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 multi-storey 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.
The Sun Princess will feature an area called The Dome, a multilevel, covered deck with an indoor-outdoor pool and a water feature.
A three-story Piazza at the centre 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 centre 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.
Source: Travel Weekly