Is the Sun Princess Cruise Ship Family Friendly?
As a busy Mum and family cruise convert, Travelista Editor Jessica Ruth Gibson guides us through the child friendly aspects of Sun Princess and explains why it’s the most family friendly Princess cruise ship.
After taking my (at the time) three year old son on a Mediterranean cruise with Princess, I am totally sold on cruising with kids. So when Princess Cruises announced their family friendly plans for Sun Princess, I was immediately excited. The headline addition is the brand-new Park19, a three-deck family adventure zone located on the top of the ship, as well as new kids, tweens and teens clubs for ages 3 to 19. But beyond the new additions, there is so much more to enjoy when cruising on Sun Princess; the best cruise ship for families.
This article has been sponsored by Princess Cruises.
Introducing Sun Princess: The Best Princess Cruise Ship For Families
Best Sun Princess Family Areas and Facilities
Park19 – New for 2024
Sun Princess will be the first Princess ship to debut Park19, a thrilling new adventure space for the whole family to enjoy. Park19 offers an exciting collection of new outdoor activities and is a great place to get active and let off some steam during a Sun Princess family cruise. The addition of Park19 is a huge asset to Sun Princess. It’s the most engaging family activity zone ever featured on a Princess cruise ship, which arguably makes Sun Princess the most family friendly cruise ship of the whole fleet. Park19 will include attractions such as:
- Sea Breeze – Inspired by the concept of hang gliding, the Sea Breeze is the first Rollglider at sea and takes guests high above the ocean to enjoy panoramic views and breathtaking ports of call. Using an overhead track, guests are seated and harnessed to this electric ride which reaches speeds of up to 11 mph during the 60-90 second experience that is also accessible for those with disabilities.Â
- Coastal Climb – On this engaging climbing structure guests ascend from decks 19 to 20 through a series of obstacles. Once at the top, guests can take in the gorgeous views before sliding back down to the bottom.
- The Lookout – At the top of the climbing structure, adventurers make their way to The Lookout open-air observation deck to take in stunning 360 degree views from the highest point available to guests onboard Sun Princess.
- The Net – Harnessed above deck 19, guests are challenged to trek across unstable bridges, a z-shaped balance beam and climb cargo nets.
- Infinite Horizon – For those who love heights, leaning tilt walls projecting over the side of the ship allow guests to peer out from deck 19 and look down to deck nine and beyond.
- Hammock Area – Another first for Princess, relaxing hammocks allow Park19 visitors to take a break from exploring to hang out with family and friends
- Hammock Area – Another first for Princess, relaxing hammocks allow Park19 visitors to take a break from exploring to hang out with family and friends
- Splash Zone – A whimsical splash area with pop jets and a beautiful water sculpture offer a refreshing and relaxing area that little ones will love.
- Recreational Court – From ping pong, shuffleboard, Xponential Fitness classes and morning meditation, a rotation of sports and wellness options will be offered to guests in this multifunction sports court.
- Jogging Track – A refreshing open-air track allows guests to walk, jog or run at their own leisure and pace, with 6.7 times around the track equaling one mile.Â
Youth and Teen Centres
Sun Princess also features two new stand alone and inclusive youth and teen centres, as well as a dedicated kid’s club. Access to all of the clubs is available to guests at no extra cost, providing a brilliant, safe and engaging child-care option to parents and a place of independence for kids at any age. The clubs are categories as follows:
- Firefly Park – Firefly Park is Sun Princess’ kid’s club, catering for little ones from 6 months to 7 years old. In a series of age appropriate rooms, youngsters and their families can explore, play and learn. Parents are welcome to ‘stay and play’, or they can drop kids off for a fantastic programme of art projects, themed parties and games. Be sure to pick up a programme from the kid’s club after embarkation.
- Neon Grove – The new Neon Grove is exclusively created for ‘tweens’, for ages between 8 and 12 to hangout, socialise and have fun away from parents.
- The Underground – Located adjacent to Neon Grove on deck 18 is The Underground, a hangout exclusively for teens aged between 13 and 19 years old. Both spaces feature a colourful lounge area, gaming facilities, air hockey, foosball and skeeball. There are also programme activities for all age groups including movie nights, competitions, dance parties and scavenger hunts.
Late Night Babysitting Service
Children aged 3 to 12 can also be dropped off at Firefly Park for an evening babysitting service from 10pm to 1am which is charged at 5 dollars per hour (subject to change). Within this time they are taken for dinner as a group, so this is a great option for parents who want to plan a child-free date night such as a visit to one of the ship’s speciality restaurants.Â
Lido Pools
Children are allowed in all of the main lido pools without restriction. However, there is also an adult-only pool and deck area within The Sanctuary and the Signature Sun Deck. This is a great option for adults travelling without children or for parents looking for a bit of quiet time ‘off duty’.
Princess Arena
The kids will be thoroughly entertained by the nightly entertainment programme in the Princess Arena. Every night brings a new production, combining phenomenal talent in singing, dancing, acting and entertainment. There are two shows every night and the 8pm show time is ideal for families with younger children.Â
Best Restaurants for Families on Sun Princess
The best restaurants for families on Sun Princess would definitely include Horizons dining room (a la carte), Alfredo’s Pizzeria (a la carte with the possibility to enjoy just the one course) and World Fresh Market Place (the Sun Princess buffet). Kids will also love the Gelateria in the Piazza as well as Lido Slice, Lido Tacos and Lido Grill up on the Lido deck.
Children are well catered for on a Princess cruise, even in the Horizons dining room, the inclusive a la carte restaurants, which offer a build-your-own style kids menu. Here children can eat a fresh and balanced 3 course meal every evening, with a great amount of flexibility and choice.
Highchairs and booster seats are also available in Horizons.Children will also receive crayons and an activity sheet on the reverse of the kid’s menu; a lovely touch and example of the thoughtful details you’ll notice throughout a Princess cruise.
Top Tip: Kids are also very welcome to dine in the speciality restaurants such as Crown Grill and Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria. However, it’s worth mentioning that these restaurants are intended to be a slow dining experience across up to 5 courses so if you’re cruising with young kids, consider their age and attention span before booking this as a family experience. Optimistically we gave it a try but wasn’t suitable for my 3 year old son.
Sun Princess Family Cabins
For families of four and under, there is a wide selection of Sun Princess family cabins and Princess Cruises offer substantial savings on your third and fourth guests. For families of 5 or above, there’s also the option to have two connecting staterooms or a two-bed family suite with room for up to eight guests. These offer a larger living area, a balcony and two bathrooms including a full-sized bath.Â
We love that Sun Princess’s mini suites have been thoughtfully designed for families, with a thick curtain-style room divider that can be pulled across to create two separate spaces for adults and children. This means that parents can still relax with the lights on and watch a film whilst the children sleep. The sofa in the lounge area is converted to either a single or a double bed (depending on how many children you have) and this is effortlessly set up for you every night by your steward complete with bedding.Â
Best Princess Cruise Ship For Families
Sun Princess is currently the only Princess Cruises ship with Park19, followed by Star Princess in 2025. However, children are welcome on all Princess Cruises ships. I have visited the kid’s club on both Regal Princess and Enchanted Princess, both of which are also fantastic.
Whether you’re brand new to cruising or it’s your preferred way to travel, a Sun Princess family cruise is a brilliant option for a safe, unique, stylish and convenient way to travel with kids.
Read more about advice and tips about cruising with kids in our dedicated cruise section.
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