Enchanted Princess Ship Review: Mini-Suite, Princess Plus and MedallionClass®

This post is part of a paid collaboration with Princess Cruises and Traverse, however, all opinions are my own. You can read my disclaimer for more information when it comes to sponsored posts, collaborations and press trips. The post also contains affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you purchase anything using my link. It does not affect the price for you.

If you’ve ever wanted to dip your toes into the world of cruising and don’t know where to begin, you’re in luck! Enchanted Princess is now sailing from Southampton for the rest of Summer, giving you the opportunity to try cruising right from your doorstep!

I was lucky enough to travel on a five-day cruise on the beautiful Enchanted Princess last month, so I wanted to share this experience with you!

She’s A Beauty: About Enchanted Princess

The Enchanted Princess is a Royal-class cruise ship under the Princess Cruises fleet. The Princess ordered the fifth ship of the Royal Class from Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri in 2016 and the keel was sunk on 14 February 2019 in Monfalcone.

Boarding Enchanted Princess In Southampton

Enchanted Princess is currently spending Summer 2022 sailing from her homeport in Southampton so chances are, that’s where you’ll be boarding.

When you arrive, the first place you’ll be directed to is the luggage drop. Staff are at hand to give you luggage tags (if needed) and direct you where to go, so the process is quick and easy.

Once inside, you’ll need to queue depending on your status in the MedallionClass® app, which ultimately comes down to how much preparation you did beforehand. If you’re unsure where to go, there are lots of team members inside who are happy to help!

Once you’re fully checked in and have your Medallions, you can head through security and onto the ship.

The staff were all so friendly and asked lots of questions about the cruise ahead, making us even more excited! I can’t fault the boarding experience one bit as it was seamless and super easy!

Enchanted Princess Ship Review

Mini-Suite Review

I was very lucky to be able to stay in one of the Mini-Suites on board the Enchanted Princess and oh my gosh, it was stunning.

In total, there are an incredible 374 Mini-Suites on board and in terms of class, they’re the cabin above a balcony (which is what I stayed in on Sky Princess, another of Princess Cruises’ royal-class ships).

Each Mini-Suite includes:

• Approximately 323 sq. ft., including balcony
• Balcony with 2 chairs and a table
• Bathroom tub and massage showerhead
• Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors
• Separate sitting area with sofa bed & coffee table (this can be separated from the main bed with a curtain for privacy)
• A complimentary welcome glass of bubbly on embarkation day
• Luxury mattress topper and pillows
• Two flat-panel televisions
• Comfortable queen or two twin beds
• A mini-fridge
• 100% cotton, high-thread-count linens
• Complimentary 24-hour room service†
• Spacious closet with digital security safe
• A desk with a chair (and mirror)
• Hairdryer & Lotus Spa bathroom amenities

The Bedroom – Having slept in a Princess Cruises bed before I knew just how comfortable they were but it felt incredible to be back in what I’d definitely describe as the cosiest bed I’ve ever slept in.

Princess’ luxurious beds surround guests with opulent style and pure, blissful comfort from a manufacturer known for creating some of the most comfortable hotel beds in the world.

The pillow top is two inches thick for added comfort; the single-sided medium firm mattress is nine inches thick for added support; the coils are individually encased for fewer partner disturbances and the luxurious bedding incorporates 100% Jacquard-woven cotton.

I spent quite a few nights enjoying the comfort of the bed while watching free movies and ordering room service. It was absolute bliss after a busy day ashore.

The Bathroom – One of my biggest worries about cruising is whether or not a bathroom is going to be big enough. As a plus size traveller, it’s important to me to have enough space and honestly, this is something Princess is incredible at!

For a full guide to being plus size on Royal Class Princess Cruises ships, you can visit this guide here.

Although I am quite new to cruising, I know it’s not normal for cruise ships to have a bathtub but I thought it was a great addition. Not only did it mean there was a lot more room when it came to showering, but it also added that extra element of luxury if you wanted it.

There was plenty of space around the toilet and the ‘hollow’ units meant that there was extra room if you n needed it. I loved the addition of the Lotus Spa amenities too!

The Living Area – Depending on who you’re travelling with, the living area can be used as extra space or as room for guests 3-4. With the sofa converted into a sofa bed, there’s plenty of space if you want to share a Mini-Suite with family or friends. The best bit, there’s a privacy curtain in the centre of the room that you can close whenever you need to!

