Royal Princess Guide: SeaWalk, Cabins, Dining & Activities

Royal Princess Overview

Royal Princess is the first ship in Princess Cruises' Royal class, a generation of vessels that introduced a larger, more contemporary Princess experience while retaining many of the features longtime Princess passengers recognize.

The ship entered service in 2013 and is 142,229 gross tons and approximately 1,083 feet long. Princess lists capacity for 3,560 guests, 1,780 passenger cabins, approximately 1,346 crew members, and 19 decks.

Royal Princess is substantially larger than older Princess ships such as Grand Princess and Island Princess, but it is still built around recognizable Princess features including the Piazza, Movies Under the Stars, The Sanctuary, specialty dining, live entertainment, pools, and extensive balcony accommodations.

Its most recognizable feature is SeaWalk, a glass-bottom walkway extending more than 28 feet beyond the starboard side of the ship. Princess says the walkway provides views approximately 128 feet down to the sea.

If you're deciding whether the vessel or destination should drive your booking decision, see our Cruise Ship vs Itinerary Guide.

Royal Princess is part of Princess Cruises. Start with our Princess Cruises guide to compare the line’s onboard style, fleet, and planning resources, then use this ship guide to narrow your cabin and dining choices.

What Makes Royal Princess Different?

Royal Princess marked a major change in Princess ship design when she debuted as the first Royal-class vessel.

The ship introduced a larger Piazza, the distinctive SeaWalk, Princess Live!, an expanded Horizon Court, the adults-only Retreat Pool, and other features that helped establish the design direction for later Royal-class ships.

Unlike cruise ships built around roller coasters, racetracks, or huge waterparks, Royal Princess focuses more heavily on dining, pools, relaxation, live entertainment, social spaces, and traditional cruising.

That makes the ship an interesting middle ground for travelers who want something considerably larger and more modern than Princess's older vessels without making high-adrenaline attractions the centerpiece of the vacation.

SeaWalk

SeaWalk is Royal Princess's signature architectural feature and one of the easiest ways to distinguish the ship from many other vessels at sea.

The enclosed glass-bottom walkway extends more than 28 feet beyond the starboard side of the vessel. From the walkway, passengers can look through the floor toward the ocean approximately 128 feet below.

SeaWalk is more of a viewpoint than a thrill ride, but the combination of glass flooring, height, and open-ocean views can still make it memorable for passengers who are comfortable with heights.

It is worth visiting during both daylight and evening hours because the perspective changes considerably depending on the light, weather, and surrounding scenery.

Cabins & Suites on Royal Princess

Royal Princess has 1,780 passenger staterooms, and the ship is particularly notable for the number of balcony accommodations.

Princess lists 36 Suites with private balconies, 314 Mini-Suites, 358 Deluxe Balcony cabins, 730 Balcony cabins, and 342 Inside cabins. Princess's ship facts list 1,438 outside accommodations, all featuring balconies.

That makes Royal Princess especially appealing for travelers who value private outdoor space. A balcony can be useful for morning coffee, sailaways, scenic cruising, or simply getting outside without heading to a public deck.

Inside cabins remain an option for passengers who would rather put more of their vacation budget toward excursions, dining, packages, or other experiences.

Before booking, check what is directly above and below your cabin and consider the distance to elevators, dining rooms, pools, entertainment, and other areas you expect to visit frequently. Royal Princess is more than 1,000 feet long, so cabin location can materially affect how much walking you do.

Compare your options with our Cruise Balcony Cabin Guide, Inside vs Oceanview vs Balcony vs Suite Guide, and Best Cabin Location Guide.

Dining on Royal Princess

Royal Princess offers a broad mix of main dining, specialty restaurants, and casual venues.

The ship's main dining rooms include Allegro, Concerto, and Symphony. Specialty and distinctive dining venues include Crown Grill, Sabatini's, and Chef's Table Lumiere.

Casual options include Horizon Court, Alfredo's Pizzeria, International Café, Ocean Terrace, Gelato, and other poolside and quick-service choices.

The variety makes it possible to approach dining differently from day to day. You can have a traditional dining-room dinner, book a specialty restaurant, grab pizza, visit the buffet, or stop at the International Café depending on your plans.

Some venues and dining experiences carry additional charges, so check the terms of your fare or Princess package before assuming a particular meal is included.

For more help planning meals at sea, see our Cruise Dining Guide.

When budgeting for Royal Princess, compare Princess Plus and Princess Premier against the extras you expect to purchase. Use the current package terms to check beverage, Wi-Fi, and dining inclusions before choosing a fare.

Crown Grill

Crown Grill is Royal Princess's steak and seafood specialty restaurant.

The venue provides a more intimate dinner experience than the ship's main dining rooms and can be a good choice for celebrations, date nights, or passengers who want to make one evening of the cruise feel different from the rest.

If Crown Grill is a priority, consider reserving it early rather than waiting until late in the sailing, especially if you want a particular evening or dining time.

Sabatini's

Sabatini's brings Princess Cruises' Italian specialty-dining concept to Royal Princess.

It gives passengers another sit-down specialty option alongside Crown Grill, allowing you to choose between Italian dining and a steak-and-seafood experience without needing to leave the ship's traditional cruise atmosphere.

You do not need specialty dining every night to enjoy Royal Princess. The main dining rooms, Horizon Court, Alfredo's, International Café, and other casual venues provide substantial variety throughout the sailing.

