princess cruise internet cafe

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Review: Princess Cruises Wi-Fi Service (Speed, Reliability, Cost, and More)

Princess offers one of the most affordable wi-fi programs in cruising with its MedallionNet service — an Internet offer the cruise line calls “the best wi-fi at sea.”

And while you might think of a cruise as a place to disconnect from the routine and stresses of back home, the truth is that Internet access has become a necessity more than a luxury for most of us.

Whether it’s simply checking in back home, wanting to stream your favorite shows on vacation, or even trying to get a little work done, wi-fi may as well be a requirement.

Of course, that leads to a lot of questions about wi-fi on a Princess cruise. We’ve sailed the cruise line and recently put the Internet through the paces. Here’s what to know…

In This Article...

What Internet/Wi-Fi Packages Are Offered?

While many cruise lines offer different package levels with varying speeds for Internet, Princess instead keeps things simple. The ship’s MedallionNet comes in only one tier and you simply choose whether or not you want to purchase. (There is the ability to purchase access for multiple devices.)

This means when you buy, you have full access to the web. There are no different tiers for different speeds or different tiers for social media, streaming, and web browsing.

You can choose to either purchase wi-fi on its own or have it included in an all-inclusive package like Princess Plus or Princess Premier (more on these below).

How Much Is the Internet on a Princess Cruise?

When it comes to the price for wi-fi, Princess has the most affordable plan we’ve seen in cruising.

If you elect just to buy the plan on its own, the cost is $15 per day for one device. So for a one-week cruise, you’d pay $105 for access.

A recent cruise showed a price to upgrade to four devices as an extra $10 per day — or a total of $25 per day. (To our knowledge, there are no plans for 2/3 device access).

But many people buy the wi-fi as part of the larger Princess Plus or Princess Premier packages . With these plans, you pay an extra $60/$80 per person, per day (depending on the package you choose) and get a number of items included like drink packages, gratuities, and wi-fi.

How Fast Is Princess’ Internet Service?

Princess claims that “MedallionNet Wi-Fi sets the industry standard for internet at sea.” And in a 2018 press release linked on the website , it claims that “MedallionNet download speeds can exceed residential service levels, often eclipsing 100 Mbps, with upload speeds exceeding 60 Mbps.”

Our personal experience (covered below), however, was decidedly different. During a 2023 cruise aboard Discovery Princess, we found the service to be slow. Our own speed tests show service in the under 2 Mbps range, with some tests coming in under 1 Mbps. 

Perhaps other ships/itineraries might have faster speeds, but on our specific cruise the speed was lacking.

If I Have Access for Only One Device, Can I Switch Devices?

Yes. Princess offers service for either one device or up to four devices. If you select the one-device service, you can connect with your phone and then switch over to using a laptop or tablet. The only limit is that you can only have one connection at a time. So if you are online and your significant other logs in, it will boot you off.

Still, sharing access is a good way to save money. If you don’t need constant connectivity, then one person in the cabin can check their email and then another person can log in and browse the web later.

Can I Stream With the Wi-Fi?

Yes, you are allowed to stream your content over the wi-fi connection. The question is if you will be able to watch it clearly.

First things first, Princess specifically says on their website that with their Internet you can “stream your favorite shows,” however, as mentioned above, our personal experience was the speed of the connection when we cruised was sluggish.

We were able to stream a show on Netflix, but the majority of the time the image was pixelated, though it did play continuously without buffering and eventually cleared up.

Still, we’d suggest downloading any programs you want to watch beforehand if possible. That will allow you to watch without worrying about connection quality.

Can I FaceTime or Make Video Calls?

Just like with streaming, you have the ability to FaceTime or make video calls over the MedallionNet service from Princess. The issue is if the connection speed will allow you to do that.

During our cruise, we were able to have a FaceTime call back home. The voice part of the call was crystal clear. The video portion of the call would cut in and out and even when working, was heavily pixelated.

Again, if you see faster speeds than we did it may be that the service works flawlessly. But bottom line is that Princess does allow you to FaceTime on their service.

