A major milestone was celebrated in the building of Star Princess, Princess Cruises’ second Sphere-class ship, when the 178,000-gross ton vessel was floated out of her construction bay at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.
The September 26, 2024 float-out signifies the first time the ship’s hull touched water, and means that the construction process now shifts to the interior design of the vessel, which is slated to launch in September 2025.
Shipyard and cruise line officials attended the float-out event, including John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises, and Cristiano Bazzara, shipyard director for Fincantieri.
The float-out also had a Fincantieri and Princess Cruises employee serve as godmothers of the ceremony: Chiara del Vecchio, 3rd Engineer serving aboard Sun Princess, and Francesca Maraventano, an executive assistant at the Monfalcone shipyard.
The 4,300-guest Star Princess is a sister ship to Sun Princess, and like her sibling, will be powered by liquified natural gas (LNG). Sun Princess launched in February 2024.
“Thanks to a next-generation platform design and the use of advanced, clean fuel technology, we are bringing sustainable innovation on board, capable of reducing emissions and building a greener future,” the Fincantieri shipyard posted on X.
LNG has become the fuel of choice for cruise lines building new ships. It is a clean-burning fuel that reduces sulfur emissions by up to 99% and nitrogen oxide fumes by 85%.
Other cruise lines with ships powered by LNG include Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, AIDA Cruises, and Disney Cruise Line, among others.
Star Princess’s keel was laid in December 2023, during a ceremony that included a blessing for the vessel and the welding of a Princess Cruises medallion into the ship.
Prior to her delivery to the cruise line, Star Princess will undergo a series of sea trials, when operational, navigational, and safety systems will be tested.
Star Princess’s construction has not been without challenges. In April 2024, the cruise line revealed that the ship’s scheduled launch would be delayed. The ship originally was to enter service in July 2025, but for reasons not disclosed, the debut was pushed back to September 2025.
Star Princess Float Out at Fincantieri Shipyard
The delay prompted the cancellation of the ship’s first nine voyages that were to depart from Rome, Athens, and Istanbul. Her inaugural cruise is now slated to depart on October 4, 2025, sailing an 11-day voyage roundtrip from Barcelona and calling at Marseille, France; Rome and Naples, Italy; Palermo, Sicily; Cartagena, Spain; and Gibraltar, UK.
On October 22, 2025, Star Princess will operate a transatlantic cruise to Fort Lauderdale, where she will be based for the winter season and offer 7- and 14-day Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages.
New-Build to Offer Luxury Suite Collection
Like her sister ship, Star Princess will feature the Sanctuary Collection, a ship-within-a-ship luxury accommodation and service level that will debut on Sun Princess in October 2024. Princess Cruises unveiled the concept in April 2024 and announced it would be introduced on Sun Princess first.
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Multiple stateroom options are offered in the collection, including Sanctuary Suite, Sanctuary Mini-Suite, and Sanctuary Balcony cabins, and will feature access to Sanctuary Club, a private area on the ships’ top decks.
Guests booking the collection staterooms also have access to a private restaurant and benefits tied to the Princess Premier package, such as WiFi, crew appreciation tips, unlimited premium spirits, unlimited specialty dining, and reserved theater seating.
Outside of the new collection services, Star Princess will offer all guests the Lotus Spa, entertainment including Cirque Éloize, and the Dome, a multifunction space. The ship’s Princess Theater will sport an in-the-round design, and a three-story main dining room will provide water views.
Appeared first on: Cruisehive.com
