The royal treatment

Sky Princess ups the stakes for an already impressive Royal-class offering from Princess Cruises. Jeannine Williamson reports.

Walking towards Alfredo’s Pizzeria on the second day of my Sky Princess cruise, I am surprised when the front-of-house manager greets me by name. It’s my first time in the restaurant and I probably continue to look even more bemused as she shows me to a table and starts to point out vegetarian options on the menu. Then I remember the OceanMedallion that’s tucked away in my bag.

It doesn’t take long for my bewilderment to fade: during the ensuing week I quickly get used to bartender Fabian (I know his name because it’s on a badge) asking if I would like my favourite cocktail in Vines Wine Bar.

This cosy bar, where one wall is lined with wine bottles, has become one of my preferred drinking spots on Sky Princess after I discover the wine flights that give you the chance to try an assortment of three different wines, such as the sparkling trio of Beautiful Bubbles or The Colours of France with a Gallic threesome of red, white and rosé.

The size of a coin, the OceanMedallion is Princess Cruises’s high-tech showpiece. You can wear it on a lanyard or a pendant or fixed to a bracelet around your wrist. Or you can carry it around in your pocket. Whichever way you carry it, the clever little gadget personalises, in every sense, your cruise experience.

As well as staff being able to greet you by name and be notified of your food and drink preferences, by using it with the app you can order food and drink wherever you are on the ship and it will be delivered to where you’re sitting.

You can also keep in touch with friends and family who are onboard, create a bespoke itinerary, find out how busy restaurants are and much more. And here’s another clever thing or two: it can guide you to your cabin, and as you walk towards the door the medallion will automatically unlock it. No more fiddling around to find key cards. If you’re worried that Big Brother is watching you, rest assured the medallion doesn’t store any personal data. Sky Princess is the fourth of the line’s

Left: Enjoying an open-air Royal-class vessels. These ships are the largest movie from the in the fleet and have some lovely design comfort of a Sky Suite balcony – guests in these details. Anyone who has sailed on sister ships Royal Princess, Regal Princess or Majestic supersized suites Princess will recognise the centrepiece get to choose one of the films that piazza-style Atrium. plays on the big It’s lined by speciality restaurants and screen. Above: The Sky Princess bars, along with a choice of multiple main off the coast of dining rooms included in the fare. But the Montenegro. latest arrival boasts some all-new features, too. Many of my nights ended up in Take

I loved taking a dip in the Wakeview infinity pool at the back of the ship, which has a namesake bar that’s a great spot for sundowners”

Five, a super-cool live jazz lounge with a sophisticated Art Deco fit-out.

And by day I loved taking a dip in the Wakeview infinity pool at the back of the ship, which has a namesake bar that’s a great spot for sundowners.

The Sanctuary, an adult-only retreat found on other Princess ships, sports a new contemporary design and has twice as many private cabanas as its sibling vessels. There’s also a new cafe in the Princess Live venue serving barista-made coffee and light bites.

Another novelty, if you’re brave enough to look down, is the Seawalk, where you can step out onto a glass floor that extends over the edge of Sky Princess and gives a thrilling view of the ocean below.

On the accommodation front, the 1,830 cabins span eight categories and include 38 wheelchair-accessible staterooms. There are also two all-new soaring Sky Suites high up on deck 18 that have 270-degree views. The wraparound balconies alone measure 93 square metres and are billed as the largest at sea.

A quirky perk for guests in these supersized suites is that they get to choose the film on one of the ‘movies under the stars’ nights. As the suites overlook the screen on the pool deck, the occupants get an uninterrupted grandstand view.

That said, there’s an opportunity for everyone to push the boat out if you book one of the ship’s 1,000 plus balcony cabins.

For the perfect daybreak treat there’s the Ultimate Balcony Breakfast, where staff lay the verandah table with crisp white table linen and set out an expansive feast. At AUD$60 for two it’s good value, as it includes half a bottle of champagne, freshly squeezed orange juice, fruit, smoked salmon, pastries and assorted hot and cold dishes.

As I was travelling solo (you can’t order a single-size serving), it lasted me through the day for morning snacks, lunch and teatime, when the last mini muffins came into their own!

Another dining highlight is to book a place at the Chef’s Table, which is the centrepiece in the Cielo dining room. It can be reserved for an entire group, or you can share the table with other passengers. Due to the COVID restrictions in place on our sailing, we had to opt for a slightly pared-down version.

Enjoying tranquil moments on the Sky Princess’s adult-only Sanctuary pool deck.

