Sun Princess is a Sphere-class cruise ship operated by Princess Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc, and is the third ship to sail for the cruise line under this name. Sun Princess was ordered on 23 July 2018 from Fincantieri and constructed at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy; it had her maiden voyage in 2024. It is the largest ship in Princess' current fleet.[7]
History
Construction and delivery
The final contract of the first two Sphere-class vessels was signed in March 2019. In March 2023, the ship was floated out in Monfalcone, Italy.[8] Sun Princess was seen completing her sea trials in November 2023 and January 2024.
She had her naming ceremony in the Port of Barcelona being named by Hannah Waddingham on 23 April 2024.[8] The Ted Lasso actress would later participate in an ad campaign where she performs the theme to The Love Boat television series aboard the ship.[9] Two weeks before her originally expected delivery, a mutual agreement to delay her delivery was announced. The circumstances were not explained. Sun Princess's maiden voyage was delayed from 8 February to 28 February 2024.[10][11]
Operational history
Sun Princess sailed her maiden voyage on 28 February 2024, setting sail in the Mediterranean.[12][13] The ship moved to Florida for Caribbean sailings in October of that year, undergoing a refurbishment before it's US debut that moved and reconfigured many of the onboard restaurants and removed attractions from the Park19 family area.[14]
Design and specifications
Sun Princess is the first ship of the Sphere class.[15] She measures 1133 ft in length, with a beam of 155 ft. The Sphere class has been a major update to the overall design of Princess's ships, featuring a more modern look. Sun Princess also features new glass, dome-like elements visible from the exterior of the vessel.[16] Sun Princess is the first Princess ship to be fueled by liquefied natural gas (LNG) which will persist throughout the Sphere class.[15]
References
- Princess Cruises to Build Two Next Generation LNG Cruise www.carnivalcorp.com^
- Sun Princess Floats Out at Fincantieri - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News cruiseindustrynews.com^
- New Sun Princess Arrives in Civitavecchia Ahead of Maiden Cruise - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News cruiseindustrynews.com^
- Hannah Waddingham to Serve as Godmother of Sun Princess - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News cruiseindustrynews.com^
- Sun Princess Fact Sheet - Princess Cruises^
- Sun Princess Ship Info www.cruisedeckplans.com^
- https://www.princess.com/blog/video/cruise-ships/su-sun-princess^
- New Sun Princess Named by Hannah Waddingham cruiseindustrynews.com, 2023-03-08^
- Brenton Blanchet. Hannah Waddingham Takes on The Love Boat Theme for Princess Cruise Ad — and Shares How It Honors Her 108-Year-Old Grandpa People, 2024-11-22^
- Sun Princess Delivered but Feb. 18 Sailing Cancelled cruiseindustrynews.com^
- Princess Cancels First Sun Princess Cruise cruiseindustrynews.com, 2024-01-24^
- Sun Princess Sets Sail on Maiden Voyage to the Mediterranean - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News cruiseindustrynews.com^
- Sun Princess Cruise News: Sun Princess Arrives in Ft Lauderdale for North American Premiere cruisecritic.co.uk^
- Randy Young. Sun Princess Shuffling Restaurants Just Months After Launch Cruise Spotlight, 13 September 2024, retrieved 30 January 2026^
- Baird Maritime. VESSEL REVIEW Baird Maritime / Work Boat World, 2024-10-24, retrieved 2025-03-23^
- Holly Johnson. Sun Princess: The Best Dining, Amenities and More on Princess Cruises' Newest Ship travel.usnews.com, 2024-06-25^