Friday, August 8, 2014

Cruise Line to Add New Ship

By Mark Edward Nero

Princess Cruises, a Los Angeles-area subsidiary of Carnival Corp., said July 30 that it has reached an agreement with the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to build a new ship, which will enter service in 2017.

The as-yet unnamed 143,000-ton vessel is expected to be built at an all-in cost of about 600 million euros, equivalent to $801 million US dollars. The ship is designed to carry 3,560 passengers, and is expected to feature a design platform introduced by sister ships Royal Princess in 2013 and Regal Princess which entered service in May 2014.

The new ship is expected to include signature elements that have become standard on Princess Cruises vessels, including a central atrium hub with multiple dining, entertainment and retail venues; the adults-only Sanctuary; a cinema; and staterooms with balconies.

Princess Cruises also says the ship will include some brand-new innovations, but declined to give specifics, stating only that specific features and amenities for the ship, along with deployment details, would be revealed in the coming months.

“We are incredibly excited to add this fabulous new ship,” Princess Cruises President Jan Swartz said. “We’re very pleased that this new ship order is an indication of the confidence that our parent Carnival Corp. has in the future of the Princess brand.”

The new vessel, Swartz said, is the only new order Carnival Corp. anticipates for 2017.