once you disembark, with shopping and beaches serving as the primary attractions.
That can be viewed as either good news (more shopping choices, better deals and more beach activities) or bad news (more people) for this port of call, which, along with neighbouring St. Martin, makes up the world's smallest island inhabited by two countries.
St. Maarten, like many other Caribbean islands, was spotted by Christopher Columbus in 1493. But the island's real history began with French and Dutch settlers who divided the island in 1648. They have lived side-by-side ever since. St. Maarten, governed by the Netherlands Antilles until 2010, is now a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (along with Aruba, Curacao and the Netherlands), while St. Martin is part of the French West Indies. What's particularly fun is that you can easily swing back and forth from the Dutch to the French sides and enjoy the best of both.
On either side of the mountainous island, lovely beaches -- including the famed clothing-optional part of Orient Beach -- rival the best in the Caribbean. Plus, duty-free prices for electronics and liquor in Philipsburg might be the best deals around.
As an anchor on Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries -- not to mention a turnaround port for many ships -- San Juan is a place where just about all cruisers, at some point or another, are going to wind up. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, and San Juan is its urban hub. The city, by and large, is divided into new and old. The new includes a business district and outlying neighbourhoods, concentrated with hotel chains like Isla Verde. The old is, of course, the historic city within ancient walls. Both offer many Americanisms. (Senor Frog's has a prime outpost, and you'll never want for a McDonald's Big Mac.)
Get beyond that, though, because of all America's Caribbean islands, Puerto Rico offers the most exotic aura. The melange of indigenous Taino culture, combined with European and African influences in San Juan (and all of Puerto Rico, for that matter), is one major factor. Add to that its own unique influences in areas ranging from cuisine and music to history and art. And there's more: folks who have travelled to Cuba say that Old San Juan reminds them more of Cuba, at times, than Cuba itself! It's also very Spanish (think Seville) and even a bit Italian (reminiscent of Naples). Finally, the city evokes just a wee taste of South America (like Buenos Aires).
For those who visit San Juan as a day-stop on a Caribbean itinerary or embark or disembark there, the island's biggest appeal is the old city. Most cruise ships dock right in the heart of Old San Juan, which dates back to the 16th century. The old, walled city has been exquisitely preserved, and its sprawling forts, cobblestone streets, antique shops and art galleries make it an ideal first stop. Its mainstream attractions include the imposing El Morro fort, which dates back to 1539; the Cathedral of San Juan, where the island's first governor, Ponce de Leon, is buried; La Fortaleza, the oldest governor's mansion on U.S. soil; several colonial plazas; and the triumvirate of Calle del Cristo, Calle San Jose and Calle Fortaleza for shopping. Calle del Cristo, in particular, is chock-full of art galleries, artisan studios and distinctive boutiques.
But, if you're a "been there, done that" visitor to Old San Juan, there's much more to explore.
And there's one more thing to keep in mind: many cruises stay in port until late at night. That makes it possible to sample some of the city's vibrant restaurants and nightlife (as long as you keep an eye on the clock).
Best For: Adults seeking a relaxed getaway and families who like a sophisticated cruise ship
Not For: Guests who want a ton of onboard whiz-bang features like waterslides or rock-climbing walls
Bottom Line: Enchanted Princess is a beautiful cruise ship that offers a wide range of fun activities and a solid array of dining options
Enchanted Princess is a sophisticated cruise ship that delivers a wide range of activities both outdoors and in. It features a lovely range of public spaces that appeal to a variety of tastes -- no easy task on a ship that carries 3,660 passengers. But it does so effortlessly, with great passenger flow and an environment that is inviting and relaxing. The heart of the ship is the Piazza, a stunning, multilevel space inspired by the piazzas of Europe. Restaurants and bars surround the central space, which is always buzzing with activity, from music to balloon drops. It's the best space onboard.
Dining on Enchanted Princess is a highlight: The array of options, including reasonable speciality dining, is strong, and the service in all restaurants -- in truth, across the ship -- was excellent. We especially appreciated that crew seemed empowered to solve problems on their own and do whatever it took to ensure guests were happy. (For example, we asked for a paper list of spa services as well as a printout of the Enchanted Princess deckplan. While these aren't typically shared -- these features are available on the app -- crew scrambled to accommodate, even printing off a new deckplan when they discovered they didn't actually carry these.)
