Grand Princess
Product brand
UnclaimedGrand Princess is a Grand-class cruise ship operated by Princess Cruises.
Last updated August 24, 2026
Overview
Grand Princess is a Grand-class cruise ship operated by Princess Cruises. Built by Fincantieri at its Monfalcone shipyard in Italy, the vessel entered service in 1998 as the first ship of the Grand class. Its construction yard number was 5956, and contemporary descriptions placed the project cost at approximately US$450 million. At launch, Grand Princess was described as the largest and most expensive passenger ship ever built, reflecting the rapid growth of large-scale international cruising during the late 1990s. The ship was christened by the actress Olivia de Havilland. Although it was the first vessel that would later be associated with Princess Cruises' Grand class, early Princess brochures presented it as part of the Sun-class family. The class designation became more clearly established after the introduction of Golden Princess. Grand Princess is a sister ship of Golden Princess and Star Princess, but it has a distinct visual and architectural character. Its interior uses darker wood finishes and is considered closer in style to the smaller Sun-class vessels than to the later Grand-class ships. Grand Princess was designed as a full-service cruise ship, combining passenger accommodation, restaurants, entertainment venues, leisure facilities and itinerary-based travel. It has operated on routes associated with the North American cruise market, including voyages to Alaska, Mexico and Hawaii. The ship also gained exposure outside the cruise industry when it served as the setting for a task in the second series of the United Kingdom version of the reality television programme The Apprentice. The vessel underwent a 14-day dry dock in July 2009 for refurbishment and measures intended to improve energy and environmental efficiency. A more extensive refit was completed in May 2011. That project included the removal of the nightclub located at the stern and modifications that addressed the ship's tendency to sail with its bow unusually high. According to descriptions of the refit, the changes improved fuel economy by approximately 3–4 percent. The bow-high characteristic was specific to Grand Princess and was not shared by its sister ships, which used different aluminum upper-deck designs. Grand Princess became internationally prominent during the early COVID-19 pandemic. Former passengers were linked to infections after voyages between California, Mexico and Hawaii. Following the first reported death associated with a former passenger on 4 March 2020, the ship was redirected toward the San Francisco Bay Area and held offshore while testing arrangements were made. Preliminary testing identified 21 positive cases. Grand Princess subsequently docked in Oakland on 9 March 2020, after which more than 3,000 people connected with the voyage entered quarantine. At least 497 people who had been aboard during the rerouting were later reported to have tested positive, and seven passenger deaths were associated with the outbreak. The episode made the ship one of the most visible maritime settings of the pandemic's first phase.
History
Grand Princess was constructed by Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani at Monfalcone, Italy, under yard number 5956. The ship entered service in 1998 as the first Grand-class vessel for Princess Cruises. Its construction represented the late-1990s expansion of the cruise industry toward increasingly large passenger ships; contemporary accounts described Grand Princess as the largest and most expensive passenger ship in the world at the time, with an approximate construction cost of US$450 million. The ship was christened by Olivia de Havilland. Although Grand Princess was the prototype of the Grand class, Princess Cruises initially presented it in promotional brochures as a Sun-class ship. The Grand-class identity became more apparent after Golden Princess entered the fleet. Grand Princess shares its broad design lineage with Golden Princess and Star Princess, but its interiors differ from those of its sisters. The ship uses darker wood finishes and has an interior style more closely related to the smaller Sun-class vessels. Its design and subsequent modifications also gave it operational characteristics that distinguished it from the other ships. The vessel has served as a platform for conventional cruise operations, including passenger lodging, dining, entertainment and leisure activities on itineraries connected with Alaska, Mexico and Hawaii. It also appeared in popular culture as the location for a task in the second series of the United Kingdom edition of The Apprentice. Grand Princess received a 14-day dry-dock refurbishment in July 2009. The work included measures intended to improve energy and environmental efficiency. A substantially larger refit followed in May 2011, described as the most extensive dry-dock project in Princess Cruises' history at that point. The aft nightclub was removed, and modifications were made to correct a tendency for the vessel to sail bow high. Those changes reportedly improved fuel economy by about 3–4 percent. The issue was regarded as particular to Grand Princess; its sister ships used aluminum upper-deck arrangements and did not share the same characteristic. Two later events brought the ship unusual public attention. In August 2017, a dead humpback whale was found lodged on the bow after the ship reached Ketchikan, Alaska. The cruise line said it did not know when or how the whale had become attached or whether it had been alive beforehand. The more consequential event occurred during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Former passengers from Grand Princess voyages between California, Mexico and Hawaii were connected with SARS-CoV-2 infections. After the first reported death associated with a former passenger on 4 March, the ship was redirected to the San Francisco Bay Area and held offshore while test kits were transported to it. Initial testing found 21 positive cases. Grand Princess docked in Oakland on 9 March, and more than 3,000 people connected with the voyage entered quarantine. At least 497 people who had been aboard during the rerouting were subsequently reported to have tested positive, while seven passenger deaths were associated with the outbreak.
