Princess Cruises Adds Third Solar Eclipse Voyage for 2026

Princess Cruises Adds Third Solar Eclipse Voyage for 2026

Princess Cruises has announced a third voyage in its 2026 Total Solar Eclipse series: a 14-day Mediterranean & Adriatic with Total Solar Eclipse cruise onboard the Enchanted Princess, departing from Rome.

The new Enchanted Princess sailing joins two other eclipse-focused Princess cruises onboard Sky Princess (August 8, 2026, from Southampton) and Sun Princess (7-, 14- and 21-day itineraries departing from Barcelona and Athens).

Highlights of the Enchanted Princess itinerary, sailing August 4-18, 2026, include:

• Civitavecchia (Rome)
• Naples (for Capri & Pompeii)
• Kotor, Montenegro
• Dubrovnik, Croatia
• Corfu, Greece
• Messina & Palermo, Sicily.
• Gibraltar
• Alicante, Spain
• Barcelona, Spain

 

“Adding Enchanted Princess to our 2026 solar eclipse lineup allows more guests to be part of this extraordinary moment at sea while exploring breathtaking Mediterranean and Adriatic destinations,” said Terry Thornton, Princess Cruises' Chief Commercial Officer. “With limited availability on Sky Princess and Sun Princess, we’re excited to give our guests a new opportunity to be part of this rare astronomical event aboard another of our spectacular ships.”

During the eclipse, guests will gather on the top decks with Princess eclipse viewing glasses, and enjoy lectures from astronomy experts, themed treats and drinks, stargazing at night, solar system trivia and more.

Princess said guests are encouraged to set up their own telescopes on deck and wear festive eclipse-themed apparel and accessories.

Princess Ship Completes Drydock in Rotterdam

Princess Ship Completes Drydock in Rotterdam

The Sky Princess successfully completed a routine drydock at the Damen Verolme in Rotterdam earlier this month.

According to the Dutch shipyard, the Princess Cruises vessel spent a total of 16 days in the facility undergoing regular maintenance, in addition to technical upgrades.

The scope of work included the installation of class-certified parts for a new air lubrication system and a full hull painting program, Damen said.

A total of 1,200 crew members and 700 contractors worked around the clock to complete the project, which the shipyard called a logistical challenge.

Following the successful drydock, the Sky Princess resumed service on May 5.

Spending the summer in Northern Europe, the 2019-built vessel is presently offering a series of cruises departing from Southampton, England.

The program includes itineraries to Western Europe, the Norwegian Fjords, the Mediterranean, the Baltic and more.

In May, for instance, the ship is offering a seven-night cruise to Scandinavia, in addition to a special 14-night cruise to Iceland and Norway.

Also sailing roundtrip from Southampton, the two-week cruise features visits to Akureyri, Isafjord and Grundarfjordur in Iceland, as well as Skjolden, Olden and Alesund, in Norway.

Following its summer program in Europe, the Sky Princess is set to return to North America in November.

Starting on Nov. 25, the vessel offers a series of itineraries to the Caribbean and the Bahamas departing from Princess’ cruise terminal in Port Everglades, Florida.

Fourth in a series of six ships known as Royal Class, the Sky Princess originally entered service in 2019.

Built by the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the 141,000-ton cruise ship was followed, in 2020, by the Enchanted Princess – which also completed a drydock recently.

After arriving in Europe in March, the 3,660-guest vessel underwent routine work at a facility of the Fincantieri Shipyard in Palermo, Italy.

A third ship also spent time at a shipyard recently, as the Sapphire Princess visited the Vigor Shipyard on the U.S. West Coast for regular maintenance in April.

Enchanted Opens Princess’ 2023 Summer Program in Europe

Enchanted Opens Princess’ 2023 Summer Program in Europe

The Enchanted Princess is launching Princess Cruises’ 2023 summer program in Europe today.

After crossing the Atlantic, the vessel is in Barcelona to start the first cruise of the season: a six-night voyage to the Western Mediterranean.

Cruising roundtrip from the Spanish port, the itinerary sails to France and Gibraltar. In addition to the UK port in the Iberian Peninsula, the cruise features visits to Ajaccio and Marseille, as well as two full days at sea.

Following a routine drydock, the Enchanted Princess continues its European summer program in mid-April, offering additional itineraries in both the Western and Eastern Mediterranean.

The series of seven-to 21-night cruises include different destinations across the Greek Islands, France, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Montenegro and more.

Fifth in a series of six ships known as Royal Class, the Enchanted Princess first entered service in November 2021.

