Discovery Princess

Theater and Shows on Discovery Princess

The Princess Theater spans Decks 6 and 7 forward, and functions as the classic show lounge aboard Discovery Princess. Comedians, magicians, headliners and production shows like "Rock Opera" are held here, typically with an early show around 7:30 p.m. and a late show around 9:30 p.m. It pays to get here early; the room often fills to standing-room only. 

Princess Live! offers plenty of fun throughout the day in its prime spot along the starboard corridor of Deck 7 midship. Here, passengers will find daily (well-attended) trivia sessions, game shows, and live music performances. The room itself is also a substantial improvement over past Royal-class vessels, opening attractively to the corridor running between the Piazza atrium forward and the Crown Grill Bar aft.

Vista Lounge. This room on Deck 7 aft is Princess Cruises' classic secondary show lounge. Here, passengers can take in game shows like the Love and Marriage Show and music events like 80's Hour and the late-night DJ, who spins the tunes from Midnight "until late".

Take Five Lounge is tucked away on the port side of the ship on Deck 6, adjacent to the much-more visible Princess Casino. And that's a shame, because this is one of Princess Cruises' hidden gems, offering live jazz performances each evening that soon become the talk of the ship. On Discovery Princess' maiden voyage, the Larry King Trio performed each evening, though pre-recorded ballroom dancing was also offered in the pre-dinner hours on select evenings.

Movies Under the Stars: Not a theater as such, but Princess Cruises' pioneering seaside movies concept (which the line debuted to the industry in 2004 aboard Caribbean Princess) is still a hit aboard Discovery Princess, complete with padded loungers, popcorn, and drinks at the ready.

Daily Things to Do on Discovery Princess

There's plenty to do aboard Discovery Princess, though much of the daily entertainment relies on trivia sessions and sales opportunities. Passengers, though, generally don't seem to mind -- in keeping with the line's more laid-back attitude, passengers are just as happy to cozy up with a book on the pool deck or enjoy a game of cards in the Piazza Atrium.

Live music, however, is where Discovery Princess excels, with performances beginning each afternoon in the Piazza atrium and up on the pool deck. The latter is the domain of the steel drum set, while the Piazza hosts pianists and vocal duos by afternoon. Evenings bring jazz and big band into the mix, with a healthy dose of hits from the house band that span the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's.

For those who prefer things on the more active side, Princess offers plenty of ping pong tournaments, pickleball contests, and basketball shootouts, in addition to Zumba and yoga classes, and fitness seminars.

Other activities are for-cost sales events masquerading as entertainment options, but there's no pressure to join in (unless, of course, you really want to "Guess the Price of the Peter Max!").

Nightlife on Discovery Princess

Nightlife aboard Discovery Princess is more active and varied than one might expect from a Princess Cruises ship. Passengers tend to stay up into the wee hours, listening to the pianist in Crooners (always a tremendously popular lounge and watering hole), or taking in late-night comedians or the DJ back in the Vista Lounge on Deck 7 aft.

Nightlife tends to revolve around music, meals and drinking -- though not necessarily in that order. Casino tournaments are held on select evenings for those who feel like paying Lady Luck a visit, and entertainment continues unabated in the Piazza Atrium.

What permeates throughout the ship, however, is a feeling of laid-back camaraderie. Don't be surprised if you get caught up in conversation with the couple seated at the table next to you, or invited to a show by folks you just met. That's the way things are on Princess -- social and even a bit old-school. And that's not a bad thing.

Discovery Princess Bars and Lounges

There's a bar and lounge for most everyone aboard Discovery Princess, from clubby bars nestled deep within the interior of the ship to gorgeous poolside sipping locations that are sure to please sun-seekers and pool-goers alike. And while none of the bars aboard Discovery Princess offer robots or other gimmicks, what passengers get in return is a solid mixology experience, with several bars and lounges onboard offering their own unique cocktails, wines, spirits and other menu items.