- 2020
COVID-19 outbreak and Oakland quarantine
[1]Grand Princess was diverted to the San Francisco Bay Area, tested offshore and later docked in Oakland amid a major COVID-19 outbreak connected to the voyage.
- 2017
Whale found on bow in Alaska
[1]A dead humpback whale was found lodged on the ship's bow after its arrival at Ketchikan.
- 2011
Major dry-dock refit
[1]A major refit removed the aft nightclub and addressed the ship's bow-high sailing tendency, with reported fuel-economy gains of approximately 3–4 percent.
- 2009
Energy and environmental refurbishment
[1]The ship underwent a 14-day dry-dock refurbishment intended in part to improve energy and environmental efficiency.
- 1998
Grand Princess enters service
[1]Built by Fincantieri in Monfalcone, Italy, Grand Princess entered service as the first ship of Princess Cruises' Grand class.
Products and positioning
A large, full-service Princess Cruises vessel positioned around resort-style cruising, destination travel and onboard entertainment.
Cruise ship · 1998
Grand Princess cruise ship
Grand Princess is a full-service passenger cruise ship operated by Princess Cruises. Its offering combines stateroom accommodation, restaurants, entertainment venues and leisure facilities with destination-based itineraries. The ship has been associated with cruises serving the Alaska, Mexico and Hawaii markets. Its interior design uses darker woods than those of some sister ships and retains stylistic links to Princess Cruises' Sun-class vessels.
Brand decisions
2020
Diversion and controlled disembarkation during COVID-19 outbreakOtherBackground
Former passengers were linked to SARS-CoV-2 infections, and a related death was reported during the early phase of the pandemic.
Action taken
The ship was redirected to the San Francisco Bay Area, tested while offshore and then docked in Oakland, where people connected with the voyage entered quarantine.
Aftermath
At least 497 people aboard during the rerouting were reported to have tested positive, and seven passenger deaths were associated with the outbreak.
2011
Major refit to improve handling and fuel economyStrategyBackground
Grand Princess had a vessel-specific tendency to sail with its bow high, and the ship also required an extensive refurbishment after more than a decade of service.
Action taken
Princess Cruises removed the aft nightclub and carried out modifications during a major dry dock to correct the bow-high tendency and improve operational efficiency.
Aftermath
The changes reportedly improved fuel economy by approximately 3–4 percent and altered the ship's stern configuration.
Recent events
- 2020
Grand Princess diverted during early COVID-19 outbreak[1]
Regulation · Other
After former passengers were linked to SARS-CoV-2 infections and a related death, Grand Princess was redirected to the San Francisco Bay Area. Testing aboard the ship initially identified 21 positive cases before the vessel docked in Oakland on 9 March 2020.
- 2020
Grand Princess passengers and crew enter quarantine after Oakland arrival[1]
Regulation · Other
More than 3,000 people associated with Grand Princess entered quarantine after the ship docked in Oakland during the COVID-19 pandemic. At least 497 people aboard during the rerouting were later reported to have tested positive, with seven passenger deaths connected to the outbreak.
- 2017
Dead humpback whale found on Grand Princess bow in Ketchikan[1]
Other
A dead humpback whale was discovered lodged on the ship's bow after Grand Princess docked at Ketchikan, Alaska, on 9 August 2017. Princess Cruises said it could not determine when or how the whale became lodged or whether it had been alive before the incident.
Sources2 sources
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