We recently embarked on an exhilarating 7-day Eastern Caribbean Cruise aboard the magnificent Princess Sun in February 2025, and what an incredible journey it was! The cruise director informed us that our ship hosted around 4,300 passengers, with a full capacity of 5,300. On most sea days and even during port days, the pool and deck areas were bustling with activity, so we truly appreciated the exclusive experience offered by the Sanctuary Club. Our room, 17636, was a luxurious Presidential Suite with all the Sanctuary Club benefits. We decided against adding any "plus" or "premium" packages. Here are the highlights and a few drawbacks we encountered regarding the ship, our suite, and the Sanctuary class perks.
In the Room
The Positives:
The rooms are absolutely stunning! They're far more renovated and spacious than any other Princess ships we've experienced. There's a ton of storage and closet space!
The shower is phenomenal with incredible water pressure (you get a handheld and a big rain shower-head). Plus, there's a separate bathtub for a relaxing soak!
The slippers are top-notch, with thick, comfy bottoms!
Enjoy unlimited laundry service throughout the entire trip! We used it almost daily. Just remember, don't check the express or regular service on the laundry sheet to avoid extra charges. The complimentary service might take up to 72 hours, but we always got ours back the next day. Note that the last day to submit laundry is two days before disembarkation, as they need a day to return your clothes. We didn't use it, but I believe dry cleaning and ironing are included too!
Our room featured separate sleeping and living areas (with two TVs), and we adored having two balcony entrances. It was fantastic to enjoy an outdoor breakfast with one door open for fresh air! Plus, breakfast delivery was complimentary!
The Sanctuary Collection offered an on-time complimentary mini-bar setup, complete with a bottle of champagne, a bottle of white wine, a bottle of sparkling water, eight cans of soda, two beers, and four different canned cocktails. Our room attendant kindly swapped some sodas for diet options, which was great. And we had unlimited bottled water!
We enjoyed two room turnover services, which was a treat since most cruises have cut the nighttime service!
We had 24-hour complimentary room service, though we never used it because we were always so full by the time we returned to our room!
A huge shoutout to our room attendant Stephen, who made our trip unforgettable. Check out the adorable animal friends we received each day!
Room for Improvement:
We wish there were more updated selections for movies and TV programs.
The medallion detection is excellent because it opens the door as we approach, but it wasn't ideal for our room's location. Our room is right next to the elevator for the Sanctuary club, and we often have to wait for the elevator. While waiting, our room door would repeatedly open as it detected us, so we'd have to "hide" and quickly enter the elevator before being detected.
Even though the laundry service is free, they initially charge it to your bill, and then the night manager removes the charge. I'm not sure why this process is necessary, but it created extra work for me to constantly verify that the charge was removed each time.
Around the Ship
The Positives:
The Sanctuary Club was buzzing with excitement on this cruise, yet it remained a delightful escape from the bustling public areas! If you're aiming for a prime umbrella seat, be sure to arrive right when it opens at 8AM. But guess what? If you swing by after 4PM, you might just have the whole club to yourself! Plus, they offer an exclusive menu that's absolutely free. While it doesn't change, you'll find the best fries ever, only available here—trust us, the fries elsewhere on the ship don't even compare. There's also a complimentary "mini buffet" set up in the early afternoon. Keep in mind, though, drinks are an additional cost unless you have a drink package.
Throughout the day, the eatery offers convenient takeaway snack containers.
I was thrilled that I no longer needed to visit the guest services desk on Deck 6! Thanks to the APP, I could handle billing issues, random questions, and just about anything else through simple text communication. It's incredibly user-friendly, and I even have a record of our chats if I need to show it to another officer.
Room For Improvement:
On embarkation/disembarkation day, there isn't a special line for Suite/high tier guests. There are lines for those picking up medallions and those who already received them at home. Naturally, the line for those without medallions was much faster (although if you didn't choose the upgrade package, there's a $10 shipping fee). On port days with tender, Sanctuary Club members could gather in the lounge, and the concierge would escort us to the tender, bypassing the public line. However, when returning from the island, there was no priority line.
This was our first time booking the Sanctuary Club, so we were unfamiliar with its workings. Upon boarding the ship, a waitress in the lounge (deck 15 & 16 Aft) offered my husband a drink, which he assumed was complimentary until they requested his medallion for swiping. It was later clarified that drinks are only complimentary during the 5-7PM happy hour in the lounge (though some drinks are excluded, so it's best to ask). They mentioned it's not their duty to inform guests, so always inquire.
Gym classes are supposed to be included for Sanctuary guests. The first time I attended, there was no charge, but on the last day of the cruise, there was a fee. They did remove it for me later, but it's essential to check your bill to avoid such errors.
The Sanctuary Club closes early (6PM), so we couldn't use the hot tub at night. The only options are the public ones (which don't have a specified closing time) and the spa ones (closing at 11PM, requiring a day or week pass).
The complimentary coffee on the ship is very diluted. We didn't try the specialty ones, but it seemed they were encouraging purchases of those instead. The tea selection was also limited.
The sports court and outdoor activities area were quite small.
Additional Information:
If you don't have access to free laundry, there are laundry rooms on nearly every floor. They provided free detergents at the time because the vending machines were out of order.
Be sure to reserve your complimentary dinner (available only on the embarkation evening) at any of the specialty dining restaurants. This is a perk of the Sanctuary class. You can only make this reservation on the ship, so head straight to the concierge desk in the Sanctuary lounge to book it. In fact, this should be your first task upon boarding the ship. Let the concierge assist you with booking all the specialty dining, as they have connections with each restaurant's manager. Even if your app indicates no availability for a specific date and time, they can often accommodate you.
On Princess Cay island, there appears to be a loophole with the Wi-Fi service. We didn't have the Wi-Fi package, but we were able to access Wi-Fi occasionally, especially near the buffet seating area.
Princess Cay is a very small area. To avoid long waits, we recommend taking a later tender (around 12-1 pm) so you arrive when the buffet opens. There are four lines, but they tend to get very long, so try to go right when it opens. Return a few hours before the last tender, as the wait can be lengthy. The tender boats are not too small (double-decker), but there are only two, so with a ship carrying a couple of thousand people, it could take a while.
The sushi restaurant was the best one we tried on the ship. I'll write a separate
blog with all the delicious food adventures we've savored on this ship!
We hope these tips inspire all future cruisers! We can hardly wait to embark on the Princess Sun again (especially the amazing Sanctuary Class). Have questions? Email us HERE. Are you ready to BOOK an unforgettable journey?
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