Can I Text Over the Wi-Fi?

Yes, you can text back home over the ship’s wi-fi. In fact, we found this to be the best way to keep in touch. Texts went through easily, including sending photos of our trip to family.

One thing we also noticed is that even when logged out of the wi-fi, we were still able to send texts through iMessage to our cabin mates. That made it easy to make plans and figure out where they were even when exploring on our own around the ship.

Do I Have to Buy Wi-Fi For the Princess App?

Like all cruise lines, Princess has an app that you should download before taking your cruise. It offers up everything from the ability to check-in for the trip to ship maps, the daily calendar and more.

To use this app, you DO NOT have to purchase wi-fi onboard. While you will connect to the ship’s wi-fi, the app works automatically without needing to pay.

Can I Work Over the Wi-Fi Connection?

While Internet service at sea has improved markedly in recent years, is it good enough to allow you to work or attend school while at sea? We’ve covered this topic in-depth here .

In general, we feel that if you have work that requires a minimal connection, then yes, you can work. So if you’re sending emails or downloading small files, then it’s possible. However, across cruise lines we think Internet-intensive services like Zoom meetings with lots of participants are still hit or miss.

Unfortunately, our limited experience on Princess was that it was a challenge doing even light work on the cruise ship due to the connection speed (see our review below).

Our Personal Experience With Princess Wi-Fi (Review)

One thing that we’ve noticed over the years is that the wi-fi experience on a cruise can vary based on a number of factors including weather, ship’s position, and the service itself.

In our case, we recently took a 4-day cruise from Los Angeles aboard Discovery Princess — a new ship in the fleet. The trip saw perfect weather and we were never far from shore. Unfortunately, the wi-fi left a lot to be desired.

In our case, we found the service to be extremely slow. Speed tests that we performed regularly through the cruise topped out at around 1.7 Mbps. Many tests came in under 1 Mbps. (For reference, the average mobile Internet speed in the United States is around 80 Mbps according to Speedtest.net ).

Due to the speed, using the Internet was frustrating. While we were able to stream a show on Netflix, it was heavily pixelated for much of the program before clearing up. When calling back home using FaceTime, the video would cut in and out, but the voice quality was clear. And while we did post to this site during the trip, it took considerably longer than normal.

We also asked other passengers about the performance of the Internet, and they seemed to share a similar experience. Due to the slow speed, we visited the Internet Cafe on the ship to speak to someone to see if this was normal. They indicated that the service was just slow and there wasn’t much that could be done about it, but didn’t provide a reason for the slow speeds.

All that said, this is no guarantee that the Internet will be the same as our experience across every ship and every cruise. Still, while we are used to seeing slower Internet speeds at sea across any cruise line (it is a challenge to provide wi-fi to thousands of people while on the water, after all), the service was still notably slow in our opinion.

Is Princess Wi-Fi Worth It?

As mentioned above, it’s not clear if this sort of speed we experienced is unusual or if it is the norm. But if we had to pay the full $15 per day for the service, we would have been disappointed.

We certainly don’t expect the same sort of speeds we see at home, but it seems that 5-10 Mbps is a “typical” speed for cruises that we’ve been on with other lines. We saw speeds top out at less than 2 Mbps in our test. This includes testing across multiple devices such as phone, laptop, and tablet.

That said, we had Internet included as part of the Princess Plus offer that also included other perks like gratuities and the drink package. Therefore, we didn’t pay a specific charge just for the wi-fi, but it was included as part of the deal. In that case, it’s hard to pinpoint if it’s worth it or not due to the lack of a specific charge just for wi-fi.

We will say that reviews curated on Princess’ website indicate that our experience may be an outlier. Those specifically mention fast speeds, including one person saying they “barely noticed a difference from my home Internet…”

So it’s possible we just cruised when there was some issue affecting the speed.