You also don't have to drink alcohol to enjoy yourself; most bars offer a decent selection of mocktails, and bartenders are happy to whip up virgin libations upon request.

Our Picks

**For the Sun Seeker:  **The Wake View Bar on Deck 16 aft is one of the best outdoor bars on any Princess Cruises ship. Surrounded by both shaded and uncovered seating areas, the bar is bookended by an aft-facing swimming pool and offers some pretty spectacular sail away views. If you're looking to start your day early (you're on vacation, after all), good news: the Wake View Bar typically opens at 6 a.m. for your beverage needs.

For the Clubby Cocktail Lover: You can hardly do better than ambling up to the Art Deco-themed bar at the Crown Grill Bar, or sinking into one of the bar's plush oversized chairs, and settle down to one of the fantastic gin or whiskey concoctions. These cocktails can only be found at this bar, but if there's something you'd like, the fantastic bar team here will whip it up for you. Throw in the talents of some very experienced pianists during the dinner hour, and you've got the recipe for a great evening.

For A Jazzy Good Time:  The Take Five Bar on Deck 6 offers up custom cocktails (many of which offer Jazz-themed names to boot) to accompany the swinging tunes that kick off here each evening. Just don't tell too many people; it's one of the ship's great hidden secrets.

For Lovers of the Bubbly: It's easy to walk right past Bellini's Bar on Deck 7 midship, but this cozy little outcrop overlooking the Piazza Atrium offers some spectacular, bubbly-infused cocktails in a space that is perfect for those looking to see -- and be seen.  

Pools and Hot Tubs on Discovery Princess

Pools and hot tubs are well laid out aboard Discovery Princess, with both fun and active pools near the heart of the ship's daily activities and quiet, more restful options on offer.

Two main pools are located on Deck 16 amidship, bordered by three hot tubs. These are the most popular pools aboard Discovery Princess, thanks to their location near Movies Under the Stars and the Seaview Bar.

The Wake View Pool is located on Deck 16 aft as part of the Wake View Bar. Less a swimming pool and more of a lounging pool to kick back with a cold drink on the side, this pool nonetheless offers some pretty fantastic views off the stern of the ship.

The adults-only Retreat Pool is hidden away on Deck 17 forward. In fact, it's on the more difficult side to find, accessible only though the forward elevator banks on Deck 17, or from Deck 18 forward above. But, thanks to this, it is one of the ship's quieter pools -- though there is no sea view from the pool's interior location.

Four separate hot tubs are located aft and amidships on Deck 17, with two additional hot tubs placed on Deck 18 forward. A further hot tub is located within The Retreat on Deck 18.

The Retreat aboard Discovery Princess

One of Princess Cruises' most popular for-purchase options is The Retreat, an adults-only outdoor enclave located all the way forward on Deck 18. Passengers can rent loungers or full cabanas for either half-or-full-day rates, with port day and sea day availability. Dedicated Retreat stewards bring forth drinks and an exclusive lunch and snack menu available only for Retreat passengers. When conditions are good, it makes for a relaxing and enjoyable getaway from the bustle of the busy pool deck.

Passengers take their chances on sea days, however: our own booking was marred by high winds, rough seas and colder temperatures, though we still toughed it out thanks to some cozy steamer blankets that were duly brought around.

Sundecks on Discovery Princess

Deck space is plentiful onboard Discovery Princess, and sun-seekers will naturally gravitate to the open deck spaces on Decks 16, 17, and 18 that form the basis of the ship's pool deck complex.

Of note, however, are the open partitions on Deck 7 aft that overlook the ship's side and stern. These can be accessed by the aft elevators on Deck 7, and offer seating on the ship's port and starboard sides for those looking for a bit of quiet relaxation at sea.

Services and Wi-Fi on Discovery Princess

Discovery Princess offers the usual lineup of services onboard, including guest relations and shore excursion desks, future cruise desks, gift shops, sundries stores, a photo gallery, and even a small internet café tucked away on the aft port side of Deck 6.

