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Princess Cruises Mediterranean Review: 11 Days on the Sun Princess

ByLacy Bursick Hours

This summer I had the chance to experience an 11-day Mediterranean cruise with Princess Cruises aboard the brand-new Sun Princess. We sailed from Barcelona, Spain and ended in Athens, Greece, stopping at nine incredible ports along the way through the Balearic Sea, Adriatic Sea, and Tyrrhenian Sea.

I’ll be sharing individual posts with guides to each destination, but this one is all about the overall experience; why we chose Princess, what life was like onboard, and the pros and cons of seeing Europe this way.

Why We Chose This Cruise: Sun Princess 11-Day Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona, Spain to Athens, Greece

My mom was the mastermind behind this trip, and she picked this itinerary for a few big reasons:

  • So Many Stops: Nine ports in 11 days! We covered more ground in less than two weeks than we ever could have on our own. We got to see Spain, France, Italy, Montenegro, and Greece all in a 2- week trip.
  • Best Bang for the Buck: It was around $2,000 per person for the cruise accommodations, which includes food and lodging. It was a better deal to see multiple countries than it would have been to piece together flights, trains, hotels, and restaurants hopping across five countries. Obviously we had drinks, excursions, souvenirs and other acitivities we had to pay for later, but the cruise portion does allow for payments. We booked this over a year in advance. The flights to Europe were costly as well, but that is to be expected with oversea travel.
  • The Ship Was Brand-New: The Sun Princess had just launched so everything felt modern and fresh.

Rooms & Sleeping Arrangements on The Sun Princess Cruise Ship Were Comfy

We’re frugal cruisers, so we opted for cheaper interior cabins and shared one room between three of us, but honestly, it was perfect. I don’t think it would have made sense to spend more on a larger room because I slept great.

  • Shared Cabins: In our three-person room, one person slept on the couch, but the couch flipped into a real mattress identical to the other beds. Everyone was comfy.
  • The Beds: These were some of the best beds I slept on while on my trip in Europe. They were way better than some of the supposed 4-star hotels we stayed at on land. I always woke up rested.
  • Window View: I got lucky with a room that had a window. Waking up to a brand-new port outside every morning felt magical.

Rooms were cleaned daily by our steward, and it was such a luxury to come back to fresh towels and a made bed every night.

The Sun Princess Cruise Ship Itinerary + Travel Hacks

We cruised late June into early July, starting in Barcelona and ending in Athens, Greece with stops in:

Barcelona, Spain → Marseille, France → Genoa, Italy → Rome, Italy → Naples, Italy → Bar, Montenegro → Corfu, Greece → Chania (Crete), Greece → Mykonos, Greece → Athens, Greece

Some key things I learned:

  • Hot, Hot, Hot: It was 90+ degrees every day. Pack light clothes, hats, and sunscreen and leave the sweat pants at home.
  • Sea Days Are Crucial: With nine ports in 11 days, the two sea days felt like heaven. We needed the downtime after logging 14k+ steps daily in port.
  • The July 4th PTO Hack: Traveling over the U.S. Independence Day meant fewer vacation days needed. Highly recommend if you’re an American with PTO who gets July 4 off. They did celebrate “America Day” on the cruise too so we had the option to still eat hot dogs and red, white, and blue drinks and cakes.
  • Arrive Early: A few in our group booked flights to land the morning of the cruise but missed the ship due to flight delays. Princess helped them catch up with the cruise in Genoa, but the stress wasn’t worth it. We arrived early, and explored Barcelona, so I reccommend giving yourself at least a day in the city you disembark from. Airlines and connecting flights are too often delayed and it is out of your control.

Life Onboard the Sun Princess Cruise Ship

The cruise ship itself was part of the adventure. The Sun Princess accommodates 4,500 people and had nighly entertainment, rotating food offerings, and a plethora of activities on-board.

  • Medallion Tech: The little wearable medallions were genius: it is your room key, boarding pass, and wallet all in one. It is nice to not have to carry a purse, cards, cash, or IDs around. We could also look up where our cruise mates location was. There was only one time where it got the location wrong and showed my mom as overboard in the sea.
  • Fitness With a View: The gym overlooked the ocean, which made keeping on a gym schedule totally worth it. I got an epic workout in with a view of Mount Vesuvius as we disembarked that goes down as the greatest gym view of my life.
  • Infinity Pool: The infinity pool on the back of the boat was my favorite spot on the whole boat, however my only complaint is I think this should be the adults-only pool because there were a lot of rowdy children splashing us every time we were there. Watching sunsets from the infinity pool deck while pulling away from port? Unreal. We all agreed that the view of Genoa, Italy from the ship was like a post card.
  • Food: Unlimited buffets, themed dining rooms, and plenty of gourmet meals. We stuck mostly to the included dining, and it was delicious. Cruise ship dinners are always fun because you can order whatever you want and try it all. There really wasn’t any food that I did not enjoy. Even the buffets impressed me compared to other ships I have been on, however the buffet hours ended earlier than other ships I have been on.
  • Entertainment: Aerial shows, live music, and comedy nights kept us busy when we weren’t too tired.
  • Cleanliness: This was the cleanest ship I’ve ever been on. I like that the buffet was closed off too to prevent food illness. We literally saw staff bleaching walls at one point.