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We have been twice on the princess Ruby one for 30 days tour from Los Angeles to Sydney. The Internet was perfect very very fast and to send for example 40 pictures it last less than text 10 seconds three years later we went on the same ship from San Francisco through the Panama Canal And the Internet was really horrible. As long as we figure out. There’s a new contract with the Starling satellite from Elton mask and satellites are not enough to cover the cruise area so all in all you pay the same money for less sometimes nothing Internet connection, so in this case I could not recommend to buy the package despite you need it really strong but then you have to wait sometimes for one side 10 seconds and more the speed is the most time less than one megabyte and upload very much lower so once more the money counts princess pay for the connection from starting much less than before From European provider, but the result is very very poor so for me it is not fair to speak about the fastest Internet on Sea and over the slowest Internet

Finishing up our 14 day circle Caribbean cruise on Princess Emerald. It has much sought after spaceX Starlink. To me it turned out to be just a hype as either Pricess or starlink has speed down throttled to 3.0 mbps down and 1.0mbps up. Advertising about wifi just as good as home connection is false. 14 days and $560.00 down, my work that I anticipated to do every day from cruise has piled up. VOIP connection was a total failure. FaceTime audio calls were always in and out. Ideal for browsing with some patience and texting.

On a Princess cruise (7 Day Mediterranean) the Ships WiFi was practically non existant. The only time I was able to connect was during port days when my phone carrier connected with European partner carriers. I spoke to the people at the Internet Cafe and they could only apologize and explained that internet at sea was a challenge.

My cruise is 34 days and at sea a lot of the time. Is it possible to just buy a couple days worth of wifi or do I have to buy the entire package for 34 days? Does the library, Internet cafe offer computers to check email for emergencies? Thanks

There are 24-hour packages available. I believe I saw them in the Internet cafe. That would allow you to login occasionally as needed.

I believe there may be inaccurate information in your article as I read in multiple places that Princess changed the price of their internet package on Feb 20th for 4 devices to $40 per day (per the information on the Medallion app). If you know this to be incorrect info please let me know as I’m trying to decide between just getting the 4 device plan ala carte or buying the premier drink package that includes it.

Article : “A recent cruise showed a price to upgrade to four devices as an extra $10 per day — or a total of $25 per day. (To our knowledge, there are no plans for 2/3 device access).”

Our cruise was in February, but before February 20. If the app says the price is now $40 per day, that will be the most up to date information.

Hi, I’m having a hard time finding information on the Internet Cafe. Is there a charge to use the computers and internet in there?

I would assume yes, there will be a charge, although I personally did not use the Internet Cafe on the ship.

Love this post. My husband and I are trying to book a cruise but would like to work a few days from Princess Cruise. Is the wifi a secure connection? Usually for work we need to use a wifi that is protected by a password. Would you be able to help answer that question?

You sign in through your onboard account. It’s not just a wide-open connection. However, we would assume that the ship staff would be able to monitor all traffic on their network.

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Internet Cafe

By Woody bailey , November 12, 2014 in Princess Cruises

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Woody bailey

We have a suite (D737) on Emerald coming up. Does that privy us to any discounted internet time at the internet café? And does anyone have any updated price info for the packages they offer? I know my wife will insist on staying in touch (that way)... I'll be happily out of touch.

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No, you did not get free internet minutes for being in a suite. That used to be a suite perk, but they ended that awhile ago. There are several levels of internet packages. I think it is about $100 for 200 minutes. You can also get free bonus minutes if you purchase a package in advance of sailing. Check out their website. The information is there.

No free or discounted internet time for being in a suite, sorry.

The internet packages vary from about 75 cents per minute if you just pay for the time you use, to about 30 cents per minute with the largest package. Service is slow.

Isn't D737 a mini-suite? In that case, the only benefit you will get besides a bigger room is a glass of complementary champagne that is best used to test the drainage of the sink.

No, D736 and D737 are both vista suites on the Emerald Princess and several other ships.

Yep, the internet is slower than molasses in the winter on the cruise ship. I used it a few times as I had free minutes being platinum. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered checking email or even paying for such a slow service.