Built-in Italy by the Fincantieri shipyard, the 3,660-guest ship offers more than 25 dining venues and bars onboard, including the new such as La Mer, a French Bistro that debuted on the Majestic Princess.

The ship also offers varied entertainment options, as well as unique Sky Suites. According to Princess, the balconies of the staterooms – which measure over 90 square meters – are among the biggest in the entire cruise industry.

In addition to the Enchanted Princess, three other Princess Cruises vessels are cruising in Europe during the 2023 summer: the Sky Princess, the Regal Princess and the Island Princess.

Mostly sailing in Northern Europe, the ships will offer different itineraries between March and early December.

Based out of the UK, the Sky Princess is sailing a series of four- to 24-night cruises to Scandinavia, Iceland, Norway, the Canaries, the Baltic and the Mediterranean departing from Southampton.

Also sailing from the English port, the Regal Princess is poised to sail a program of ten- and 12-night itineraries to the British Islands.

Completing the local offering, the Island Princess sails in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, offering longer cruises departing from Southampton, Copenhagen, Civitavecchia and more.

Princess Cruises has reported its "biggest ever" booking day

Bookings were up by 13% compared to the line’s previous strongest booking day in 2019. The line saw strong demand for its 2023 roundtrip Southampton cruises on Sky Princess alongside an increase in demand for fly-Mediterranean voyages and long-haul destinations such as Alaska, the Caribbean and Australia.

 

Eithne Williamson, vice president of Princess Cruises UK and Europe, thanked the company’s agent partners for helping the line achieve its record-breaking day.

 

"It is thanks to their unwavering commitment and hard work that we were able to surpass our previous best booking day and we’re extremely grateful for their continued support," she added.

 

"The demand for cruise holidays is evidently back and better than ever and we are sure agents will agree that it is fantastic to see holidaymakers once again being able to plan ahead for future holidays in destinations both close to home and further afield."

Princess Cruises: Eight Ships Now in Service in North America

Princess Cruises first welcomed passengers back in July 2021 offering Alaska cruises with the Majestic Princess and local domestic cruising in England with the Regal Princess.

Six months after the restart, Princess Cruises has added a total of eight ships back in service, including the new Enchanted Princess, which welcomed its first guests in November.

Back in Action in the Caribbean, West Coast and Hawaii

Pursuing a phased restart plan, Princess grew its active fleet to eight ships in the past six months.

The premium brand is now offering cruises in the Caribbean, West Coast and Hawaii, sailing from three different homeports.

Here are the details:

Majestic Princess
Capacity at 100%: 3,600
Date: In service since July 25, 2021
Region: West Coast
Homeport: Los Angeles (United States)
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Mexican Riviera

Regal Princess
Capacity at 100%: 3,600
Date: In service since July 31, 2021
Region: Caribbean
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: 5 to 7 nights
Itinerary: Eastern and Western Caribbean

Sky Princess
Capacity at 100%: 3,600
Date: In service since August 30, 2021
Region: Caribbean
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Western and Eastern Caribbean  

Grand Princess
Capacity at 100%: 2,600
Date: In service since September 25, 2021
Region: West Coast
Homeport: Los Angeles (United States)
Length: 10 to 15 nights
Itinerary: Mexican Riviera, Sea of Cortez and Hawaii

Emerald Princess
Capacity at 100%: 3,100
Date: In service since October 15, 2021
Region: Caribbean
Homeport: Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: 14 and 15 nights
Itinerary: Panama Canal and Southern Caribbean

Ruby Princess
Capacity at 100%: 3,070
Date: In service since October 31, 2021
Region: West Coast
Homeport: San Francisco (United States)
Length: 15 nights
Itinerary: Hawaii and Panama Canal    

Enchanted Princess
Capacity at 100%: 3,600
Date: In service since November 10, 2021
Region: Caribbean
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: 10 nights
Itinerary: Southern and Eastern Caribbean    

Caribbean Princess
Capacity at 100%: 3,100
Date: In service since November 28, 2021
Region: Caribbean
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Western and Eastern Caribbean

Most of the Fleet Set to Return by May

As Princess returns to additional destinations in 2022, more vessels are resuming service. According to the company’s current restart plans, most of the fleet is set to be sailing again in May, in time for summer seasons in Alaska and Asia.

