Why a New Zealand sailing on the Crown Princess was a perfect close to home holiday

When it launched in 2006, Crown Princess was quite a trend-setter.

It was the first Princess Cruises’ ship to feature an adults-only Sanctuary and the first with an atrium designed to mimic an Italian-style piazza complete with a café and wine bar, wandering magicians and jugglers.

Speciality restaurant Sabatini’s, modelled on an Italian trattoria, was moved to deck 16 at the back of the ship, giving diners an ocean view. Adagio, a new watering hole, was added next door for pre-dinner drinks.

I noted all this during Crown’s inaugural naming cruise from New York. Twenty years on, I returned for a voyage from Brisbane around New Zealand’s North and South Islands and back to see what’s changed.

The answer: Not much. The classic Princess décor – safe rather than snazzy – is unchanged, the cameo acts have gone from the atrium and the art auctions were a negative step back in time, but the ship has been well maintained and doesn’t look its age.

O’Malley’s, an Irish pub that has gone down a storm on Princess’ newer ships, was added during a drydock in Singapore at the end of 2025.

It had an Irish band, more whiskey varieties than you knew existed and was busy. It’s a good addition but felt like a work in progress given pictures of 16th and 17th-century explorers from its previous incarnation (the Wheelhouse Bar) still adorned the walls.

Good Spirits, a bar in the atrium, was added a few years ago, likewise a Reserve Restaurant exclusively for those in suites and selected mini-suites.

With more than 2,900 guests, our cruise was close to full, mostly with Australians. We love that it’s so relaxed and friendly, one couple told us.

You’ll never go hungry

We ate in the Reserve Restaurant, which is exclusively for suite passengers and those in Reserve Collection mini-suites.

It’s a wonderful perk. Meals were leisurely, there were plenty of tables for two (but close enough to chat with others) and the service was exceptional.

Alberto, the guy in charge, even set up a cooking station in the restaurant on a couple of evenings and conjured up delicious pasta dishes tailored to suit individual palates.

Our dinners in the two speciality restaurants, Crown Grill for steaks and Sabatini’s for Italian, were excellent (full marks for my ribeye). The restaurants were never busy. From conversations, the US$80pp charge was too high.

On a couple of sea days Crown Grill morphed into Crab Shack at lunchtime.

Three main dining rooms served the same menu, which changed each evening. Passengers could reserve a table, turn up when hungry or go for traditional fixed seating (same table and time each evening).

The self-service, split between Horizon Court and Café Caribe, had different specials every day (Greek, Tex-Mex, Italian, British and so on) alongside a buffet selection of salads, roasts, stir-fries and curries.

It was ideal for an early breakfast before excursions and a late lunch; at peak finding a table was a challenge.

The International Café in the atrium was our preferred go-to for lunch. It was busy, but the fresh sandwiches and cookies took some beating.

For a snack by the pool, Slice (for triangles of pizza) and the Salty Dog Grill (for burgers, hot dogs and fries) were open from 11am to 9pm. On a sunny day, Tradewinds Bar overlooking the lido was the place to be.

In case anyone was still hungry, a pub grub menu in O’Malley’s served the likes of Stout Stew and fish and chips. It’s extra unless you’re on a Princess Plus or Premium package (of which more later).

Roll back the years

The Lotus Spa offers numerous facial, body and massage treatments (seaweed wrap or coconut massage anyone?) that claim to roll back the years and reduce cellulite.

I’m not convinced but my bamboo massage was 50 minutes of tough love, finding – and undoing – knots I never knew I had.

There was also a thermal suite had a pool, sauna and steam rooms (extra cost), a salon and gym – although with 19 decks, using Crown’s the stairs instead of the lifts was exercise enough for us.

And so to bed

Should Princess find a few thousands of dollars down the back of the sofa, this is the place to spend them.

Cabins are comfortable but dated. Nightlights come on in the cabin but not the bathroom, which was bizarre while showers are tiny and enclosed by curtains. As the captain joked: “At least if it gets a bit rocky there’s no room to fall over”.

Open wardrobes offered plenty of hanging space but there were very few drawers– a throw-back presumably to the days when cruisers had lots of posh dresses and suits to hang up.

Suites are more than twice the size of balcony cabins and come with perks including a complimentary minibar set-up and a speciality restaurant meal on embarkation evening, free laundry and the aforementioned Reserve dining.

Into the night

If you like quizzes, you’ve come to the right ship. Love songs, music, famous logos, Friends (as in the TV series), Rom-Coms; you name it, there was a quiz about it in the Explorer’s Lounge.

All that’s before the other non-stop entertainment – everything from line dance classes and carpet bowls by day to karaoke, theatre production shows, comedians and even an Elvis impersonator in the evening.

Some very talented singers played the bars and atrium each evening. We weren’t struck by the duo in O’Malley’s, but at least they were Irish.

Last-minute availability

As this is Australia favourite ship, its brief October and November season this year is all but sold out. If you’re quick, there are still suites on a six-day Southern Australia Explorer from Sydney to Adelaide departing October 7 2026. Prices from AUD$3,473pp include the Princess Plus package (see below).

Alternatively, hang on for some Caribbean sun in 2027. A seven-day Southern Caribbean cruise from Barbados departing March 5 2027, costs from AUD$1,943pp, including Princess Plus package.

Book at princess.com or call 1300 551 853.

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Verdict

Crown could do with a bit of TLC, but when it comes to the most important things – service, cuisine, comfort, relaxed – it shines. We would get back on in a heartbeat.

For the best value, opt for the Princess Plus package, which includes drinks, speciality coffee and tea, one Wi-Fi login (can be switched between devices), four casual dining meals, room service and tips.

A Premium package adds unlimited speciality dining.

Favourite meal: Alberto’s arrabiata-like tagliatelle. Bursting with taste.

What to pack: By day it’s shorts and t-shirts for warm destinations, pants and jumpers for chillier places. We had two formal nights, but most people ignored them and stuck with smart casual.

Secret tip: The Adagio Bar is a perfect place for a quiet drink and you don’t have to be booked in Sabatini’s to go there.nd if things change, which they do due to wind, waves, ice or prowling polar bears, order a beer and relax while the expedition team wo