Enchanted Princess Tips, Secrets & Things to Know: What I Would Plan Before Boarding

For an easier Enchanted Princess cruise, learn the aft route to Amalfi, try included Retreat Pool before paying for The Sanctuary, and choose one dining experience you genuinely want.

Check your cabin’s nighttime layout and package terms before sailing, then leave room for Crooners, Vista Lounge, pool time and changing port plans.

Find the aft spaces you will use

Enchanted has useful alternatives to the busiest poolside and Piazza spots. Find those first, then choose the food and entertainment you are most excited to enjoy.

Try the Wake View Pool early in the day. A morning visit gives you a chance to enjoy that edge-of-the-ship view before the afternoon crowd changes the feel of the space.

Bring what you need for a comfortable short visit and choose an open lounger only while you’re using it. You can make this a little morning ritual on a warm sea day, with breakfast before or afterward.

Check both sides of the outdoor deck before deciding every hot tub or seating area is full. Foot traffic, wind and shade can make one side more appealing without any guarantee of empty space.

There’s no promise of an empty tub, but taking a look costs very little. Choose whichever side feels more comfortable in the breeze and leave room for others to join.

Explore Vista Lounge between events. Its aft Deck 7 seating gives you an indoor option when you want to read or sit with a friend somewhere other than the central Piazza.

Check for comedy, bingo, or another gathering before settling in for a long stay. If a performance is about to begin, either enjoy it or make your quiet break somewhere else.

Put The Catch by Rudi on the shortlist for a seafood celebration. You can compare its current menu with the other specialty restaurants, then reserve the night early if it’s the meal you most want.

For a more casual outing, check whether O’Malley’s is serving sea-day lunch on your voyage. A pub meal can be a satisfying change of pace, especially if you’d rather save the evening for a show than another long dinner.

Try Retreat Pool before buying Sanctuary access

The adults-only Retreat Pool gives Enchanted an included alternative to the main Lido pools. Compare its forward setting with Wake View aft before deciding where the group’s normal sea-day break belongs.

The Sanctuary on Deck 18 is a separate paid adults-only retreat with upgraded loungers and service. Buy it for those benefits when weather and itinerary support a long visit, rather than assuming Retreat Pool requires the same pass.

The Enclave at Lotus Spa is different again: a paid indoor thermal area with a hydrotherapy pool and heated relaxation spaces. On a cooler day, that indoor warmth can be more useful than paying for an outdoor lounger you will abandon when the wind rises.

A port afternoon can be a good time to compare these spaces without committing the whole day to any of them. If the group mainly wants a swim, start with the included pools and use the extra budget for the dinner everyone is excited about.

Give 360 an evening of its own

360 is a seven-course immersive dinner costing $149 per guest plus service charge, excluded from Plus and Premier. Confirm the minimum age for your sailing before booking for a child.

Choose it when the combination of food, storytelling, sound, and surrounding visuals is the attraction. Someone who mainly wants an excellent steak or seafood meal may get more value from Crown Grill or The Catch without paying for the full experience.

A sea day or easier port day is a practical choice for 360, leaving time to arrive without rushing from an excursion. Do not put another must-see event immediately afterward; let the dinner be the main plan.

Choose seafood, steak or a pub evening

The Catch by Rudi offers a seafood-focused specialty dinner, while O’Malley’s serves pub food in a more informal setting. Choose between them by the menu and pace you want, rather than treating every paid meal as the same kind of upgrade.

Compare The Catch with Crown Grill or Sabatini’s according to what the group wants to eat, not which venue sounds most exclusive. A celebration is easier to enjoy when everyone likes the menu and has enough energy left after the shore day.

Gigi’s provides the sit-down pizza alternative, while Slice offers a quick included poolside bite. Use Gigi’s when there is time to linger and choose Slice when lunch is only a pause before returning to the pool.

International Café is the convenient smaller meal near the Piazza, including early or late hunger when a full dining-room visit is unnecessary. Separate the included food from specialty coffee charges so a latte does not make you mistake the whole stop for paid dining.

Use package allowances without overspending

Current Princess Plus includes four casual meals per voyage, while Premier includes unlimited casual and specialty dining. You can match those benefits to Gigi’s, O’Malley’s, and the specialty meals you actually want; older bookings may carry different terms.

360 remains a separate purchase, and Sanctuary or The Enclave should stay separate in the budget too. An inclusive-sounding package name is less useful than knowing which of the experiences on your own shortlist it covers.

Without a qualifying package, OceanNow activation costs $14.99 USD per person per voyage and phone room-service delivery costs $5 USD per order. Current Plus and Premier waive both fees, although charged menu items remain separate, which makes delivery a convenience benefit rather than a guarantee of free food.

Group dinner and entertainment by location

Princess Theater is forward, while Vista Lounge is aft on Deck 7, so allow walking time between plans at opposite ends. For Amalfi Dining Room on Deck 6, use the aft elevators or stairs rather than expecting a through-route from midship.

Princess Live! and the Piazza add shorter, more flexible ways to enjoy an evening.

Choose one production or guest act as the priority, then let nearby music or a pub visit fill the remaining time instead of arranging several tight connections.

For a group, International Café and an exact time make a better meeting plan than ‘somewhere in the atrium.’ The Medallion app can help locate companions, but a fixed venue still works when somebody’s phone battery runs out.

The cruise ship guides help compare Enchanted’s combination of dining, lounges, and pools with another ship. Choose it for that variety, then leave room for an unplanned favorite rather than treating the entertainment list as homework.

Choose a cabin for sitting and sleeping

Use the cabin guides to compare a standard balcony, Deluxe Balcony, and Mini-Suite. A sofa or larger indoor sitting area can matter more on a longer cruise than an upgrade name, especially when the weather sends you inside.

For the balcony itself, compare the actual sightline, shelter, and neighboring public spaces before paying for a larger or angled shape. You should also consider whether your regular destination is the forward spa, central Piazza, or aft Wake View area.

The cabin-location checklist helps assess the rooms above and below, elevator traffic, and potential entertainment noise. A cabin between residential decks is a useful starting point, but the exact vertical layout still matters.

Reserve Collection adds dedicated dining benefits to eligible Mini-Suites; it does not automatically include Princess Premier. You can value the upgrade most when the people you expect to dine with also qualify, so the benefit supports shared evenings rather than separating the group.

Make a longer voyage easier

Princess’s laundry policy lists charged self-service machines and products, with tokens purchased using the Medallion. You can find the nearest laundromat early and fit a small load around a quieter onboard period, leaving shore mornings and priority dinners free.

Eligible full-suite and Elite sent-out laundry benefits exclude same-day service, so compare that option before paying separately. Pack clothing that works for pools, indoor lounges and your booked shore activities.

Families can visit The Treehouse for ages 3–7, The Lodge for ages 8–12, or The Beach House for ages 13–17 early in the cruise. You can let children try the relevant program before assuming every adult dinner or spa session can be built around it.

Practical final checks

Use a precise meeting place with a deck number and side of the ship. That detail works better than a vague staircase or bar when phones, internet plans, and daily interests differ.

Review the onboard account before the final evening and settle questions before guest services becomes busiest. Keep travel documents, medication, valuables, and morning essentials out of any checked departure luggage.

Continue planning with the cabins guide, pros and cons, dining guide.