Here are the planned service resumption dates:

Discovery Princess
Capacity at 100%: 3,660
Date: March 27, 2022
Region: West Coast
Homeport: Los Angeles (United States)
Length: 7 nights
First itinerary: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta

Island Princess
Capacity at 100%: 1,950
Date: April 27, 2022
Region: Panama Canal
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles (United States)
Length: 14 nights
First itinerary: Cartagena, Panama Canal (old locks), Puntarenas, San Juan del Sur, Huatulco and Puerto Vallarta

Diamond Princess
Capacity at 100%: 2,600
Date: April 28, 2022
Region: Asia
Homeport: Yokohama (Japan)
Length: 6 nights
First itinerary: Nagasaki, Busan and Kagoshima

Royal Princess
Capacity at 100%: 3,600
Date: May 2, 2022
Region: Alaska
Homeport: Vancouver (Canada)
Length: 12 nights
First itinerary: Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Sitka, Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan and Victoria      

Crown Princess
Capacity at 100%: 3,070
Date: May 7, 2022
Region: Alaska
Homeport: Seattle (United States)
Length: 7 nights
First itinerary: Juneau, Glacier Bay Park, Skagway, Ketchikan and Victoria

Sapphire Princess
Capacity at 100%: 2,600
Date: August 28, 2022
Region: Asia
Homeport: Hong Kong to Fremantle (Australia)
Length: 12 nights
First itinerary: Nha Trang, Phu My, Singapore and Lombok

Coral Princess
Capacity at 100%: 1,950
Date: September 3, 2022
Region: Australia
Homeport: Sydney (Australia)
Length: 35 nights
First itinerary: New Zealand, Hawaii, Tahiti and South Pacific

Princess Cruises Airs Enchanted Princess’ Naming Ceremony

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The Enchanted Princess, the fifth royal-class ship in the Princess Cruises fleet, was officially named in a ceremony and celebration as part of an original production "Our World, Enchanted," that premiered on the cruise line's social media channels earlier on Dec. 13.

The show "Our World, Enchanted" – which is now available to watch on-demand – was hosted by Princess Cruises Celebrations Ambassador Jill Whelan and Enchanted Princess Cruise Director Dan Falconer.

According to a press release, the show introduces viewers to the features and amenities of the MedallionClass ship, shares some of the histories of Princess Cruises and culminates in the official naming to welcome the Enchanted Princess into the Princess global fleet.

The ceremony honoured three members of The Explorers Club who serve as the godmothers of Enchanted Princess. The godmothers have been recognized for their achievements in expeditions, oceanography and mapping the oceans – Captain Lynn Danaher, Vicki Ferrini and Jenifer Austin.

"Our World, Enchanted" also includes appearances by newly appointed Princess Cruises President John Padgett, Group President Jan Swartz and Commodore Nick Nash, and provides a look into the interiors, accommodations, entertainment, dining and cocktails available on Enchanted Princess.

The 145,000-ton, 3,660-guest ship represents an evolution of the design platform used for her sister ships – the Royal Princess (2013), Regal Princess (2014), Majestic Princess (2017) and Sky Princess (2019) – offering an elevation of spectacular style and elegance that is distinguished by Princess. The ship's inaugural cruise season began Nov. 10, with various 10-day Southern Caribbean itineraries, sailing roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale.

hird Princess Ship Resumes Service as Sky Princess to Sail From Southampton

Third Princess Ship Resumes Service as Sky Princess to Sail From Southampton

The Sky Princess is the third Princess Cruises ship to resume revenue service.

Based in the United Kingdom, the vessel is departing Southampton today, starting its “Summer Seacation” program.

The Sky Princess is offering a four-night cruise the first in a series of domestic UK cruises, which will run through late September. Along with the Regal Princess, the Sky Princess is now offering scenic voyages and regular cruises around the country, ranging from three to seven nights.

The itineraries include stops in ports such as Liverpool, in England; Belfast, in Northern Ireland; Greenock, in Scotland; and more.

After the UK program, the vessel is set to return to Port Everglades. Starting in November, the ship is sailing three-, five-, seven- and 14-day cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

A Royal-class ship, the Sky Princess entered service in 2019 and was said to be an evolution to the platform used for previous Royal-class ships, the Royal, Regal and Majestic Princess.

The new and enhanced features include a digitally enhanced escape room called the Phantom Bridge and the Wakeview pool located on the ship’s aft decks. Other changes are a new café, redesigned lounges, additional Jacuzzis, and the new Sky Suites.

Featuring the largest continuous private balconies at sea ever offered by any cruise line, the two Sky Suites have a sleeping capacity for five guests and are located on one of the ship’s highest decks.