The living area includes a desk, a second TV, a 3-seater sofa bed and an additional TV.

The Balcony – My favourite thing about the Mini-Suite was definitely the balcony. With lots of space and, of course, a stunning view, I could have stayed out there for hours at a time.

If you’re sharing adjoining rooms, you can also open up your balconies to make an even larger, shared balcony.

The Cabin Stewards – My very lovely Cabin Steward, Henry, was always there when I needed him! Whether it was asking for a bigger robe or fixing the TV when I pressed the wrong button, I was able to reach him whenever I needed by dialling 5000 on the in-room phone.

Both morning and evening turn-down service was always a blessing and honestly, the cabin was kept so clean the entire time.

Princess Medallion

My Princess Medallion was definitely one of my favourite things about cruising with Princess! This handy little device is designed to come with you wherever you are during your cruise (it’s water, salt and sand resistant) and helps to make your experience that little bit easier. From opening your cabin for when you’re moments away to allowing you to order food and drinks WHEREVER you are on the ship, I loved using my Medallion throughout my stay!

To access the Medallion and everything it has to offer, you need to install the Medallion Class app. Here you can order food and drink, view a ship schedule for the day, book shore excursions, find your friends and so much more!

To view a full rundown of the Princess Medallion, you can visit my blog post here.

Princess Plus

Princess Plus is an add-on that you can choose if you’re looking to add an ‘all-inclusive’ feel to your cruise. For just £40 per day, you can enjoy the Plus Beverage Package, Single Device WiFi and Crew Appreciation (gratuities). 

The Plus Beverage package includes the classics: sodas, speciality coffees and teas and 15 cocktails, wines or beers up to $12 each. Even hot chocolate, smoothies and water to go. Whatever you want – with tips included! By the time you’ve had four of your fifteen drinks, you’ve already more than paid for your package so it’s definitely worth it! 

Princess Cruises have also launched a new package called Princess Premier. This includes the Premier Drinks Package, Multi-Device WiFi, Crew Appreciation, Speciality Dining, Photo Package and Princess Prizes. 
The Premier Drinks Package includes everything the Plus Beverage Package does as well as drinks up to $18 each with a premium selection of spirits, cocktails and wine by the glass. You can also enjoy two Speciality Dining meals included in Princess Premier, whether that’s Sabatini’s, The Crown Grill or Bisto Sur La Mer. Any photos you have taken by crew photographers during your stay are also included! 

To book your Princess Cruises Cruise with Princess Plus, click here.

Enchanted Princess Facilities

The Shops Of Princess

Before I went on my first ever cruise, I had no idea that there were shops onboard a ship and honestly, I can see why The Shops of Princess are named ‘the best shops at sea‘ year after year. Among the amazing things you’ll find onboard are products from brands like Swarovski, Chanel, Estée Lauder, Clinique, Lancôme, Calvin Klein, Citizen and Tissot, along with local crafts and keepsakes. In addition, everyday tax and duty-free savings can lead to savings of up to 30% compared to suggested U.S. retail prices.

The Topdeck Pool and Hot Tubs

One place I kept finding myself going back to was the Topdeck pool and hot tubs. With two large pools and five hot tubs, there’s plenty of space to relax and unwind in the sunshine. While we did have to wait quite some time for hot tubs during the busy period, it was well worth the wait to be able to sit back and order drinks to our exact location using our Medallions. While there are more hot tubs on the ship, these ones are perfectly located for Movies Under the Stars.

The Retreat

The Retreat is an adults-only area onboard the Enchanted Princess that has its own pool, bar and hot tubs. As the name suggests it’s a much quieter vibe than the top deck and is a great place to head if you’re looking to chill out. I also found this a much easier spot to get a hot tub, although there are only two!

The Sanctuary

If you’re looking for the ultimate place to relax (other than the spa, of course) then The Sanctuary should definitely be on your list.

With private cabanas, luxury sunbeds, bento-style lunch, afternoon tea AND al fresco massages – it’s well worth a visit, especially on a sea day. During your stay, Serenity Stewards are there to serve food and speciality cocktails, so you can spend the whole time relaxing while watching the world go by.

To visit The Sanctuary it’s $20pp for half a day and $40pp for a full day. It’s recommended you book early on into your cruise, as spaces fill up. Cabanas are a little more, but worth it if you have a group of people.

