By
Rebecca Gibson |
Princess Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc, has contracted Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to build a new 143,000 gt ship, which will enter service in 2017.
The unnamed vessel is expected to cost around €600 million and will accommodate 3,560 passengers. It is the only new order Carnival Corporation & plc anticipates for 2017.
“We are incredibly excited to add this fabulous new ship to our already formidable fleet,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises’ president. “Royal Princess and Regal Princess have been exceptionally successful for us and have received numerous accolades from guests, travel agents and media, so adding another sister ship will enable us to continue to expand our innovative vacation experiences. We’re very pleased that this new ship order is an indication of the confidence that our parent Carnival Corporation has in the future of the Princess brand.”
Designed as a sister ship to Royal Princess and Regal Princess, which debuted in 2013 and May 2014 respectively, the newbuild will offer many of Princess’ signature venues and interior features. These include a central atrium hub with multiple dining, entertainment and retail venues; an adults-only Sanctuary and the Movies Under the Stars cinema experience. Around 80% of the staterooms will have balconies, while a number of new innovations will to enhance the guest experience even further. Specific features and amenities for the ship, along with deployment details, will be revealed in the coming months.
“All the orders we win are important for our group, but some are more special than others and the one we’re announcing today certainly belongs to this select category,” said Giuseppe Bono, Fincantieri CEO. “It’s a source of great pride to be able to immediately build another ship for a prestigious brand like Princess Cruises following the successful deliveries of two jewels like Royal Princess and Regal Princess, which have already become part of maritime history.”