At the forefront of the Enchanted Princess experience is the ship's Medallion. While the concept itself seems straightforward -- create fast, accessible internet while providing an uncomplicated, worry-free cruise for all guests -- the technology behind it is anything but simple. Medallion is Princess Cruises' approach to solving all cruise problems, and it's done so thanks to a wearable disk and a super powerful app, plus a ship that is wired to the nines to make sure it all works. Because Enchanted Princess is one of the few ships in the Princess fleet to debut fully loaded with all the power of the line's Medallion -- it's technically part of the Medallion Class -- we put the technology to the test on our Caribbean sailing. We've had the opportunity to try it before, but all components of Medallion functioned on our sailing better than we'd experienced before. We streamed live meetings with our home office and watched shows on Netflix, thanks to the strong internet, which worked everywhere. We ordered food and drinks on the app, and servers found us to deliver, even when we moved around after placing our orders. We used the Medallion disk to open our cabin doors every time, with a range of about 15 feet. And we effectively tracked our travelling companions using the app. Best of all, we rarely had to swipe that disk when we bought something; most servers simply handed us our items and thanked us (by name!). There were a few hiccups: Medallion is designed to make embarkation frictionless, but ours saw some chaos and longer-than-expected lines (the couple behind us in one line grumbled "we've found some seams in 'seamless'”), and we still found we had to swipe that disk in some locations, especially busy bars. And there was that time we tracked our brother to the women's bathroom (turns out, he was sitting at a table on the wall behind the bathroom). But overall, we were impressed with the evolution of Princess' defining feature, which enhanced our cruise.
Prices mentioned are correct at the time of writing and subject to change
Enchanted Princess' approach to fun isn't all about the sun; the ship really utilizes the indoor space all day, so it tends to eliminate crowding. The main pool, called the Sky Pool, is located on Deck 16. It's actually two pools, connected in the center and flanked by hot tubs. It's suitable for adults and kids, and you'll see plenty of both on sunny sea days. Shaded and full sun lounge chairs are located on the pool deck as well as the overlooking sun deck. Movies play during the day on the giant Movies Under The Stars screen. An additional infinity-style pool is located at the aft of the ship, with a large bar and beautiful views of the wake. Our favourite pool is the quiet Retreat Pool, another deep plunge pool open to adults only. It has a small bar nearby and chairs for relaxing. It's also just steps from the adults-only Sanctuary, a lovely escape that offers shade, deeply cushioned lounge chairs, hot tubs and even an exclusive spa menu, with fruit skewers and the like. Guests can purchase half-day and full-day passes for the Sanctuary, though on our Caribbean sailing, both sold out quickly on sea days. Cabanas are also available for rental, and you can even get spa treatments there. Tip: The Retreat Pool is a hidden gem that many passengers don't discover until a few days into their sailing. Look for it at on Deck 17 forward. Enchanted Princess also has a sports court and small mini-golf course.
On most days, Enchanted Princess' vibrant multilevel Piazza serves as a hub of activity. In the morning, guests gather at the International Cafe for coffee and snacks and genial conversation with other passengers. During the day, you might catch a little light music, like a steel pan player or musical trio, and this continues into the evening. The other daytime hotspot is Princess Live, a large venue with a stage and video screen. During the day, you might enjoy dance lessons or participate in trivia sessions. Enchanted Princess also has a good lineup of enrichment lectures, and many are hosted here. These are further enhanced by the line's partnership with Discovery. On our sailing, well-attended lectures covered topics like "Birds of the Caribbean" and "What's it Like to Come Face to Face with a Great White Shark?" Other daytime activities include wine or spirits tastings (usually with a fee) and afternoon tea, as well as bingo (also with a fee).
