Donald BucoloWe have sailed on several of Princess Cruises megaships. So, of course, we had to be among the first to check out the newest ship in the fleet, Sun Princess. This new Sphere-class ship boasts several new restaurants and amenities for Princess Cruises. Perhaps our favorite is the immersive Spellbound. Before you splurge on this high-priced ticket, we cover all the details of Spellbound on Sun Princess to ensure it is worth it for you.
Everything You Need to Know About Spellbound on Sun Princess
What’s in Store for Guests at Spellbound on Sun Princess?
When we stepped past the ominous black door on deck 8, we were unsure what the Spellbound by Magic Castle experience would entail. But once inside, the intricate theming and attention to detail overwhelmed us. From the impressive bar and signature cocktails, to interactive art, to the up-close magic, this venue is one of the most immersive spaces at sea!
It is tough to explain everything that Spellbound includes without giving away too much. After all, we don’t want to spoil all the fun for you!
In brief, Spellbound by Magic Castle is a unique collaboration between Princess Cruises and the official Magic Castle in LA. On Sun Princess, Spellbound combines everything you love about cruising, including food, cocktails, and entertainment, across several spaces for an engaging evening of mystery.
The experience is crafted with an illusive backstory that connects guests to the original private club on land.
Once beyond the non-descript door, interactive magical experiences are around every corner. From the spirit of Isabella taking requests at the piano in the Music Room, to smoking cocktails at the Parlor Bar, we were not sure where to look first! The 19th century Victorian décor and vintage artifacts give the space an authentic yet eerie vibe.
Perhaps one of the best parts of this experiece is the ability to wander and discover on your own over the course of the evening. So, we suggest trying to see what hidden treasures you can uncover prior to being summonsed for your magic show.
Three Distinct Experiences
While everyone’s evening at Spellbound will be unique, there are three distinct experiences to enjoy.
First, there is the multi-course dinner that takes place in a reserved, themed section of the main dining room. This meal sets the tone with uniquely themed dishes that prepare cruisers for the spectacles they will witness later. From items like vanishing shrimp cocktail to bewitched bunny banana cream pie, the menu will take you on a culinary journey.
Unfortunately, this dinner portion was not up and running yet during our sailing; so, we can’t comment on the actual quality of the meal.
Following dinner, cruisers are escorted to the entrance of Spellbound. Here, a doorman provides everyone with some history before transporting guests into the Music Room. Once inside, guests interact with ghosts, sip signature cocktails, and enjoy sleight-of-hand magic at the Parlor Bar.
We had ample time to examine the artifacts and grab some drinks before being called into the main event.
All of the cocktails on the Spellbound bar menu are complimentary, regardless of whether you have a drink package or not. The cocktail menu boasts a dozen cocktails and even a shared martini experience for two. You can also request non-alcoholic versions of many of the drinks.
Thus, we made sure to sample several of the libations, such as the Escape from Houdini’s Chest, the Artemis, and Smoke and Mirrors, to name a few. While Sun Princess does boast a variety of bars throughout the ship, the cocktails at Spellbound were among our favorites.
We were summoned for our exclusive magic show about 45 minutes after entering. Tucked away behind the bar is a cozy theater just large enough to fit the 30 of us who were eager to see the next act. Here, all guests settle in for a more proper 30-minute magic show featuring the resident magician from Magic Castle. The show includes plenty of guest participation and several surprises.
Once the show is over, guests can return to the Music Room and/or Parlor Bar for a nightcap. Or, those wishing to leave are conveniently escorted out a discreet door into the heart of the casino.
How Much Does Spellbound Cost?
All of this magic and mystery does come with a hefty price tag. Currently, Spellbound is $149 per person. Though, this does include the dinner, magic show, and all drinks at the bar.
While it is expensive, we found this experience to be the best-themed activity we have ever experienced on a cruise. Spellbound rivals anything you might find in a Disney theme park.
Many cruise lines are launching similar reserved experiences on their megaships. But compared to the offerings on Royal Caribbean or Norwegian Cruise Line, Spellbound on Sun Princess offers a dynamic and unique evening unlike anything else at sea.
When Does Spellbound Occur During the Cruise?
While the schedule might vary based on itinerary, Princess Cruises currently offers Spellbound on every night of the cruise. There are three set times, with dinner starting at either 5 PM, 6:30 PM, or 8 PM.
We suggest booking one of the earlier slots. That way you have more time to enjoy the cocktails and all of the interactive elements, as guests can spend additional time in the venue after the magic set.
However, the venue does close at midnight.
How Long Does the Show Last?
With dinner, drinks, and the 30-minute magic show, the entire experience is at least 2.5 to 3 hours. This offers enough time to sample some libations along with perusing the Music Room. But, those with earlier reservation times could easily spend well over 3 hours at the venue if they desired.
After our show, we did find ourselves back at the bar for one more round of drinks and to discuss with friends everything we had just witnessed.
