When not hanging with the ladies of “The Real Housewives of Potomac,” hitting the runways of New York Fashion Week, or styling celebrities like Deon Cole, Washington, DC-based fashion and lifestyle influencer Barnette Holston can often be found feeding his wanderlust.
A veteran cruise traveler, Barnette recently sailed on the new Sun Princess’ inaugural U.S. cruise. The bespoke ship is Princess Cruises’ largest ship, accommodating over 4,000 guests.
GayCities caught up with Barnette after his cruise to get his insider take on everything from the ship’s best restaurants and bars to his favorite spots to unwind on the Sun Princess. Let’s see what this man-about-DC turned man-about-ocean had to say.
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What were your first impressions of Sun Princess?
It is a significant departure from its older sister ships and has a real wow factor. The overall design is very contemporary and elegant. There are also windows all throughout the ship that allow for lots of natural light and ocean views.
I especially loved the Piazza, the ship’s atrium and main gathering space. It spans three stories with floor-to-ceiling windows on both sides. From morning Zumba classes to evening dance parties, there is always something happening there. It is also surrounded by restaurants, cocktail bars, and a coffee shop, so even if you are not participating in the activities, you can have fun watching
The Sun Princess was named #1 in Mega Cruise in Condé Nast Traveler’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards. How did it feel being on such a big ship?
With 21 decks and more than 2,000 staterooms, you know you’re on a big ship. However, it never felt crowded, and interactive signs throughout helped me easily find my way around the ship.
In addition, there is such a variety of spaces available and programming taking place all the time that naturally help spread everyone out across the ship. And even if a show or restaurant was full on one day, I adjusted my plans and was able to get in on a different day.
I also was impressed with the Sun Princess’ new exclusive Sanctuary Collection. It’s like the hotel-within-a-hotel concept that has become very popular in recent years. My partner and I stayed in a Sanctuary Mini-Suite that was more than 250 square feet with a large bathroom. There was lots of closet space, which was very important for me, given that I might tend to overpack. We also had access to the private Sanctuary Restaurant, Sanctuary Lounge, and Sanctuary Sun Deck.
There are 30 dining and bar venues on the Sun Princess. What were your favorites?
My absolute favorite dining venue was Love by Britto, it’s a cool collaboration between art icon Romero Britto and Princess’ longtime culinary director Rudi Sodamin. It’s a feast for both the eyes and the palate. Britto’s signature artwork is showcased throughout the restaurant, from colorful wall murals to dinnerware custom-designed by the artist. The theme is also carried over into the delicious multi-course meal that includes many dishes with creative heart-shaped presentations.
As for my favorite bar, that would be O’Malley’s Irish Pub. It’s your quintessential fun and welcoming Irish pub that just happens to be on a cruise ship. It serves traditional pub fare, has a full bar with an outstanding selection of Irish beers, ales, and whiskeys, and features live music.
I also have to confess that I did make a point of stopping at the Gelateria. It serves handcrafted, authentic Italian gelato that is officially certified by the Italian government. I highly recommend getting the stracciatella (chocolate chip).
The cruise industry has done a lot to improve their entertainment options in recent years. What did you experience on Sun Princess?
The Dome is one of the main things that sets Sun Princess apart from any other current cruise ship. Designed by the same company that created the Las Vegas Sphere, it is a large glass geodesic dome that sits on the top of the ship. During the day, it serves as a relaxing solarium, but in the evenings, it transforms into a vibrant entertainment space.
Sun Princess has partnered with Cirque Éloize, one of the top contemporary circus companies in the world, to produce a series of original shows with stunning acrobatics performed in The Dome. I caught one of the shows during my cruise, and it was spectacular.
With so many things to do and experience on the Sun Princess, did you find time to go to the fitness center?
I most certainly did. That’s why I don’t feel guilty about having that delicious gelato. The ship’s state-of-the-art fitness center, which is free for all guests, has a good selection of exercise bikes, treadmills, resistance equipment, and free weights. Also, through a partnership with Xponential Fitness, classes, including YogaSix, StretchLab, and Pure Barre, are available for an additional fee.
Editorial note: Carnival Corporation, which includes Princess Cruise Line, received a 100 on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). This marks the seventh consecutive year it has earned a perfect score, officially designating the company as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality.
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