Public Areas & Facilities

Star Princess is one of Princess' Grand-class vessels. When the first of these was introduced in 1998, it was not only the world's largest cruise ship, but also boasted one of the most distinctive profiles. The Skywalker's Disco, hovering approximately 150 feet above the water line, gave a futuristic touch, while the more than 700 staterooms with private balconies brought the idea of a floating resort to a new level.

Like their predecessors, the interiors of Grand-class ships feature soothing pastel tones with splashy glamour in the sweeping staircases and marble-floor atriums. Surprisingly intimate for such large ships, human scale in public lounges is achieved by judicious placement of furniture as unobtrusive room dividers.

Restaurants

Passengers choose between two traditional dinner seatings in an assigned dining room or open-seating in the ship's other two formal dining rooms. Alternative evening dining options include reservations-only Sabatini's Italian Trattoria and Sterling Steakhouse specialty restaurants (both with a cover charge). The Horizon Court buffet is a casual option.

What Works & What Doesn't

Four pools, each with a distinctive personality, ensure it's nearly always possible to find a sun lounger -- either in the midst of the action or a quiet corner. Sports bars get jam-packed and lively when important games are televised; however, they're also the only indoor bars where cigar smoking is allowed and can become stuffy and close. The Wheelhouse Bar has a combo for pre-dinner dancing and easy listening during the cocktail hour.

Accommodations

Layout: Eighty percent of the outside staterooms have balconies. The typical stateroom has a sitting area with a chair and table; even the cheapest categories have ample storage. Minisuites have a separate sitting area, walk-in closet, combination shower-tub, and a balcony, as well as two TVs. Grand Suites have a separate sitting room and dining room, as well as a walk-in closet. Owner's, Penthouse, Premium, and Vista suites have a separate sitting room with a sofa bed and desk, as well as a walk-in closet.

Amenities: Decorated in attractive pastel hues, all cabins have refrigerators, hair dryers, a personal safe, and bathrobes to use during the cruise. Bathrooms have shampoo, lotion, and bath gel.

Good to Know: Two family suites are interconnecting staterooms with a balcony that each sleep up to eight people (D105/D101 and D106/D102). Staterooms in a variety of categories will accommodate three and four people, and some adjacent cabins can be interconnected through interior doors or by unlocking doors in the balcony dividers. Twenty-eight staterooms are wheelchair accessible.

Category	Size (square feet)
Grand Suite	1,314
Other Suites	468-591
Family Suite/Minisuite	607 /323
Ocean View Balcony/Standard	232-274 /168
Inside	160
All dimensions include the square footage for balconies.

Favorites

Best Place to Escape the Crowds: Skywalker's Disco has comfy semiprivate alcoves facing port and starboard and is virtually deserted during the day. It's the ideal spot to read or just watch the sea. The bar isn't open, though, so bring your own refreshments if you plan to stay awhile.

Best Added Value: For a few dollars you can wash and dry a load of dirty clothing in the convenient self-service passenger laundry rooms. You'll also find irons there to touch up garments wrinkled from packing.

Our Favorite Spot for a Nightcap: The Wheelhouse Bar, with soft lighting, comfortable leather chairs, shining brass accents, ship paintings, and nautical memorabilia, has become a Princess tradition.

Best Balcony Cabins: Nearly famous for the huge size of their balconies are minisuites E728 and E729. Both spaces are great for relaxing and entertaining, but you'll probably hear the band during shows in the Vista Lounge below E728 and a strange mechanical sounding noise in E729.