The top 7 things to try on Sky Princess

Sky Princess joined the Princess Cruises fleet in October 2019.  As the fourth Royal-class ship she was based on the design of her sister ships – Royal Princess, Regal Princess and Majestic Princess – but with some additional new features.

Here are our top 7 things to look out for:

1) New Pools

The main pool deck will have two deep-tank pools linked by sunken, communal seating, adjacent to the fountains and top-deck bar. Sky Princess also features more hot tubs than on the other Royal-class ships.

We also see the return of the aft pool on the Lido deck (popular on Grand class Princess ships) with a fabulous new infinity-style Wakeview pool and bar.

The adults-only Retreat Pool on the Sun deck has also been re-designed with the Sanctuary and jacuzzis moved up one deck. This means the Retreat area is now less exposed to the elements.

2) New Staterooms

Sky Suite

Sky Princess will feature a new suite category called a Sky Suite. Centrally located on the  Sky deck, the starboard suite will measure 1,012 square feet and the port side suite 947 square feet. They will be surrounded by over 1,000-square feet of continuous balcony – the largest balconies ever offered by a cruise line.

Each suite has room for up to five guests and offers a 270-degree panorama including a private view of the Movies Under the Stars cinema screen.

The most premium stateroom in the Princess fleet, each Sky Suite will feature two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a dining area with skylight.

Passengers staying in a Sky Suite will have access to a pre-cruise, shoreside concierge and once onboard, they can enjoy Sanctuary services on their balcony, a private Suite Experience Manager, complimentary access to the Lotus Spa’s Enclave, enhanced ultimate balcony dining and a deluxe telescope for stargazing.

These suites are ideal for families, special occasions and hosted celebrations. Currently, the Sky Suite can only be booked by contacting Customer Services.

Premium Oceanview

New to Royal-class, the Premium Oceanview offers an affordable stateroom with a stunning wall of floor-to-ceiling windows which will provide more natural light and openness.

There are 6 Premium Oceanview cabins available, located on the forward Sun deck.

3) Sanctuary Re-design

The Sanctuary on Sky Princess is an adults-only area for rest and relaxation and has been given a contemporary design makeover.

Now on the Sky deck, the Sanctuary has eight private cabanas – twice as many cabanas as her sister ships. Space in the Sanctuary can be reserved on a first-come first-served basis. Current Royal-class prices for a lounger are $20 for a half day/$40 for a full day, per person. Cabanas are available at $140 for a half day/$220 for a full day, per person.

4) New Entertainment Offerings

New Jazz Venue – Take 5

Debuting first onboard Sky Princess, the Take Five Lounge is the spot for live jazz music. Passengers can unwind to the smooth sounds of a grand piano backed by a live jazz band in this intimate new lounge setting.

Musicians will perform jazz standards and explore new riffs, while passengers can enjoy a drink at the bar,  chat in the venue’s comfortable seating areas as well as enjoy after-hours parties and take part in dance lessons.

Themed music nights will include:

A Night in Harlem: Sounds of the 1920s and the underground world of the speakeasy in the heart of New York City with sounds of the prohibition era. Featured artists include King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band, New Orleans Rhythm Kings, Original Dixieland Jazz Band and Charles “Buddy” Bolden

The Birth of Big Band and BeBop: Showcasing the late 1940s, post-war jazz and the birth of BeBop. Music from Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins and Dexter Gordon will fill the air while costumed bow-tied-wearing staff deliver classic cocktails

The Way You Look Tonight: Celebrates women of jazz throughout history and how these legendary vocalists and instrumentalists changed musical history. Includes tunes from Ella Fitzgerald to Billie Holiday to Norah Jones

Toda La Noche: Fiery Afro-Cuban Jazz: A journey through the Caribbean celebrates the spicy rhythms of Afro-Cuban jazz with classic beats spanning Latin, European and African American influences. Before the show, salsa lessons will be provided to popular Buena Vista Social Club covers. Featured artists include Tito Puente, Irakere and Dizzy Gillespie. The night ends with an invite back for a ‘descarga’ jam session

A Sophisticated Evening of Cool: Featuring the cool jazz sounds of the 1950s, enjoy an American jazz road trip with sounds from New York to California. Musical legends like Miles Davis, Chet Baker and John Lewis will feature

Contemporary Directions: A Festival of Jazz: Featuring local artists from the various destinations the ships sail and the recent decades of jazz music

Take Five takes over the space that is the Club 6 venue on Royal and Regal Princess and the VIP Gaming Room/Crooners Bar on Majestic Princess.

New Escape Room

Sky Princess will be the first to feature an ‘experience centre’ on deck 16 which will include a new Escape Room.