Lotus Spa and The Enclave

Wow, oh wow. I honestly cannot put into words how amazing my visit to the Lotus spa onboard the Enchanted Princess was.

I had an early morning Restorative Salt Stone massage booked for our sea day and it was INCREDIBLE. My massage therapist was called Memory and she was so so friendly! She explained the process to me and said that Himilayan Salt Stones help get rid of negative energy, something I definitely feel like I needed after the last few months.

The massage bed was super plus size friendly and I was amazed that it was heated, adding that extra level of comfort during my massage. The session was 75 minutes in total and oh my gosh, I felt so rejuvenated afterwards. The hot salt stones felt amazing and post-massage I could see such a difference in my circulation (and still can almost a week later).

After my massage, I spent a little bit of time in The Enclave, Princess’ largest-ever thermal suite with a dramatic hydro-therapy pool and cascading rain showers. There are also 3 types of saunas: the Hammam – a Turkish-style steam bath, the Caldarium – a light steam room infused with herbal aromas, and the Laconium – a heated, dry sauna to aid in body purification and detoxification.

My absolute favourite was the Siberian Shower, which felt like a shower with aromatherapy mists. It was so blissful.

Enchanted Princess Entertainment

There’s so much entertainment on board the Enchanted Princess that even in five days, I wasn’t able to do it all! Here are just a few of the highlights from my trip:

The Princess Theatre

Princess Theatre features lavish, original productions with dynamic cast members in sumptuous surroundings showcasing dazzling stage sets, artists from around the world, modern hits and timeless classics. Experience the thrill of watching a show as you relax in a plush seat with unobstructed views of the stage as the velvet curtain rises and the stage is illuminated by a state-of-the-art lighting system!

During our time on the ship, we watched two productions, Five Skies and the Rock opera.

Five Skies – The new production show 5-SKIES is Princess Cruises’ most technologically advanced production yet. The boldest gamer in history faces off against “5-SKIES,” the greatest virtual reality game of all time. As you follow him through increasingly difficult levels, you will meet new characters and face new challenges. Mastering all five skies will allow him to unlock each level and, perhaps, eventually reach the Sky Princess.

I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as incredible as Five Skies on stage. The technology used was phenomenal and the cast were so talented! Every five seconds the audience were saying ‘oh my gosh’ as something else on stage surprised us. It’s a must-watch if you’re on the Enchanted Princess.

Rock Opera – A Princess first, this spectacular production features incredible costumes inspired by glamorous avant-garde fashion with a musical score that spans classic rock, opera and musical theatre, sung in English, Spanish, Latin, and even American Sign Language!

If you love musical theatre, Rock Opera is a great watch! I loved that there were so many songs from The Greatest Showman, mixed in with some classics that you can’t help but sing and dance along to.

There were also solo musical performances and comedy shows with guest performers throughout the week.

Princess Live!

Princess Live! is the place to go if you’re looking for a bit of interactive fun. With quizzes, music trivia and games you can easily spend hours here bringing out your competitive side.

It has comfy seats, a mini stage and a bar so you easily can order drinks to your seats.

The Piazza

The Piazza spans across decks 5, 6 and 7 midship. It’s home to some of the ship’s bars and restaurants, but also has a big open space where you can sit to enjoy the entertainment on board. The entertainment goes on until late so if you’re after a chilled-out vibe with a couple of drinks, it’s the perfect place to spend your evening.

Movies Under The Stars

Another great way to spend a chilled-out evening is to watch a movie under the stars on deck 16. With a different movie every night, you can easily choose a night at the movies that you know you’ll enjoy. Movies Under The Stars also happen during the day so you can grab a spot in a hot tub and enjoy a good film or two!

Formal Night

One of the best things about cruising (in my opinion) is formal night, where you’re encouraged to dress up for the night! It’s so much fun to see everyone dressed in their best and to feel like, excuse the pun, a princess for the night. It’s a great opportunity to book a speciality restaurant and go to the theatre, too!

Enchanted Princess Dining

Amalfi, Capri and Santorini Dining Rooms

The Amalfi, Capri and Santorini dining rooms are Enchanted Princess’ main dining options for guests. Each night they all serve the same menu as one another, so you can take your pick of which one you’d like to eat at. Whether that’s the same one every time or you mix it up a little, you can be sure you’re receiving the same menu. The menu does, however, differ every single night with the exception of the Princess Favourites.

