You can still believe in magic on the new Star Princess cruise
At Spellbound, a magic-themed speakeasy on the new Star Princess, a server in a top hat placed a mysterious, octagon-shaped box in front of me. It was a miniature replica of the Magic Castle in Hollywood, the iconic private club for magic enthusiasts that was the inspiration for this one-of-a-kind experience at sea.
“Say, ‘Open sesame,’” the server instructed.
I did, and he lifted the lid.
Ta-da!
Fragrant smoke swirled around an illuminated, whiskey-based cocktail served in a cut-crystal highball glass. It was such a production, I wondered if a rabbit might jump out of it.
Appropriately called the Opening Act, the dramatically presented libation was my introduction to this “secret” space that evokes the golden age of magic in the 1920s.
The 4,300-passenger Star Princess is the second sphere-class vessel in the Princess fleet and offers several Caribbean itineraries that sail round-trip from Fort Lauderdale. It has more than 30 restaurants and bars, but this was my happy place — magical in every sense of the word.
Spellbound debuted on the inaugural sphere-class ship, the Sun Princess, in 2024 as a Victorian-themed venue, but it was redesigned as a speakeasy for the Star Princess. Dozens of posters and historical photos featuring Vaudeville performers set the scene. A roving magician performs card tricks, and a creepy dummy with moving eyes keeps tabs on the party.
My friends and I discovered our cocktails came with a coin for Zoltar, an animatronic fortune-telling genie like the one featured in the 1988 Tom Hanks film, “Big.”
I put in my coin and waited for words of wisdom.
“It’s better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt,” he said. (Hey!)
When I wasn’t snorkeling in the emerald waters of Turks and Caicos or learning to dance the merengue on a shore excursion to Puerto Plata, I was soaking up the high energy vibe onboard. The three-deck sphere (hence, the name sphere class) at the heart of the ship is a lively social hub. During the day, it’s used for dance and exercise classes; at night, it transforms into an entertainment venue.
When you’ve maxed out on fun for the day, there are plenty of places to relax — something grandparents on multigenerational trips might appreciate. No matter how much you love the grandkids, you will eventually crave solitude.
You’ll find it in a Sanctuary Collection stateroom or suite — part of a luxury, adults-only retreat. Guests have exclusive access to the top-deck Sanctuary Club, which features a freshwater pool surrounded by comfy lounge chairs and private cabanas. Best of all, there are no mind-numbing games of Marco Polo.
But all good things must come to an end. Or do they? The cruise concludes in Fort Lauderdale, but the fun doesn’t have to. This South Florida city once known for spring break mayhem is all grown up, so book a post-cruise stay.
MAI-KAI Restaurant and Polynesian Show
This tropical time capsule is home to the longest-running Polynesian-themed show in the country — a luau-style revue that kicked off a few years after the restaurant opened in 1956.
Grass skirts fly as women perform the wicked-fast Tahitian Otea dance, and the audience holds its breath during the Samoan fire knife performance. Guests share pupu platters and drink rum cocktails beneath the glow of colored lamps.
Craft Food Tours
After a week of cruise cuisine, you’ll be ready for some local comfort food from Craft Food Tours. A walking tour of Las Olas Boulevard, a thriving dining and entertainment hub, is an introduction to the Fort Lauderdale culinary scene and those who shaped it.
This three-hour gastronomic adventure starts at Wild Sea Las Olas, a restaurant inside the Riverside Hotel. As guests tuck in to homemade waffles topped with plump berries, the general manager talks about the history of the city’s oldest, continuously operating hotel — a landmark on the New River since 1936.
As tour-goers stroll between restaurants, they learn fun facts about this coastal city. Did you know Fort Lauderdale is the “Yachting Capital of the World?” With 300 miles of navigable waterways and top-notch marine infrastructure, it’s no wonder the area is home to 50,000 locally registered yachts and boats.
The 1-mile walking tour includes five restaurants. Walking is limited to around five minutes between stops.
Everglades Swamp Tours
Discover the wild side of South Florida with an airboat ride through the Everglades & Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area, a biodiversity hot spot. Zipping across a “river of grass” with an expert guide immerses nature lovers into an ecosystem that supports more than 2,000 species of flora and fauna.
It’s a birdwatcher’s paradise. Flamingo-colored roseate spoonbills scoop up wiggling fish in their flat beaks, and osprey observe you from their massive nest while you observe them.
But the gators are the real stars. When the boat leaves the shallow saw grass marshes for a 90-foot-deep natural sinkhole called Gator Lake, get your camera ready. You might spot hatchlings with bright yellow stripes.