Princess Cruises has unveiled a bespoke new ship the Sun Princess, accommodating 4,300 guests. Sun Princess features stunning views, innovative entertainment venues, multi-storey dining rooms and next-level stateroom accommodations. The ship returns the venerable “Sun Princess” name back into operation, remaining true to the smooth clean lines and design aesthetics inspired by the Seawitch icon.
The 175,500-ton Sun Princess, currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard, is scheduled to debut in February 2024. It is the largest Princess ship ever constructed. The Sun Princess features the brand’s iconic Piazza and new feature ‘The Dome’, a cutting-edge entertainment space inspired by the terraces of Santorini. Sun Princess will also feature the exclusive Princess Medallion that will extend Princess’ leadership position in delivering exceptional personalised experiences.
Princess is unique in the ability to deliver incredible cruise ship amenities typical of the largest ships in the world while delivering personalised service found on the industry’s smallest ships.
“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.”
Innovative Guest Experience
The new ship will feature expansive light-filled spaces and offer guests stunning views of the world and innovative experiences with more than 29 dining and bar options. The line’s Piazza will span three storeys and form an architectural feature offering guests an outward-looking suspended space with comfortable seating and areas to enjoy the ocean views in every direction. An impressive LED screen will also be showcased in the centre of the Piazza that can be moved and configured to deliver live entertainment programming. Adjacent to the Piazza atrium will be a new coffee shop, Coffee Currents, along with Princess favourites like Crooners Bar, Bellini’s Cocktail Bar, and Alfredo’s Pizzeria.
The Dome is one of the most unique features of Sun Princess. Inspired by the terraces of Santorini, it is a multi-level covered deck with a glass-enclosed dome. During the day, The Dome features an indoor/outdoor pool and a water feature in a comfortable and relaxed space. At night, the pool becomes a stage, and The Dome transforms into an entertainment venue with state-of-the-art lighting effects and the ability to deliver stunning aerial performances.
Sun Princess offers guests stunning views of destinations and ocean vistas with its brighter and lighter interior design. The ship’s design celebrates the romance of the sea and offers outward views from morning to night.
Newly Appointed Suites and Staterooms
The 21-deck Sun Princess features more outdoor balcony space and all-balcony accommodations feature an in-room sofa. With 2,157 total staterooms, including 50 suites and 100 connecting rooms, the Sun Princess also launches a new level of suite accommodations, the Signature Collection.
In addition to premium stateroom amenities, Signature Collection suites include access to the Signature Restaurant, Signature Lounge, and Signature Sun Deck, a private area of The Sanctuary.
The Club Class accommodations on the Sun Princess and all other Princess ships will now be called the Reserve Collection. These are the best-located mini-suite staterooms. Within the Reserve Collection, there will be Reserve Collection Cabana rooms. These are resort-style staterooms that offer a balcony and private cabana, as well as an extra-large outdoor lounge space. These premium accommodations also include access to the Reserve Collection Restaurant.
Sustainability
The ship’s design isn’t the only stunning thing about it – the sustainable elements being engineered into the vessel are impressive, too. Sun Princess is one of 11 new ships in the Carnival Corporation fleet powered by Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) technology, part of the corporation’s green cruising focus.
The Sun Princess name will live on through this new ship, the third to be given the moniker. The first Sun Princess sailed from 1974 to 1988, while the second ship held the name from 1995 to 2020. That second vessel was notable for having the most balcony cabins of any ship at the time as well as the cruise line’s first 24-hour cafe.