On our last night, we ate in the Capri dining room. The menu was incredible and it was definitely hard to choose, especially when it came to dessert. I’m honestly still thinking about the pecan caramel cheesecake weeks later!

The World Fresh Marketplace

The World Fresh Marketplace is the ship’s buffet restaurant. It’s a great place to go if you’re looking for food in a hurry or if you need to feed a number of people in your party with different tastes! With food cooked fresh throughout the day, you can stop by whenever you want (between the hours of 5 am and 11 pm). During my stay I enjoyed a great lunch at World Fresh Marketplace – the Ceaser salad was made freshly in front of me so I loved that I could personalise it however I wanted.

Gigi’s Pizzaria (and Slice)

One of my favourite places to eat on board was definitely Gigi’s Pizzaria. Here you can watch chefs cook your pizzas on fresh dough right in front of you and let me tell you, there’s a reason it’s named ‘The Best Pizza At Sea’. We sat down for dinner one night where I had the Napoli which had spicy sausage and oh my gosh, it was incredible. We were seated outside as the sun set over Rotterdam and it felt like our own private little view for the evening, definitely a highlight of the trip!

If you’re after the same delicious pizza but don’t want to dine in, Slice on deck 16 serves the same pizza to go. You can grab as many slices as you want and enjoy the pool or a Movie Under The Stars! We definitely visited Slice multiple times on our trip…

The Salty Dog

The Salty Dog, also on Deck 16, serves favourites like burgers, hot dogs and tacos. I ordered the tacos to my room one day and they were a great snack between activities.

International Cafe

International Cafe is located at the heart of the ship on Deck 5. Open 24 hours, it’s the ideal place to head if you need breakfast to go or a late-night snack! On the day we docked in Rotterdam I didn’t have time to grab breakfast so I quickly picked up a muffin on my way out to the coach. So so handy!

Other dining options include Ocean Terrace and the Gelato bar, however extra charges apply for these.

Speciality Dining

Bistro Sur La Mer

Bistro Sur La Mer is the on board speciality french restaurant. It’s an additional $29 for four courses, with some incredible dishes like breaded escargot, eggs florentine, lobster bisque and beef filet mignon. For my main, I had the potato gratin and it was DELICIOUS.

The Crown Grill

Located behind the Crown Grill Bar, The Crown Grill is Enchanted Princess’ speciality steak restaurant. With a variety of different steaks available and the most amazing cheesy garlic bread, this was a great option for a our first night on board. Again, this was $29, with any additional mains served at $10.

The highlight of The Crown Grill for me was definitely the speciality salts – the Himilayian was definitely my favourite.

Sabatini’s

Sabatini’s, as the name suggests, is the on board Italian restaurant and was the one I was most looking forward to or sure. Of course, it did not disappoint. The cover charge for one choice from each course is $25 per person.

Honestly, every single course from Sabatini’s was absolutely incredible. From the melt-in-your-mouth burrata to the amazing Chocolate Journey’s dessert, I could eat at Sabatini’s every night and be happy!

Ultimate Balcony Breakfast

Finally, the Ultimate Balcony Breakfast was definitely a highlight when it came to our time on board. The Ultimate Balcony Breakfast is a luxurious breakfast experience at sea, all served right on the privacy of your own balcony by dedicated waitstaff.

At 8.30 am on our sea day there was a knock at the door, where I was greeted by a lovely waiter. He very kindly set my breakfast up for me (consisting of salmon, pastries and lots of amazing fruits) and once I’d sat down and got comfy, he opened and poured my champagne. It was SO relaxing to enjoy breakfast from the privacy of my balcony, staring out at the sun that was slowly rising on the horizon in front of me.

At just $45 per couple, this is honestly something I’d recommend to anyone staying in a balcony room on a Princess cruise.

Other speciality dining options onboard the Enchanted Princess include the Chef’s Table Lumiere.

Enchanted Princess Bars

The Wake View Bar

The Wake View Bar, as you probably guessed, is a bar with a view of the wake. We grabbed ourselves a table for sail away and it was so lovely to enjoy a cocktail as we could see Southampton disappearing in the distance. It was the perfect way to build excitement for the trip ahead!

