Sun Princess vs Discovery Princess

Sun Princess

• The Sphere is a genuine showstopper: a three-deck wall of curved glass that floods the central Piazza with ocean light and feels unlike any prior Princess ship.
• Completely redesigned staterooms with brighter modern decor, larger balconies, glass-walled showers, full sofas, and far more outlets than older Princess cabins.
• Smart destination-dispatch elevators that pre-assign your car genuinely cut wait times and reduce crowding at the banks.
• An unusually deep specialty-dining bench: Sabatini's, Crown Grill, The Catch by Rudi, Umai Teppanyaki, Butcher's Block, plus Love by Britto, so much that reviewers struggle to try it all in a week.
• Entertainment is spread across distinct venues, with the theater-in-the-round Princess Arena, Cirque Eloize in The Dome, Spellbound by Magic Castle, and Princess Live keeping late nights busy.

• A famously rough launch: the debut was delayed twice, the ship sailed incomplete, and some early passengers were bumped because cabins and amenities were not ready.
• The Park19 top-deck thrill features (RollGlider, ropes course, climbing wall) never opened and were partly removed, a heavily publicized letdown.
• Early tender-boat problems caused cancelled port calls, including Santorini and Kotor, on initial sailings.
• There is no traditional adults-only pool, a departure that disappoints many Princess loyalists.
• At launch, premium venues like The Catch and Butcher's Block sat at the back of the buffet with no ambiance before being relocated to Deck 7 in a later revamp.

Discovery Princess

• Newest ship in the Royal-class line (debuted March 2022), so finishes feel pristine with lighter, brighter cabin decor that makes rooms feel larger
• Top-ranked Princess ship on U.S. News with a 4.4/5 score from 425 reviewers, the highest in the fleet
• MedallionClass tech is genuinely useful here - order food and drinks to your exact location, skip lines at embarkation, and find your travel party on a map
• Specialty dining is a standout, with Bistro Sur La Mer (French), Crown Grill steakhouse, and Sabatini's all earning consistent praise from foodies
• Take Five jazz lounge gets singled out repeatedly as a highlight - intimate, well-programmed live music that becomes the talk of the ship

• Internet via MedallionNet is the most common complaint - reviewers describe it as slow and sporadic at sea despite the marketing
• At 3,660 passengers the ship can feel crowded, with limited seating reported at popular entertainment venues and busy elevators
• Some longtime Princess loyalists feel the line has trimmed the experience - more guests but amenities sized like smaller older ships
• Main dining room food gets mixed reviews; the best meals are in the paid specialty restaurants, which adds cost
• Service can feel inconsistent, with some reviewers noting staff seemed stretched thin or overworked at peak times