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We recently sailed on Princess Cruises’ newest ship, Sun Princess.This new Sphere-Class vessel is an innovation for the brand. As the largest ship in the current Princess Cruises fleet, Sun Princess is certainly more modern and sophisticated; yet, it’s still distinctly Princess.
One area where Princess Cruises really elevated the design on Sun Princess is the staterooms. Among the 2100+ staterooms, there are 80 Signature Collection Suites, 100 connecting staterooms, no obstructed view cabins, new Cabana staterooms, and completely redesigned balcony cabins.
During our recent Sun Princess cruise, we stayed in a balcony stateroom, our usual cruise cabin preference. How do these newly elevated accommodations compare to other cruise lines? Well, we break down all the details with our Sun Princess balcony cabin review.
Our Sun Princess Balcony Cabin Review
When it comes toselecting your ideal cabin on any cruise ship, you’ll need to consider several factors, like price and location.
After 80+ cruises, we have become accustomed to the standard features of balcony staterooms. Surprisingly though, the standard balcony rooms on Princess ships always fell short when compared to the competition.
Even on Discovery Princess which launched in March 2022, the entry level balconies did not include a sofa, necessitating an upgrade to a deluxe balcony cabin or mini-suite if you wanted this setup which comes standard on most other cruise lines. The bathrooms too felt a bit outdated, as they still contained shower curtains versus a glass-enclosed shower found on many newer ships from competitor brands.
So, we were excited to learn that Princess Cruises finally listened to its customers with the new Sun Princess balcony cabin. Now, all balcony rooms are deluxe balcony cabins which means more thoughtfully deigned space, storage, and a sofa. These cabins also have a new and improved bathroom, with modern finishes and a brand-new shower design with a glass door. But, how exactly do they live up to the competition?
For our sailing, we were assigned a Deck 14 forward-located cabin, cabin 14220. This category DB balcony is located on the portside of the ship forward of the forward bank of elevators. Still, it wasn’t too far of a walk to access the elevators and stairs.
The cabin location is only a few decks away from the Deck 17 Lido and a short walk or ride down to the hub of the ship on Decks 7-9.
Inside a Sun Princess Balcony Cabin
Layout
According to the Princess Cruises’ website, this Sun Princess balcony cabin is 236 square feet.
Immediately upon entering the room, the bathroom was to the right and the closet was to the left. Continuing past the bathroom and closet, the desk was to the left and the sofa was to the right.
The bed in our Sun Princess balcony cabin was on the forward wall facing midship. The bed was positioned next to the balcony door, which is our preferred layout. The television was also located on the wall opposite from the bed, and there was a decent-sized nightstand on each side of the bed.
Finally, there is the balcony, which felt somewhat roomier than balconies on competitor cruise lines. The balcony had two upright chairs and a small table.
Overall, we were pleasantly surprised with this Sun Princess balcony cabin. We appreciated the new layout and decor, which puts the cabin on par with similar staterooms on other new mega ships from the likes of Celebrity Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line.
Bathroom
The bathroom in this Sun Princess balcony cabin is a vast upgrade from other ships in the Princess fleet. It features a new and improved layout. It also features marble finishes and premium bath products including hand soap. The only odd feature is that the bath towels are stored under the sink and behind the shower door.
Opening the bathroom door, the stand-up shower was to our left and the toilet to the right, with the sink directly in front. There are a few shelves for storage off to one side and adequate counter space.Though, it always helps that we bring an over-the-door shoe organizer to store toiletries and other small items.
The rectangular shower set-up offers a bit more space, and the best part is you’ll no longer have to deal with the dreaded shower curtain cling. Further, the shower contains a shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel dispenser, along with a small shave bar.
Another interesting design feature is that the shower knob was not under the shower head in our bathroom but instead on the side wall, which meant I kept hitting my arm on it.
Closet
Across from the bathroom are the closets. While we did really like the former walk-in closet on Princess ships, we’ll take the trade for the other new and improved room features.
These newly redesigned closets seemed on par with other cruise lines in terms of size. The closet offers a combination of lower shelves and a clothes bar with hangers. Then, there is additional shelving and drawers off to one side. To be precise, there are three lower drawers, two exposed shelves, and two shelves within an upper cabinet that also contains the safe.
This setup provided adequate storage during our voyage. Of course, we always pack magetic hooks as well to hang items like bags and jackets on the cabin walls.
Main Cabin
Both the desk and loveseat are generously-sized in this Sun Princess balcony cabin. The desk had enough counter space to double as a work/charging area and a vanity area for getting ready. Above the desk off to one side are two shelves for storing electronics, bottles of water, or other accessories.
The desk also has small drawers for additional storage, along with the mini-fridge. Further, you will find several power outlets at the desk, and probably the most within any cruise ship cabin overall. There are a total of 2 USB outlets, 2 USB-C outlets, 3 power outlets, and 1 European outlet near the desk area.
The vanity area features a mirror, comfy chair, and a coveted Dry Bar hairdryer.
In terms of the sofa, it is plenty big for two adults to sit comfortably. There is also a small, round table nearby that could be positioned where you needed it.
The bed in this Sun Princess balcony cabin is closer to the veranda with a nightstand on each side of the bed. Here, you’ll also find 1 USB, 1 USB-C, and 1 power outlet on each side! And the signature Princess luxury bed provided all the comforts of home.
Balcony
Lastly, there is the balcony which always provides a great spot for watching the ocean views. It also usually becomes our place to do some work in the afternoon.
Perhaps slightly deeper than some cruise ship balconies, this one on Sun Princess is pretty typical. It features two upright chairs and a small table. Unlike some cruise lines though, the chairs do not have ottomans to go along with them.
If you are looking for more living space, the new Cabana mini-suites look fantastic. They offer an additional patio-style area between the indoor and outdoor spaces.
Recap of Our Sun Princess Balcony Cabin Review
Our Sun Princess balcony room offered plenty of comfort, storage, and all of the amenities you expect to find in a standard stateroom on a megaship, including a sofa. Plus, some upgrades like the Dry Bar hair dryer, premium Beekman 1802 bath products, and an abundance of outlets.
The muted color palette with light wood tones and subltle nautical blue and green accents complement the upscale décor found around the rest of the ship.The marble finishes and bathroom redesign are leaps and bounds above other ships in the fleet.
We really liked our Sun Princess balcony cabin and wouldn’t hesitate to book this room category again.
Overall, we think the cabins on this ship finally elevate Princess Cruises to the same level as the competitors making Sun Princess a great option for the 21st century cruiser.
Comments
Have you stayed in a Sun Princess balcony cabin? What is your preferred cabin category when you cruise? Drop us an anchor below with your Princess cruise stateroom reviews.
