Last Updated on 04/17/25 by Rose Palmer
With over 30 restaurant and bar options on the Sun Princess, there were more choices than I could reasonably try on a one week cruise – but I did my best!
The Sun Princess was the ideal venue for a long overdue mother-daughter trip. I describe the ship in a lot of detail in my post Here Comes the Sun – A Complete Sun Princess Review With Photos and Tips for the Best Cruise.
Since there were so many restaurant options on the Sun, a separate post describing all the food venues was warranted. My daughter and I both had the Princess Premier package so we focused on eating at the specialty and casual dining restaurants along with the special dining expereinces like Spellbound, Love by Brito, the Chef’s Table, and an Ultimate Balcony Breakfast.
In this post I describe all the food choices on the Sun Princess and go into a lot of detail about the many meals we personally experienced. Food tasted are a personal preference. I liked everything I tried at each of the restaurants and thought it was quite good, and some, like the Chef’s Table, and Love by Brito, were excellent.
I have a separate post about the extensive bar and drink options on the Sun Princess.
The Sun Princess dining options – complimentary dining
Even if I didn’t want to try any of the specialty restaurants, there were more than enough complimentary dining choices offered with the standard fare.
Main Dining Rooms – Decks 6,7 and 8
The multi level main dining rooms were situated at the back of the ship with expansive views looking out through a huge wall of windows. The dining rooms were very spacious and could hold a large number of guests at one time.
But along with function, there were also lovely design details that made the space attractive. The large windows let in a lot of light, while a multi story sculpture decorated the center of the dining rooms across all three levels.
Both the Soleil and Eclipse dining rooms served the same menus. The only difference related to making reservations for dinner (or not).
I actually didn’t get a chance to eat in the main dining room on this cruise, but on other Princess ships, I found the food in the main dining rooms to be quite good.
Soleil dining room, deck 5 – traditional seating
The Soleil dining room offered traditional dinner seating with two fixed seating options per night at 5 PM and 7:30 PM. This was ideal for guests who liked to eat at the same time each evening, at the same table, and with the same wait staff.
Note that I could only access the Soleil dining room via the aft stairs or elevators.
Eclipse dining room, deck 6 – reservable, flexible any time dining and walk in any time
The second level was the Eclipse dining room which was available for reservable any time dining and walk in any time dining. Reservations could be made in 20 minute increments starting at 5 PM.
There were two separate lines at the entrance to the dining room: one for guests with reservations and one for walk in guests without reservations.
The Eclipse dining room was also where the special Chef’s Table dinner was held.
Sanctuary restaurant, deck 7 – for guests in suites and Sanctuary Collections cabins
This level of the dining room was reserved exclusively for guests staying in suites or in a Sanctuary Collection cabin. The menu here was just a little different than in the Soleil and Eclipse dining rooms.
Coffee Currents – deck 7
A combination coffee, drinks, and sweets bar, this alternative to the International Cafe was not as busy, especially during the morning coffee rush.
I tried one of the huge donuts that were served here and it definitely needed to be shared.
International Café – deck 9
The International Café is one of my favorite food venues on a Princess ship and I was glad to see an expanded version on the Sun Princess.
I am not a morning person or a big breakfast eater, so I preferred to come here for a continental breakfast or brunch of almond croissant and a yogurt parfait. This was also a good spot for a quick lunch or a snack after I got back on board from an excursion.
The International Cafe was also one of the the spots to order specialty coffees and teas. The food at the International Cafe was part of the basic cost of the cruise, but the coffee was an extra charge unless I purchased one of the special fare packages offered by Princess.
This was the only food venue that was open 24 hours so it was always ready to satisfy my nighttime snack cravings as well.
The Eatery – Deck 9
The buffet on the Sun Princess was very large and had many, many choices at each meal. What distinguished this buffet was that most of the food was dished out by Princess staff. I liked this because I felt that it made the whole process more hygienic. However, it did slow up the line somewhat.
I did not get a chance to eat here, but the times I walked through I was immensely impressed at the huge amount of choices. The food selections at the buffet were incredibly diverse.
As I walked through the Eatery one day I made note of the following stations: Il Pastio make to order pasta; Antipasto and Focaccia; Oriental; Gluten free, Sugar free, Fruit; Bakery and Pastry; Health Corner; Kids Favorites; International; Tex Mex; Poke Bowl; Red Ginger Noodle.
