Day 3 - Sun Princess
An indulgent morning wake-up
I was awoken by a knock on my door. In my morning haze, for a moment I forgot where I was. You know that sensation when you’re in a deep sleep and you aren’t sure what day it is or what time it might be?
A second quiet knock on the door and I remembered I was at sea on the new Sun Princess and realised a crew member was at my door.
Jumping out of bed and opening the door, I was greeted by a massive smile and a trolley, laden with plates. What a surprise! Breakfast delivery.
But it wasn’t just any regular breaky, but a champagne balcony breakfast. The lovely crew member swiftly started setting up the most glorious spread. Savouries, smoked salmon, bagels, pastries, juice, tea and bottle of bubbly. This signature Princess service is such a treat and such an indulgent way to start a sea day. If there’s anything you shouldn’t skip, it’s this. Spoil your partner, spoil yourself, you only live once.
It was Day 3 onboard Sun Princess, and there was a lot of exploring yet to do. My mission today was to check out all the eateries – or as many as I could – before lunch at Umai Tepanyaki. Now, when I say ‘check-out’ this was only fact-filling exercise, not a tummy-filling exercise as I was still very full from breakfast.
It was Day 3 onboard Sun Princess, and there was a lot of exploring yet to do. My mission today was to check out all the eateries – or as many as I could – before lunch at Umai Tepanyaki. Now, when I say ‘check-out’ this was only fact-filling exercise, not a tummy-filling exercise as I was still very full from breakfast.
Here are my first impressions of some of the food options onboard Sun Princess:
Alfredo’s Pizzeria – Deck 9 mid-ship – additional charge
I’m a sucker for beautiful plates and despite Alfredo’s touted as ‘casual’ dining, the ambience and attention to detail was exquisite. I have dined at Alfredo’s many times during my cruises on Princess, so despite loving the pizza, I only had limited days and limited stomach space. I knew I wouldn’t have time to tuck into the nosh here during this cruise. Sad.
The décor has been updated to reflect the Mediterranean and has an Amalfi coast vibe with lemons and bright hues of blue and yellow in the table ware. I particularly loved the ‘plate wall’ and wallpaper.
The Butcher’s Block by Dario – Deck 9 aft – additional charge
Did you know that for several years I was a vegetarian? So, walking into the Butcher’s Block was a little confronting at first. While I do eat meat now, I don’t enjoy looking at raw meat, but can appreciate the care and quality of what is on offer at this eatery.
If you’re a voracious carnivore, this is your place. There are many different types of cuts on display, including huge tomahawk steaks one crew member proudly showed me. What I did particularly like was the punny wording ‘carne diem’ printed on the glassware.
Kai Sushi by Makoto – Deck 8 midship – additional charges
I love, love, love sushi and was salivating as I walked past Kai Sushi. Actually, I didn’t just walk past, but stopped to say hello to the sushi chefs and admire their intricate skills. There’s something poetic about sushi chefs’ movements that I love to watch. From this first impression, everything looked fresh and delicious. The location mid-ship means that diners could enjoy people-watching as they ate. This will definitely be on the list if I ever cruise on Sun Princess in the future.
There were at least another half dozen eateries to explore – I had already seen the Eatery (the buffet) and International Café on Deck 9, Horizons (main dining room) on night 1 for dinner – and I had earmarked Crown Grill (Deck 7 forward), Sabatini’s (Deck 8 , aft) for two dinners which I’ll be able to review later. But for now, Umai Tepanyaki was calling.
More than a meal and not just theatre
If you’ve ever been to a Teppanyaki restaurant, you know that you’re not just there to eat. You’ll be an active participant in the theatrics of the chef’s antics and you might even wear some of the food if you’re aim isn’t quite up to scratch.
On entering Umai on (deck 8, midship) you feel as if you’ve stepped off the ship and entered a land-based restaurant. (N.B As well as Teppanyaki, Umai offers hot pot at different times. Check the app or Princess Patter for seating times).
Be prepared to have fun and be extremely full. Every diner chooses their main options ( I chose the seafood and indulged in the biggest scallops I’ve ever had). The chef is hilarious, cracking jokes and singing all while showing off his masterful cooking skills. The $45 (US) surcharge is well worth it and you’ll come away with a full belly and a story to tell.
Let’s take a dip
Spring weather in the Mediterranean can be a little temperamental, so when the breeze dropped and the clouds dissipated, it was time to hit the pool.
Despite the ship sailing at nearly capacity, none of the pools or spas were overcrowded and even the main pool on the Lido was a comfortable temperature.
The Seaview Terrace is large with expansive views. I loved that much of the area had sun/rain cover and the furniture is elegant and tasteful. Honey tip: Order a Dragonfruit Mojito at the Seaview Terrace bar, this cocktail tastes as good as it looks!
Dance as if everyone is watching
Day 3 was coming to a close, and after a quick dinner at the Eatery ( I didn’t feel like a formal sit-down dinner after such an indulgent lunch at Umai) it was almost time to sleep.
That was until I walked through the Atrium and saw the entertainment team handing out headphones for the Silent Disco. Yes please! I love dancing and the added whimsy of a Silent Disco just adds to the fun.
For an hour I danced and sang out loud (and burned off some of the calories of the day) and made friends with likeminded strangers on a dancefloor at sea. There was no embarrassment as everyone was in the same boat. I smiled until my cheeks hurt and danced with utter abandon. This moment epitomised what cruising is all about; fun, friendship and freedom.
Tomorrow – Port Stop 1 – Gibraltar.
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