An ATM machine is located on Deck 4 midship near the tender embarkation entrance. Be wary though - it has a hefty user service fee.

Wi-Fi internet access aboard Discovery Princess (called MedallionNet) was strong in both staterooms and public areas -- though public areas did, by and large, offer the best connectivity onboard. Packages are affordable and prices vary depending on the number of devices you'll need to connect, and how fast you want your access to be.

As with any shipboard internet, connectivity depends quite a bit on geographical location: don't expect blazingly-fast Wi-Fi (or much of any at all) if you're surrounded by mountains in Glacier Bay National Park.

Cruisers will never go hungry aboard Discovery Princess, thanks to the ship's multitude of complimentary and additional-cost dining venues. The ship offers three main dining rooms, plenty of cool snacks in the International Café, and the usual poolside eats. The World Fresh Marketplace -- the ship's main buffet and casual eatery -- is better than most, with a great selection of cuisines for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And while there are additional cost options aboard Discovery Princess, their prices will hardly break the bank and emerge as some of the best specialty restaurant values we've seen in recent years.

A bonus for room service lovers: it's completely free of charge onboard Discovery Princess, and food can even be ordered as part of the OceanNow component of your Medallion app to any location on the ship (fair warning, though -- this only worked about half of the time on our sailing).

Free Restaurants on Discovery Princess

The Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan Main Dining Rooms: Located on Decks 6 and 5, this trio of restaurants serve as the main dining rooms aboard Discovery Princess. Skagway and Juneau offer anytime dining, while the stern-mounted Ketchikan Dining Room on Deck 6 serves dinner in two traditional sittings: early and late. At least one dining room is open in port for breakfast, and sit-down lunch is offered on sea days. Menus are the same throughout each restaurant and décor is similar between the three, though the aft-facing Ketchikan Dining Room is a touch more upscale. Menus change daily, and an "Always Available" selection of favorites like chicken, salmon and steak graces the left-hand side of the menu.

During the Alaska season, the Wild for Alaska Seafood menu means its possible for guests to order Alaska seafood dishes every night in the main dining rooms. Fish served include multiple varieties of Alaska salmon -- King (Chinook), Sockeye and Coho -- wild Alaska cod caught by hook and line, halibut, rockfish, Dungeness crabs, wild spot prawns and razor clams.

Gigi's Pizzeria: Past Princess passengers will remember this as Alfredo's, which was long the name of Princess Cruises' complimentary pizzeria. Rebranded as Gigi's, it serves up the same fresh pizza and calzone dishes in its great Deck 7 location, adjacent to floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows. Gigi's is open from 11:30 p.m. until 10:00 p.m., and usually has a pretty substantial wait as the clock strikes Noon -- so plan your visit earlier or later for best results.

The International Café: This underrated venue on Deck 5 is most commonly thought of as a coffee bar, but while the caffeine may incur a surcharge, the Café's selection of sandwiches, pastries and desserts does not. Mornings are characterized by fruit and yogurt cups, breakfast sandwiches and croissants, and one of the best breakfast burritos we've eaten -- in bite-size. Lunches offer sandwiches and soups, and afternoons see desserts, cookies and sweets trotted out.

World Fresh Marketplace: Discovery Princess' casual buffet eatery, the World Fresh Marketplace is separated into several sections so as to disperse passengers better. It rarely feels overly crowded, and there's always something for everyone, with numerous cuisines represented. The ship's breakfast congee (an Asian type of rice porridge) is the best we've had on a ship in recent memory, and dishes at lunch and dinner aren't afraid to roll out the spice and seasonings in the venue's non-American culinary offerings. 

When Discovery Princess is in Alaska, During the Alaska season, Alaska seafood bowls are available in the World Fresh Marketplace daily. Look for steelhead salmon carpaccio, King salmon with razor clams and Alaskan crab cake.

Slice: If you're craving pizza and don't want to wait for one to be made at Gigi's, head up to Slice on Deck 16 where pizza is served by the slice between 11:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Swirls Ice Cream Bar: You guessed it -- this poolside eatery on Deck 16 serves up everyone's favorite frosty dessert.

