Princess Cruises’ first ship in its new Sphere class will be the largest the brand has ever built and given one of its oldest names.
The 175,500-gross-ton ship will be named the Sun Princess in a nod to Princess’ Love Boat legacy. The Sun, the third Princess ship to have that name, is due out in early 2024 with plans for a sister ship to follow in 2025.
The Sun Princess is “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, president of Princess Cruises.
The 21-deck ship is under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. The line said the Sun will have brighter and lighter décor and finishes than its other ships, including a new sphere atrium space, a geodesic dome and a new entertainment venue. The ship will also have multistory dining rooms and new stateroom accommodations.
The Sun will feature an area called The Dome, a multilevel, covered deck with a glass-enclosed dome that will feature an indoor-outdoor pool and a water feature. At night, the pool will transform into a stage for an entertainment venue with lighting effects and the ability to host aerial performances.
A three-story Piazza at the center of the ship will include an outward-looking, suspended space where guests can sit and see the ocean in every direction. An LED screen will be showcased in the center of the Piazza, although it can be moved to make room for live entertainment.
The ship will have 2,157 staterooms, including 50 suites and 100 connecting rooms. The line said the Sun will have more outdoor balcony space and balcony rooms will feature an in-room sofa.
The Sun will introduce a new grade of suite accommodations called the Signature Collection. Guests staying in those accommodations will have access to the Signature Restaurant, Signature Lounge and Signature Sun Deck in a private area of the Sanctuary.
Club Class accommodations on the Sun and the rest of the fleet will be renamed the Reserve Collection. This class of mini-suites on the Sun will have resort-style staterooms with a balcony, private cabana and large outdoor lounge space.
The Sun will be Princess’ first ship to be dual-fuel powered, largely by liquefied natural gas, according to the line. Ten other ships on order for parent company Carnival Corp. will also be powered by LNG.
The name of the ship waves at the legacy of the line. The first Sun Princess, where “The Love Boat” TV show was filmed, sailed from 1974 to 1988. The second ship of its name sailed from 1995 until 2020.
The Sun Princess will sail its inaugural spring and summer season in the Mediterranean. The ship will then sail Caribbean voyages out of Fort Lauderdale in the fall of 2024. The ship’s first three voyages go on sale at 3 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, Sept. 16.
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