The 143,700 ton, 3,660-guest ship was also the first in the fleet to be built from the ground up with the Ocean Guest Experience Platform, powered by Princess’s MedallionClass technology. 

With the Sky Princess now in service, three Princess Cruises vessels have resumed guest operations. The first ship to welcome passengers back was the Majestic Princess, which launched a series of Alaska cruises on July 25.

A few days later, on July 31, the Regal Princess started to offer domestic sailings in the UK.

Princess is now preparing its return to the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Hawaii the California Coast. By November 28, a total of eight ships will be sailing to those destinations from Port Everglades, Los Angeles and San Francisco.  

New Discovery Princess Floats Out at Fincantieri

The Discovery Princess, the sixth Royal-class ship built Princess Cruises, floated out today at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone.

Interior fittings will now begin, leading the vessel to delivery, scheduled next year for Princess, which is owned by Carnival Corporation.

The 145,000-ton ship is a sister vessel to the Royal Princess, Regal Princess, Majestic Princess, Sky Princess and Enchanted Princess, which were all built and delivered in the same shipyard starting from 2013.

The partnership between the Monfalcone yard and Princess Cruises will continue with two next-generation cruise ships. These will be the largest built so far in Italy with a gross-tonnage of 175,000 tons, will accommodate approximately 4,300 guests and will be the first of the ship owner’s fleet to be dual-fuel powered primarily by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Deliveries are scheduled for 2023 and 2025.

Enchanted Princess ‘first ship to be completed in the time of Covid’

New-build Enchanted Princess has been delivered to Princess Cruises at a shipyard handover ceremony in Italy.

The 145,000-ton, 3,660-passenger vessel expands the Carnival Corporation-owned line’s global fleet of high-technology MedallionClass vessels.

The finalisation of Enchanted Princess marks the first ship to be completed during the time of Covid.

The ship is due to arrive in North America in December for a season of Caribbean cruises provided US health officials to lift a ban on sailings imposed due to the pandemic.

The new addition to the fleet will sail in the Mediterranean next summer, bringing the number of Royal-class ships based in Europe to three.

Enchanted Princess will spend May to September operating a series of new seven and 14-night itineraries from the port for Rome before sailing between Rome and Barcelona on a series of 11-night cruises.

Sky Princess is replacing Crown Princess in Southampton from April to September 2021, running eight and 12-night British Isles cruises and a series of 12-night Scandinavia and Russia voyages.

Regal Princess will also be based in Southampton, sailing a number of itineraries ranging from four to 24 nights to destinations including Iceland and Norway, the Mediterranean, Canary Islands, the Baltic and Canada and New England.

Enchanted Princess represents an evolution of a design platform used for sister ships Regal Princess, Royal Princess, Majestic Princess and the most recently introduced Sky Princess

Enchanted Princess is the 100th cruise ship built by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. Crown Princess was the first ship to launch Fincantieri into the modern passenger shipbuilding business when it was delivered in 1990.

Princess Cruises president Jan Swartz said: “The heart and soul of the ship are always its teams, and I know she is in good hands with our dedicated crew watching over her with great care and pride.

“We look forward to brighter days ahead when we can officially welcome the first Enchanted Princess guests to enjoy all this beautiful ship has to offer.”

Enchanted Princess to sail in the Mediterranean next summer

Princess Cruises’ newest ship Enchanted Princess will sail in the Mediterranean next summer, bringing the number of Royal-class ships based in Europe to three.

Enchanted Princess is due to join the Princess fleet later this year, and will spend May to September operating a series of new round-trip seven and 14-night itineraries from Rome before sailing between Rome and Barcelona on a series of 11-night cruises.

Earlier this month, the line announced that new ship Sky Princess would replace Crown Princess in Southampton from April to September. The ship will sail eight and twelve-night British Isles cruises and a series of 12-night Scandinavia and Russia voyages.

Regal Princess will also be based in Southampton, sailing a number of itineraries ranging from four to 24 nights to destinations including Iceland and Norway, the Mediterranean, Canary Islands, the Baltic and Canada & New England.

All Europe 2021 voyages onboard Regal Princess and Baltic sailings on Sky Princess are now available to book. The new roundtrip Rome departures onboard Enchanted Princess and British Isles sailings on Sky Princess will be available to book in early October.

Tony Roberts, vice-president UK and Europe said: “Having three Royal-class ships sailing in Europe next year including two based in Southampton is testament to our commitment to offering UK holidaymakers an enhanced Medallion Class service, new onboard experiences and a wealth of holiday options without the need to travel too far from home. We truly are so excited for every guest to experience these voyages.”