KruzeKrazy!

We were on the Grand for a 10-day Alaska cruise last summer and were informed we had no free Internet minutes as that was discontinued for suite pax. I then showed them my booking summary (I always take a copy) and they granted it.

They said ours was the very last cruise/week they were offering it. Too bad - my DW loved sending daily (or thereabouts) updates home...

Related question from a (cruise) newbie.

I have no problem buying an internet package. I only need it for email...not browsing the web. If I buy a 120 minute package does it all have to be used in one sitting, or does the system keep a running count of my logged in time? 120 minutes should last me a week easily.

Related question from a (cruise) newbie.   I have no problem buying an internet package. I only need it for email...not browsing the web. If I buy a 120 minute package does it all have to be used in one sitting, or does the system keep a running count of my logged in time? 120 minutes should last me a week easily.

You log on and off and the system keeps track and tells you how much time you have left

Wow... Quick reply!

Very helpful, thank you!

Just make sure you are actually logged off, or your time is eaten up very quickly !! :o

When you log off a new screen will appear showing the time used and your time remaining.

I always stay at the machine until it shows my charges for that session. That way I know I have been logged off.

crochetcruise

Mike and Paul, thank you for your tips-duly written down. The Cruise Critic Tips notepad is getting fuller and fuller-I might need to go buy another notepad! What a hardship!:rolleyes: So much useful information from so many generous people who delightedly share their knowledge to help others!

Crochetcruise :cool:

Mike and Paul, thank you for your tips-duly written down. The Cruise Critic Tips notepad is getting fuller and fuller-I might need to go buy another notepad! What a hardship!:rolleyes: So much useful information from so many generous people who delightedly share their knowledge to help others!   Crochetcruise :cool:

Hey, that's what we are here for.

I re-learned a few things on my latest cruise. They tell me and I forget on the next cruise.

If you are using a mobile device, logout (red button on sign in page) AND type in logout.com and you should see 1.1.1.1 on your address bar. That is the "guarantee" that you are actually logged out.

Also turn off your automatic join. If you leave it on, you will get kicked off whenever their is a nearer connection.

Best time to use the internet is at 3 AM... (LOL)

Princess e-cards and Princess.com are free websites. You can email a postcard to anyone. Just take your address book with you.

If you are really lucky, your ship will have Princess@Sea (not Princess Messages that is on the Regal and Royal).

I have a very hard time disconnecting while on a cruise. Thank goodness for my "free" minutes.

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MedallionNet® The Best Wi-Fi at Sea

Fast. reliable. unlimited. affordable. now on all ships..

Wi-Fi Wherever You Are

Access the internet everywhere on board so you can text, post photos, video chat and stream your favorite shows, movies, music and sports with ease. Read on to learn just how revolutionary MedallionNet Wi-Fi is and how popular it is with our guests.

Fast and Reliable Internet

MedallionNet Wi-Fi sets the industry standard for internet at sea, and it's now even better with Starlink access and 5G. FaceTime your pooch in the morning. Stream your favorite shows by the pool in the afternoon. Post your picture-perfect dessert from your dinner table. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, you can now stay connected with Wi-Fi coverage as you sail.

By clicking select links below, you will leave the Princess Cruises website and navigate to a 3rd party website that is not owned, operated, or controlled by Princess Cruises or any of its affiliates.

See how we did on our speed test

Unlimited and Affordable Internet

Choose from one-device or four-device packages starting from just $14.99 USD . Packages are available with additional savings as part of our Princess Plus and Princess Premier Packages. They can also be purchased pre-cruise and on board through the MedallionClass app. Platinum and Elite guests get an exclusive discount of 50% off*.

*Discount will be applied on board in the form of an onboard credit.

