Trip Report: Our fun-filled week on the Sky Princess cruise

The worst part about a cruise is leaving it. This fact has hit us hard these past few days after spending a wonderful time on the Sky Princess during a media-invited trip. It had been about six years since we cruised with Princess Cruises, so we were excited to see what was new. Plus Princess will start sailing out of Port Canaveral this fall.

As part of the trip, Princess Cruises booked my husband, Matt, and I on the Brightline Train to Fort Lauderdale and at a hotel near the port. Although it is definitely more expensive than going by car, we love taking the train to avoid the stress of driving, and you can get some work done along the way on your phone or laptop.

Day One: Talking with the President

We woke up at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina and picked up breakfast at the mini market in the lobby to eat it on our balcony and enjoy our room’s beautiful view of the water. We couldn’t see the cruise ships from our room, but we did see many large yachts parked all around the hotel. We always recommend staying close to the port of your cruise, so you don’t have to rush the day of embarkation. It’s much less stressful. 

Princess provided transportation to the port and we had a very easy check-in process. After boarding the Sky Princess, were escorted to the Princess Live lounge to talk with the president of Princess Cruise Lines, John Padgett, who’s also the chief experience and innovation officer for Carnival Corporation, Princess’ parent company.

Disney fans may recognize the name because he used to be a Disney executive and led their Game Changer Experience Development, spearheading the invention, development, and implementation of MagicBand, FastPass+, Disney’s Magical Express, Be Our Guest restaurant, and Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. He talked with our media group about the creation of Disney’s MagicBands and how that led into him creating the Princess MedallionClass experience for Princess Cruises.

If you don’t know, the Princess Medallion is a small puck that you wear on a lanyard or in a band on your wrist (or just keep in your pocket). With it, your stateroom door automatically unlocks as you walk up to it, and it also allows your friends and family to locate you anywhere on the ship. You can even use the Princess app to order food, drinks, or merchandise delivered directly to your location. We loved the convenience the Medallion provided, but it didn’t always open our door when we walked up, and we had to tap it to the pad outside our door. A minor inconvenience, but one we hope they fix.

It was time for my manicure, so we said goodbye to Mike (who is cruising for a month onboard Sky Princess), and Matt caught a tender to Princess Cay, Princess Cruises’ private island experience. I stayed on the ship to enjoy a manicure and pedicure.

My sweet manicurist, Eloisa, was amazing. The Fire and Ice treatment is a bit of a splurge, but totally worth it to me. I was completely relaxed after my treatment and my nails looked great! Matt said he enjoyed his walk around Princess Cay. 

We had a second lunch at the Marketplace to tide us over util dinner (because that’s just what you do on a cruise). Since this was Super Bowl Sunday, they had delicious BBQ selections set up and there was viewing in the main theater. Fans could also watch the game on the large screen on the main pool deck. Fun Fact: Our Princess rep told us they were the first cruise company to offer poolside movies.

As we were sailing away from Princess Cay on Sky Princess, we met our media group at the Wake View Bar on the back of Deck 6. We had a great view of Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney’s new private island experience that’s under construction. It has a way to go, but it looks like it’s going to be nice. (See our photos here.)

Did you know? Many cruise line’s private islands aren’t really islands onto themselves? Princess Cay is just down the beach from Lighthouse Point, and Royal Caribbean’s Coco Cay is just across from Norwegian Cruise Line’s Great Stirrup Cay.

This evening, we had our first specialty dining at Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria. The pasta dishes were really good and the main course was really, really good. My husband and I both also enjoyed the chefs selection of delicious desserts (a sampler of all their desserts). We also enjoyed a non-alcoholic wine. It’s not on the wine list, so be sure to ask for it if you’re interested. We also ordered a zero mojito (our first of many).

