The fancy new cruise ship everyone's talking about right now

The latest Princess ship is the cruise line's biggest - and most glamorous.

I joined the sparkling 177,882-tonne Sun Princess from Athens to Barcelona in May, a week after it was christened by its "godmother", Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham. Before I set sail on Princess's biggest ship, the first of their Sphere class, I had trouble wrapping my head around living aboard a floating home for a week with another 4300 guests - the same as the population of, say, Port Douglas or Blackheath or Bega.

How did it feel? Not crowded at all. There were so many spaces to make my own, including some hidey-holes I didn't discover until the end. Design-wise, all the glass - including an impressive transparent dome in the middle of the ship - provided a bright, light, spacious vibe. With so many thoughtful additions and mod-cons, this is a ship set to be loved by travellers. There were 56 different nationalities onboard, with 10 per cent of the guests Australian - usually the second biggest group after Americans. It's also a ship built for that big cruising trend: intergenerational travel. There are kids' clubs and play areas, grown-up drinking spots and a massive range of restaurants to suit dining together in a big group or intimately and away from it all.

Non-stop fun is a cruise ship cliche but guests really are spoiled for choice. The Level 7 Piazza is at the centre of it all and on a ship where one is easily lost, it's an excellent meeting point. Over the week, I saw a 70s dance party, a silent disco and a very popular Zumba workout session here. At Princess Live, there's bingo, comedy, trivia and music; Princess Arena fits 990 guests and the casino is the largest on any ship. But my favourite entertainment was the 'first at sea' magic-show-meets-dining experience, Spellbound by Magic Castle. Dinner in the Horizons private dining room was followed by fancy craft cocktails in the secret Spellbound Bar (enter via a hidden bookcase) and tricky magic performances. The 30 guests then had the entire bar - a great space, with velvet seats and an invisible piano-playing ghost. It was fun and exclusive, with a $149 price tag and early bookings required.

There's a wonderful Ship-Within-a-Ship Concept, the adults-only resort-esque Sanctuary, with private pool, cabanas and lounges for passengers of suite level or those happy to pay $40 for the day (or $20 for half). When we visited, the dozen or so poolside deck chairs were full but there were plenty of day beds and lounges. There's a healthy menu and diligent bar service - or order delivery to you from any eatery on the ship.

Elsewhere in self care: a large gym with spin, pilates and yoga classes, two Lotus spas, a thermal suite, a hairdresser - as well as five swimming pools and nine spas. On top, there's a new kid-friendly play area with rope and obstacle courses and a roomy running track. Photographing a glorious sunrise one morning, it was almost deserted. Where were all the people?! Definitely a must-do.

There are 2162 rooms over seven categories, from Sky suites (117 square metres and a private concierge) to interior staterooms (about 13 square metres). Suites have access to a private Signature restaurant, lounge and sun deck. My room, cabin 12426, was a 30 square metre Cabana Mini Suite and new design - bedroom first, then separate intimate loungeroom with second TV, then the roomy balcony with chairs and an ottoman. It worked well to give two guests their own private spaces but did block the view from bed to outside. There are 20 passenger decks, 10 with cabins, and 'intelligent lifts' that use AI to get you fastest to your floor.

We tour the kitchen - the 18 storerooms can hold 500 tonnes of food - and meet the many chefs cheerfully preparing salads, meats, desserts. Giant ovens slow roast potatoes and high roast apples and bread. Pasta, croissants, macarons, ice cream and even gelato officially certified by the Italian government are all made onboard from scratch.

Princess has invested heavily in its foodie game and it shows. There are a mind-blowing 30 food spots onboard, including seven specialty diners. Often, you feel like you're in a fancy restaurant, not on a cruise ship.

Our favourites: the Irish pub O'Malleys, with excellent buffalo wings, onion rings, service and live music; Good Spirits at Sea, enclosed and tucked away, featuring cocktail making courses and a partnership with celebrity "liquid chef" Rob Floyd.

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Dining at Umai Teppanyaki is entertaining and delicious - think singing chefs throwing eggs and madly chopping egg into rice, but in very sophisticated surroundings. Sabatinis (book early) has the dish of the week - lobster tortellini. And Butchers Block has meat cuts cooked to perfection, with (again) charming and lively staff and some unique elements not often found in cruise life, such as Chianti butter and olive oil cake by celebrity chef Dario Cecchini. Horizons is over three levels and perfect for a long, lingering (western or Asian) breakfast. But breakfast delivered to and set up on our balcony was a real highlight.

For this special new ship, they developed 200 cocktails for the 34 bars, often utilising fresh herbs, juices and teas. Wake View Bar has a rum punch interpretation served in a crystal blowfish, Wheelhouse Bar offers Ship in a Bottle - rye whisky, port wine and Earl Grey tea and the ship materialises when you finish.They've also launched beautiful glass and dinnerware for each venue. There are unique wine lists for every restaurant with premium and included options showing real thought, plus wine masterclasses if you're keen to learn more.

Service is casual but caring. The clever clip-on medallions allow room access and payment but, with 7500 sensors around the ship, also help staff determine our preferences for cocktail or coffee orders and address us by name as we stroll past. It's a little creepy at first but by the end - awesome.

The friendly service goes all the way to the top. Captain Paolo, a former Italian coast guard and third generation Princess-er (his grandfather and father were both the chefs) was also the captain on the Aussie Love Boat reality series and can be seen working the dining rooms greeting happy guests.

There are two package types onboard all Princess Cruises: Premiere ($95pp/day) and Plus ($65pp/day). We had the Premiere, which includes Wifi for four devices, premier drinks package, two specialty dining experiences, reserved theatre seating, unlimited casual dining, room service, hot and soft drinks, premium desserts, fitness classes and photo package.

Our itinerary travelled four countries - Greece, Italy, Montenegro and Spain - in a week, with dozens of excellent port excursion choices and two full sea days. The Sun Princess is sailing many Mediterranean and Caribbean itineraries in 2024, 2025 and 2026. From $697pp, see princess.com/sun-princess.

The writer was a guest of Princess Cruises.