The Grab and Go section was convenient for a late night snack or if I just wanted to take something quick back to my room. In between the main meal set ups, I also saw that sandwiches, salads, and cookies were available.
The Eatery dining room also had drink stations with pitchers of ice water, lemonade, iced tea, hot coffee pots and hot water for tea.
Americana Diner – deck 9
At the back end of the Eatery I found the Americana Diner. This fun and funky space was designed to feel like a typical retro 50’s diner which offered typical diner comfort food. Though it did not open till later in the day, there were breakfast items available on the menu all day which was a nice option for late risers like myself.
For our meal here, we tried some of the typical brunch fare. I had the Diners’s Hash and my daughter had the Buttermilk Pancake Stack. I also tried the Coffee and Donuts Milkshake which was like having breakfast in a glass. This was classic American diner food which is always fun to have on occasion.
The staff at the Americana Diner worked hard to serve their customers.
Promenade Pizzeria – Deck 9
Another pizza-by-the-slice spot for those hanging out on the Promenade deck. This was a thicker crust version compared to the pizza on the Lido deck.
Lido deck pool eateries – Deck 17
Located next to the pools, these quick bite venues provided a lot of variety and were a popular lunch option.
Lido Slice
I always like Princess’ thin crust “best pizza at sea” for a quick lunch or a snack after an excursion. Along with the popular standards, each day also had a different specialty pizza.
Lido Tacos
Serving a variety of Tex-Mex items, we enjoyed a couple of tacos as a quick, light meal after embarking on to the ship.
Lido Grill
This was the spot to go to for a quick burger or hot dog and fries.
Lido Greens
A new addition on the Sun Princess, this healthier option for make to order salads looked really good.
Coffee and Cones
Also located on the pool deck, this spot provided a variety of goodies. The soft serve ice cream was a nice treat that was part of the standard fare, but all other offerings were extra without a package. I tried the orange granita, but even though it was icy, the sweetness didn’t make it as refreshing as I had hoped.
Room service on the Sun Princess
One of my favorite indulgences on a cruise is to have room service breakfast delivered in the morning. I filled out the dedicated breakfast card, put it on the outside of my door before I went to bed, and then like magic, I had my food and drink brought to me in the morning at my chosen time. (There was no charge for this delivery if using the breakfast card.)
With the Plus or Premier packages, any kind of room service any time of day was included. With the standard fare, there was an initial service fee.
Other included dining opportunities
Suite guests, guests staying in Sanctuary Class cabins, along with Platinum and Elite loyalty guests also had other included dining opportunities.
Platinum and Elite members cocktail hour
For Platinum and Elite Captain’s Circle members, a daily reception was offered in the early evening. A beautifully presented selection of small bites made for a nice appetizer before dinner. Discounted drinks were also available for purchase for those without a package.
Signature Suite Lounge – Deck 15 and 16
For suite guests, and guests staying in a Sanctuary Class cabin, this dedicated lounge also provided a selection of foods and beverages throughout the day.
Casual dining on the Sun Princess
The Casual Dining restaurants on the Sun Princess were more relaxed eateries that cost extra without one of the special fare packages.
Travel tip: Princess Cruises offers different types of booking packages that include drinks, gratuities, dining and more. Depending on the type of package purchased (or not), extra fees may be incurred for casual and specialty dining.
I share all the details explaining the Plus and Premier Princess drinks and fare packages Princess Cruises Drinks Packages and Fare Packages – Which One is Best?
O’Malley’s Irish Pub – Deck 7
One of the casual restaurants on board the Sun, O’Malley’s offered a trifecta of food, drinks, and entertainment. The menu was typical pub grub and the bar specialized in drinks made with Grace O’Malley whisky along with all the typical cocktails and beers.
I didn’t get a chance to eat here (though I have tried O’Malley’s on other Princess ships). However, I did enjoy a nice drink while listening to one of the musicians one evening.
Alfredo’s Pizzeria – Deck 9
Another casual dining restaurant, Alfredo’s Pizzeria was a sit down restaurant that offered a set menu which let me choose an appetizer, a pizza or pasta dish, and a dessert. I could also have ordered just an individual pizza of my choice if I didn’t want that much food.
I’ve always enjoyed the unique pizza offerings at Alfredo’s, especially the Cal Italia.