What Our Guests Are Saying About MedallionNet Wi-Fi

"I was so incredibly impressed with how well the internet worked and how fast it was too! It was so convenient to use and ended up being really cost effective too." – Lauren V. from Vandifair

"With the rollout of MedallionNet, Princess Cruises is completely changing the game for internet at sea – with blazing fast speeds – and it is now much more affordable." – Courtney O. from Sweet C's

"Knowing we could access and successfully respond to any pressing work stuff was probably the greatest benefit of all…we wouldn’t be leaving colleagues in the lurch or incurring the wrath of overworked bosses." – from the Kerrie B. blog

"I barely noticed a difference from my home internet…and knowing that I was going to have the internet at sea is probably what made me feel so comfortable leaving [my daughter] for the first time when she was just 6 months old." – Rebecca H. from Sugar & Soul

All about MedallionNet Wi-Fi

Learn how MedallionNet Wi-Fi works and discover how speed and connectivity may be affected while sailing in different regions.

Watch video: How MedallionNet works

You May Also Like

MedallionClass® On All Ships!

Next-level technology. More time for you. Your vacation – simplified, personalized.

Ocean® Casino - Play Anywhere On Board

Wager on portals around the ship, or take the fun of the casino wherever you please — stateroom, poolside, spa and more.

OceanView® - View Free Award-Winning Travel Shows

Enjoy OceanView on your stateroom TV or anywhere around the ship using the MedallionClass app.

These Are Our Favorite Cruise Ship Innovations from the Past Two Decades

The cruise industry continues to change and evolve with each passing year, and cruise lines continue to roll out innovations aboard their biggest and newest ships – and sometimes even their smallest and oldest ones, too.

Few periods have seen as much innovation as the past two decades have for the cruise industry. From relaxed dress codes and increased dining options to movies under the stars , roller coasters , faster internet and more personalized service , the cruise industry is on a roll.

Here are our favorite cruise ship innovations from the past two decades.

On This Page

• Starlink Internet Access Has Changed the Way We Cruise
• A Move Toward Better Cruise Ship Cabin Bathrooms
• Controlling Your Cruise from Your App Has Proven to be a Win
• Freestyle Cruising Has Spread Across the Industry – and We’re Better Off For It
• Cruise Ship Design Continues to Revolutionize the Vacation Experience
• Cruise Lines Have Stepped Up Their Efforts to Cater to People from All Walks of Life

1. Starlink Internet Access Has Changed the Way We Cruise

One of the biggest and most-recent innovations to hit the cruise industry is the addition of Starlink Internet access .

The first internet café was installed aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’ s Norwegian Sky in 1999. Before that, internet on ships just wasn’t a thing. You could send a Telex, if you were so inclined, or make an expensive ship-to-shore phone call. Other than that, when you were at sea, you were out of reach.

Internet became a common feature on cruise ships in the early- to mid-2000s, but it had its problems. Slow and expensive, it was barely suited for sending emails back to family and friends. Simply pulling up an email could take several painful minutes, all while your expensive internet credit slowly burned down to nothing.

That’s all changed now. While still a little slower than on land, Starlink internet is fast enough that it has enabled another radical shift, due in part to the global health pandemic: the idea of working from a cruise ship.

The editorial staff at Cruise Critic work from cruise ships all the time, and our jobs have begun to benefit from Starlink. The days of rushing off a ship to find an internet café to upload photos or attend a virtual meeting are long gone, replaced instead with blazingly fast internet that makes being on a video call from mid-ocean a realty.

How much has Starlink benefitted the cruise industry? The technology is now at the point where Virgin Voyages decided to offer a “work from sea” package , offering passengers the chance to stay aboard the line’s ships for a month at a time – all while never being out of reach.

2. A Move Toward Better Cruise Ship Cabin Bathrooms

This is the innovation that’s going to put dozens of cruise ship comedians out of work: the small, modular cruise ship cabin bathrooms , with their cylindrical shower stalls and clingy curtains, are going the way of the dodo.

Cabin bathrooms have become a serious point of innovation for cruise lines when designing their newest ships. Gone are the modular, one-size-fits all approach, replaced instead by cruise ship cabin bathrooms that feature niceties that can include heated bathroom floors, anti-fog mirrors, glass shower doors, rainforest shower heads, ledges for guests to shave their legs, better lighting and better toiletries.