He added: “The addition of the new itineraries gives UK guests the opportunity to visit more destinations from Southampton than ever before, as well as the ease of travelling roundtrip from Rome for those who prefer to take a short flight straight out to the sunshine.”

All voyages in the new line-up are included as part of Princess’ latest stateroom upgrade offer, meaning that all customers booking these voyages before November 23 can upgrade for free from an inside stateroom to a balcony.

Princess Plans for Florida Fleet: Anchorages and Princess Cays Visits

With six ships sailing from South Florida, Princess Cruises has put together a detailed plan for what to do with its ships and crew during its temporary suspension of service, according to crew aboard the ships.

The Caribbean Princess, Sky Princess, Regal Princess, Emerald Princess, Crown Princess and Island Princess are in the Caribbean sailing from South Florida and will spend the immediate future at anchorages in the Bahamas with weekly calls into Princess Cays, the brand's private island.

A substitute port could be Port Everglades, according to a company document. 

Calling it an immediate, low-cost layup proposal, the plan keeps the ships ready to return to service on short notice and defers repositioning decisions, according to a letter sent to crew aboard the ships.

The company plans to have the ships stay at Great Isaac Anchorage.

Crew disembarkation plans are pending, and the company plans to have each ship call at Princess Cays once a week, where the crew will be able to use the island.

In its letter sent to the crew, the company also notes operations at Princess Cays will include making space for operations from Carnival Cruise Line vessels. 

Sky Princess Christened

Princess Cruises christened its newest ship the Sky Princess today in a tribute to the pioneering women of the U.S. Space Program.

Princess Cruises chose the theme of Reach for the Sky for the occasion and honoured two women of NASA for their achievements in the U.S. space program: Captain Kay Hire, and engineer Frances “Poppy” Northcutt, who served as the godmothers of the Sky Princess.

Captain Hire began her 30-year NASA career as a mechanical systems engineer, helping to launch more than 40 space missions. Then, as an astronaut, she logged 700 hours in space, flew over 12 million miles, and orbited the earth 475 times. She was the first female assigned to a military combat flight crew while serving in the U.S. Navy. And, she retired from the U.S. Navy with more 35 years of service. Poppy Northcutt served as the first female mission control engineer when NASA made history with its mission to the moon. When the crew of Apollo 13 became stranded in their service module, it was her team’s calculations that brought them home safely – a feat of heroism that earned the entire mission operations a Presidential Medal of Freedom Team Award.

“As we celebrate our newest, most technologically advanced ship – one whose spirit of adventure and discovery match the grandeur of her name, Sky Princess, we also applaud the groundbreaking women of the U.S. Space Program,” said Princess Cruises President Jan Swartz. “Our godmothers, Captain Kay Hire and Poppy Northcutt, remind us all of what we can achieve when we reach for the sky.”

Sky Princess Captain Heikki Laakkonen also recognized two Sky Princess female officers who embody the Reach for the Sky theme, striving for success in leadership positions –Kerry Ann Wright, who started working in the cruise industry as a spa technician and went back to school to rise through the ranks to become a Second Officer working on the bridge; and Chief Security Officer Susan Morgan, who is the longest-serving woman in the British Royal Navy.

Captain Hire and Poppy Northcutt, recited the traditional cruise ship blessing before pushing a NASA-style “launch” button releasing and smashing a 15-litre bottle of champagne, officially naming Sky Princess.

Additional women of NASA recognized in a tribute video, included:
• The first woman of colour to travel to outer space, Dr. Mae Jemison.
• The first Hispanic woman in space who later became Director of the Johnson Space Center Dr. Ellen Ochoa.
• The first woman to command the Space Shuttle Eileen Collins.
• The first woman to command the International Space Stations Peggy Whiston.
• The first woman to join a spacewalk, Kathryn D. Sullivan.

The ceremony featured entertainment adding to the exciting bottle break moment, including Princess Cruises Celebrations Ambassador and Love Boat actress Jill Whelan, serving as ceremony co-host with Sky Princess Cruise Director Alexander Yepremian; and performance of Dream On from America’s Got Talent Alum, Brian Justin Crum. The finale of the naming ceremony included a performance of This is Me from The Greatest Showman and featured in the cruise line’s new production show Rock Opera.

The new Princess ship is now sailing on voyages to the Caribbean through spring 2020.