Sun Princess specialty dining restaurants
The Sun Princess offered more specialty restaurants than other Princess ships. Along with the classics like Sabattini’s, The Crown Grill, and The Catch, the Sun Princess also had Umai Teppanyaki and Hot Pot, Makato Ocean, The Butcher Block by Dario, and Love by Brito.
On this ship, the Princess Premier package with its unlimited specialty dining made a lot of sense. I booked this cruise last minute and was not able to make restaurant reservations via the app before the cruise, but I had no trouble reserving all the restaurants I wanted once I was on board the ship.
I am sharing the menus from my trip, but the Princess specialty restaurant menus can also be found here.
Gelato – Deck 5
I love gelato and always try a flavor or two on each cruise. Note that my gelato order was an extra charge and was not included in any of the Princess fare packages, though the specialty desserts were included in some of the fare packages.
Butcher Block by Dario – deck 7
This specialty restaurant was for true carnivores. The highlight of the menu were the many different cuts of meat. I didn’t have the opportunity to eat here, but the menu looked intriguing.
The Catch by Rudi – deck 7
This (mostly) seafood restaurant is the brainchild of Princess Head of Culinary Arts, Rudi Sodamin. Since I love seafood, I’ve eaten at The Catch on other Princess ships and each time I try something different on the menu. I’ve never been disappointed.
Crown Grill – Deck 7
Princess’ traditional steak restaurant is always a popular choice for specialty dining. Even though I am not a big red meat eater, I still enjoy the Crown Grill for all of its non steak options.
I thought this new version of the Crown Grill was a very elegant space to enjoy a special night with a special someone.
One of my favorites is the crispy, cheese filled bread – I could easily make a meal just from that, but since there were four courses, I had to pace myself.
I began with the Colossal Lump Crab Cake starter followed by the Caesar Salad. My daughter enjoyed her Black and Blue Onion Soup.
For the main entree, I had the lobster while my daughter chose a steak fillet, which we both liked very much.
For dessert, there was really only one choice for both of us, the Baked Alaska Our Way, a delectable concoction of ice cream, cherries jubilee, all drenched in chocolate sauce.
Baked Alaska Our Way for dessert at the Crown Grill
Umai Teppanyaki and Hot Pot – deck 8
This Japanese style restaurant is a new addition to Princess and was very popular. I could not get a reservation ahead of time, but was able to book a table for two once I boarded the ship.
Umai is actually two restaurants in one. At the teppanyaki tables, groups of diners sit around a hot grill and interact with the chef as he prepares the meal.
In contrast, the Umai Hot Pot tables are set up for individual diners to cook their own main course proteins and veggies.
The dinner started with a prelude of steamed edamame and miso soup, followed by our choice of starter. I had the Prawn Cracker Shrimp and my daughter picked the Tonkatsu which was a panko breaded pork served with katsu BBQ sauce.
The Umai Teppanyaki dinner was a combination meal and show experience. The chef provided entertaining banter as he cooked our entrées to order. He clearly enjoyed his task and was having a good time engaging with all the diners at our table. The jokes were well practiced and delivered with good timing, and there was the expected acrobatics as guests tried to catch food in their mouth, but it was all in good fun.
I had ordered an Umai Pink Cocktail at the start of dinner, but since it was a little on the sweet side, I chose to drink it with the macha ice cream dessert instead.
Makato Ocean – Deck 8
I love sushi and like to try it whenever I can. This specialty restaurant was open for both lunch and dinner. I was able to just “walk in” at lunch time and get seated very quickly. With a prime position located next to the the big sphere windows, a table here came with lovely sea views as well as good food.
I had the Sushi Sampler Set and liked everything on my plate. I also had a great gin and tonic made with Japanese gin and Indian tonic water.
Sabatini’s – deck 8
I always try to eat at Sabatini’s when I am on a Princess ship. What’s not to love about Italian food? And once again, this restaurant didn’t disappoint. The restaurant design was stunning – a mix of classical elements with a modern twist.
The food and service were also top notch, and as always, it was way too much food. Bu oh soooo good!
Next to the restaurant, we could watch the chefs making the fresh pasta every day.
I started with the Insalata Mista followed by the Burrata Caprese as the Antipasto course.
