By
Rebecca Gibson |
Princess Cruises’ US$30 million project to update the interior and exterior of its 77,000 gt Sun Princess has started at Singapore’s Sembawang Shipyard.
Following its renovation, Sun Princess will feature a redecorated and expanded atrium with the line’s signature International Café, a new Kai Sushi restaurant and an updated menu in the ice cream bar. The 2,022-guest vessel will offer the Sterling Steakhouse experience, while the top deck hamburger grill restaurant will be transformed into an al fresco barbeque venue.
The Lotus Spa will also be refreshed, while the line will install food service areas, a pastry shop, coffee bar, expanded seating areas and stations for live à la carte cooking in Horizon Court.
“Sun Princess debuted our first Japan-based cruise programme earlier this year and now the vessel will benefit from its time there with some new Asia-inspired elements as well as signature Princess features,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. “We know from past projects that there is a great deal of interest in a drydock such as this, so we’re inviting the public to follow along as the ship is transformed.”
The cruise operator has launched an online drydock journal with regular photo updates, allowing interested viewers to follow the drydock progress, which is scheduled to finish on 20 August.
Sun Princess will re-launch with a season of Asia and Australia cruises, before beginning a second season of Japan-based cruising in April 2014.