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Discovery Princess℠, our third vessel designed from the ground up with Princess MedallionClass™ and the final Royal-class ship, will continue to deliver an array of innovative new experiences. Enjoy 270-degree sweeping views from our largest balconies at sea, unwind in ultimate comfort at The Sanctuary, and indulge your senses with world-class dining options from Michelin-star and renowned chefs. Plus, Princess live entertainment presents spectacular new productions that can only be seen in our state-of-the-art Princess Theatre. With our effortless, personalised service of the MedallionClass® experience, your real holiday has just begun!
From the moment you step aboard, we want you to feel welcomed and right at home. And with attentive service from a friendly staff that knows what hospitality means, you’ll find your Princess® ship truly is your home away from home.
We are not seasoned cruisers, in fact this was just our 3rd cruise. Others being a Greek island cruise with RCI and a Western Med cruise with MSC. We booked this particular cruise because we wanted to cruise New Zealand and the dates worked well for us. We booked through a travel agent who was able to get us a mini suite for just a little bit more than a balcony cabin and also $300 OBC. We decided to get the plus package because it included gratuities and Wi-Fi, plus it means we don't have to think about extra cost of drinks throughout the holiday. We spent a couple of days in Sydney prior to the cruise. On embarkation day we had a time of 1:30pm, so we checked out of our hotel at 11am and did bag drop which was very easy and then went for a wander round Circular Quay and got photos of the ship by the harbour bridge. We came back about 1pm and were on board and sitting at Gigi's pizza restaurant by 1:30pm! Embarkation was quick and efficient. We went to our cabin after lunch and watched the compulsory safety video and then checked in at our muster station. Couldn't have been easier. We were really pleased with our cabin - deck 12 near the front of the ship. Our steward was very efficient and friendly. He brought us our requested robes and top sheet for the bed and the room was always spotless! We mostly ate in the MDR and thoroughly enjoyed all the evening meals we had there. The servers were lovely and couldn't do enough for you. Different story at breakfast though - sometimes it was fine, but other mornings the food was very slow and/or cold! One morning, after waiting 45 mins after ordering we had to leave without our breakfast as we were going on an excursion. From then on we went to the buffet on excursion days. Buffet was fine, mostly. I found the layout confusing and it is very big. Plenty of choice, but there always seemed a queue to get a piece of toast! We never ate in the buffet in the evenings, but the lunches were good with lots of fresh salad, soups, and much much more! For my husband's birthday I had booked the Crown Grill and it certainly didn't disappoint. The service was excellent and the food delicious - worth every penny. We went a few times to the International Cafe to get coffee, but there was always a long queue and it didn't seem to matter whether you ordered a latte or a cappuccino - they both were just same; not bad - just not what they should be. Good selection of specialty teas. Th The entertainment was mostly very entertaining. We especially enjoyed the violinist and The 60 Four boy band! The enrichment talks were interesting too. The TV options in the cabin were much better than the other cruises we had been on before. We were even able to keep up with the Australian Open tennis. We went on the ship's excursions at all ports and really enjoyed them, with perhaps the exception being the gondola experience in Christchurch. There is a good view, but I guess we didn't do enough research as we didn't realise it was quite a distance from Christchurch. After we did our gondola ride we got the bus into Christchurch but only have 1 1/2 hours to look around as the ship was leaving at 3:30pm due to tide restrictions. That being said, it was a good experience and transport all went well. We really enjoyed our wine tasting tour in Picton. The tour guide was very good and it was amazing to see the miles and miles of vineyards! We also enjoyed the wildlife cruise in Dunedin, highlights being seeing the tiny blue penguins, Hectors dolphins, seal, sea lions and nesting albatross. The day cruising the sounds was also amazing to see and again experienced dolphins swimming alongside the ship. The unexpected overnight stop in Auckland due to bad weather turned out very well. We were able to walk off the ship at any time over the couple of days and really enjoyed exploring Auckland and took the ferry over to Devonport where we spent a lovely afternoon walking up the mount and enjoying the views. We finished our cruise by doing the exit tour which was about 4 hours and then dropped us and our luggage off at the airport. The guide was very knowledgeable and fun! We especially enjoyed paddling at Bondi beach. A great way to end a fantastic trip.
We had a rough 3 sea days crossing to NZ, due to a tropical low which really affected Tauranga which was to be our first stop. Instead we had 2 days in Auckland then a sea day and down to Picton(where derogatory comments were made in shops by locals wishing cruise people would leave). Christchurch,Dunedin and Fiordlands before leaving for Sydney. Ship was great,never felt overcrowded even with 3900 on board. Main dining room was a lottery for quality and whether it came out lukewarm or cold. Crown Grill was top notch, Rudi’s very good, but Sabbatini’s very average. Their pasta was so overcooked and gluggy,lacking sauce and very bland. The biggest downside was the piazza chair hogs in Good Spirits and O’Malleys playing cards and watching the piazza,anyone wanting a drink couldn’t sit down. Staff were always friendly. Can recommend Discovery Princess to anyone thinking of cruising with them.