For my pasta course I chose the perfectly prepared Spaghetti a la Carbonara as the first course and Chicken Parmigiana as the second course.
It was a lot of food, but I had a little room left for my favorite Tiramisu and a cup of coffee.
Love By Brito – Deck 17
Set all the way aft with stunning ocean views, Love by Brito was a very special restaurant for a very special meal. Whether it’s with a partner, or, as in my case, with my daughter, I thought this was a perfect venue for celebrating with someone you love.
I made sure to book our dinner reservations for just before sunset which made this evening even more magical.
Our meal started with a glass of bubbly made especially for Love by Brito which was a refreshing aperitif as we perused the menu.
The love theme was creatively captured in all aspects of the table setting and throughout each course, starting with the heart shaped brioche bread accompanied by butter spelling the word LOVE.
Our meal started with a (not so small) Amuse. I chose the Pumpkin Ricotta Ravioli with Carrot Foam. My daughter loves oysters so it was a given that she had the Oyster With Lemongrass Kafir, Mirin, and Gold Flakes.
For the second course I had the Tuna and Avocado, Pomegranate, Togarshi which tasted like a deconstructed sushi roll. My daughter tried the Cappuccino of Wild Mushroom which was served in a demitasse cup with foam that made it look like a real cup of coffee.
The Intermezzo palate cleanser was a refreshing Granita of Pink Champagne served with scattered rose petals.
Even though I was starting to get full by this point, I did not send back the main entree: Duet of Prime Beef and Wagyu, Cracked Pepper, and a Red Wine Reduction which was delicious. My daughter also lover her Pistachio Crusted Roasted Rack of Lamb with Date Pudding and Truffle Jus.
We both agreed that this meal needed to end with chocolate so we both had the Chocolate Lava Cake, with Fresh Berries and Raspberry Cream. And because this wasn’t enough, a plate of petits fours also accompanied the desserts.
In place of coffee with our dessert, I opted for the Espresso My Love cocktail and my daughter tried the Strawberry Love Potion cocktail, both of which paired quite well with all that chocolate.
Everything about this meal was fabulous. From the setting to the food to the service, I thought it was all fantastic.
Special Experiential Dining on the Sun Princess
Besides all these many food venues, Princess also offered some great special dining experiences that were a foodie’s delight or were just a great way to celebrate that once in a lifetime moment. Many of these specialty dining experiences were unique to the Sun Princess. Even the Chef’s Table (which I’ve tried on other Princess ships) was an exceptionally unique taste experience.
Royal Afternoon Tea – Deck 7
Unlike the afternoon tea offered on other Princess ships which was included in the standard fare, The Royal Afternoon Tea was a special dining event on the Sun Princess that came with a price (and was not included in either the Plus or Premier package).
This unique tea experience was offered on select sea days and needed a reservation via the dining line. The event was held in the intimate Good Spirits Bar which meant that seating was quite limited.
My experience started with a selection of flavors from the London based fine tea producer Ahmed Tea. Even though there were a number of tempting flavors to choose from, I went with my perennial favorite, Earl Grey.
The event was hosted by one of the bar staff along with the renowned Royal Chef Darren McGrady, personal chef to Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, and Princes William and Harry, who came to us via the video monitor.
Throughout the tea time, Chef McGrady shared entertaining tidbits about the history of tea, the “right” way to drink tea (milk first or tea first?), and anecdotes about being a chef to the Royal family.
While watching the videos by Chef McGrady, servers walked around with platters of sandwiches, scones, and little cakes. The scones were accompanied by strawberry jam and clotted cream of course. We also learned that the chocolate ganache cake we were tasting was Queen Elizabeth’s favorite cake.
I always love a good afternoon tea, and I really did enjoy this one.
Chef’s Table – Deck 7
I’ve tried the Chef’s Table on many Princess ships and this was without a doubt the most impressive in both flavor and presentation. This dinner was served just once on my cruise to only twelve guests at a dedicated table in the Eclipse dining room.
Travel tip: The Chef’s Table can only be reserved on the ship and cannot be booked ahead of time. There was an extra fee for this dinner, and I could purchase it with or without a wine pairing.
This was an eight course meal, and even though each serving was small, I was stuffed by the end of the night. Everything was so delicious that I didn’t want to not eat every bite.