In short, cabin bathrooms have transitioned from functional to aspirational – and while we have nothing against the bathrooms of the days of old, progress, in this case, is definitely a good thing.

3. Controlling Your Cruise from Your App Has Proven to be a Win

Cruise lines started developing their own smartphone apps just before the global pandemic of 2020 – and that turned out to be a real blessing in disguise. COVID-era protocols pushed cruise lines to further develop and hone their apps to perform a variety of functions to limit person-to-person contact, and passengers have seen the benefits since the return to service began in 2021.

Pre-pandemic, we weren’t sure we loved the idea of controlling our cruise from an app. Now, we’re firm believers: Many cruise line apps, like those developed by Carnival , MSC, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean , to name a few, allow passengers to make a variety of changes to their cruise before and while onboard. Things like viewing your current onboard account balance, making reservations for shore excursions and specialty dining venues, and even ordering room service can be done with the touch of a button.

Some cruise lines, like Princess , take things a step further: the line’s Medallion technology allows passengers to ditch the traditional key card entirely in favor of a small wearable disk that will open your stateroom door, allow staff to better find your location to deliver food and beverages to you, and even allow you to touchlessly charge items purchased ashore at select retailers to your linked credit cards.

And while apps aren’t perfect, they do cut down on trips to the Guest Relations desk – and we’re all for that!

4. Freestyle Cruising Has Spread Across the Industry – and We’re Better Off For It

In 2000, Norwegian Cruise Line decided that the style in which we cruised had to change. Before then, set dining times for lunch and dinner were common; dress codes were regulated and strictly adhered to. The concept of any kind of open-seating dining was largely absent, save for breakfast in the dining room or meals at the buffet – which not every cruise ship had.

When it introduced what it called “ Freestyle Cruising ," NCL ripped off the Band-Aid: It got rid of dining times. It scrapped mandatory formal nights in favor of more relaxed dress codes and more flexible "Formal Optional" evenings. It allowed passengers to dine where they wanted, with whom they wanted, when they wanted. It also began to up its game in the specialty dining venue department, creating alternative restaurants available for a small upcharge.

The move was controversial: Nearly every cruise line said it would not follow Norwegian Cruise Line’s lead.

Yet, 24 years later, nearly every cruise line has followed NCL’s lead, implementing relaxed dining options (along with for-fee specialty dining venues), relaxing dress codes and generally making cruising more, well, fun.

And while we love a good formal night, we’re not unhappy to see the industry as a whole take a page from Norwegian Cruise Line’s book. It is part of the reason cruising has become so popular, and accessible, for families and multigenerational travelers.

5. Cruise Ship Design Continues to Revolutionize the Vacation Experience

Over the past two decades, cruise ships have consistently pushed the envelope with what can be achieved at sea. From the introduction of the Royal Promenade and the first ice-skating rink at sea aboard Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas in 1999 to the debut of the first pool deck Movies Under the Stars screen on Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess in 2004, cruise lines have been consistently rethinking the cruise experience – and nowhere is that more apparent than aboard Royal Caribbean’s recently launched Icon of the Seas.

Some of these innovations are big and obvious: Things like surfing simulators, roller coasters and increasingly elaborate waterslides have immediate mass appeal, especially for families and multigenerational cruisers.

Other shipboard innovations can be less obvious but no less important when it comes to passenger impact. Things like water bottle filling stations throughout the ship speak to the more eco-minded passenger, while innovations like Norwegian Cruise Line's Sustainability Bar at Sea -- which uses ingredients that would otherwise be discarded, like pineapple cores and coffee pods -- show just how much cruise lines are willing to push boundaries.

Our favorite innovation is one that’s not new at all: Cruise lines have begun to re-implement once-eliminated features because of passenger feedback. This was something Holland America Line just did when it brought onboard libraries back to its ships, starting aboard the new Rotterdam in 2021 and continuing with a scheduled refit for Eurodam.

