When I was a kid, I had a friend whose family always made me feel at home. I don't think they ever uttered the words "make yourself at home," but they lived them, welcoming me to their table and spacious, but cozy house.

That's what it felt like sailing on the inaugural voyage of Princess Cruises' newest ship.

USA TODAY was invited to be among the first guests on board the Star Princess, a twin to the Sun Princess which debuted in 2024. I tried to see and do as much as I could on the new Sphere-class ship, but what stuck with me was how I felt.

Here's what stood out on the Star Princess.

Everywhere I went, any time of day, I was greeted with the warmth of an old friend, whether by my cabin steward Edjie or the myriad crew keeping the 177,800-ton vessel humming.

"There are 1,578 of us out there, coming from 50 different countries, ready to serve you," Star Princess Captain Gennaro Arma told passengers gathered around the ship's Piazza, or central hub, during a Captain's Night ceremony with senior officers.

During dinner at The Eatery buffet the next night, I watched a guest walk up to the pasta station and chat up the attendant, whom I recognized from the ceremony as the ship's Executive Chef Davide Menabo. The guest didn't seem to know who Menabo was or what to order, but the chef eagerly chatted back, saying he'd come up with just the thing. I didn't stick around to see what he whipped up, but I heard the guest remark something like, "Wow, you've done this before" as I returned to my table.

An executive chef of any restaurant is a big deal, even moreso for a whole ship, but Menabo took the time to really listen and make the guest feel cared for, like family.

"If you go around, you will see so many of us wearing this pin, with this color," Captain Arma told me on a tour of the ship's state-of-the-art bridge. He pointed to a navy blue Princess pin on his jacket. "This is for teammates who've been with company for more than 25 years ... Princess is really a big family for us."

Arma has been with Princess for 28 years and calls the Star Princess "my baby," having helped oversee its construction for over two years.

The whole crew takes pride in showing off the ship. It's a beauty with walls of windows that balloon out from both sides of its Piazza to form the class's namesake Sphere. Floor-to-ceiling windows also line numerous public spaces, including a two-story glass-enclosed Dome that serves as both a solarium and mixed-use performance space with a stage and indoor/outdoor pool.

Richard Parker, director of Guest Experience and Product Development for Princess, said they wanted the ship to look outwards instead of inwards, with maximum sightlines for its 4,300 guests. "When we designed the ship, I always felt it was really about the views and the light and the daylight, but as soon as we were sailing on the ship, we all went 'This will be amazing in Alaska,'" he said, adding that the ship was designed to be able to go anywhere.

Next summer, the Star Princess will be the first Sphere-class ship to sail Alaska, where half of Princess's fleet spends its summers. Having sailed Alaska myself last year, I thought of the incredible views and wildlife viewing opportunities awaiting this ship, from its climate-controlled indoors.

The ship in general is both comfortable and classy with elegant restaurants like Love by Britto, a guest favorite that debuted on the Sun Princess and was expanded for the Star Princess, and relaxed lounges like Good Spirits at Sea, which hosts free cocktail-making demonstrations and serves tasty drinks.

When the journey is the destination: Cruising Alaska

While the Star Princess and Sun Princess are twins, they aren't identical.

On the Star Princess, the Spellbound by Magic Castle speakeasy has Prohibition and Vaudeville era theming, unlike the Sun Princess version whose ambiance mirrors the Victorian style of the exclusive Magic Castle clubhouse and magical arts academy in Los Angeles.

"We really wanted to create a different space so that the storytelling was different," Spellbound Creative Director Kerry Lovegrove said of the immersive, Easter-egg filled lounge, whose adjacent theater hosts magic shows. "And then when we found out that the (Magic Castle's current) owner, Randy Pitchford, his lineage was magic, back from his great uncle Cardini, that was a springboard really for us to design this space."

Entertainment in general is a big focus on the new ship, with live music and other offerings all day and night. I was wowed by a band called Asian Soul, whose powerful rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" quieted the entire Lido Deck on embarkation day.

New Candlelight Concerts bask the Dome in a soft glow at night, and two new shows, "Meridian" and "Illuminate: A Spectacle of Joy," were created for the main arena, which feels intimate despite holding up to 1,100 guests in various seating and stage arrangements, including an optional theater in the round.

Other changes include expansions of popular venues, like Love by Britto and the Irish pub O'Malley's. The outdoor SkyDeck sports court on Deck 18 has also been expanded. It can now host two full-size pickleball courts or basketball. Deck 18 also features a new splash pad for families. And for grown-ups, there's a new non-smoking casino in addition to the main casino, where smoking is allowed.

I didn't get to everything this sailing, but I didn't feel like I missed out either. Even though I mixed up forward and aft all way until debarkation day, I felt right at home.

The reporter on this story was provided access by Princess Cruises. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.

First look: See inside Princess Cruises' new Star Princess