While cruising the Caribbean onboard Princess Cruises’ sparkling new Enchanted Princess last month, I found myself making all sorts of comparisons. The fifth in what will be — with the upcoming delivery of Discovery Princess — a platform of six Royal Class ships, Enchanted Princess and her sisters each have their own distinct tweaks and twists. For a bonafide ship aficionado like me, that makes things decidedly more interesting, but for travel advisors and guests, it can be challenging to know the differences between the ships.
Despite the variations, the basics are largely the same, with each Royal Class ship ranging from 142,714 to 145,281 gross tons and carrying between 3,560 and 3,660 guests. All six ships have the SeaWalk, a glass-bottomed walkway that projects over the sea from Deck 16, and the vessels all share a similar layout. For consistency, all of the ships have a Princess Theater showroom; a three-deck-tall atrium lined with shops, lounges and eateries called The Piazza; and a Lotus Spa with an Enclave hydrotherapy area that has additional features.
Enchanted Princess and Discovery Princess feature Gigi’s Pizzeria.
Credit: 2022 Peter Knego
The included dining options are also mostly the same, including the casual poolside venues; the World Fresh Marketplace buffet on Deck 16; three main dining rooms on Decks 5 and 6; and the International Cafe at the bottom of The Piazza. They all have a popular included Neapolitan-style pizzeria that overlooks The Piazza, but the location and name varies from ship to ship.
They all have a popular included Neapolitan-style pizzeria that overlooks The Piazza, but the location and name varies from ship to ship.
On Royal, Regal and Majestic Princess, there is one large pool, followed by a fountain complex and a small dip pool on Deck 16. Based on feedback after the 2013 debut of the Royal Class, the small Terrace Pool was added aft on Deck 17. On Majestic, which was designed for the Asian market (where pools are less popular), there is no aft pool, but on Sky, Enchanted and Discovery Princess, there is an infinity Wake View Pool on Deck 16. In addition, to accommodate pool lovers on the Sky, Enchanted and Discovery, the fountains were eliminated in favor of a second large pool on Deck 16.
Sky Princess was the first in the class to have a pair of 1,873-square-foot Sky Suites on Deck 18 that overlook the mid-ship pool area. These same expansive digs can be found on Enchanted and Discovery Princess. Conversely, Royal and Regal, which were built prior to the Sky Suite concept, have a forward sunning platform atop the ship on Deck 19 that has been relegated to crew space on their newer sisters.
Meanwhile, Majestic has neither the platform nor the Sky Suites, but it does have other exclusive features. For instance, in lieu of an alfresco Sanctuary spa area that can be reserved on a half- or full-day basis for a fee at the top of the ship, Majestic has the Hollywood Conservatory, an observation lounge with cabana seating. This is followed by the glass-dome-covered Hollywood Pool Club featuring a bar and large wading pool.
Enchanted Princess is one of the line’s Royal Class ships.
Credit: 2022 Peter KnegoAs far as cuisine is concerned, Majestic has the Chopstix ramen bar instead of the poolside Deck 16 Slice Pizzeria, and the Burger and Lobster Grill instead of the Trident Grill or Salty Dog Grill found on the other ships. For an additional cost, Majestic also features a dedicated Asian restaurant called Harmony versus the Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria found on its five sister ships.
While a little variety within Princess' Royal Class platform keeps things interesting, potential cruisers and advisors should pore over the ships’ deck plans before booking. In this way, agents will avoid disappointing clients who are looking forward to a particular feature on their cruise.
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