After dinner we went to the late showing of “Jim Henson’s Inspired Silliness.” It was a cute show in one of the smaller theaters (so get there early) that pulls the curtain back a bit to show how the early skits were done, as they recreated them onstage. They even have a Muppet of Jim Henson, and his son Brian appears onscreen. We loved it.

Day Three: Food and Fun at Sea

We woke up late so it was almost 11 a.m. before we got to brunch at the World Fresh Market buffet. It’s the best bet if you’re hungry and just don’t know what you’re in the mood for. They have a little of everything. I loved that they have a Mediterranean area with kafta, falafel, and chicken shawarma, with tzatziki, hummus, and baba ghanoush.

After that wonderful meal, I had to get to my provided Sky Princess spa treatment, a very relaxing 100-minute hot stone massage. My massage therapist, Diva, got all my toughest knots out (not all massage therapists can do that). She was excellent and very knowledgeable about how to apply just the right amount of pressure to get my muscles to relax. I really enjoyed my massage treatment as well as talking to her.

We had a delicious media group dinner at The Catch by Rudi (Chef Rudi Sodamin) with friends old and new. My husband enjoyed the Tuna Salade Niçoise (the dressing is delicious) and I ordered the Seafood Tower, which was also delicious. For our main course, I ordered the surf and turf with a filet mignon and a lobster tail. The steak and lobster were both cooked to perfection and melted in my mouth – so good. For dessert, I ordered the Mozart’s Berry Composition, which was a berry soufflé, and my husband got the Chantilly Lace, a mini croquembouche (French for “crunch in the mouth”) filled with cream, Chantilly, and a chocolate sauce. My dessert was delicious, but I liked Matt’s choice better. 

What made the dining experience even better was the presentation. Just take a look at these dishes:

Our friend Michelle from The Main Street Mouse was celebrating her birthday. We sang “Happy Birthday” and she got a cake, which they wrapped in a cute little aluminum foil purse for her to take back to her stateroom. 

We missed most of the evening’s production show, a rock opera, but we managed to catch the last couple of songs. The singers and costumes were amazing. 

Day Four: San Juan, Puerto Rico

We took the History & Cuisine of San Juan on Foot tour. This walking tour took us around the port area of San Juan. We loved our tour guide, Aida. She was so full of enthusiasm and energy, and really made the walking tour fun as well as informative. As part of the tour, we ate at a small restaurant and met a local chef named Carmen, who was a great cook.

We even learned how to make one of their famous dishes ourselves. We were given bowl and a tool to smash the cassava. After we smashed it, we added spices, then she added a stew she made earlier in the day. We all agreed it was fresh and delicious. We were also given a mojito and told about how they were first invented. After lunch, we explored the town on our own, then went back to the Sky Princess to get cleaned up.

That evening we joined our friend Mike at Ocean Terrace Sushi just off The Piazzo on Deck 7. A full meal was included with our Premier package and we all enjoyed it. That evening’s show was an Elton John performer. We watched part of it, but then headed to bed.

Day Five: Valentine’s Day  

We slept in a bit because we were not arriving in Grand Turk until the afternoon, but Princess arranged for us to enjoy a balcony breakfast that was brought to our room. There is an extra charge, but it’s worth the splurge for a special occasion with your sweetheart. And after all, this is the cruise line that’s famous for being The Love Boat! All the breakfast items they brought were good, but our balcony couldn’t hold it all. 

After we arrived in Grand Turk, it was time for our Whale Watching Adventure excursion. Our group climbed into a boat parked on the beautiful Grand Turk beach, then headed to where they expected the whales to be. It was long boat ride, but worth it! We saw a mother and baby humpback whale. The water was so clear, we could see their whole bodies under the surface. The young babies come up often, so the mothers have to stay near the surface with them. This excursion books up quickly, so you’re going to want to book it as soon as you can. 

Here’s a look at our whale watching excursion:

After our return to shore, we shopped at some of the cute shops port side, then returned to the Sky Princess and went straight to Alfredo’s Pizzeria on Deck 7.

