By
Laura Hyde |
Princess Cruises and Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri have floated out Star Princess at a ceremony in Monfalcone in north-east Italy.
The ceremony was attended by John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises, and Cristiano Bazzara, director of the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone. They were joined by Chiara del Vecchio, third engineer of Star Princess’ sister ship, Sun Princess, and Francesca Maraventano, executive assistant at the Monfalcone shipyard, who performed godmother duties, smashing a champagne bottle on the ship’s bow for good luck and safe sailing.
Chiara del Vecchio with John Padgett (centre right) at the float out ceremony in Monfalcone, Italy
Celebrating the construction milestone, Padgett said: “A big salute to the welders, electricians, carpenters, pipe-fitters, painters, techs and steel fabricators who with unmatched skill, dedication and grit delivered the float out of the world’s next greatest experience machine and the largest ship ever built in Italy.”
Star Princess is the second ship in Princess Cruises’ Sphere-class after Sun Princess, which was delivered by Fincantieri in February 2024. The 4,300-passenger ship is also the second LNG-powered cruise ship the shipbuilder is constructing for the cruise line.
Star Princess is scheduled to be delivered to Princess Cruises in autumn 2025.
The floating out ceremony marks the end of work on the ship’s exterior