First course – Bouchées Gourmands
Langoustine tartare with fennel and lemon pulp; air-cured bresaola with truffle dumpling and nori hollandaise; foie gras mousse with caviar and port jus.
Second course – Wild asparagus soup
Asparagus puree with mushroom extract, olive oil pearls, and sweet peas.
Third course – Carrots and pomegranate
A roulade of thinly sliced carrots with chervil and kombu vinaigrette with soy pumpkin seeds.
Fourth course – Cucumber and elderflower granita
A delicious palate cleanser served with mint, artichoke liqueur, and accompanied by black tapioca pearls.
Fifth course – Chilean sea bass
Perfectly prepared sea bass fillet with stilton scalloped potatoes, hibiscus butter, sea grapes and crustacean essence.
Sixth course – Sirloin
A tender sirloin fillet accompanied by baby root vegetable tarte tatin, purple parsnip puree, churned bearnaise, and burnt frisée powder.
Seventh course – Citrus Perfume
Lemon pearl ice crems with grapefruit preserves, passion fruit and jasmine gelee, and pistachio financier.
Eighth course – Mignardises
Finished the meal with coffee and small sweet bites.
The meal was perfectly paired with a dedicated wine specifically chosen by the ship’s sommelier.
Spellbound – deck 8
Spellbound was a brand new experiential venue created by Princess in partnership with the famous Los Angeles based Magic Castle. It’s a combination meal, speakeasy, and magic experience that was very entertaining. And as the invitation suggested, the event was to be experienced in dressy attire.
The four course dinner was served in a special section of the Sanctuary restaurant and was quite good. It was a set menu, except for the main course where the choices were beef tenderloin, black cod, or eggplant.
The meal started with special Bloody Mary cocktails and a chilled jumbo shrimp cocktail.
The soup course was a butternut squash and apple soup which was quite good.
My daughter had a very tender beef tenderloin filet with lobster dumplings served with potato puree, horseradish bordelaise sauce and lobster bearnaise. I chose the roasted black cod with heirloom tomatoes, dill leek fondue, quinoa risotto, beet, and beurre blanc sauce.
The dinner ended with a pretty presentation of white and dark chocolate ganache with yuzu.
After dinner, we were guided to the mysterious Spellbound entrance with a lot of pomp and fanfare. Finally we crossed the threshold of the door that only those that participate in this event are allowed to go through.
Behind the door, a series of Victorian styled rooms awaited. Each room had surprising elements that were not what they appeared: a ghostly piano that played whatever song you asked it to, or pictures on the walls that were not really still pictures.
One of the magicians worked the room and performed magic tricks for individual guests, and a little later, also did some excellent magic at the bar for the whole crowd.
Part of the fun at Spellbound were the innovatively presented cocktails.
The highlight of the evening was a magic show in the dedicated small theater (no photography or video allowed). The magic performance was very good and had me wondering “how did he do that?”.
Ultimate balcony dining
I think that one of the nicest ways to celebrate time with someone you love is an Ultimate Balcony Breakfast which was one step above room service. This truly was the ultimate way to indulge and relax on our last sea day and to celebrate our great mother-daughter cruise.
Room service attendants brought a larger table for our balcony which they covered with a nice tablecloth. Then they covered the table with plate after plate of food, bubbly for mimosas, along with hot coffee and tea.
It was a lot of food that we truly enjoyed as the sun and ocean breezes warmed us up. After such a filling brunch, we didn’t need any more food till dinner.
Ordering via the Ocean Now app
A great feature of the Princess App while on board was the ability to order a drink or food and have it delivered wherever I was sitting. If I wanted something to drink or eat I could have it brought to me anywhere on the ship.
There was a one time per person delivery fee with the standard fare package. However, the cost of delivery was included with the Plus and Premier packages.
With so many wonderful food choices on the Sun Princess, I would happily go back and try them again. I would love to take a longer cruise next time so that I could try the options I did not get to eat at on my first cruise.
Please note that I received some media perks from Princess Cruises. All content and opinions are my own and based on my personal experiences.
Links to all my cruising content, including all my other Princess cruises, can be found on my Experience – Cruising page.
Other Princess cruising stories:
All about my 360 dining experience: The Princess 360 Experience – A Performance for all the Senses
All about dining on the Sky Princess: Discovering the Sky Princess Dining Options Including the Chef’s Table Experience
Thanks for visiting.
Rose