Behind the scenes, cruise ships now have a bevy of below-deck technologies that turn waste into energy to heat the ship or run electric engines; to compress and cube nonorganic materials for easy offload; to turn waste energy into heat for the vessel’s hot water supply; and even systems that can treat black (waste) water into the equivalent of drinking water.

Innovation happens above and below deck on today’s modern cruise ships – and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.

6. Cruise Lines Have Stepped Up Their Efforts to Cater to People from All Walks of Life

Let’s face it: Cruising, not too long ago, was a pretty homogenous affair. Passengers were predominantly white, well-off, and “of a certain age.” Cruises – initially a holdover from the days of transatlantic passenger travel – were expensive and long.

Between the 1980s and present-day, that’s begun to change for the better. Cruise lines, particularly mainstream ones like Carnival, MSC, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, cater to families, multigenerational groups, couples, singles and everyone in between.

There are now cruises designed specifically for passengers who identify as LGBTQ+ . There are cruises designed specifically for black guests and people of color. And even if you’re not booked on a cruise that targets specific groups of people, there is more welcoming variety among cruise passengers now than ever before.

River cruise lines have innovated, too: AmaWaterways’ introduced new Soulful Journeys in 2023 that cater to black cruisers interested in seeing Europe through a different lens. The initiative was so popular the line has made these Soulful Journeys sailings a staple of its European river lineup.

Lines like Carnival, Disney and Royal Caribbean have options for families with neurodivergent children. Royal Caribbean, for example, trains its Adventure Ocean kids club staff specifically to ensure they are autism-friendly, and the line offers sensory-friendly films, toys, dietary menu options and other initiatives. The line also partners up with Autism on the Seas to offer voyages that cater to adults and families living with autism, down syndrome and other developmental disabilities.

Out of all the innovations the cruise industry has pioneered, its welcoming, non-judgmental stance toward travelers from all walks of life and backgrounds might very well be its most enduring legacy. It's an ongoing process that continues to this day, and one we're excited to see.

© 1995— 2024 , The Independent Traveler, Inc.

Sapphire Princess Internet Cafe Pictures

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This page shows actual pictures for Sapphire Princess Internet Cafe. Most of our pictures are contributed by actual cruisers. You will find that all the Sapphire Princess Internet Cafe pictures on this page also posted directly onto our deck plans near the actual location the photo was taken. You can browse the pictures here or you can click on them as you are viewing the Sapphire Princess deck plans. For deck plan viewing click on the ship button above or scroll down to view the pictures on this page.

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Internet Cafe Computer stations open 24 hours.

• Number of pictures: 29

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Internet Cafe Location

Sapphire Princess Internet Cafe is located on Promenade (deck). We have provided the deck plan image for your reference.

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Bigger ship, better views: 3 takeaways from Princess Cruises' newest vessel

I was rushing to make my dinner reservation on Princess Cruises’ new ship. But when I arrived at the restaurant, the view made me stop.

From the windows at the sushi eatery Makoto Ocean – part of a sphere-shaped structure near the middle of the vessel – I saw the sun sinking below the horizon, a reddish-orange dot on the Mediterranean Sea. The Sun Princess facilitates scenes like that by design.

“We wanted to make sure that within how we designed the (venues) and placed the furniture, we gave maximum opportunity for our guests to be able to celebrate those outward views,” Denise Saviss, Princess’ vice president of entertainment experience, told USA TODAY. “It is really, really unique to have so much glass on the ship.”

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That was one of several striking features during a recent sailing (the ship is now cruising the Mediterranean before it moves to the Caribbean in October). Here are three takeaways from the first in the line’s aptly named Sphere Class.

1. The design showcases views at sea and in port

Makoto isn’t the only venue that offers that kind of view.

Other spaces inside the Sphere – which also houses lobby-slash-entertainment venue The Piazza – feature similarly sweeping vistas across decks 7, 8 and 9. I watched the light sparkle on the water while I sipped coffee one morning at International Café, and patrons dining at Alfredo’s Pizzeria can take in the scenery during their meal from many seats.

