I Went on the Sun Princess Cruise Ship in the Mediterranean, and Now It’s My Entire Personality

The Sun Princess has over 30 dining and lounge spaces—and I tried most of them (there’s only so much I can eat and drink in a week). Now, all Princess ships typically have a sit-down dining option and a buffet, but Sun Princess takes it up a notch by offering three different complimentary dining floors. However, I highly recommend trying a specialty restaurant at least once. My favorite was The Butcher’s Block, a meat lover’s paradise created by famous butcher Dario Cecchinin, where you sit family style with other passengers as you taste everything from the pancia (beef belly) to costata alla fiorentina (bone-in ribeye). Another favorite was Love by Britto for a romantic date night…or celebrating a first friends trip (like I did). The decor, the food, the drinks and even the silverware were covered in hearts. Created by Romero Britto, it had some of the most delicious entrees and cocktails on the ship. (I’m still thinking about the wild mushroom soup, heart-shaped chocolate lava cake and the Strawberry Love Potion cocktail.) The restaurant is also located on the back of the ship, so you get a breathtaking view of the sea.

Sun Princess also offers a Royal Afternoon Tea, which includes a presentation from IRL staff and video from Darren McGrady, a former Royal chef of Queen Elizabeth. Guests can drink a tea of their choice, while snacking on sandwiches, scones and cakes. I appreciated learning the history of tea and tidbits about the royal family. (Fun fact: Queen Elizabeth wasn’t a huge fan of scones and often gave them to her Corgis.)  The Spellbound by Magic Castle brings magic and mixology together in a part speakeasy-dinner, part immersive magic show. Without giving every detail away, I’ll say this: it was awesome.