At Night
Enchanted Princess spreads the nighttime fun around multiple venues, each with their own personality. Passengers tend to find their favorite spots and stick to them
Princess Theater: The two-level Princess Theater hosts the ship's big production numbers. Enchanted Princess offers two of these: Rock Opera and 5-SKIES. Both feature a mix of modern hits as well as older music and offer stunning costumes and a bit of over-the-top theater. Neither is exclusive to Enchanted Princess; if you've sailed on Sky Princess, you have likely seen these before. But they're both worth a repeat viewing. Other acts, like comedians and magicians, perform here on nights when there isn't a production show going on.
Princess Live: This space is all about fun, and it's usually standing room only here. Part of the appeal is the layout; Princes Live is set up as a lounge with a stage at the front. But it's wide open to passersby, who often will stop and check out the action, lingering near the nearby bar or straight-up joining in the fun. In the evening, you'll participate in trivia or watch the ship's gameshows, like the Yes No Game. Princess Live also hosts mixers and get-togethers, like the 18-20s meetup. Tip: If you want to play trivia, you must arrive early if you want a seat. We never saw a session that wasn't full. You can check your app to see how many people have bookmarked sessions to get a sense of what the crowd might be like.
Vista Lounge: Another spot for more organized entertainment, the Vista Lounge is vast and has a great bar serving up a menu of craft cocktails. Catch live music, shows, comedians and more here. This is also the venue for late-night dancing, thanks to a DJ.
Movies Under The Stars: Movies Under The Stars is a Princess-original concept, though other lines have taken the idea and run with it as well. Each night, you'll find a different moving playing on the pool deck. To enhance the experience, lounge chairs are covered in red velvet, and crewmembers provide popcorn and fleece blankets to guests. Movies range from classics to just released.
Princess Casino: The casino on Enchanted Princess features table games and slot machines. It also hosts tournaments routinely. The Medallion app gives passengers the ability to gamble from anywhere onboard, playing the slots from their mobile devices or getting in on the onboard lotto. Princess also offers a sports book at sea, where passengers can bet on the action of many games being played all over the world, from NBA to English Premier League soccer. This can only be done virtually; you can't place a bet with a real person at the casino. We tried it out on our sailing, putting $5 on an NFL game (we lost). The process had some kinks -- we got booted out a couple of times and ended up logging four bets even though we only made one -- but we're chalking this one up to a new ship. (Still, double-check your folio to make sure your bets are registering correctly.) Princess has told us live, in-game and proposition betting is on its way.
Enchanted Princess has a solid selection of bars and lounges, suited to a variety of tastes. What is especially appealing is that you can order using the Medallion app and have drinks from virtually any venue delivered to where you are -- no lines or wandering around. (We tried this one night at dinner at the Ocean Terrace Seafood Bar, ordering a drink from Good Spirits and were pleasantly surprised by how quickly it was delivered.)
Heart of the Action: Good Spirits at Sea is located on Deck 5, just off the ship's Piazza. Here, you get inventive drinks and a bit of a show.
For Great Jazz: If you like jazz and swanky cocktails, Take Five is your spot. The lounge hosts jazz late at night, every night, and we were impressed with the variety of exclusive gin cocktails offered.
For the Views: Visit the Wakeview Bar for the best scenery around. We love this at sunset.
To Have a Quiet Drink: You don't have to be eating at the Crown Grill to enjoy the adjacent Crown Grill Bar. It's a nice spot to get together with friends and enjoy an intimate drink, with seating at deep couches and armchairs.
For a Bit of the Bubbly: Bellini's Bar offers everything from mimosas (it's open in the morning) to high-end bottles of Champagne and sophisticated cocktails. It's also a nice spot for people watching in the Piazza.
To Get Your Martini Fix: Crooners Bar is a Princess staple, specializing in martinis. It's a favorite of Princess fans, and chances are, you'll chat with an avid cruiser here.
