Cruise & Ferry Review - Autumn/Winter 2023

113 include cocktail bars Dr. Inks, PH.D. and The Golden Mermaid, as well as dining venue Emeril’s Bistro 717. The fourth of the Virgin Voyages Lady ships, Brilliant Lady, will also be delivered by Fincantieri at the end of 2023. Identical to its predecessors, Brilliant Lady will have capacity for 2,700 passengers and sail from San Juan, Puerto Rico. As 2024 begins, Princess Cruises will take delivery of Sun Princess, the first of two currently planned Sphere-class ships and the first in the cruise line’s fleet to be powered by LNG fuel. Among the ship’s architectural features will be a three-storey central Piazza, which is built inside a sphere of windows to provide ocean views in every direction, and The Dome, a space on the top deck enclosed in glass that will serve as a pool in the day and a stage at night. “Sun Princess is a new and bespoke ship platform, designed to simultaneously embrace Princess heritage while boldly pressing into the future with iconic, elegant and pure lines unique to our brand,” said John Padgett, Princess Cruises president. “A show-stopping, first-of-its-kind Dome on the top deck and suspended glass Piazza in the centre of Sun Princess offer innovative designs showcasing expansive ocean views for incredible opportunities to connect with the sea.” In the world of river cruising, meanwhile, AmaWaterways will have two ships debuting in early 2024. AmaLilia, currently under construction in Egypt at Maasara Shipyard, will carry up to 82 passengers along the River Nile. Guests will be able to take in views of the river from a Sun Deck at the top of the ship and sample locally sourced cuisine at the Main Restaurant and The Chef’s Al Fresco Speciality restaurant. The second ship, AmaMagdalena, will begin sailing cruises along the Magadalena River in Colombia with a maximum of just 60 guests. The ship will feature 30 staterooms, all of which will offer outside balconies, as well as a whirlpool on the Sun Deck, a fitness room, and a Main Restaurant serving Latin American cuisine. “ Sun Princess is a new and bespoke ship platform ” John Padgett, Princess Cruises Adora Magic City is the first large cruise ship to be built in China Photo: Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding

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