By
Alice Chambers |
Princess Cruises will debut its newest and largest ship, Sun Princess, in early 2024. The 4,300-guest ship, which will be the first of the brand’s fleet to be powered by LNG, is currently under construction at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Italy.
Sun Princess has been designed to reflect the ship’s Italian heritage with large public spaces for guests to relax, such as in its Piazza and The Dome.
The vessel design has also been inspired by rays of sunlight, which will be characterised in the Horizons Dining Room. The three-storey dining venue will have a two-deck-long sculpture at its centre as well as sea views. Each deck will be decorated differently to reflect the variety of dining experiences that will be on offer in this space.
Other dining venues with new designs will include Alfredo’s Pizzeria that will allow guests to watch as chefs create and cook their pizzas in a 968-degree round oven; Crown Grill, a contemporary twist on a classic steakhouse with leather booths, circular seating and modern artwork; and Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria, which will feature a pasta room where guests can watch the pasta-making process, as well as bistro-style nooks.
Princess Cruises will also redesign several of its signature venues for Sun Princess, including Crooner’s, Wheelhouse Bar, International Café, Good Spirits and Gelateria.
Most entertainment will be hosted in the Princess Arena, which will feature 1,000 seats, curved walls and a central stage to optimise viewing angles for the whole audience. In addition, the ship will have a Princess Live! entertainment lounge where guests can take part in game shows and trivia. The lounge will feature a large LED screen on a stage as well as comfortable seating. Plus, the ship will also have the largest casino in the fleet, with more than 200 slot machines and video-poker games.
“With the construction of any new ship, we have the incredible opportunity to design standout spaces with our guests’ preferences in mind,” said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises. “With the new platform and size of Sun Princess, we’re uniquely able to refresh venues we know our guests love and expand upon, redesign and elevate them to the next level. We know our sun-inspired designs will exceed expectations and elevate the entire Princess experience.”
Sun Princess will also offer five boutique-style retail spaces and an art gallery , which will offer Princess Cruises-branded merchandise, destination-specific products and more.