mediterranean Ports at a Glance

Here’s where the Sun Princess took us over 11 days:

  • Barcelona, Spain: We of course hit the Gaudí gems Park Güell and La Sagrada Família. We had tapas and paella feasts, and wandered the Gothic Quarter. (Pro tip: don’t eat on La Rambla and book major sites in advance.)
  • Marseille, France: We toured the Notre Dame de la Garde church by open-air train, enjoyed the Museum of the Mediterranean, and wandered the streets of France’s second biggest city.
  • Genoa, Italy: This stop had stunning port views, beautiful churches, and great shopping. We did a hop on hop off tour that took us aroung the major sites, and we enjoyed seafood and pesto pasta by the sea in Boccadasse.
  • Rome, Italy: This was the only day we did a tour through Princess Cruise because we wanted to ensure we made it back to the boat on time since Rome is about an hour away from the port. On the tour, we visited the Trevi Fountain, Colosseum, Vatican views, and enjoyed a carbonara pasta meal that I will remember forever.
  • Naples, Italy: We met a random cab driver who was originally from LA who gave us basically a private tour of Naples to to the Pompeii ruins. We explored the ruins for about 2 hours and then we wandered the city and ate the most delicious sourdough pizza of my life. Naples = lemon and pizza heaven.
  • Day at Sea: When we fially had a day at sea, we were all relieved because our legs were so sore from 14k step days. We pkayed bingo and enjoyed some much-needed pool lounging, spa time, and gourmet meals.
  • Bar, Montenegro: This was a surprise favorite! I knew nothing about Montenegro before going here and it was so gorgeous! We met a local who was hustling cruise shippers for rides, but honestly it was great because the city doesn’t have a lot of cabs or public transport. We enjoyed mountain views, Budva’s Old Town, Stari Bar fortress ruins, and local sausages that I’ll dream about forever.
  • Corfu, Greece: This stop had gorgeous beaches, a cute town with shopping, and Greek food galore (tzatziki, fried cheese, gyros, greek salad- we ate it all!).
  • Chania, Crete: This Greek island had a charming Little Venice with waterfront restaurants. We spent the day at the beach and wandered the shops.
  • Mykonos, Greece: Our final island gave us the most gorgeous sunset view of them all. Mykonos is such a cute town with whitewashed alleys, windmills, and a taste of beach life.
  • Athens, Greece: We ported in Athens, ending our vacation on a high note with the Acropolis and Greek food and live Greek music under the stars. It was a fun way to fully immerse in Greek culture after a day of lots of history.

Pros & Cons of Cruising the Mediterranean on The Sun Princess Cruise Ship

✅ Pros

  • Nine ports in 11 days → incredible variety of destinations
  • Comfortable beds + daily housekeeping
  • Gourmet meals included (budget-friendly for Europe)
  • No packing/unpacking between stops
  • Onboard gym, spa, and entertainment
  • Family bonding without stress over planning meals
  • Experienced five countries in two weeks
  • Safe, smooth seas compared to choppy Atlantic cruises

❌ Cons

  • Excursions were pricey
  • Short time in each destination
  • Early mornings to disembark
  • Drinks, WiFi, and spa extras were expensive
  • Missed authentic “evenings in town” experiences
  • Activities like trivia sometimes scheduled while we were in port
  • Cruise hit mostly touristy spots (some with anti-tourism protests)

How Does the Sun Princess Compare to Other Cruise Ships?

The Sun Princess is hands-down the nicest and newest ship I’ve been on. That said, there are trade-offs:

  • Luxurious but More Add-Ons: Things like the sauna/steam room ($50) and specialty restaurants cost extra, where other lines included them. We tried The Butcher’s Block, it was good, but $80 for steak wasn’t worth it in some of our group’s opinions compared to the excellent main dining that was already included.
  • Food & Drink: The included food was solid, but it shut down earlier than I expected. No late-night pizza like on other lines. Drinks were expensive, and the drink package felt overpriced and unecessary, especially since we spent most days off the ship.
  • Entertainment: Shows were good, but the music was geared toward an older crowd. Their “nightclub” dome never really took off because it was too big and awkward of a space. I feel like with better design (or even free bottle service promos), it could have become a party spot, but this is coming from the opinion of someone who worked in nightlife for a decade.
  • Atmosphere: This ship felt more luxurious, but less energetic compared to Carnival or Royal Caribbean. Carnival felt more “family fun,” while Princess leaned classy but quiet, but maybe this was because we had so many stops everyday and were exhausted after.
  • Staff & Cleanliness: The crew works crazy long shifts, but they kept the ship spotless. It was the cleanest cruise ship I’ve ever seen. Buffets weren’t self-serve, which helped with sanitation. They even had some bathrooms where you swipe in and out to avoid touching door handles as well. They also gave water and cold towels to us when we came back on the ship from a long day at port.

Overall, the Sun Princess was an amazing way to explore the Mediterranean. If you want a modern, clean, and upscale ship with a packed itinerary, it’s a fantastic choice.

And in case you’re wondering: yes, I did apply to be a Princess affiliate knowing I planned to write this and was denied, so this is a truly honest review, pros and cons included.

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