We were starving, so we each got a pizza and shared them. Mine was a specialty pizza with barada and truffles; Matt got his favorite: Hawaiian. We really enjoyed both of them. We heard many guests talking about how much they enjoyed the pizza at Alfredo’s, although there was also a debate about whether the poolside pizza was as good as Alfredo’s.

After pizza, we went up to Deck 17 of the Sky Princess and watched a beautiful sunset. As we turned around, we noticed the movie “Valentine’s Day” was playing on the big screen poolside behind us, so we found lounge chairs and enjoyed the movie while sailing under the stars. We had a little snack at the Market before calling it a night.

Day Six: Monkeying Around in Amber Cove

We woke up and got ready very early for our 7:30 a.m. tour. We were considering skipping it since it was so early, but we’re glad we didn’t. Even though it was very early, the breakfast selection was just as varied as it has been on the other days. Other cruise lines we have been on have a limited selection early in the morning. 

After a 20-minute ride in our (thankfully) air conditioned bus, we arrived at Monkeyland. After we put our bags in a lock box, we proceed down a path to the squirrel monkeys. As we all sat in an oval on benches. Then the monkey handlers lured the tiny little monkeys to land on us. They ate out of our hands, and sat on our heads and shoulders. They are very used to people. After our time with the cute monkeys, we were led through a typical Island home and were given samples of homemade coffee, chocolate, and a local alcoholic “remedy” drink called Mamajuana.

Here’s a video of our MonkeyLand excursion:

Once back at the Amber Cove shopping and recreational area, we took a short hike up to the Sky Bar. The view was awesome as we enjoyed a frozen lemonade and virgin piña colada. If you have the guts to do it, you could even zip line down the hill (for a price), but we took the path down to the pool area. 

We shopped at the stores for a bit, where I bought a couple of color-changing shirts at Del Sol (they had their usual deal: buy two shirts and get a cloth bag for free). Many of the shops carry beautiful amber and larimar jewelry as the Dominican Republic is known for both gemstones. I purchased a cool reversible ring that allows me to display one gem or the other. After we finished our shopping, we went back onboard Sky Princess for lunch at the Market. 

We walked around exploring the ship for a bit. They have a small, but fun arcade, and kids clubs for all different ages. They were mostly empty. We heard there were only about 30-something kids on this particular cruise. Most of the passengers are older on most Princess ships, but that may change soon with the introduction of their new Sun Princess ship, which features a Magic Castle show lounge, and a family fun adventure zone with a Rollglider for guests to swing around the ship.

We went to the back of the ship outside on Deck 7 to see if they could find us if we ordered ice cream in the app. And they did, no problem. The specialized ice cream by Tyra Banks is an extra cost, but it has unique and tasty flavors you might want to try. 

Matt also wanted to try the gelato. It’s authentic gelato, so it’s worth the up-charge, but the large milkshakes are included with the Princess Packages. After that, I needed a nap. 

Dinner at the Crown Grill steakhouse on Sky Princess was excellent and I loved every course. I started with an appetizer, the Spiny Lobster Cake with a tarragon foam, cured olives, and grilled asparagus. The cake was lightly battered and fried. The accompaniments all complemented it perfectly. For my next course, I ordered the Black and Bleu Onion Soup. The cheese was so delicious mixed with Jack Daniels and the broth. It’s definitely one of the most flavorful soups I have ever tried.

For my entree, I ordered the lamb chops with rosemary essence. I also ordered a loaded baked potato and cream spinach as my sides, as well as mint jelly and mint sauce to accompany the lamb chops. The lamb was cooked perfectly and it was mouth-watering with the mint sauce. The baked potato and the spinach were both great choices too. For dessert I ordered the Salted Carmel Crème Brûlée Cheesecake. It was so delicious that I didn’t want to share it with my husband, but I did! 