This was, in fact, a 12-night Fiji cruise. I believe it was initially a 15 night NZ cruise, but at some point this one was chopped into 12 nights Fiji and 3 nights to Eden. Being the January summer holidays, this cruise was packed. About 4220 passengers. So people everywhere, and this reminds me again of why I always have a balcony cabin to retreat to. Whilst this ship is still quite new and is nicely decorated, you can easily be on this ship, and not notice you are at sea. A good portion of the view from indoor public areas is blocked by tenders, and the shops, art sales, photos, plus Crown and Rudi's take up most of the window space on decks 5-7. The best spot to sit and look out to sea was in the casino. Almost all of the outdoor areas are covered by perspex that is above adult height. No real promenade as is now common on newer ships, and the outdoor area on deck 7 Promenade deck is mostly double-height perspex. For this reason, I would not recommend Discovery for scenic cruising. Food in the buffet was, for the most part, good; you could always find something, and the staff were pleasant and helpful where possible. MDR was a bit hit and miss. Some nights the service dragged, meals not always as hot as I would like, but only one main was very poor, the short ribs. The wait staff here were excellent, and it was a delight to see them each evening, but they seemed a bit understaffed. Bars definitely seemed understaffed, and hardly any roving drinks waiters in the pool areas. OceanNow delivers to your room only, or to random places like Guest Services or one of the shops. It appeared that they knew they just did not have enough staff to provide this service, so dropped it. Entertainment was OK, we like a bit of music, attend the odd show, but avoid trivia, game shows and the sales talks. We were happy to read a book outside, or in our room if we needed peace and quiet. Room service to the room 20-50 mins. Minisuite, midship: lovely. I picked this cabin for the larger balcony, but on reflection, I would not necessarily do so again. The extra space is nice when compared to the small Princess balcony rooms. Bellini's bar had some lovely staff. We had the sushi for lunch one day, nice, but I wouldn't pay for it separately. (we had the Plus package). Same for Gigi's pizza. Both of these venues (plus Sabatinis's) lose their allure due to location overlooking the Piaza. Just too open and noisy. Speciality coffee was hit and miss. Better from the Princess Live Bar. Not great in room service. Whilst the 12 day break was welcome, and I was pleased to try out Discovery whilst she is in Australia, I am not sure that I am a fan due to the reasons mentioned in paragraphs 3-4. We are booked on Royal Princess to New Zealand
Very good cruise for adults. Different pools in different parts of the ship and many Jacuzzi's around the boat to relax in. Good service, staff are very kind to you. Cabin service is great, very communicational and helpful. Dining is also the same, very good service, good pace, consistent, and very respectful, great food choices as well. club for children located on the upper decks. Entertainment is very consistent, interesting shows always being hosted, great performances. Disembarkation is very neat and organized in order for you to have a smooth disembarkation. Smokers decks on both aft-upper deck and starboard-side deck 7. Different activities for guests held around the ship on different days to keep you entertained. Gym located on aft-upper decks for people interested in working out while at sea. Some nights, staff decided to start packing up deck chairs early (Around 6PM), when on other nights they leave it till later. All money aboard cruise is in USD, so conversions may be expensive. Overall, good cruise.
From the moment you step aboard, we want you to feel welcomed and right at home. And with attentive service from a friendly staff that knows what hospitality means, you’ll find your Princess® ship truly is your home away from home.
Photos, floor plan diagrams, amenities, and furnishings represent typical arrangements and may vary by ship and stateroom.
Indulge your appetite whenever you wish on board Princess®. Every hour, our chefs are busy baking, grilling and sautéing great-tasting fare from scratch. Princess offers unparalleled inclusive dining options throughout the ship with a wide range of culinary delights to suit any palate, from endless buffet choice to gourmet pizza, frosty treats, decadent desserts and much more.
Speciality Dining
Dining on board a Princess® cruise ship is a joyful celebration and our speciality restaurants always deliver an extraordinary experience. They are among the best at sea – or anywhere. We serve dishes made with the freshest ingredients, and our menus reflect regional flavours from around the world. You'll find our speciality restaurants are the perfect place to celebrate any occasion.
From relaxing pursuits and enriching activities to world-class entertainment and gourmet cuisine, when you step aboard, you are setting a course for a world of wonderful new discoveries.
A wealth of diversions for nearly every interest – and mood
Ship Highlights
On every Princess ship, you'll find so many ways to play, day or night. Explore The Shops of Princess, celebrate cultures at our Festivals of the World or learn a new talent — our onboard activities will keep you engaged every moment of your cruise holiday.
Activities & Entertainment
On every Princess ship, you'll find so many ways to play, day or night. Explore The Shops of Princess, celebrate cultures at our Festivals of the World or learn a new talent — our onboard activities will keep you engaged every moment of your cruise holiday.
Revitalise and refresh body, mind and soul with Princess®. From rejuvenating spa treatments and the tranquility of a top-deck retreat reserved just for adults to our state-of-the-art fitness centres, you’ll find all the elements to come back new.
From family-friendly stateroom options to enriching youth and family programmes, quality time is time well spent. Onboard activities spark curiosity and fuel creativity while excursions ashore engage and inspire!