The ‘Phantom Bridge’ involves players captaining and steering a simulated ship through a range of historical and future time periods. With lighting, sound and digital features, guests must work as a team to uncover clues and solve puzzles with the ‘ship’ transforming and responding to their actions.

Tailored to players of all ages and physical abilities, it features a number of levels, time periods and brainteasers with more than 700 possible outcomes on offer, meaning returning players can experience multiple different endings. Games last around 25 minutes, it can accommodate up to six people and costs $14 per person.

New Production Show – ‘Rock Opera’

Debuting on Sky Princess from December 2019, Rock Opera will feature avant-garde inspired costumes, a musical soundtrack spanning classic rock, musical theatre and opera, as well as songs performed in a variety of languages – English, Spanish and Latin, and sign language.

For the inaugural season, the show will star Tenor Brian Justin Crum (America’s Got Talent: The Champions) who will take guests on a musical journey with an eight-piece live orchestra playing iconic rock songs. The production and costume design will be inspired by one of New York City’s most glamorous evenings of the year, the Met Gala.

New Production Show – ‘5-Skies’

5-Skies will be one of the most technologically advanced production shows yet. Meet Gamer 1, who dares to take on “5-SKIES,” the greatest virtual reality game of all time. Follow him on his journey through a series of increasingly difficult levels, encountering new characters and challenges along the way. Will he master all 5 skies to unlock each level and ultimately reach the Sky Princess?

5-SKIES was created by director and choreographer Danny Teeson, Music Producer Nelson Kole, scenic designer John Iacovelli and costume designer Jackson Lowell.

5) New Dining/Beverage Venues

La Mer

Sky Princess will feature La Mer, a casual French bistro-style specialty restaurant which first debuted on Majestic Princess. Chef Emmanuel Renaut has created a new menu, showcasing authentic French dishes crafted with the Chef’s signature flair.

Located in the ship’s atrium, La Mer will draw inspiration from both the flavours of the French Alps and the ocean. It will have a $35 per person cover charge. View Sample Menu

Salty Dog Grill

The Salty Dog Grill , popular on recently refurbished ships such as Caribbean Princess, will be introduced for the first time to Royal-class. As the new grill venue on the Lido Deck, it will offer 100% handmade Gourmet Burgers, Street Tacos, Classic Hot Dogs plus loaded fries including chilli cheese and bacon & cheese.  All are complimentary except the Ernesto Burger. View Sample Menu

Slice Pizzeria

Also new to Royal-class ships, the complimentary Slice Pizzeria will offer an expanded pizza menu on the Lido deck. This will include Deep Dish Focaccia, California Artisanal Toast,  Sliced Stromboli, a classic Italian calzone or traditional Neopolitan-style classics.  View Sample Menu

Other Changes

The Princess Live venue has been completely re-designed to look more like a lounge than than a TV studio – it will also feature a new café serving barista made coffee, tea and quick bites.

The ship’s Vista Lounge will now include a full bar offering.

There will also be new outside Al Fresco dining areas on the Promenade deck for La Mer and Alfredo’s Pizzeria:

6) Thermal Spa

The Enclave on Sky Princess will be Princess’ largest-ever thermal suite. Passengers can experience a hydro-therapy pool with a cascading rain shower and therapeutic air jets and relax on heated stone beds or soothing water beds.

Features include: The Hammam – a Turkish-style steam bath, and from Roman times, the Caldarium –a light steam chamber infused with herbal aromas and the Laconium – a heated, dry chamber to help with purification and detoxification of the body.

Enclave passes are sold on a first-come first-served basis and usually for the length of the cruise at about $20 per person per day.

7) Ocean Medallion

Sky Princess was the first ship built from the ground up with the Princess MedallionClass experience—which aims to give passengers a personalised and hassle-free cruise. The complimentary OceanMedallion™ is the size of a quarter and can be worn in a variety of ways: in a clip, sportsband, bracelet, or pendant. It replaces the traditional cruise card but offers much more. It can be used for:

• Opening your stateroom door
• Completing transactions in the casino, bars and onboard shops
• Ordering drinks from your own device to your location on the ship
• Easier navigation around the ship
• Helping you locate and chat with friends and family on the ship
• Interacting with ship portal screens and online games
• Getting a faster embarkation/disembarkation experience

Passengers will get to experience MedallionNet  – this is the fastest wi-fi at sea (in our opinion) with amazing land-like connectivity. The current price for MedallonNet is $59.99 per device for a 7 night cruise or there is a 4 device package for $139.99. However, there are usually special offers if you pre-purchase before the cruise.

Sky Princess will spend her winter seasons alternating between seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. The ship moves to the UK in August 2021 for a short UK season including coastal cruises before returning to the US for a winter season in the Caribbean.

New sister ships, Enchanted Princess and Discovery Princess, will also include many of the above design features.