The Sea View Bar

I visited the Sea View Bar a couple of times as it was right in the middle of all the action! Located on Deck 16 by the main pools, it was the perfect place to sit and grab a drink if you wanted to enjoy the sunshine.

Good Spirits

Good Spirits is definitely my favourite bar on Enchanted Princess. With cocktails inspired by locations all around the world, you can try so many different drinks without even leaving your seat. My favourite is the Vanilla Sky but a special mention also goes out to The Butterfly as it involves colour-changing magic! The Starry Night (made with activated charcoal tea) is also pretty special as it features gold sparkles that are designed to look like stars. Honestly, I could have spent every night enjoying the menu and the awesome bartenders at this bar if I had the time! 

The Retreat Bar

The Retreat Bar is located in the adults-only area of the ship and is often quieter than the Sea View Bar. If you’re enjoying the sunshine or spending your time in the Retreat hot tubs, this is likely where you’ll be getting your drinks from! ​

Other bars include Crooners, Take Five, Vines and Princess Live.

Our Itinerary: Southampton – Southampton

We were on board the Enchanted Princess for a five-night cruise sailing from Southampton and visiting Bruges, Rotterdam and Guernsey. We also had one sea day between Rotterdam and Guernsey.

Bruges

Our first stop was Bruges, where we had a Shore Excursion booked. The excursion, lasting around 5 hours, took us into the City of Bruges where we had a short tour, a chocolate-making demonstration and some free time to explore on our own. The tour was well organised as we walked from the coach to the chocolate museum, meaning we were able to learn on the go.

The chocolate making demonstration was absolutely fascinating and I really loved learning about how they make their Belgian chocolates taste so delicious. Of course, there were also free samples to help sweeten the deal! Our free time was perfect as we were able to tick off a couple of things on our list, all while enjoying a Belgian Waffle in the sunshine! I love that it gave me a taste of the city and I know I’ll definitely be back to explore more in the future. 

Rotterdam/Amsterdam

Although we docked in Rotterdam, we decided to do a shore excursion to Amsterdam. As I’d already visited both places before, I knew that I’d get more out of my day in Amsterdam and was thrilled to see that it was an option! After around an hour and a half drive (complete with a mini Rotterdam tour) we arrived at our first stop – the river cruise! We all hopped on a boat and of course, we snagged the best seats at the back! The sun started shining just in time, making our hour or so riding around the canals absolutely perfect. It really is one of the best ways to see Amsterdam for sure!

After our canal cruise, we were shown our meeting point and then given some free time to explore. Me and Jess (The Travelista) decided we would walk to the Food Hallen, as it’s a place neither of us had visited before. The food was amazing so it was definitely worth the visit! Afterwards, we had a 1.5-hour coach journey back to the ship, where we were back in time for 5 pm!

Channel Islands: Guernsey

Guernsey was somewhere I hadn’t ever considered visiting before but after just a few hours there, I was pleasantly surprised. We didn’t book a shore excursion for this day and so decided to head over a little later in the day. At around 11 am we got a tendor over to the port (as we were docked a little further out) and began our day by heading over to Cobo Bay, as recommended to us by some of the group we were travelling with. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I absolutely fell in love! It felt like I was in the Caribbean with the white sands and clear water. We even braved a cold water swim that was SO invigorating, especially after our massages the day before.

We grabbed some lunch at a local bar overlooking the water we’d just braved and then decided to start walking along the coast. Every second was more beautiful than the last until eventually, we came across a stunning cove. There were wildflowers, stunning rock formations and an incredible view of the ocean and so we decided to sit and stay until it was time to go back to the ship. We made it just in time for the last tendor and as we sailed back to the ship, we got to see Enchanted Princess in all her glory. It was a magical end to a great day in The Channel Islands. 

I think that’s one of the things I love most about cruising. It gives you a chance to visit places you may never have considered before, allowing you to unexpectedly fall in love. I would never have wanted to explore Guernsey before this trip and now I’m doing to go back to see more! 

Conclusion

I know that this was a long post but there was SO MUCH I wanted to share with you from my cruise! I had such an incredible time and the whole experience has already got me searching for sailings later in the year! Enchanted Princess will be sailing from Southampton for the rest of the Summer months so if you’ve been considering booking, now is your chance to sail from as close to home as possible!

If you’re looking for a sailing that is similar to the one I travelled on, the 4-day sampler in August is the best option. You can view more details here: https://tidd.ly/3yv5tGq