This post is sponsored by Princess Cruises.
It’s officially Princess Week on truelane! I’m pumped to finally reveal all of the experiences we had on our incredible Mediterranean cruise vacation with Princess Cruises in October. It was such a whirlwind of new experiences mixed with everything I’ve always loved about the Princess Cruises brand. What a treat to be on board a brand new ship for the first time…I almost felt like the Queen christening her with a champagne bottle sendoff! The Sky Princess, the newest addition to their Royal Class fleet, didn’t leave a thing to be desired. She was glitzy and glamorous. She was comfortable and relaxing. She was our home for four days, and there was nowhere else I’d rather be.
Sky Princess is the first ship to be built from the ground up with OceanMedallion™ technology. Although this wasn’t my first OceanMedallion™ cruise, it was my first time on a ship fully outfitted with its incredible technology. From the portals around the ship serving your every need to the way the crew is able to personalize every experience, the new technology was a total game-changer.
Sky Princess was built in Monfalcone, Italy...which is where most of Princess' ships have been built! This is also why the “shakedown” cruise I got to experience departed from Trieste. It set us up for a trio of spectacular Mediterranean destinations. Jan Swartz, the president of Princess Cruises, told us they received the keys just the day before all of the guests arrived on board! The “shakedown” was a fascinating experience—it was Sky Princess’s maiden voyage, which made me the first to lay my head on the pillow in stateroom M243. The enthusiasm about launching the ship was palpable among all the passengers, which made it easy for us to provide feedback on how smoothly everything was running. Let me say, no complaints from me!
3. The crew is as excited about the cruise as you are. Part of the fun of cruising is getting to know both crews members and guests alike from all over the world. One of the spa employees I met had been working on an older ship for years before accepting a position on the brand new, Royal Class Sky Princess, and she was ecstatic! The OceanMedallion™ experience is really in a class all its own. The energy on the ship was truly unmatched. I’m the biggest Princess geek (no really…major fan girl right here) and felt like I found my people!
4. The Sky Suites host the largest balcony at sea. My favorite place we spent time in on the ship was the Sky Suites. They are a stateroom experience unlike any other, providing a 270-degree panoramic view from the gigantic balcony. The suites are exquisitely designed and as luxurious as it gets on a cruise ship. If you’re staying in a Sky Suite, you even get your own dedicated Suite Experience Manager to “deliver your every desire!”
5. Sky Princess has all-new performances, shows, and activities—don’t miss the Phantom Bridge Escape Room or the dazzling Rock Opera! We were treated to the musical stylings of America’s Got Talent star Brian Justin Crum. The entire cast of Rock Opera was incredibly talented! I won’t lie…my travel buddy, Alex, was moved to tears by the music and visuals. Nothing is quite as powerful as live music!
6. There are brand-new, specialty dining options found nowhere else at sea! It’s not secret that cruising is all about the food, and Sky Princess offers the best. The new ship is packed with mouth-watering new restaurants like Bistro Sur La Mer by Emmanuel Renaut, serving exquisite French cuisine. Our group frequented the Ocean Terrace sushi bar almost every night as well! Nothing like eating fresh fish out in the middle of the ocean…it creates such a deep connection between you and your location.
7. A MedallionClass™ cruise is not just for adults or couples. Sky Princess offers a really cool play-and-learn experience for kids at Camp Discovery. Don’t expect them to be distracted with mindless entertainment—it’s a place they can learn and enjoy tons of enriching activities! (Can we up the age limit to 28, please…?) Another one of my favorite family-friendly draws to MedallionClass™ cruising is the OceanTagalongs™. Since this was my second OceanMedallion™ cruise, I got to reunite with Morris, my sea turtle Tagalong™, and play fun games against my fellow shipmates on deck.
8. You’ll be checked in and onboard faster than you can say “Love Boat.” OceanMedallion™ takes you from curbside to poolside in a snap. Since you can order your Medallion™ ready to go with all of your information pre-loaded, all it takes is a simple scan in the cruise terminal and you’ll be directed right to your stateroom. After cruising with OceanMedallion™ technology, it’s hard to imagine going back. Instead of carrying around papers and filling out forms and scanning passports, all you need is one swipe of the Medallion™ and bon voyage!
Our four-day cruise on Sky Princess was short, sweet, and unforgettable. Getting to see a new corner of the world on such a spectacular vessel was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Stay tuned for more posts covering all the highlights coming this week!