Sky Princess is an elegant addition to the Princess Cruises fleet. It maintains many of the line's traditions (three main dining rooms, central Piazza, several pools and a demur onboard atmosphere) that cruisers of all ages love and goes all in on a neutral-based decor that give the ship a timeless look.
The ship also layers on more modern features that attract more Gen Xers and even older Millennials. From USB ports in rooms to a digital escape room experience that changes every time you play, the ship is very much a 21st-century vessel.
Sky Princess deck plans offer a great combination of quiet nights and lively, fun days. The Piazza is the heart of the action day and night, spanning three decks and providing easy access to restaurants, bars, shops, entertainment and the spa. Cabins are spread over nine decks, most of which are room-only, allowing for a good night’s sleep.
Princess Cruises’ Sky Princess cruise ship offers a variety of itineraries to warm-weather destinations, including Western and Eastern Caribbean, Spain, Portugal and Morocco, which allows passengers to make the most of the beautiful, expansive outdoor areas. With four pools, multiple sundecks, two adult-only retreats, a huge movie screen, and alfresco dining options, there’s no shortage of places where guests can enjoy the sun and the sea breeze. The casino, shops, and myriad activities and excellent restaurants keep Sky Princess passengers busy on cooler days.
Launched in October 2019, Sky Princess offers such a great combination of entertainment and relaxation, modern amenities and more classic cruising experiences that it is bound to appeal to all types of travelers, regardless of whether this is their first time on a cruise ship or their 20th.
With the length of three American football fields and lots of open spaces both indoors and outdoors, Sky Princess rarely feels crowded despite its passenger capacity of 3,660 guests. There are enough sundecks, loungers, hot tubs, pools and restaurants for the vibe to be busy but not overcrowded. Thankfully, there’s no wandering aimlessly around the buffet looking for a table, or from one deck to the other in search of a chair.
Evening entertainment is fantastically contemporary, with songs that stretch from the 70s to current radio hits, slick dance sequences and over-the-top costumes, and special effects that include laser light shows and pyrotechnics. (With that said, we sat next to a 70-something who was whooping and hollering throughout one of the shows, so it's not just for the younger set.)
With the exception of its buffet, which is fine but nothing special, dining throughout the ship is wonderful. Even if you never venture outside of the main dining rooms, you'll find enough variety to satisfy all your tastes.
Our only area of disappointment on Sky Princess was the service, which wasn't as good as we've come to expect from Princess. We encountered small snafus throughout the cruise and many crew members were not quite as friendly as we expected. The exception were the bartenders who were using the OceanMedallion onboard technology system to surprise cruisers by calling them by name, even when they'd never met before.
Overall, Sky Princess does a great job of bridging the gap between the line's more traditional offerings and a much-needed infusion of modern style and entertainment.
· All meals in three main dining rooms and World Fresh Marketplace, plus meals and snacks at the International Cafe, Slice Pizzeria, Salty Dog Grill; also 24-hour room service (most items)
Daily afternoon tea
Production shows in the Princess Theater and Vista Lounge, and live music in lounges around the ship
Most activities and events listed in the Princess Patter daily program
Movies Under the Stars screenings
Use of the fitness center, but not most fitness classes
Water, coffee, tea and select juices in the main dining rooms and World Fresh Marketplace
Camp Discovery Youth Center programs (generally through 10 p.m.)
Use of the mini-golf course, most pools, basketball court, jogging track
· Daily gratuities (amounts vary based on cabin type)
All beverages, except water, tea, coffee and select juices -- plus an 18 percent auto-gratuity on beverage purchases
Most specialty dining venues
Treatments and products in the Lotus Spa, along with an 18 percent auto-gratuity
Access to The Enclave thermal suite in the Lotus Spa
Organized fitness classes in the gym
Access to the adults-only Sanctuary on Deck 18, cabana rentals in the Sanctuary and by the Retreat Pool
Shore excursions
Wi-Fi packages
Fee-based activities including casino play, bingo, alcohol tastings and shopping programs
Optional OceanMedallion accessories
Babysitting in Camp Discovery after 10 p.m. (extra fee per child, per hour)
Copies of photos taken by ship photographers
Retail shop purchases
Sky Princess draws a mostly adult passenger base with the majority of cruisers coming from North America and the U.K. During school holidays you'll find plenty of families with kids, but the rest of the year, the average age range is 50s to 70s. Cruisers are well to do and educated, and appreciate the relaxed atmosphere onboard. Princess cruisers tend to be avid trivia players, buy out every spot in the adults-only Sanctuary within the first cruise day, love live music and pack the theater every night for shows.
Daytime: Daytime dress on Sky Princess is casual and driven more by the destination and the temperature than anything. On warmer weather sailings, shorts and T-shirts are common inside the ship, while bathing suits and cover-ups are the norm on outside decks.
Evening: Smart-casual most evenings: dresses, or nice pants or a skirt paired with a blouse for women, and nice pants and collared or button-up shirts for men. Once or twice per cruise is formal night. Women wear evening gown, cocktail dress or nice pant suit, while men don dark suit or dinner jacket and slacks. Tuxedos are encouraged but rarely seen.
Not permitted: Swimwear, shorts, ball caps and jeans with fraying and/or holes are not permitted in the dining rooms or fine dining restaurants. Shoes must be worn at all times and in all venues.
For more information, visit Cruise Line Dress Codes: Princess Cruises.
Needs a lot of Improvement
many10+ Cruises
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Age 70s
Very Good But Not Ideal
many10+ Cruises
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Age 59s
Love this ship!
many10+ Cruises
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Age 73s
The Sky's the limit
few6-10 Cruises
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Age 71s