Princess Cruises is a big player in the cruise industry worldwide and in Australasia, says Jodie Botica
When Princess Cruises promises that you’ll “Come Back New”, the company certainly stays true to its words. We’ve recently seen the line form a new partnership with award-winning chef Curtis Stone, develop the new Princess Luxury Bed and now its announced not one, but two exciting new additions to the fleet.
Princess recently signed an agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to build two brand new vessels, which are set to sail the seas in 2019 and 2020. The two new ships will bring Princess’ total ship count to 20, giving Australians more choice than ever for their next holiday.
While no extensive information has been released about these two new beauties just yet, there are a number of aspects of the ships that have been released to the general public. In true Princess fashion, the two proposed ships will be grandiose in size – weighing in at 143,700gt and carrying 3,560 passengers respectively. Currently dubbed the R4 and R5, the ships will join the line’s Royal Class, which already comprises the Royal Princess, Regal Princess and the China-bound Majestic Princess, set to launch next year.
Jan Swartz, the president of Princess Cruises, has said: “Like Royal Princess, Regal Princess and Majestic Princess, the new ships will feature the signature elements that make the Princess Cruises vessels spectacular. They will further evolve the enhancements we’ve integrated into each of the Royal-class vessels too, making them the most advanced ships ever produced for our fleet.”
Both vessels will include the signature elements of the Royal Class ships and are set to be head-turners. Rumoured to boast a multi-storey atrium, an over-the ocean SeaWalk (the closest thing to walking on water you’ll ever get), balconies in 80% of all staterooms, plus a plethora of new dining and entertainment options, passenger are in for a treat. More information about the exact features we can expect, along with dates of completion and deployment, will be released later in the year.
Princess is a strong favourite in the Australasian market, and it’s thanks to the line’s dedication to one promise: that a cruise is not good enough unless you ‘Come Back New’. If you’re yearning for great service, great food and intimate, elegant spaces across the fleet – then Princess is the cruise line for you.
Programmes like Chocolate Journeys, Discovery at Sea, World of Whiskey and many more ‘Come Back New’ initiatives add a little extra to a cruising holiday. Cocoa-based spa treatments, whiskey tastings or new shore excursions anyone?
With 360 destinations around the globe on more than 150 itineraries, Princess’ cruises cater for a wide audience. Recently Princess has also begun to offer itineraries heading off to destinations departing straight from Australian and New Zealand ports. From world cruises, South American sailings and many cruises from Australia, Princess caters to everyone - whether you’re a beach bum or a city slicker.
There is no confirmation of the exact routes of the itineraries as of yet but with the Majestic Princess heading to China, it’s possible that one of the two new ships could offer new cruises down under, as well as through the northern hemisphere.
Jodie Botica is an e-mail marketing specialist at Cruise Sale Finder