Inside the Speakeasy Bar on Princess Cruises’ Star Princess
Spellbound on Star Princess dazzles with tableside sleight of hand, fantastical cocktails, and an intimate theatrical act.
Inside Spellbound, the speakeasy bar on board the new Princess Cruises Star Princess. Photo credit Princess Cruises
While the speakeasy revival started two decades ago, cruise lines have only recently gotten the memo that passengers crave these exclusive hideaways as much as midnight chocolate buffets and gravity-defying waterslides.
In the past two years, I’ve sipped cocktails at a speakeasy on the MSC World Europa, accessible via a retro red phone kiosk and a stroll through the crew’s quarters, and at IYKYK on the Celebrity Edge, whose entrance I mistook for a photo booth. (The latter was so secretive that they wouldn’t allow photos or provide any details after my experience, derailing any story ideas.)
But as I learned on a recent sailing to Alaska on the new Star Princess, staff were far less tight-lipped about their onboard speakeasy. The latest vessel in the Princess Cruises fleet launched last year as the second in the Sphere Class and the sister ship to the Sun Princess. Its dazzling amenities include The Dome, a glass-enclosed pool and entertainment area reminiscent of the stark blue and white architecture in Santorini, and Love by Britto, a restaurant with design and dishes inspired by Brazilian pop artist Romero Britto.
Spellbound by Magic Castle
At Spellbound by Magic Castle. Photo credit Princess Cruises
And then there’s Spellbound by Magic Castle, an intimate, reservation-only bar created in partnership with Magic Castle, the Hollywood mansion known for its members-only magic shows. Spellbound combines elevated mixology with parlor tricks and a bar that pays homage to the magician Cardini. Originally introduced on the Sun Princess, Spellbound returns on the Star Princess with an expanded footprint, new themed spaces, and more immersive entertainment.
“The vision was to go beyond a traditional cruise cocktail bar by bringing together live magic, theatrical surroundings, and carefully crafted cocktails in one exclusive, interactive experience,” says Sarah Hancock, Director of Beverage Options and Development at Princess.
How to Book Spellbound Reservations
While similar spaces on other ships may require an invitation from a staff member or fellow cruiser, Spellbound is bookable by any passenger in person or via the Princess app. The experience costs $45 plus an 18% service charge, which includes admission, two cocktails, and a half-hour magic show. Though it’s geared toward adults, tweens and teens are welcome, too, and zero-proof cocktails appeal to non-imbibers of all ages. After your scheduled experience ends, you can return to the bar any time that day and purchase additional drinks, which aren’t included in a beverage package.
How to Get Into Spellbound
At Spellbound. Photo credit Kelly Magyarics
I made a reservation for Spellbound on the ship’s formal night so that my attire would better match the bar’s Old Hollywood glamour. I showed up at the host stand on Deck 8 of The Piazza shortly before my reservation time. The only indication that I was in the right place was a matte black door blocked by a red velvet rope and adorned with a gold “S” plaque in an elegant, sculpted, Art Deco-inspired serif.
The Bar
The front parlor. Photo credit Kelly Magyarics
Soon we were ushered into a small foyer with the kind of ticket booth that you’d find in a posh old theater, where an apparition dressed as an usher hinted at what we were about to step into. A replica of the Hollywood Walk of Fame star shared by Milt and Bill Larsen honors the brothers who founded Los Angeles’ Magic Castle, home of the Academy of Magical Arts, whose alumni include David Copperfield and Harry Blackstone.
The main room and Cardini-inspired bar at Spellbound. Photo credit Kelly Magyarics
Once we were escorted into the bar itself, there was a lot to take in. A parlor in the front housed a player piano and a gramophone, while the main room was outfitted with crushed red velvet banquettes and low tables, all overlooking the Cardini Bar’s backlit shelves and a handful of stools. Gilded frames displayed vaudeville posters, portraits of illusionists, and black-and-white boudoir and pin-up shots. Some of the photographs came to life as they do in the Harry Potter series, including one of The Green Fairy, whose touted “saucy, spirits, sensational” personality was only amplified after she took a shot of absinthe.
The author sipping a cocktail at Spellbound. Photo courtesy Kelly Magyarics
I could have spent more time perusing the decor, but since seating is first come, first served, I quickly snagged a cozy spot along the wall, with a candle-topped marble table and sumptuous blue lounge chairs surrounded by red velvet curtains. Hanging shadowboxes held 19th-century costumes, and glamorous images of female performers from the era dotted the wall.
The Drinks Menu
A bartender wearing a top hat lifts a glass cloche filled with smoke. Photo credit Princess Cruises
Before I opened my leather-bound menu, a staff member approached my table and performed a coin trick that was probably simple but nonetheless impressive. I turned my attention to the drinks, which are divided into two categories: Signature Collection, included with admission, and Theatrical Experiences, available for an additional charge.
“The cocktail program was developed as a natural extension of Spellbound, blending magic with culinary creativity and mixology,” Hancock says, “so the cocktails feel part of the story rather than something served alongside it.”
The Swan Walker cocktail. Photo credit Princess Cruises
The Inner Circle cocktail. Photo credit Kelly Magyarics
At first glance, cocktails mostly read on the sweeter side, an observation confirmed by my server. I asked for a photographable, not-too-sugary suggestion, and my server steered me toward the Inner Circle, another clarified cocktail made with MEII vodka, Cointreau, lemon juice, and orange bitters. A jasmine honey syrup gave it a silky, viscous texture, but the overall effect still leaned a bit too sweet for my palate. Its presentation, a rocks glass over a single large cube atop a cobalt-blue illuminated coaster, also felt somewhat understated compared to the more theatrical drinks at neighboring tables that were drawing audible oohs and aahs.
The entrance to the theater for the magic show. Photo credit Kelly Magyarics
The White Glove, a Gin Sour riff, fared better, with citrus balancing out the sweetness and The King’s Ginger liqueur adding a kick. Overall, the cocktails prioritized spectacle over nuance, but in a venue built around illusion and entertainment, that seemed to be exactly the point. And as Hancock pointed out, creating labor-intensive cocktails at a high-volume bar at sea is no small feat.
The Show
After about 45 minutes, we were all led with our drinks to a small theater in the back room, where a Magic Castle-trained performer put on a half-hour show. It was the only area where taking photos was off-limits. If I’m being honest, it was more ho-hum than hocus pocus, and the most underwhelming part of the whole experience. Looking back, I would have bowed out of it and lingered longer at my table, where the moody lighting, detailed decor, and air of mystery wound up stealing the show.