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.