One of our favorite features on Enchanted Princess is its lovely Lotus Spa. Princess smartly placed the spa on Deck 5. (Spas on many cruise ships often take up prime real estate on high decks, even though, for the most part, natural light isn't necessary. We like the approach on Enchanted Princess, which combines serenity with a beautiful space. It promotes calm without being too dark.) The spa and adjacent beauty salon offer a range of treatments, from massages to manis and pedis and blowouts. A number of them combine treatments; we enjoyed our Couture Touch Face and Body Treatment, which combined a massage with an excellent facial. The Lotus Spa uses Elemis products. Therapists will make product recommendations, but if you're not interested, politely let them know before your treatment even starts. Of course, the best part of the spa might actually be The Enclave, a thermal suite available by purchase of a pass only. Passes can be purchased for a single day or the length of the cruise. The Enclave features a hammam, steam rooms, sensory showers, saunas and heated thermal loungers. Tip: The Enclave is among the more reasonably priced thermal suites at sea, so if you are someone who craves this kind of space on your vacation, book a pass for the length of your cruise, as day passes aren't guaranteed and the space sells out quickly, especially on sea days.
Enchanted Princess' fitness centre is well-equipped, with cardio machines like treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bikes as well as a large array of free-weights and weight machines. Your workout won't suffer from being onboard. The space is well designed and well used, especially in the morning from about 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and again in late afternoon. A few classes, Zumba or dance classes, for example, are offered free of charge on the top decks or in Princess Live. Most group classes, as well as personal training come with an additional cost. You'll get your sweat on with TRX or group cycling, but you'll pay for the experience. A jogging track is found on Deck 18. Tip: If you're a Peloton fan, you can take cycling classes using one of the gym's Expresso bikes and your mobile device; the ship's internet is good enough for streaming live or recorded classes.
Enchanted Princess includes 25 bars and restaurants, with a mix of included and for-fee options. It's easy to focus on the up-charge venues, which offer a little something special, but we appreciate that diners can enjoy a great meal no matter where they eat. Enchanted Princess' included options are filled with variety and offer diners a chance to stay in -- or venture from -- their comfort zones. The most formal of the included options are the ship's three main dining rooms: Capri, Amalfi and Santorini. All three offer the same menu, but hours and who can dine there vary. Passengers can expect at least one restaurant will be open for breakfast; all are open for dinner. Lunch is only offered on sea days. The three restaurants are beautiful open spaces, though space between tables, especially in the coveted window spots, can be a bit tight. These are the restaurants people think of when they think of traditional cruise dining: Guests are seated and served plated, multicourse meals. You can elect to dine at the same table and same time each night, or you can choose a looser, dine-when-you'd-like approach. Tip: Your food preferences and allergies follow you, thanks to your Medallion disk. We talked with vegetarians who told us servers at restaurants made menu suggestions unprompted.
World Fresh Market: Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, World Fresh Market is the ship's buffet restaurant. Enchanted Princess has done a fine job of setting up a space that creates stations and eliminates lines. We're especially enamoured of the salad station, which includes a variety of grab-and-go premade options as well as a build-your-own spot, where a crewmember will put together a salad just the way you like it. In fact, a shining spot for Enchanted Princess is the sheer variety of pre-plated choices throughout the buffet; it's ideal during the pandemic when we're all concerned with sharing utensils. But it also cuts down on food waste and time standing in lines.
Gigi's Pizzeria: Gigi's might be the best-included pizza joint on the waves. Pizza is made-to-order, crusts are perfectly soft and chewy and salads and calzones complete your order. It's worth repeat visits, as the menu offers a great variety. Tip: Visit Gigi's on embarkation day, before everyone else finds out about it. You'll have the place mostly to yourself and can skip the crowds that usually hit World Fresh Market on the first day.
Salty Dog Grill: Burgers, barbecue, hot dogs and fries, this poolside venue has a nice selection that's perfect for a casual nosh when you just don't feel like leaving the sun. Tip: Skip the crush at lunchtime and order a burger (for free!) from your app. A server will bring it to your lounge chair.
Slice: The poolside pizza restaurant. If you're looking for fast and convenient, eat here. But if you're looking for great pizza, hit Gigi's.
International Cafe: Located in the heart of the Piazza, International Cafe is a buzzy little spot throughout the day. Coffee lovers go here to get their jolt of caffeine, but it's the selection food that makes us happy. Open 24 hours, there's always something tempting behind the glass display cases. We enjoyed the breakfast sandwich, a satisfying quick bite. But you can get anything from soup to quiche to sweets here, depending on the time of day.