Princess Cruises claims Medallion Net offers ‘best WiFi at sea’

Princess Cruises claims Medallion Net offers ‘best WiFi at sea’

Princess Cruises claims it has rolled out the “best WiFi at sea” which will help attract new-to-cruise passengers.

Princess Cruises has fitted nine ships with Medallion Net WiFi so far and plans to complete rolling it out across its fleet by July next year.

The WiFi will power the line’s Ocean Medallion technology, which is fitted on new ship Sky Princess.

Speaking onboard the ship during its shakedown cruise from Trieste to Athens, Prag Shah, the line’s global head, experience and innovation, said: “One of the biggest detractors people have of cruising – like the younger generation – is that they cannot be connected as well as on a land-based holiday.

“Millennials always like to be posting and sharing their experiences with everybody.

“We wanted to make connectivity onboard better and a lot of effort and creativity went in to do that. From a cruising standpoint, being able to promote and sell longer cruises brings another type of cruiser into the equation.”

John Padgett, Carnival Corporation’s chief experience and innovation officer, addressed media and travel agents via the internet to demonstrate the connection strength on the new vessel.

He said: “There are no longer any sacrifices by coming on a cruise vacation. Cruise holidays have been an amazing value for years, but you have tended to sacrifice this feeling of connectivity.

“There are no longer any sacrifices there. We are the only cruise line that offers anything like this. I want you to use as much bandwidth as you like because that makes your experience better.”

Padgett told the audience Medallion Net, which costs $9.99 per day, as the “best WiFi at sea”.

Sky Princess is the first of the line’s vessels which was built with Ocean Medallion. Several guest services, including ordering food and drink anywhere on the ship, locating friends and family, and navigating your way around the vessel are available through the wearable technology.

The line has retrofitted four of its existing ships with Ocean Medallion.

When asked what developments would be made to Ocean Medallion technology going forward, Shah said: “Personalising [Ocean Medallion] is going to be where we are putting a lot more focus [in 2020].”

A first look at Sky Princess, a sister with some distinction

The aft WakeView Pool has an infinity pool appearance and is an outdoor gathering spot. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst

As the fourth in a class of ships that Princess Cruises began introducing in 2013, the Sky Princess will be familiar in many ways to travel agents.

But there are a couple of newly designed areas and some new wrinkles, along with 50 more cabins that aren't on the three predecessor ships in the class, giving agents a few new things to learn.

The biggest deal about the Sky Princess is the two Sky Suites that have been introduced at the very top of the ship. The 1,873 square feet of space occupied by the suites includes 1,000 square feet of a balcony that extend around the suites, affording a 270-degree view of the surrounding ocean as well as a prime seat for the poolside Movies Under the Stars presentations at night.

A reserved bungalow at Princess Cays, a fancy telescope for stargazing and a "Suite Experience Manager to service your every need" are part of the package.

A second new area on the Sky Princess is Take Five, a theatre for live jazz music, plus educational programming, historical presentations and other events that will make it more than a place just to hear music.

Located across from the casino on Deck 6, Take Five occupies a space that on previous ships have been called Club 6 and included a featured bar and a small dance floor.

The new cabin area has been carved out a forward area on Deck 17 that includes The Sanctuary on previous ships. On the Sky Princess, The Sanctuary moves one deck up to Deck 18, while on 17 a kind of ship-within-the-ship area has been created on three sides of the Neptune Pool. The accommodations are mostly balcony cabins, with eight larger suites for clients with bigger budgets.

The pool deck dancing-waters fountain that made a distinctive debut on the Royal Princess has been abandoned in favour of a hot tub and some patio banquettes.

When it comes to smaller wrinkles, there is a small new WakeView Ppool at the far aft end of the ship on Deck 16, giving a nice experience looking back at where the Sky Princess has been at sea.

There's a stairway from the pool deck up to the Fitness area one deck above, and then a new mini-golf area one deck above that.

Four new hot tubs have been introduced on decks 17 and 18 that don't exist on previous ships.

Two aft cabins have been removed on the deck below the WakeView Pool to accommodate its depth.

Some smallish changes have been made in the lineup of shops, restaurants and bars on decks 6 and 7. For example, the Deck 7 Wheelhouse Bar on previous ships has been incorporated into the Crown Grill and becomes the Crown Grill Bar on the Sky Princess.

The Sky Princess' pool deck. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst

The little dedicated library space that had been located outside the Wheelhouse Bar disappears entirely.

Some features introduced with the Royal Princess in 2013 remain largely unchanged, such as the sizeable World Fresh Marketplace buffet restaurant on Deck 16. 