Given the price tag and all the intracacies to discover, we suggest guests savor every minute. We wouldn’t suggest skipping out early on any part of this full evening of entertainment.
How Many People Can Watch the Show?
Given the venue’s size and the event’s personal nature, spaces are limited.
Each showtime has a maximum capacity of 30 guests. Limiting the number of guests at each show ensures everyone can enjoy the comfortable surroundings without feeling rushed or cramped.
Thus, no more than 90 guests will be able to waltz through the black door into Spellbound each night.
Currently, Spellbound is open to guests 13+ years of age. However, the price is the same even for those not consuming alcoholic beverages.
Booking Spellbound for Your Cruise
Guests booked on Sun Princess can make reservations for Spellbound pre-cruise in the Princess Cruises app. Or, if space is still available, guests can reserve the dinner and show once onboard the ship.
Who Will Enjoy Spellbound on Sun Princess?
Both Heidi and I had a fantastic time during our mystifying Spellbound experience. While we were not able to sample the dinner, we did enjoy the atmosphere, signature cocktails, and all the magic.
Every nook offers something new to discover with unique artifacts and vintage curiosities, some of which even come to life before your eyes. With plenty of seating, friendly bar servers, and lots to explore, it’s certainly a fun evening of magic and mystery.
Guests who can let their guard down and succumb to illusions and trickery will have a fabulous time at Spellbound. It’s truly a unique mix of culinary, mixology, and magic that you won’t find anywhere else. Further, the featured magicians change frequently; thus, no two visits to Spellbound are ever exactly the same.
We would certainly return to Spellbound on Sun Princes to see what other secrets we can unlock and cocktails we can sample.
Comments
Have you experienced Spellbound on Sun Princess? Do you have any questions about this new ship or its onboard experiences? Drop us an anchor below with your latest Princess cruise reviews!
1 comment
Heidi Stewart
We sailed for the first time on a Princess cruise ship (having 11 Disney Cruises under our belts) aboard the Sun Princess and booked Spellbound as soon as we could pre-cruise. We love Disney and magic. Once on board, we found that Spellbound brings to mind thoughts of The Haunted Mansion and The Tower of Terror with all of the fascinating artifacts. Despite our love of magic, we did not realize how Spellbound would work. I thought perhaps while dining you would watch a magic show, but it was much, much more than that! From Boban’s haunting introduction in the exclusive dining room to the program and the fantastic multi-course dinner (for me, a steak I will never forget), artistically presented and delivered in unique bowls and platters (and they catered without a blink to our needs for GF and DF items) to the caution of “I hope you will be ok!” given to me from one of the waitresses as Tim was escorting us out to a hidden door on the ship, we were fully engaged. Tim brought us to the library which, when the entry door closed, apparently provided no way out, much like the initial room of The Haunted Mansion, we were enchanted. Here, the history of Magic Castle is detailed with the story of the Larsen family. Then Artemis the Owl appears to select who should cause the wall to move so that entry can be had into the music room by saying “Open Sesame!” Entering the music room we met Isabella the ghost who plays any tune that you request. We then strolled to the bar where drinks better described as potions are provided while, in our instance, magnificent slight of hand was performed by an Italian magician from Spain, Giancarlo Scalia. Scalia’s card tricks mesmerized my husband and our two teenage grandsons. Scalia’s brother was beside me at the bar as he told me he is still fascinated by what his brother can do and that he does not do magic himself. It was quite special that Scalia included my grandsons in his slight of hand work right in front of our eyes. After 30 minutes or so, we were escorted into the theater to see the magic of Spanish magician Victor Pina. His performance was equally engaging and we loved his sense of humor. In one case, he gave my older grandson a Rubik’s Cube to twist and turn however he wanted for at least a minute. When my grandson returned the cube to Pina, he set it on a table on the stage and went on to some other magic. Eventually, he called a man up on the stage from the audience, gave him a Rubik’s cube and asked him to twist and turn it to his hearts content. When the twisting and turning was done, Pina took the cube and held it up beside my grandson’s cube only to find that the patterns on the two cubes matched exactly. He also had us all come down to the stage where he performed fascinating slight of hand with rings, involving my other grandson. We watched carefully, inches from him and the rings and amazingly saw the top ring somehow pass through the bottom ring so both were then joined. He also did tricks engaging the audience in using their phone calculators, as well as too many for me to recall. You are kindly requested not to video the magicians out of respect for their skills. The whole evening was so good that we actually looked to see if we could book it again sometime on our 2 week cruise (we went on our second night), but it was sold out. Only 30 people can attend per presentation and while they tried to be able to run 3 groups of 30 through each night, we were told that it really only worked with 2 groups of thirty. They do not offer Spellbound on days of embarking or disembarking, so no shows are available when the Sun Princess on it’s current Mediterranean journey is in port at Barcelona, Civitavecchia or Athens. In sum, it was the highlight of our onboard activities. If you are sailing on the Sun Princess, book Spellbound early so you do not miss it!