Gelato: For-fee gelato served throughout the day. Options rotate, and sugar-free selections are available.
If you're willing to spend a little extra, Enchanted Princess offers several restaurants that enhance the ship's dining offerings. While we've seen prices for speciality dining on the rise throughout the industry, offerings on Enchanted Princess are reasonably priced, mostly coming in at less than $30 per person.
Crown Grill: The ship's steakhouse, Crown Grill is the restaurant you should choose if you only are visiting one. (Unless you're a vegetarian, in which case you have better options.) Cuts of beef and lamb are served perfectly, with a great selection of side dishes. We especially like the selection of salts designed to enhance the flavour of your meat.
Sabatini's Italian Trattoria: Serving up a variety of Italian favourites as well as more modern dishes, Sabatini's is a multicourse affair that is created to give you a little taste of everything. If you're so inclined, you can walk through five courses, including antipasti and dessert. Not to be missed is the burrata starter -- ask for the balsamic glaze -- and the seafood linguine. One minor complaint: Courses were so large, we filled up well before our entree was served.
Bistro Sur La Mer: The menu at this French bistro is created in partnership with 3-Michelin Star chef Emmanuel Renaut. Diners can choose from dishes inspired by land or sea. This one got mixed reviews from our group: Items like the fried polenta and seabass were a hit, while the approach to the scallops and red snapper had some shaking their heads. Waiters at Bistro Sur La Mer are expert at steering guests in the right direction, giving great menu descriptions and offering suggestions as needed.
Salty Dog Gastro Pub: Open for lunch and dinner, Salty Dog Gastro Pub is where you go when you want comfort food. It's not a light meal, but it's a good place to splurge a little. Choose from favourites like the lobster mac and cheese or emmenthal and gruyere grilled cheese. Our favourite is the Ernesto burger, topped with gruyere, kimchi and fried jalapeno chips.
Ocean Terrace Seafood Bar: An a la carte sushi/sashimi bar that sits on the Piazza, Ocean Terrace is great for a meal or to pick up a roll or two as an appetizer before heading to another restaurant.
Chef's Table: A great pick for foodies, the Chef's Table is a multi-course tasting menu, paired with wines.
Our Pick: Our favourite restaurant is Crown Grill, which provides an upscale steakhouse experience without paying high-end prices. You can't make a bad choice here. The restaurant we'd go back to time and again is Sabatini's, in part because the menu is so extensive, we had a hard time choosing. (If you're with tablemates willing to share, you'll cut down on the FOMO.)
No matter which stateroom you choose, Enchanted Princess cabins are comfortable, if a little on the tight side. Decor is modern and fresh, with adequate space for storage and plugs and USB ports for charging. All cabins come with two twin beds (which can be combined to create one queen bed), a TV, mini-fridge, wardrobe, night tables and a sitting area with some combination of sofa, armchair, vanity and table, depending on cabin category. One of the highlights on Enchanted Princess is the bed, dubbed a Princess Luxury Bed. Mattresses are exceptionally comfortable, and, no matter your cabin category, you'll have premium bedding including high-thread-count linens and duvets. Princess Cruises' beds are so wildly popular, the company actually sells mattresses and linens online. Bathrooms are equipped with toilet, sink and shower, along with big bottles of shampoo/conditioner, shower gel and lotion. (If you aren't a fan of the shampoo/conditioner combo, bring your own hair products from home.) Rooms include hair dryers. You'll also find bags for sending out laundry (for a fee), but Enchanted Princess also offers self-service launderettes, which will cost about what you'd pay on land.
More than three-quarters of Enchanted Princess' rooms include balconies, and while the ship offers a number of interior cabins, it has no standard cabins that feature windows rather than verandas. (This is somewhat unusual in cruising but has become the norm for this class of Princess ships.) The smallest inside cabins are 166 square feet, and they do feel small -- definitely smaller than your average U.S. hotel room. The bulk of the cabins fall into the balcony category. Those seeking a little fresh air from the comfort of their own rooms can enjoy a veranda, though we found these to be small as well. Thirty-six wheelchair-accessible cabins are available, across multiple categories.