And the multi-deck Piazza remains an elegant atrium area, with familiar features such as the Vines wine bar, the International Cafe and Sabatini's restaurant, although the Bellini's champagne bar has become Good Spirits at Sea, and the Crooner's piano bar gives way to a new restaurant, Bistro Sur La Mer.

Princess to Activate Three Additional MedallionClass Ships

Princess to Activate Three Additional MedallionClass Ships

Princess Cruises announced today the expansion of its Princess MedallionClass to three additional ships – Royal Princess, Crown Princess and Sky Princess – joining the Caribbean Princess and the Regal Princess starting February 17, 2019.

The OceanMedallion is a wearable device that elevates the guest experience by delivering an enhanced level of personalization and innovative services resulting in high guest satisfaction scores, according to the cruise line. 

The Princess MedallionClass experience coming to Crown Princess in July and Sky Princess in October.

The addition of Royal Princess will also be the first time a Princess MedallionClass ship will be sailing in Alaska.

“Guests are finding their vacations enhanced with Princess MedallionClass on Caribbean Princess as a new and memorable experience, and we’re ready to offer these experiences and personalized services to even more of our guests, including everyone who sails with us in the Caribbean in the fall and winter,” said Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises. “Starting in April, we will continue the expansion to a total of five Princess MedallionClass ships expected this year, as we continue on our path to fleet-wide activation. And we look forward to bringing the experience to new groups for the first time, such as those sailing to visit exciting destinations in Alaska and Mexico.”

Princess Cruises unveils biggest ever ex-UK and Europe deployment

Princess Cruises unveils biggest ever ex-UK and Europe deployment

Princess Cruises is to operate its biggest season ever sailing out of the UK and Europe for 2020 – and will name new ship Enchanted Princess in Southampton.

Ex-UK capacity for 2020 will be 30% more than in 2019, with three ships sailing a full season out of Southampton for the first time. It amounts to 1.4 million cruise nights on board.

The 3,080-passenger Crown Princess will sail for more than 150 days out of Southampton between May and November to the Mediterranean, Canary Islands and northern Europe; 2,200-passenger Island Princess will spend June to October sailing from Southampton to northern Europe; and 3,560-passenger Regal Princess will sail out of the UK’s largest cruise port from May to September.

Princess’ European capacity will also increase in 2020 by 15% in 2019, the line revealed last night.

Sky Princess, which launches next year and will carry 3,660 passengers, will spend its first spring and summer season sailing Scandinavia and Russia roundtrip from Copenhagen.

The line’s newest ship Enchanted Princess will hold its naming ceremony in Southampton in late June 2020 and will be the first Princess Cruises vessel to be named in the UK since Royal Princess in 2013. It will sail out of the Mediterranean after its naming ceremony.

Wednesday night’s event was the launch of Princess Cruises’ 2020 programme, which also includes sailings across Asia, the Caribbean, Alaska and Canada & New England. The UK-based ships, Crown Princess and Island Princess, will go on sale 9am on Thursday, November 8, with the rest of Europe, Caribbean and Canada & New England sailings available for agents to sell from 5pm the same day. Alaska and Japan voyages are on sale from Thursday, November 15, at 5pm.

Tony Roberts, vice president Princess Cruises UK and Europe, said: “We have seen great demand for sailings from the UK and it continues to be really strong. We have great support from the trade.

Roberts told Travel Weekly that the ex-UK programme was “bread and butter” for UK agents and that a four-night sampler cruise to Rotterdam and the Channel Islands onboard Crown Princess could help them encourage new-to-cruise customers.

“Once they cruise they want to cruise again,” he said. “Asia has grown largely from people who love cruising and want to go to new destinations in different parts of the world.”

Roberts, who said the UK accounted for around 5%-10% of Princess Cruises’ market, also praised the “successful” introduction of the line’s wearable Ocean Medallion technology, which last month was worn by 100% of guests on board Caribbean Princess – the first time every passenger on a ship has been able to use the technology at once.

Roberts could not reveal dates of when other ships would follow suit but confirmed that the line’s plan is to make the technology available fleet-wide.

Princess Cruises reveals the name of fifth Royal-class ship

Princess Cruises reveals the name of fifth Royal-class ship

Princess Cruises has revealed its fifth Royal-class ship will be named Enchanted Princess.

Due to launch on June 15 2020, Enchanted Princess will operate European voyages and will be a sister ship to Royal Princess, Regal Princess, Majestic Princess and Sky Princess.

