ONBOARD THE SKY PRINCESS — From a Jim Henson puppet show to upgraded gelato in the Piazza, there's a lot new on the Sky Princess. And a lot to like.
The fourth in Princess Cruises' Royal class of ships that started in 2013 with the Royal Princess, this version is a little bigger than its predecessors, because of an extra 54 cabins around the forward Neptune Pool.
The extra real estate boosts capacity to 3,660 and provides a secluded "zone of accommodation," in the words of Rai Caluori, Princess' executive vice president of fleet operations, that falls just short of being a ship within a ship. (The pool is still open to everyone, although Princess is debating whether it should be made more private).
To create the extra cabin space, the Sanctuary private cabana club has been relocated up one level, to Deck 18. The number of cabanas for rent has been doubled to eight, and the space is quiet and elegant.
The main pool area on Deck 16 has also seen some changes. The Seaview Bar no longer features a sea view, having been moved from the side bulge where the Seawalk feature is. It is now at the end of one pool, where it faces another bar at the opposite end of the pool.
I will miss the side-located bar and the dancing fountain on the pool deck, which was eliminated in favor of larger swimming pools and a recessed seating area for Movies Under the Stars. The fountain didn't behave well in the wind and had other issues, Caluori said.
Finally, a near-infinity pool was added on the aft of Deck 16. It looked fine to me, but Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald is said to want a bona fide infinity pool instead, so look for that on future ships.
One improvement I loved was to the gelato, which is now made in partnership with the Gelato University in Bologna, Italy. (Who knew there was such a thing?) It is now the real deal, and I overindulged trying the different flavors.
I'm also looking forward to "Inspired Silliness," a new set of puppet shows from Jim Henson's Creature Shop that is set to debut in December. It will be based on characters Henson created pre-Muppets. We got a preview on our three-day, pre-inaugural cruise from Trieste, Italy, to Athens, and it was charming.
Something new I didn't get a chance to see was the Phantom Bridge, an escape room game for up to six people that is said to have more than 700 outcomes generated by a gaming engine.
The ship's three-level Piazza area remains one of the most dazzling at sea in its design. There are new outdoor areas of 30 seats each at Alfredo's Pizzeria and the new Bistro Sur La Mer, and a 20-seat sushi bar occupies the Ocean Terrace seafood bar. As I experienced it on the preview cruise, the service was a little slow, but the sushi was good.
I thought the 800-square-foot Sky Suites, which feature the longest balconies at sea, could have had more interior space. Princess officials said they may cut them down to one bedroom from two in the future to open the layout.
The Wheelhouse Bar on previous ships has been integrated with the Crown Grill and renamed the Crown Grill Bar. It looks darkly handsome, an exception to the overall lightening of the color palette on the ship. I forgot to pack my Kindle, so I was sad to see that the small library nearby is no more.
Take 5, the new jazz theater, feels a bit impermanent in its home next to the casino, but the programming I saw, "A Night in Harlem" with a guitar, bass and drums trio working a Duke Ellington theme, was engaging. "Rock Opera," a show in the main theater, was brassy and flashy, with great vocals, if a bit overwhelming.
Another performance venue, Princess Live, has had its doors removed so it is more open and looks less like a broadcast studio and more like a lounge.
The Sky Princess is the first ship to be delivered already equipped with Princess' unique OceanMedallion personalization technology. There are new wrinkles, but what most people will notice is that the internet is fast, the cabin doors open magically and buying drinks is paperless and quick.
And yes, the ship's horn still plays the first two bars of the "Love Boat Theme" on departure.