Room Service: Bucking the growing trend on other lines, room service is entirely free of charge aboard Discovery Princess.

What Restaurants Cost Extra on Discovery Princess

Chef's Table Lumiere, $$$: Limited to 10 to 12 people per night, per cruise, this is the most exclusive gastronomy experience aboard Discovery Princess. Passengers enjoy a personal escort to a prime table in the dining room where Champagne and appetizers are served while the Executive Chef details the multi-course tasting menu (with wine pairings) that will be served. Dietary restrictions can be accommodated, and reservations are definitely required in advance.

Crown Grill, $$: Princess Cruises' classic steakhouse experience, Crown Grill does not disappoint onboard Discovery Princess, with classy décor adorned with Art Deco motifs, excellent cuisine and friendly service to match. While carnivorous delights are on the menu here, consider trying one of the seafood dishes -- we were blown away by the alternatives to steak here.

Sabatini's, $$: This Italian restaurant on Deck 5 forward delivers a paired-down menu from year's past, one that gives it more of a focus on great Italian cuisines as opposed to Olive Garden-esque abundance. The wine menu is solid, and libations like Peroni beer and Limoncello are, naturally, available for an additional cost.

Bistro Sur La Mer, $$: Fans of French cuisine need look no further than this beautifully-designed space on Deck 7. Classic staples are offered here, from lobster bisque and escargots to entrees that include red snapper, jumbo scallops, filet mignon and seared duck breast -- all for the low price of $29 per person. It's a great chance to be adventurous and try something new, though bleed-through noise coming from the Piazza Atrium below sometimes dampens the experience (country music wafted up to greet us as we dined on our French homestyle pate with fig and pear compote).

Ocean Terrace, $-$$: This casual sushi joint is one of the more underrated dining experiences aboard Discovery Princess. Sushi and sashimi are offered a'la carte, along with a selection of chilled sake, cocktails, and wines by the glass. Located off the ship's central Piazza Atrium, it is easy to miss. Open for lunch on sea days and dinner each evening.

Salty Dog Gastropub, $: Burgers and casual fare rule the roost here, with the Ernesto Burger (developed in partnership with award-winning chef Ernesto Uchimura) taking top billing. Other worthy menu items include the poutine (it won't win awards in Quebec but is one of the better versions south of the border), fried chicken sandwich and wild mushroom saute. The disappointment? The beer menu is weak and unimaginative -- Budweiser, Heineken and Sierra Nevada do not a gastropub make.

Gelato, $: Tasty-smooth Gelato is offered at this cool little eatery just off the main piazza atrium on Deck 5.

Cruise Critic Restaurant Picks on Discovery Princess

If there's one place that every cruiser should try aboard Discovery Princess, it is the Crown Grill steakhouse. Sure, it's a steakhouse -- but it's a good, solid one at that, and one that's a favorite with past Princess passengers -- especially on formal night. Book this one well in advance; it tends to be unavailable once onboard unless you're willing to dine at 9 p.m. (and we were!).

Dietary Restrictions on Discovery Princess

Allergies and dietary restrictions are taken seriously and are catered to with ease aboard Discovery Princess, both in the ship's complimentary dining venues and in the ship's extra-fee specialty restaurants.

That's not to say that all restaurants are well-suited to every person; someone with a gluten intolerance, for example, might want to avoid the admittedly gluten-heavy Sabatini's.

Onboard, our nut allergy was treated seriously, and all dishes came out last, following everyone else's meal, to ensure no cross-contamination took place. It's a little detail that we found reassuring, particularly when other tablemates ordered the same dish.

In the main dining room, those with special dietary restrictions are encouraged to pre-order meals for the following day's lunch and dinner with the Maitre 'd. We did this and found it to be a great success.

As with anything, those with allergies should still take proper precautions as they would on land, including having any relevant medications or EpiPens on hand, just in case.