Enchanted Princess’ maiden season sailings will be available to book from November 8 this year.

Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises’ president, said: “The name Enchanted Princess is captivating and conveys the elegance and grace of our new ship which will introduce more travellers to the pleasures and value of cruising.

“We are certain Enchanted Princess will exceed the expectations of our guests, ensuring they have the most memorable cruise.”

Enchanted Princess will be followed by the debut of the sixth Royal-Class ship for Princess Cruises in 2021.

The cruise line also has two new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) powered ships on order to be delivered in late 2023 and spring 2025, bringing its new ship order to five ships in six years.

Construction of the 143,700-tonne, 3,660-guest Enchanted Princess will take place in the Fincantieri Monfalcone shipyard with the ship set to feature an evolution of the design platform used for the cruise line’s existing Royal-Class ships.

Princess Cruises currently operates a fleet of 17 modern cruise ships, sailing to more than 380 destinations across every continent.

Sky Princess to have Princess Cruises' largest balconies

On the Sky Princess, the Sky Suites will be centrally located on the top decks and feature the largest private balconies ever offered by Princess Cruises.

Princess Cruises unveiled renderings of areas of the Sky Princess, a ship due in October 2019, including suites with the largest balconies ever offered on Princess.

The 700 square foot verandas will give suite guests a private vantage of the ship's Movie Under the Stars screen. Two of the suites will have 270-degree panoramic views and have a sleeping capacity for five guests.

The 143,000-gross-ton ship will be the fourth in the line's Royal class, accommodating 3,560 guests. It will have double the number of private cabanas as on its sister ships.

Sky Princess guests will enjoy two deep-tank top deck pools and more Jacuzzis than previous Royal class ships.

New for Sky Princess will be the addition of a Wakeview pool on its aft decks. In addition to the Wakeview pool, Sky Princess will have two deep-tank top-deck pools, a restorative Retreat Pool, and more Jacuzzis than previous Royal class ships including two Jacuzzis cantilevered over the deep-tank pools.

The ship's Vista Lounge will get a new look complete with a full bar offering, an evolution of the popular lounge on other Princess ships. Guests can take advantage of a new cafe in the Princess Live venue, serving barista-made coffee, tea and quick bites.

Princess ordering its largest ships

Princess ordering its largest ships

The new class will be 20% larger than the Royal Princess pictured above

Princess Cruises has signed a memorandum of understanding for two ships that will carry 20% more passengers than the Royal class of Princess ships that began with the Royal Princess.

The ships will be 175,000 gross tons and are designed for 4,300 passengers, compared to 3,560 for the Royal Princess.

Set for delivery in 2023 and 2025, the ships will be equipped with the dual-fuel capability and are intended to operate primarily using liquefied natural gas.

The cost of the ships, to be built by Fincantieri, was not disclosed.

Princess has three Royal-class ships on order with Fincantieri, including its next new ship, Sky Princess, which is currently under construction and scheduled for delivery in October 2019. The two other Royal-class ships are planned for delivery in 2020 and 2022.

Princess ship due in 2019 to be called Sky Princess

Princess Cruises' fourth Royal-class ship, scheduled to debut in October 2019, will be named the Sky Princess.

The cruise line had a Sky Princess once before.

"Sky Princess continues a Princess Cruises legacy and honours one of our previous ships," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. "When Princess merged with Sitmar Cruises in 1988, Sky Princess joined our fleet and sailed with us for 12 years. Now more than 30 years later, a new Sky Princess will join the fleet featuring our modern design platform and contemporary innovations offered to exceed our guests' expectations."

The 3,660-passenger ship is the sister to Royal Princess, Regal Princess and Majestic Princess. A fifth Royal-class ship is under construction and will debut in 2020.

Sky Princess will have a number of features found on its sister ships, like a soaring Piazza-style atrium, an adults-only area, a Princess Live! Entertainment venue and youth and teen centres.

Among the ship's dining venues will be the Salty Dog Grill, Alfredo's Pizzeria, Vines Wine Bar, Chef's Table Lumiere and World Fresh Marketplace.

Princess said 80% of staterooms will feature balconies.

Sky Princess will sail Mediterranean cruises in October and November 2019, beginning with a seven-day roundtrip Rome voyage and culminating with a 14-day transatlantic cruise from Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale.

Bookings open Dec. 14. Those with elite status in the Captain's Circle loyalty program can begin booking a day earlier. Princess is offering reduced deposits of 10% on bookings made by Aug. 31, 2018.