The new Sun Princess will be the first of the line’s Sphere class of ships, and the biggest ship Princess Cruises has ever built.
Sun Princess is presently being built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Trieste, Italy and will make its debut in early 2024. When finished, the 175,500-ton vessel can seat up to 4,000 guests. Sun Princess will have 21 decks and the largest outdoor balcony space of any ship. As part of parent firm Carnival Corporation’s green cruising initiative, the vessel is one of 11 new ships fuelled by LNG fuel technology.
Lovers of Princess Cruises will know the name of this new vessel. This is the third ship to have the name, Sun Princess, with the first sailing from 1974 to 1988 and the second from 1995 until 2020.
Sun Princess will be unlike any other Princess ship, featuring large venues, multi-story dining halls, and next-level suites. The design will stay “faithful to the smooth, clean lines and design sensibilities inspired by the Seawitch icon and featured in the original ‘Love Boat TV series, as well as reintroducing the historic Sun Princess brand.”
Sun Princess will have two newly revealed highlighted structures: a Piazza area and The Dome.
The Piazza (a featured space in the new Sphere class) will span three floors, providing a distinctive architectural element that will give the guests an outward-looking suspended space with sitting and areas to enjoy the ocean views. An LED screen in the centre of the room may be moved and customised to present live entertainment content.
The Dome is yet another new highlight of Sun Princess. This facility will have a multi-level covered deck and the first glass-enclosed Dome built on a cruise ship. The Dome will have an indoor/outdoor pool throughout the day. At night, the pool converts into a stage, and the Dome into an entertainment venue.
“Sun Princess is a new and unique ship platform, built to reflect Princess tradition while confidently forging forwards with iconic, elegant, and clean lines distinctive to our brand,” said Princess Cruises president John Padgett. “A magnificent, first-of-its-kind Dome on the top deck and a suspended glass Piazza in the heart of Sun Princess offer creative designs presenting broad ocean vistas for fantastic possibilities to connect with the sea.”
Sun Princess will have a total of 2,157 staterooms, including 50 suites and 100 connecting cabins. Every balcony cabin will include an in-room sofa.
The ‘Signature Collection’ of suite accommodations has been revealed for an exclusive launch on Sun Princess. These new suites include access to a Signature Restaurant, Signature Lounge, and Signature Sun Deck.
Club Class cabins aboard Sun Princess (and other Princess ships) will henceforth be referred to as the ‘Reserve Collection.’ This area has the best-located mini-suite accommodations. ‘Reserve Collection Cabana Rooms,’ which have a balcony and private cabana, an extra-large outdoor living space, and access to the Reserve Collection Restaurant, will be added to this selection of cabins.
Sun Princess will make its Mediterranean debut in the spring and summer of 2024. In autumn, the ship will relocate to Port Everglades for Western and Eastern Caribbean cruises.
Princess Cruises will provide more information on the Sun Princess and booking options in the coming months. Princess has recently announced the order of a second Sphere class ship, which will be delivered by Fincantieri in April 2025.