By
Laura Hyde |
Princess Cruises’ Royal Princess has made maiden port calls in both Auckland, New Zealand, and Sydney, Australia, as part of its inaugural 28-night transpacific crossing from Vancouver, Canada.
Royal Princess made its first stop in Auckland on 19 October 2023, followed by its inaugural visit to Sydney on 23 October. The ship’s arrival in Sydney also signals the start of Princess’s biggest ever Australian summer season with Coral Princess, Majestic Princess and Grand Princess also scheduled to make calls in the region. The ship will also be one of five Princess vessels to visit New Zealand this austral summer season (including a one-off stop by Island Princess in February 2024), bringing over 100,000 visitors.
“This summer season, Kiwis will have the opportunity to sail roundtrip from Auckland aboard Royal Princess to see their own backyard on a number of cruises departing from December through February,” said Stuart Allison, senior vice president Asia Pacific, UK and Europe at Princess Cruises. “Overall, Princess Cruises will make a total of 186 calls to New Zealand ports over the next six months making this one of our biggest seasons on record. We’ll also have 44 per cent more guest capacity than last season and 85 per cent more guests passing through Sydney.”
One of Princess Cruises’ largest ships, Royal Princess measures 330 metres in length, accommodating 3560 guests. During its inaugural season sailing Australasian waters, Royal Princess will homeport in Sydney, offering 14 roundtrip cruises from the city, as well as three roundtrips from Auckland.
“Royal Princess set new standards for premium cruising when it was launched and continues to turn heads wherever it sails around the globe,” said Allison. “Not only is it a fantastic looking ship, but it is also packed with wonderful features for guests, from superb cuisine to world-class entertainment and facilities.”