That’s also true elsewhere on the ship. At Horizons Dining Room, floor-to-ceiling windows face the ship’s wake. At the other end of the vessel, the Dome, a geodesic structure that Princess has said was inspired by the hills of Santorini, is like a massive solarium.

The space – which will also host shows including acrobatics – has multiple tiers of loungers, an indoor-outdoor pool and the Cascade Bar (which comes in handy for cooling off, as it felt a bit muggy in the Dome at one point on a sunny sea day).

The overall effect helped to bring the outside in.

2. The ship is bigger but still intimate

Sun Princess is the largest ship in the Princess fleet, and the 21-deck vessel can accommodate 4,300 guests. But that doesn’t mean everything is huge.

Given the scale of the offerings, a number of spaces on board feel notably intimate. One night, I walked to Good Spirits at Sea, a cocktail bar crafted in partnership with mixologist Rob Floyd that also hosts classes, and thought I was lost before stumbling upon it tucked around a corner on Deck 7. Inside, the 40-person venue offered a laid-back alternative to other more boisterous nightlife options.

On Deck 9, the ship’s buffet-like venue, The Eatery, gives way to narrower hallways toward the aft with backlit wood paneling and benches. At the end, they open back up to reveal specialty restaurants The Catch by Rudi and The Butcher’s Block by Dario (from Princess’ head of culinary arts, Rudi Sodamin, and in partnership with famed butcher Dario Cecchini, respectively).

Even the multi-configuration Princess Arena felt cozier than its near-1,000-guest capacity would suggest. I sat in the second-to-last row of my section for a performance by the vocal group ODY·C and was still close enough to see clearly.

3. The line leans into family-friendly activities

Part of Sun Princess’ expanded footprint has been used to broaden the line’s family offerings.

Park19, a new space on the ship’s top decks, features a variety of activities in an open-air setting. Saviss said the line worked to balance the interests of core customers and a growing family market “and make sure we're prioritizing spaces that everybody can enjoy.”

“There are some attractions that I think naturally, at first blush, people would say, ‘Oh, it's just for kids,’ but actually, the space is really comprehensive,” she said. “Our attractions are available for many different levels of ability and mobility.”

Those include Coastal Climb, an obstacle course that culminates in 360-degree views from The Lookout observation deck (the highest point accessible to guests on the ship, also reachable via elevator) and The Net ropes course.

On Sea Breeze, billed as the first Rollglider on a cruise ship, passengers will glide along the outer edges of the ship on an electric track (the ride will also be ADA-accessible, though Saviss said some mobility is required for maneuvering into the seat).

It’s as close as the ship gets to an amusement park (Princess’ version). “We're not running the rat race, if you will, of like, who can do it bigger, better,” Saviss said. “If you want to just have a really incredible bird's-eye view of Sun Princess, and in and around where the ship is sailing, you can do that. But there is an option to push a little lever while you're riding it and dial up the speed a bit faster, and then it does become a bit more thrilling.”

The ride was not yet available when I was on board, as the line moved through a testing, certification and training process, but is expected to open on April 27. Sun Princess’ original launch was delayed with the cruise line citing “additional technical work” needed at the shipyard, which pushed back the opening of some onboard amenities.

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There is also a hammock area to chill when guests need a break, a recreational court that can host activities from pingpong to morning meditation, a jogging track and more. Elsewhere on board, guests will find the Firefly Park kids club and hangout spaces Neon Grove and The Underground for tweens and teens, respectively.

The reporter on this story received access to this sailing from Princess Cruises. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.  

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bigger ship, better views: 3 takeaways from Princess Cruises' newest vessel

• Princess Cruises

library internet cafe

By greener , December 20, 2023 in Princess Cruises

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on discovery princess is there an actual library with books that can be borrowed?  the label seems to suggest that it is somehow located where the internet cafe is.

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