Matt got the Filet Mignon and a baked potato. He asked for it a little too well done, but I blame him for that (I think filets are best at medium or below). 

We walked around the ship for a bit and called it a night. The theater show that night was a comedian, so we decided to skip it.

Day Seven: Last Day at Sea

We woke up and ordered coffee and tea to the room, as we usually did. It’s great to be able to order a latte delivered to your room each morning for no extra cost with the package. Most mornings, they arrived within 15 minutes. Matt went to breakfast with Mike while I slept in a bit more. 

I went up to the Market around 10:30 a.m. and had a delicious ready-made eggs benedict, which I added some capers to. I also couldn’t resist a side of crispy bacon and hash browns. I went to the juice bar and got a Rejuvenator, then headed down to the International Cafe for a chai tea latte with almond milk. 

I then went up to The Sanctuary on Deck 18 of Sky Princess, a private lounging area that is an extra cost and must be reserved. Our group had four lounge chairs reserved for us. Some chairs are in the shade. Mine was not, but it was a delightful overcast morning, so it was not too hot. I spent the morning relaxing and journaling. It was blissful.

The sea was a bit rough with some white caps, so finding a spot and just sitting is a good way to go, especially if you don’t have your sea legs. For the most part, the stabilizers on the ship did their job, but when the seas are a bit rough, you’re going to feel it. Laying on a lounge chair in The Sanctuary was where I wanted to be anyways.

At 3 p.m., it was tea time. Jeff and Denise from MouseSteps joined Matt and I for tea in The Sanctuary. We all agreed the tea in the sanctuary was much better than the one in the main dining room, which we had tried earlier during the cruise. 

Matt attended the Caymus Vineyards Winemaker Dinner, but I ordered a salad and soup from room service. I was really tired and needed to finish packing. Plus, I don’t drink wine anymore and I wasn’t that hungry. Matt said the dinner was really nice, and the food was great, but at $160 per person, you really need to be into wine pairings for it to be worth it (we were offered the dinner as part of our media cruise.) Many of the wines are also available elsewhere as part of your package (if you purchased one), but it is an exclusive offering and only so many are available during each cruise, so book ahead if you’re interested.

Matt left the dinner before dessert so he could attend the 5 Skies musical production show in Princess Theater on Sky Princess. He loved it and said the special effects and stunts were great. He sat in the front row, but suggests sitting a bit farther back to be able to enjoy all the effects in the theater.

Last Day on Sky Princess: You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here (unless you booked back-to-back cruises)

We woke up early as we had to be out of our stateroom by 8:30 a.m. We finished packing and met Mike at the Sky Princess Market, where we had a wonderful breakfast catching up with our friend (who will be onboard for three more weeks). He is retired and cruises on different ships throughout the year (we definitely want to be him when we grow up!) After saying goodbye and wishing our friend safe travels, we got our bags to disembark. The line to get off the ship was long, but it moved quickly, and, customs was a breeze with the new facial recognition technology. We then headed to the Brightline Train station and back to Orlando.

Sky Princess Overall Impressions

We had a great time and would absolutely sail with Princess Cruises again. The service was excellent, and we were really impressed by the food. We did not have a bad meal. The addition of the Medallion technology is really impressive, though it could use some tweaking. Some things worked sporadically, but it is already a game changer for cruising and one-ups a lot of the other stuff out there by combining a lot of useful features. We loved being able to track each other on the ship, as well as our friends who allowed it.

The Sky Princess isn’t like other ships with tons of activities and water slides, but it is a fun, relaxing, and elegant ship. It’s more of a traditional cruising experience, and we’re ok with that. Sometimes you just want to have good food, fun excursions, and a relaxing time.

For even more photos from our trip on Sky Princess, visit our sister website at CruiseNewsWeekly.com.

If you’re looking to book a cruise with Princess Cruises, or any other line, we recommend our travel sponsor MEI-Travel.com. They can help you get a free quote, and offer free help all along the trip.