Star Princess Wins Women's Health Travel Award for Best Cruise for a Mind-Body Escape

Princess Cruises Picks up a Well-Deserved Nod

Star Princess has been named a 2026 Women's Health Travel Award winner in the "Best Cruises for a Mind-Body Escape" category. The award is handed out by the editors of Women's Health magazine following firsthand reporting and on-site evaluation, so this is not a nomination or a reader vote.

The editors cited the ship's fitness programming, spa offerings, dining options, and the design of the spaces themselves as reasons for the win. Star Princess was built with movement and mindfulness woven into the layout; wellness is part of the architecture.

The Ship Itself

Star Princess debuted in October 2025 on an inaugural Mediterranean season out of Barcelona. At 177,800 gross tons and 1,133 feet long, it is the second ship in the Sphere class, after Sun Princess, which launched in early 2024. The sister ships share similar spaces such as the Sanctuary Collection, The Dome, The Piazza, and the expanded dining lineup that now stretches to 30 venues.

The ship carries around 4,300 guests at double occupancy, with a crew of 1,600 and over 2,100 staterooms across 32 categories. More than 1,500 of those are balcony staterooms, a detail the Women's Health editors specifically called out as part of the wellness experience. Balcony therapy, anyone?

The Sanctuary Collection: the Heart of the Wellness Experience

Central to the award recognition is the Sanctuary Collection, which is Princess' premium tier of accommodations and the key to some of the best spaces on the ship. I toured the Sanctuary areas on Sun Princess, Star Princess' sister ship. You can watch the full tour in the video below.

A tour of the Sanctuary Collection on Sun Princess, Star Princess' sister ship, including the Sanctuary mini-suite and the Sanctuary Club outdoor area.

The Sanctuary Club occupies decks 15 and 16 at the aft of the ship, with massive floor-to-ceiling windows and sweeping ocean views whether you are inside at the grand piano level or out at the private pool. The outdoor area is large enough that overcrowding is genuinely not a concern. The cushioned loungers, hot tub, and cabanas are a nice touch to this exclusive area of the ship.

One thing worth knowing: the Sanctuary Club on the Sphere-class ships is exclusively for guests booked in Sanctuary Collection cabins. There are no day passes. This is a departure from how the Sanctuary worked on older Princess ships, where you could book access by the morning or afternoon. On Star Princess and Sun Princess, if you want the private pool and the cabanas, you need to book one of the Sanctuary Collection categories from the start.

The good news is that the Sanctuary Collection is available at multiple price points. You do not have to go straight to a suite to gain access; you can enter the collection at the balcony level, which is exactly what makes it more accessible than a traditional ship-within-a-ship concept. The Sky, Grand, and Vista Suites are obviously the top of the range, but a Sanctuary balcony cabin grants full access to the club and all its exclusive spaces.

What the Wellness Experience Actually Looks Like

Beyond the Sanctuary Collection, the broader wellness picture on Star Princess is strong. The Lotus Spa is a two-story facility offering massages, BIOTEC facials, acupuncture, and a thermal suite (available as a day pass for around $49 for those outside the Sanctuary Collection). There are fitness classes available throughout the voyage, as well as nourishing dining options woven throughout the 30-venue restaurant lineup.

The Dome deserves a mention here too. By day it is an adults-only relaxation space with a geodesic glass structure offering panoramic views. By night it transforms into an entertainment venue with aerial performances and themed events, though during the day it is one of the more serene spots on the ship.

On my recent sailing on Sun Princess, I attended a morning stretch class held in The Dome and found it to be a wonderful venue for the activity — far nicer than a stretch class in the fitness centre. With that being said, there were many guests already enjoying their morning lounge, and so it felt a little weird, like maybe the stretchers were encroaching on their quiet time. On the other hand, perhaps that is to be expected when a venue serves multiple purposes.

The Piazza, the architectural centrepiece of the ship, brings a different kind of energy: floor-to-ceiling windows, dramatic curves, sweeping ocean vistas, and a social atmosphere that makes it feel like the heart of the whole experience. Throughout the ship, the balcony stateroom count ensures that most guests have their own private outdoor space to decompress, whatever the hour.

Where Star Princess Is Headed

After its debut Mediterranean season and a Caribbean winter, Star Princess is transiting the Panama Canal in spring 2026 and heading to Seattle for a summer season of 7-day Alaska Inside Passage sailings. Alaska is one of the most breathtaking destinations in the world from a wellness perspective: glaciers, fjords, wildlife, and days at sea surrounded by some of the cleanest air and most dramatic scenery on the planet. If you are looking for a mind-body reset, why not consider an Alaska cruise on Star Princess? A friend of mine is sailing on Star Princess to Alaska and I have to say, what a great ship to choose for that voyage.

Following the Alaska season, Star Princess returns to Fort Lauderdale for a second season of Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings later in the year.