On a Budget: Pick an interior stateroom, which offers the lowest price of any of the cabins but provides all the comforts you'll need. This is also a good pick for solo travellers looking to save a little. (Though a single-supplement charge still is required.
A Little Splurge: If you want a balcony but aren't quite ready to make the leap to a mini-suite or full suite, a Deluxe Balcony is your best bet. Verandas in these rooms are slightly larger than what is offered in a standard balcony cabin. Want even more space? Go for the aft-facing Premium Balcony cabins, which offer more room inside and out.
Family: The ship doesn't have any family-specific cabins, but it does have 100 connecting cabins as well as staterooms across multiple categories, from interior on up, that offer space for four, thanks to pullout sofas. Mini-Suites are a nice pick for families, as they're slightly more spacious than standard balcony cabins and offer a curtain that closes off the living area from the bed, so parents and their kids might find a little privacy. These also come with bathtubs, a must when travelling with small children.
A Bigger Splurge: If you want all sorts of space, plus premium amenities, go for a Penthouse Suite. Staterooms in this category start at 319 square feet and run to 730 square feet, depending on location. (Balconies also are nice-sized.) These suites feature separate living and sleeping areas and include a complimentary minibar setup and upgraded bathroom amenities.
Sky's-The-Limit Suites: Enchanted Princess features just two of its top-level Sky Suites, but boy, are they beauts. At around 1,500 square feet, these suites include two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Much of the wow has gone into the massive, wraparound balconies, that give guests views of the lido deck below. Sky Suites come with the best view of the MUTS screen, which is perfect because guests in these rooms can pick their personal favourites to play on the screen. Other perks for Sky Suite (and other full suite guests) include upgraded bathroom amenities, including bath salts and gel eye masks, upgraded robes, upgraded showers and showerheads, VIP priority embarkation and disembarkation, complimentary laundry and professional cleaning services, complimentary thermal suite and a bevvy of other exclusives. Sky Suites are the premier suites across all of the Princess fleet, and they're only available on Sky Princess, Enchanted Princess and Discovery Princess.
Couples and multigenerational families more interested in destination-intensive itineraries than activity-packed ships
Energetic families, couples and groups who want a spirited vacation, or those looking for active shipboard pursuits
Princess Cruises attracts a wide passenger base, but the majority are North Americans. There are real differences depending on ships and itineraries, but the bulk of Princess' passengers are 40-plus, although with new family offerings, the line is catering to a more diverse age range, particularly in Alaska and the Caribbean. If you sail on the larger Princess ships, you'll meet a range of passengers from solo travelers to big multigenerational family groups. The smaller Princess ships cater to more mature travelers who want longer, more exotic itineraries and need fewer family-friendly elements.
Princess is fairly traditional in dress. Depending on the length of the cruise, there are a varying number of formal nights, where women wear evening gowns and cocktail dresses and men wear tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits with a tie to dinner. On Smart Casual evenings, the line advises passengers to dress similarly to what they would wear to a nice restaurant at home. Pool or beach attire, shorts, baseball caps and casual jeans are out for the dining rooms, and diners must wear shoes even in the buffet.
No. Fares for a Princess cruise include complimentary dining in a few venues, room service, water, tea, coffee, and select juices. Various theater productions, Movies Under the Stars and deck parties are also complimentary, and there is no fee for youth and teen activities, except for late-night group babysitting. Enrichment lectures, classes and presentations are also free with a few exceptions. Specialty restaurants, gratuities, spa and salon services, internet access (MedallionNet), laundry, alcoholic drinks and soda, and shore excursions cost extra.
The types of activities available vary from ship to ship. Still, cruisers typically gather around the pools daily and hang out day and night in the Piazza to enjoy spontaneous performances, live music and dancing. The line's signature Movies Under the Stars is also popular. On select ships, Broadway-style productions draw a crowd in the evening. Most of the ship also turns out for deck parties and activities like stargazing at sea.
