Three years ago, you couldn’t have paid me to step foot on a cruise ship. Five cruise lines and many, many piña coladas later, I can tell you without a doubt that I have now ventured on the most relaxing, luxe cruise for food lovers, and I’d go again in an instant.
I joined the Mediterranean trip in early May aboard the newest and largest ship in the Princess Cruise fleet, the Sun Princess, which carries over 4,000 guests. Venturing to Italy, Greece, and Turkey during this time kept crowds and heat to a minimum. I’ve never left a trip so rested or so full.
If you’re considering a Princess Cruise, here are the food and beverage packages and restaurants that are absolutely worth your money.
What’s Complimentary:
The following restaurants are automatically included in the price of your ticket: The main dining room, light bites from International Cafe, The Eatery, World Fresh Marketplace, Americana Diner, and a daily Royal afternoon tea that comes with your choice of tea, champagne, cookies, and scones.
The two buffets on the ship, The Eatery and Americana Diner, often switch off breakfast and lunch hours, so there’s always something open.
What’s Extra:
Soda, cocktails, specialty coffees, Kai Sushi, O’Malleys, Alfredo’s, Gigi’s, and all the specialty dining locations.
What’s The Right Package For You?
Princess offers enough packages to fit practically anyone’s needs. Beverage-only packages range from $15-$85 a day. Plus and premier packages range from $60-$90 a day and include dining, photos, Wi-Fi, fitness classes, and reserved seating at events.
My personal recommendation, after a week on board, is the premier package at $90 a day. If you order one latte and three cocktails in one day you’ve already paid for that day’s fee before even going to dinner. (You’re on vacation: you’ll hit the three cocktails.) The reserved seating was something I skimmed over at first, but once on board, I realized it’s a game changer—no need to show up early for solid seats. The biggest perk with premier is the specialty dining spots; reservations were easy to come by, and some specialty spots allowed you to walk up the same day.
With 30 restaurants and bars aboard, the options can feel overwhelming! Here are my must-dine spots.
Best Steak: Crown Grill
If you’re looking to have a steak night during your sail, Crown Grill is the spot. Each cut of meat comes with three salts to taste (the smoked applewood was my favorite) and a sauce (shallot and red wine bordelaise for the win). I tried the regular boneless rib-eye, while my partner opted for the premium boneless rib-eye for an extra $40. We did a side-by-side taste test, and the premium was far richer, with a heavier marbling—it’s definitely worth it if you’re celebrating a milestone moment. P.S. Do not sleep on the baked potato—the salt crust and bacon crumbles are top-notch.
Best Seafood: The Catch by Rudi
Don’t be fooled by the massive crab figurines on your table—this place means business. We enjoyed a smoked salmon appetizer (the smoke dome will never not excite me) and a marinated lobster tail—we’re still debating which was better.
The star of the show was the table-side Dover sole. Unfortunately and fortunately for my wallet, it was well worth the $20 surcharge. There’s something special about watching someone take such care and effort in making a meal perfect for you.
When it comes to dessert, order the pavlova or the croquembouche—they’re labors of love done right. Pass on the soufflé.
Best Sushi: Makoto Ocean
Cruise lines are notorious for sub-par sushi, and I was fully prepared for so-so selections, but Makoto Ocean delivered. Nestled in the center of the ship (the piazza on board), it’s a spot that you can breeze by on your way to the casino or a late-night show. But I urge you: do not skip! I’m still thinking about the nigiri and sushi courses. This eight-course menu sounds daunting, but it is paced to perfection.
Standouts included the seared Spanish bluefin fatty tuna and Japanese BBQ fresh water eel—I was truly speechless at how high quality the sushi was. Out of all of the restaurants, this was my favorite.
Best Bar: Good Spirits at Sea
Technically this is more of a specialty event space, where bartenders teach the audience how to make an array of tropical drinks, but you can hop in and order any of their craft cocktails. I ordered a Vanilla Sky (vanilla vodka, triple sec, fresh pineapple, orgeat, lime, and agave) nearly every night. My partner loved the Bangkok Mule (a whiskey lemongrass version of your favorite mule). When Good Spirits wasn’t open, we went straight to O’Malleys for late night live music and beers.
Best Bar For Celebrating: Spellbound by Magic Castle
At $149 per guest, this experience has a high bar to hit. Hidden within the ship, Spellbound is an immersive Victorian-themed bar where nothing is as it seems. There’s a ghost playing the piano, a magician lighting your drinks on fire, and an illusionist making you question at every turn, “How in the hell did they do that?”
The cocktail menu is massive, and you can order as many drinks as your heart desires. If you want a spectacle, get the Escape from Houdini’s Chest: It comes in an actual chest with smoke and handcuffs. Unfortunately, you do not get to keep the handcuffs. There are typically three seatings a night with 30 people per group; I’d recommend going to the second time slot if you can swing it so you can stay in the bar until closing.
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