Sun Princess Signature Benefits and Experiences

[CalTexCruiser]

At the suggestion of someone in the main Sun Princess thread, I am starting this thread so people can post about Sun Princess Signature benefits and experiences.

 

The Sun Princess suite benefits are different enough from the other classes of Princess ships that a separate thread is deserved.

 

What we know:

 

Cabins designated as S9 and above have signature benefits, including:

 

Access to the Signature Restaurant (has the same menu as the Reserve Restaurant).

Access to the Signature Lounge (two stories on decks 15 & 16).

Access to the Signature Sun Deck, a private area of The Sanctuary (at the very rear of deck 18 with padded loungers with expansive views of the rear of the ship).

 

The S9 suites have the same size as regular mini-suites.  It is unclear if the S9 suites are any different from the mini-suites, except for access to the signature benefits.

 

 

[nasa1974]

Thanks. Let's see if people use this thread.

[happy cruzin]

48 minutes ago, nasa1974 said:

Thanks. Let's see if people use this thread.

*fingers crossed*

[RoperDK]

Good idea to split this topic off from the main Sun thread.  I am interested in hearing any knowledge of the menu items in the Signature restaurant compared to the MDR. I am hoping for an upgraded experience, not just a couple of enhanced dishes (Club Class) and the prime rib cart.  Princess would never answer the question about whether the menu would differ from the MDR.  Princess has advertised the rolling prime rib cart, but nothing else. Hopefully, we will get reports back soon.        

[CalTexCruiser]

22 minutes ago, RoperDK said:

Good idea to split this topic off from the main Sun thread.  I am interested in hearing any knowledge of the menu items in the Signature restaurant compared to the MDR. I am hoping for an upgraded experience, not just a couple of enhanced dishes (Club Class) and the prime rib cart.  Princess would never answer the question about whether the menu would differ from the MDR.  Princess has advertised the rolling prime rib cart, but nothing else. Hopefully, we will get reports back soon.        

 

I hope the Signature restaurant will have an upgraded menu but I won't hold my breath. 

 

My biggest complaint about the Reserve/Club class dining of the other Princess ships have been the lackluster MDR menu and the fact that the restaurant is really part of the larger MDR.

 

Another complaint is that with the large number of Reserve class mini-suite and suite guests on the other ships, the waitstaff is often overwhelmed at rush hour which leads to a frenetic dining experience.

 

At least now the Signature Restaurant is a dedicated space, which hopefully translates to a more relaxed/upscale dining experience.

 

[cr8tiv1]

I have been in the Reserve portion of the MDR on Grand/GEM class ships.  I never felt that the waitstaff was overwhelmed at rush hour (leading to frenetic dining experience). Staff always had time to chat or exchange pleasantries.  If I needed something, I was attended to promptly by either my "assigned" staff or someone nearby.  

[mrmarklin]

If the Sun is anything like Cunard lines as to food, the Reserve will have MDR menu plus one extra dish and the Signature will have Reserve menu plus one extra dish. This is what Cunard does with MDR, Princess Grill and highest level, Queen’s Grill. Also, In Queen’s Grill, they will cook to order if requested a day in advance. We ordered Chicken Tikka Marsala in this way one time. 
 

Cunard is a part of the Carnival Cruise line family. 🙂

[CalTexCruiser]

9 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I have been in the Reserve portion of the MDR on Grand/GEM class ships.  I never felt that the waitstaff was overwhelmed at rush hour (leading to frenetic dining experience). Staff always had time to chat or exchange pleasantries.  If I needed something, I was attended to promptly by either my "assigned" staff or someone nearby.  

 

I've only used Reserve dining on the Royal class ships, so perhaps more Reserve guests on Royal class?

 

[Nee Nee and Biddy]

I'm glad you made this thread! We will be on the Sun in a suite for our first time in December for our 20th anniversary.  I want to take advantage of everything and have an amazing cruise! 