The Piazza

The Piazza is one of the central social spaces aboard Royal Princess and was designed significantly larger than the atriums on earlier Princess ships.

The multi-level area combines dining, drinks, entertainment, shopping, and guest services, making it a natural crossroads during the day and evening.

Venues around the Piazza include places to stop for coffee, food, wine, cocktails, seafood, and gelato, while live entertainment and activities can turn the atrium itself into part of the ship's entertainment program.

Because so many activities converge here, learning the Piazza layout early can make the rest of Royal Princess easier to navigate.

The Sanctuary & Retreat Pool

Royal Princess gives adults multiple ways to find quieter space away from the busiest family and entertainment areas.

The Sanctuary is Princess Cruises' adults-only relaxation retreat, while the Retreat Pool provides another adult-oriented outdoor area for swimming and relaxing.

For travelers who enjoy quiet sea days, these spaces can be an important counterbalance to the activity around the Piazza, main pools, dining venues, and entertainment areas.

Access, reservations, cabanas, and charges can vary by experience and sailing, so check the current arrangements aboard your cruise rather than assuming every feature is included with the standard fare.

Pools & Movies Under the Stars

Royal Princess combines its main outdoor pool areas with Princess Cruises' Movies Under the Stars experience.

The large poolside screen is used for feature films, concerts, sporting events, and other programming. Evening movie screenings are one of Princess's signature ways to spend time outside after dinner.

The ship also features fountain and water displays around the central pool area, adding another visual element to the upper decks.

Passengers who prefer a quieter pool experience can look toward the Retreat Pool, while the main pool areas place you closer to Movies Under the Stars and more of the ship's daytime activity.

Lotus Spa, The Enclave & Fitness

Royal Princess features Lotus Spa, The Enclave, a beauty salon, and fitness facilities for passengers who want to incorporate wellness and exercise into their cruise.

Spa treatments and certain thermal or premium experiences generally involve additional charges, so review current pricing and access rules for your sailing.

The fitness center, jogging track, sports areas, pools, and outdoor decks also provide ways to stay active without purchasing spa services.

Entertainment & Nightlife

Royal Princess offers entertainment through Princess Theatre, Princess Live!, Vista Lounge, live music, bars and lounges, casino gaming, Movies Under the Stars, and organized activities throughout the ship.

Crooners, Bellini's, Wheelhouse Bar, and other venues give passengers several choices for drinks and evening socializing, while the casino provides gaming for passengers who enjoy that form of entertainment.

The entertainment experience remains recognizably Princess. Rather than building the ship around giant thrill attractions, Royal Princess emphasizes production shows, performers, music, dancing, movies, lounges, dining, and social activities.

Is Royal Princess Good for Families?

Royal Princess can work well for families that want a larger modern ship without needing amusement-park-style attractions to keep everyone occupied.

The ship has dedicated youth and teen facilities along with pools, Movies Under the Stars, sports areas, casual dining, entertainment, and family programming.

It can also work well for multigenerational groups because different family members can build very different days aboard the same ship. Children and teens can use youth facilities while adults choose the Sanctuary, Retreat Pool, spa, dining, lounges, casino, entertainment, or outdoor decks.

Families traveling with grandparents, parents, teens, and younger children can use our Multi-Generational Cruise Guide to coordinate cabins, dining, accessibility, activities, and shore time across different age groups.

Who Should Cruise on Royal Princess?

Royal Princess can be a strong fit for travelers who like the traditional Princess cruise experience but want a larger ship with more dining, public spaces, and contemporary features than the line's older vessels.

The ship can be particularly appealing to couples, balcony lovers, multigenerational families, and travelers who enjoy dining, live entertainment, pools, spa time, and relaxing outdoor spaces.

Passengers who want a recognizable architectural feature will also find SeaWalk gives Royal Princess an identity of its own.

Travelers whose top priority is waterslides, roller coasters, racetracks, or enormous amusement-style activity zones may prefer a ship designed around those attractions.

The better question is whether Royal Princess's mix of dining, relaxation, entertainment, balconies, and traditional cruising matches the vacation you want.

Best Tips for Sailing on Royal Princess

Study the deck plan before choosing your cabin. Royal Princess is approximately 1,083 feet long, so the difference between a forward, midship, and aft cabin can translate into considerable walking over the course of a cruise.

With so many balcony accommodations available, compare the actual price difference between Inside, Balcony, Deluxe Balcony, Mini-Suite, and Suite categories rather than assuming a balcony is outside your budget.

Visit SeaWalk at different times of day. Daylight gives you the clearest view through the glass toward the ocean, while evening lighting creates a very different experience.

Learn the Piazza early because it connects you with several dining, beverage, entertainment, shopping, and service venues.

Reserve Crown Grill, Sabatini's, or other priority dining experiences early if you want a specific evening or time.

Start with our Cruise Packing List and adjust it to the climate and destinations on your particular itinerary.

If you're flying to the embarkation city, arriving before embarkation day gives you protection against delays, cancellations, and missed connections. Review our Cruise Embarkation Guide before departure.

More Ways to Plan a Royal Princess Cruise

If Royal Princess is on your short list, compare the broader Princess experience with our Princess Cruises Guide. Royal Princess also appears in our Cruise Ships With Pickleball directory, and travelers comparing fare inclusions can review Princess Plus and Princess Premier.

Still narrowing your options? Use the Find a Cruise Ship tool to match ships to the features you care about, then compare your shortlist in the Cruise Ship Comparison Tool.