Star Princess launched to much fanfare at its christening ceremony in November 2025, with Hollywood A-lister Matthew McConaughey and his wife Camila named as godparents. This family-friendly ship offers seven-night cruises to the Caribbean in winter and to Alaska (round-trip from Seattle) during the summer.
It’s the second vessel in the Princess Cruises’ Sphere class, following the launch of Sun Princess the previous year. As sister ships, the two are virtually identical with minor differences – a couple of new shows in an even more high-tech theatre, as well as the expansion of both O’Malley’s pub and the non-smoking casino area. As such, this review can be applied to both Star and Sun Princess.
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Overall score 8/10
Style and Character 8/10
Princess Cruises’ new 21-deck, 4,300-passenger ship is distinctive for its glass globes, which curve like baubles on both sides of the vessel. This design allows light to flood into the three-storey Piazza through floor-to-ceiling windows. This is also where you’ll find Princess’s signature sea-walk, an internal glass walkway that extends over the sea.
Another design triumph is the front-facing glass The Dome on decks 16 and 17, which acts as a hybrid indoor/outdoor adult-only space. It has an amphitheatre feel with tiered seating, sun beds, a pool and a couple of bars. It’s a quieter alternative to the ship’s two top-deck lido swimming pools, which are overlooked by a giant 30-foot LED screen.
Large glass domes in the ship’s design allow natural light to flow through the decks – David Parker
Cabins 9/10
Nearly half of the ship’s 2,157 cabins have balconies, and room categories include inside cabins and solo cabins, plus the Sanctuary Collection of suites and mini suites.
My deluxe balcony cabin was decorated in shades of cream and blue with faux pine furnishings, bright throw cushions, and colourful artwork – and featured its own Princess luxury bed, which was developed in conjunction with a board-certified sleep expert. Night lighting was impressive – step out of bed in the dark and dim lighting automatically switches on to light your path – as were the effective blackout curtains.
The deluxe balcony cabin is decorated in shades of cream and blue
The bathroom is also equipped with its large walk-in shower replete with Princess’s own-brand toiletries. Only the higher end of the Sanctuary Suites (Sky, Penthouse and Grand) have a separate bathtub and shower.
Food and Drink 7/10
Board with an appetite, as there’s no shortage of places to eat and drink on board Star Princess. In addition to the four main restaurants included in the fare, there are free-of-charge pizza, burger and taco stations on the Promenade deck and at the top-deck pool areas.
On deck nine you’ll find The Eatery, the main buffet. I found the cuisine here to be varied and of a high standard – the daily roast carvery, salad and ramen bars were personal standouts.
Speciality restaurant Alfredo’s Pizzeria is a good option for families
Other good options for families include Alfredo’s Pizzeria (surcharge applicable) as well as the Americana Diner, which serves specials like mac and cheese and buttermilk fried chicken.
The £45pp surcharge for Star’s speciality dining options is well worth the extra. Top picks include seafood restaurant The Catch; Umai Teppanyaki, where the chef whips up top-notch food (think filet mignon and scallops) in front of you; and Love by Britto, which, as the name suggests, serves a romance-inspired fixed-priced menu.
Watch the chefs at Umai Teppanyaki whip up top-notch food directly in front of you
For a pre-dinner drink, head to the Dome’s Cascade Bar, which has a decent cocktail menu. The smooth, punchy “Pants on Fire” (£12) had just the right amount of kick and incorporates Matthew McConaughey’s Pantalones tequila. Alternatively, the Seaview Terrace Bar and the Wake View bar are both top spots for an al fresco tipple.
Services and Facilities 9/10
Three pools cater for all guests, while The Dome’s hybrid indoor/outdoor pool is adults-only. A fifth pool can be found in the Sanctuary Club, which is reserved for the use of guests staying in the Sanctuary suites. It features a “champagne wall”, where guests simply ring a bell and a white-gloved hand will deliver a glass of champagne through a concealed hole in a decorative wall.
The Sanctuary Club is reserved for the use of guests staying in the Sanctuary suites – Ade Roberts
Elsewhere, you’ll find a large gym, a wraparound jogging track on deck 19, a multi-purpose sports court offering baseball and pickleball and a spa replete with a hydro-pool, a Himalayan salt room and a Finnish sauna.
I appreciated the Princess Medallion – a complimentary, wearable device that you can use to open your cabin door, and book shows and excursions – as well as the friendly and helpful staff who went above and beyond all over the ship.
Entertainment and Excursions 8/10
The ship’s Princess Arena theatre is found in The Dome – an asset for the two new shows unique to Star Princess. One is Illuminate, a circus-style aerial acrobatics spectacular set in a big top. The other is Meridian: think Bridgerton the musical with Regency-style costuming.
Like sister ship Sun Princess, Star also offers Spellbound by Magic Castle, a speakeasy experience that combines theatrical cocktails with sleight of hand tricks in its bar, followed by a sit-down magic show in a bijou theatre (£34pp).
The high-tech Princess Arena theatre is found in The Dome
The Piazza is another entertainment hub that hosts live music, acrobatic performances and parties by night, and dance classes and competitions by day. It’s also where the 15-piece Princess World Orchestra performs 45-minute jazz concerts.
Expect a wide range of interesting excursions, such as an outdoor salmon bake (from £58) and bear encounters (from £300) in Alaska, while in the Caribbean, you can swim with stingrays (from £29).
Value for Money 8/10
Wi-Fi costs £22.50pp per day, while a gratuity charge of £13pp per day is added to the final bill. Excursions start at around £30 for a lumberjack show in Alaska, with cocktails averaging around £12 and room service incurring a fee of £11 for the entire cruise.
On-board entertainment ranges from a Regency-inspired musical to intimate band performances – Ade Roberts
If you plan on having a few drinks each day and ordering room service regularly, it’s worth upgrading to the Princess Plus package. This costs £50pp per day but includes 15 drinks, room service, Wi-Fi for one device per guest, gratuities and shore excursions up to a value of £225pp.
Access for guests with disabilities?
Star Princess has 51 accessible cabins, and some have space for turning a wheelchair. All cabins are equipped with the touchless Medallion door system, which unlocks the door as you approach. Braille/tactile signage is available, and service animals are welcome.
Family-friendly?
The ship’s 100 interconnecting cabins (and removable balcony dividers) are ideal for families. Age-banded Kids Clubs start from three years and are free of charge until 10pm (or midnight for the teen club). Family activities take place in the Princess Live lounge and include quizzes, karaoke and bingo.
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About our expert
Jo Kessel
Jo has worked as a cruise and travel writer for nearly 20 years and has sailed on the biggest ship in the world as well as the smallest – many with her kids in tow.
Telegraph Travel’s cruise expert, Jo Kessel