[RoperDK]

10 hours ago, mrmarklin said:

If the Sun is anything like Cunard lines as to food, the Reserve will have MDR menu plus one extra dish and the Signature will have Reserve menu plus one extra dish. This is what Cunard does with MDR, Princess Grill and highest level, Queen’s Grill. Also, In Queen’s Grill, they will cook to order if requested a day in advance. We ordered Chicken Tikka Marsala in this way one time. 
 

Cunard is a part of the Carnival Cruise line family. 🙂

Thanks for that input.  I was hoping for a separate Signature menu like Celebrity's Luminae or Royal's Coastal Kitchen.  That would be a true ship within a ship experience.

[WonderMan3]

11 hours ago, RoperDK said:

Thanks for that input.  I was hoping for a separate Signature menu like Celebrity's Luminae or Royal's Coastal Kitchen.  That would be a true ship within a ship experience.

According to the video below The Signature dining room has a menu that is exclusive for suite guests; a staff member at Signature says that specifically. 
 

 

[CalTexCruiser]

3 hours ago, WonderMan3 said:

According to the video below The Signature dining room has a menu that is exclusive for suite guests; a staff member at Signature says that specifically. 
 

 

 

At the beginning of the video, the hostess of the Reserve Restaurant stated that the menu for the Reserve Restaurant and the Signature Restaurant are the same.

 

The staff member that stated "a la carte menus specially for the suites" is the head sommelier of the Signature Restaurant.  I take that to mean the additional a la carte item each evening that is not available in the MDR, similar to the Reserve class dining on other Princess ships.

 

If the Signature Restaurant did in fact have a specially dedicated menu similar to the Luminae on Celebrity, I would imagine Princess would plaster that all over their website.

 

Hope someone currently in a Signature suite can confirm.

 

 

[WonderMan3]

6 hours ago, CalTexCruiser said:

 

At the beginning of the video, the hostess of the Reserve Restaurant stated that the menu for the Reserve Restaurant and the Signature Restaurant are the same.

 

The staff member that stated "a la carte menus specially for the suites" is the head sommelier of the Signature Restaurant.  I take that to mean the additional a la carte item each evening that is not available in the MDR, similar to the Reserve class dining on other Princess ships.

 

If the Signature Restaurant did in fact have a specially dedicated menu similar to the Luminae on Celebrity, I would imagine Princess would plaster that all over their website.

 

Hope someone currently in a Signature suite can confirm.

 

 

I am seeing posts from someone on the Sun right now in another group who is in a Penthouse Suite. Breakfast menu is the same everyday. Unclear whether it is the same as Reserve or MDR. Lunch menu unclear if it is the same each day. Someone in that forum recognized the menu items as being the same as what they had in MDR on one of the other ships recently. Dinner menu changes nightly but it is unclear whether it is the same or different than MDR or Reserve. I’m sharing images below. Maybe someone can tell if the dinner menu looks the same as a recent MDR menu. (Photos from Mitch M.)

Edited March 6 by WonderMan3

[CalTexCruiser]

Thanks @WonderMan3

 

On the other ships, breakfast for full suites is available in one of the specialty dining restaurants.

 

I guess since there is a dedicated Signature restaurant that would be where the full suite breakfast is served on the Sun.

 

I'm not a Princess veteran by any means but the "Indulgences" extra charge items on the lunch menu seem new.

 

[Womble99]

31 minutes ago, CalTexCruiser said:

I'm not a Princess veteran by any means but the "Indulgences" extra charge items on the lunch menu seem new.

Yes it is new, we had no issues having Lobster Benedict for breakfast on our cruise in January if we asked in advance and it certainly wasn't an upcharge item......

 

They are always looking for ways to wring another dollar from passengers it seems.

[jwattle]

24 minutes ago, Womble99 said:

Yes it is new, we had no issues having Lobster Benedict for breakfast on our cruise in January if we asked in advance and it certainly wasn't an upcharge item......