Above, from left: Sabatini’s Italian restaurant; the high-tech OceanMedallion. Far left: Colourful cocktails at Good Spirits at Sea. Left: Enjoying a wine flight at Vines Wine Bar. Below: Slick knifework at the sushi bar. Bottom: A shimmering curtain surrounds the Chef’s Table.

Normally the ship’s executive chef meets diners for champagne and canapes and then personally hosts a multi-course tasting menu with wine pairings. This wasn’t permitted on my sailing. However, what we did get to experience was the theatrical moment when a shimmering curtain surrounds the circular table and turns it into an intimate private dining area.

If, after all that, you’re looking to work off any seagoing kilojoules, Sky Princess has a large gym and outdoor jogging track. But if it all sounds like too much hard work and you just want to relax during your time onboard, there are plenty of lounging areas.

These include the tranquil adult-only Sanctuary pool deck, where there is a cover charge for full- or half-day passes. On the last evening, I head to the Good Spirits at Sea bar, where there are daily cocktail making demonstrations set against the backdrop of a video screen. After perusing the menu, I can’t resist ordering a Butterfly, which is set apart from the other drinks in the intriguing category of ‘Cocktail Magic’.

Mixologist Mark gets busy with gin, Cointreau, lemon juice and other ingredients to create a purple drink. Next up is the alcoholic alchemy when he stirs in butterfly pea flower tea and it turns pink. “Abracadabra,” he says as he sets it down in front of me.

Maybe I might need to call on my Ocean Medallion to help steer me a steady course back to my cabin!

FACT FILE

CRUISE LINE: Princess Cruises VESSEL: Sky Princess LAUNCHED: 2019 STAR RATING: Not yet rated TONNAGE: 141,000 PASSENGER DECKS: 19 PASSENGER CAPACITY: 3,660 CREW: 1,346 FACILITIES: 1,830 cabins and suites with ensuite facilities; 15 restaurants; 10 bars; spa; gym; sun deck; and five pools. BOOKINGS: Sky Princess is sailing in Europe in 2022/23. Mediterranean fares start from AUD$3,238 per person, and Princess Plus fares including WiFi and premier drinks package start from AUD$3,799 per person.

THE VERDICT

HIGHS: Great entertainment; wide choice of dining venues; fun and innovative technology. LOWS: At 14.6 square metres, the smallest inside cabins are a bit of a squeeze. BEST FOR: Cruisers with a modern outlook looking for a cool cruise experience, and techies and younger passengers who will love making full use of OceanMedallion and the MedallionClass app.

princess.com

DEFINING CRUISING’S FUTURE

CLIA cruise lines have committed to some of the most extensive new health measures of any industry in the world.

Developed with the help of leading medical experts internationally, they cover almost every aspect of cruise ship operations to maintain health and safety as the highest priority.

From vaccination and testing requirements to extensive onboard health protocols, your CLIA travel agent can help you understand the new health measures at sea.

Visit www.cruising.org.au for more information and to find your nearest CLIA cruise specialist travel agent.

AUSTRALIA IS READY TO SAIL

By Joel Katz, Managing director, Australasia and Asia, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

In dozens of countries around the world, cruise ships have made a careful but successful return to sea, operating under some of the most stringent health protocols in the global tourism industry.

Well over two million passengers have sailed on these cruises, each covered by health measures ranging from pre-boarding COVID tests through to comprehensive onboard protocols.

Importantly, the extensive new health protocols that cruise lines have adopted globally are working successfully. They’re doing the job for which they were intended, mitigating the risks of COVID while still allowing cruise guests to enjoy all the best experiences of a holiday at sea.

As vaccination rates rise and Australia embarks on its own path towards reopening, cruise lines are ready with detailed plans to operate in our region.

The experience they’ve gained overseas means they are well equipped to deploy stringent measures locally. These will cover virtually every aspect of the cruise, starting from the time of booking, continuing throughout the journey, and onward until guests return home. There will be the changes we see, like social distancing and changes to food and beverage service. And there will be changes behind the scenes, like the detailed response procedures set in partnership with health authorities.

This is not only about protecting guests and crew on board, but also the communities we visit.

The result will be a responsible resumption of operations that starts small and puts health and safety first. This will not only allow thousands of Australian cruise fans to return to sea, but will also help revive an industry worth more than $5 billion a year to local economies around the country.

There is still work to be done. We still need to have more detailed discussions with Australian governments to establish exactly how new measures will be applied in this region.

But the message from cruise lines is clear – we’re ready. We have the plans, the insight and the experience to begin a careful return to service in Australia, as we’ve done elsewhere around the world.

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