 

They are always looking for ways to wring another dollar from passengers it seems.

I'm gonna venture a guess that the menu shown was NOT the suite breakfast menu, or at least not the Specialty Menu, as it showed a charge for the mimosas, and we all know that the "happy juice" (mimosas) are complimentary with the suite brekkies. 🙂

 

[WonderMan3]

7 minutes ago, jwattle said:

I'm gonna venture a guess that the menu shown was NOT the suite breakfast menu, or at least not the Specialty Menu, as it showed a charge for the mimosas, and we all know that the "happy juice" (mimosas) are complimentary with the suite brekkies. 🙂

 

The person who shared the photo is in a Penthouse Suite on Sun and it was from dining in the Signature restaurant. And the menu literally says Signature Collection at the top and bottom…

[jwattle]

1 hour ago, WonderMan3 said:

The person who shared the photo is in a Penthouse Suite on Sun and it was from dining in the Signature restaurant. And the menu literally says Signature Collection at the top and bottom…

I'm just saying that I think that the specialty restaurant brekkie may still be available with free happy juice and our usual special noshes...at least hopefully. 🙂

[AZjohn]

2 hours ago, Womble99 said:

Yes it is new, we had no issues having Lobster Benedict for breakfast on our cruise in January if we asked in advance and it certainly wasn't an upcharge item......

 

They are always looking for ways to wring another dollar from passengers it seems.

Wa..wa..Waite a minute…WHAT😯??  Lobster Benedict🫨😲

I never heard of this before but just the name alone sounds soooooo good.

 

I got to try this next month (just what I need, a new food addiction 🤣)

 

Cheers

[WonderMan3]

2 hours ago, jwattle said:

I'm just saying that I think that the specialty restaurant brekkie may still be available with free happy juice and our usual special noshes...at least hopefully. 🙂

Well, not to nitpick but you said "I'm gonna venture a guess that the menu shown was NOT the suite breakfast menu, or at least not the Specialty Menu" so you were saying what I was posting wasn't true...

 

Anyway, with all the nickel and diming the cruise lines are doing I think we all should not be surprised to see things that were once included now become fee items. If you have a beverage package though it should cover the mimosas if they are now a fee item would it not? I don't know the limits of all the different packages.

[jwattle]

9 hours ago, WonderMan3 said:

Well, not to nitpick but you said "I'm gonna venture a guess that the menu shown was NOT the suite breakfast menu, or at least not the Specialty Menu" so you were saying what I was posting wasn't true...

 

Anyway, with all the nickel and diming the cruise lines are doing I think we all should not be surprised to see things that were once included now become fee items. If you have a beverage package though it should cover the mimosas if they are now a fee item would it not? I don't know the limits of all the different packages.

By Specialty, I meant Specialty Restaurant, so no, I wasn't contradicting you.

[WonderMan3]

4 hours ago, jwattle said:

By Specialty, I meant Specialty Restaurant, so no, I wasn't contradicting you.

That doesn’t make sense though. The suite breakfast on this ship is held in the Signature restaurant. That venue doesn’t exist on the other ships and yes is held in a specialty restaurant. To say that this was “not the specialty menu” is obvious because that specialty suite breakfast is not offered on Sun, it’s only in the Signature restaurant. 

[FLAlaska]

Does anyone know if the signature lounge will be open available 24/7 like the royal ships? Where you can walk in anytime and help yourself to a soda, water or any snacks they have out? 

[CalTexCruiser]

Good question  @FLAlaska

 

Hopefully it’ll stay 24/7

 

i do see a full bar in the lounge so as long as they can lock the alcohol when unattended then there should be no problem 

Edited March 8 by CalTexCruiser

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

There aren’t  just enough people posting from the ship from the signature experience. I’m going to open a thread for Signature guests when I board (in roughly 4 weeks). I won’t promise to answer all the questions on my cruise as it’s my vacation but I will try to get the answers and post when I get home. 
 

so if no one does it before me, please be patient with me.