Sky Princess
Product brand
UnclaimedA Royal-class cruise ship operated by Princess Cruises.
Last updated August 24, 2026
Overview
Sky Princess is a Royal-class cruise ship operated by Princess Cruises, the cruise brand of Carnival Corporation & plc. The vessel is the fourth Royal-class ship in the Princess fleet and the second Princess ship to use the Sky Princess name. She entered service in October 2019 after being constructed by Fincantieri in Italy. The ship originated in a broader Carnival Corporation shipbuilding agreement with Fincantieri. Carnival announced an order for an unnamed fourth Royal-class Princess vessel in December 2015, and the contract was finalized in April 2016. Construction began with steel cutting at Fincantieri's Castellammare di Stabia yard in November 2016, followed by additional steel work at the Monfalcone yard in September 2017. Her keel was laid in July 2018, she was floated out in February 2019, and sea trials were completed in September of that year. Fincantieri formally delivered the ship to Princess Cruises on 15 October 2019. Sky Princess began her operating career with a four-day press and pre-inaugural shakedown cruise from Trieste to Athens, calling at Kotor, on 16 October 2019. Her official maiden voyage departed on 20 October 2019 for a seven-day itinerary between Athens and Barcelona. She then completed a short Mediterranean inaugural season before repositioning to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in December 2019. Two additional short inaugural sailings were arranged between Port Everglades and Princess Cays, followed by a naming ceremony at Port Everglades on 7 December 2019. The ceremony was conducted by NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy captain Kay Hire together with NASA engineer Poppy Northcutt. The vessel is designed for large-scale premium cruise operations. She measures approximately 145,281 gross tons, is 330 metres long, and has a beam of 38.4 metres. Her diesel-electric power plant uses four Wärtsilä engines with combined output of about 62.4 megawatts. Two electric motors drive the ship's propellers, providing a service speed of approximately 21.9 knots and a maximum speed of about 23 knots. The ship contains 1,830 passenger cabins and 757 crew cabins; approximately 81 percent of the passenger cabins have balconies. Its stated maximum capacity, including passengers and crew, is about 5,800 people, while normal passenger capacity is approximately 3,660. Sky Princess follows a seasonal deployment model. Winter operations have centered on Caribbean cruises from Port Everglades. During summer, the ship has operated European itineraries, including voyages in the Baltic region. In autumn, it has served routes along the Canadian Maritimes and New England from New York. Its offering is therefore centered on destination-based cruise vacations combining resort-style onboard amenities with regularly changing international ports of call.
History
Sky Princess was developed as the fourth Royal-class vessel for Princess Cruises within Carnival Corporation's long-term fleet expansion program. Carnival Corporation entered a strategic shipbuilding agreement with Fincantieri in March 2015 covering five ships scheduled for delivery between 2019 and 2022. A Princess order for an unnamed fourth Royal-class ship was announced on 30 December 2015, and the related contract was completed on 2 April 2016. The ship's name was formally announced by Princess Cruises on 30 November 2017. The name honored an earlier Princess vessel that had also sailed as Sky Princess, establishing continuity with the cruise line's fleet history. Physical construction began on 9 November 2016, when steel was cut for the bow at Fincantieri's Castellammare di Stabia shipyard. Steel cutting for the remainder of the ship took place at Fincantieri's Monfalcone yard on 8 September 2017. The keel-laying ceremony followed on 5 July 2018. Sky Princess was floated out on 14 February 2019. After fitting-out and final preparation, the ship completed sea trials in September 2019. Fincantieri handed the vessel over to Princess Cruises at a ceremony in Monfalcone on 15 October 2019. The ship then carried out a four-day pre-inaugural shakedown cruise for members of the press, departing Trieste on 16 October and sailing to Athens with a stop at Kotor. The official maiden voyage began on 20 October 2019. This seven-day sailing linked Athens and Barcelona, placing the ship into Mediterranean service for its first operating season. Sky Princess subsequently repositioned across the Atlantic to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, arriving on 1 December 2019. Because of demand surrounding the ship's introduction, Princess scheduled two short inaugural cruises from Port Everglades to Princess Cays, departing on 1 December and 4 December. The formal naming ceremony took place at Port Everglades on 7 December 2019. NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy Captain Kay Hire and NASA engineer Poppy Northcutt served as the ship's ceremonial godmothers. Following its launch period, Sky Princess adopted a seasonal deployment pattern. Caribbean sailings have generally been associated with the winter season from Port Everglades, while summer deployments have included European and Baltic itineraries. Autumn operations have included cruises along the Canadian Maritimes and New England from New York. As a Royal-class ship, Sky Princess was built for high-capacity international cruising. The vessel has a gross tonnage of 145,281, a length of 330 metres, a beam of 38.4 metres, and a draft of 8.49 metres. Its diesel-electric propulsion plant consists of four Wärtsilä engines producing a combined 62.4 megawatts. Two electric propulsion motors drive the ship's propellers. The resulting service speed is approximately 21.9 knots, with a maximum speed of about 23 knots. Accommodation consists of 1,830 passenger cabins and 757 crew cabins. Around 81 percent of the passenger cabins include balconies, supporting Princess Cruises' emphasis on scenic destination viewing and extended resort-style voyages. The ship's stated maximum capacity is approximately 5,800 passengers and crew, while passenger capacity is approximately 3,660. Sky Princess remains an active Princess Cruises vessel and represents the cruise line's modern Royal-class product in Caribbean and European markets.
- 2019
Ship floated out and completes sea trials
[1]Sky Princess was floated out on 14 February and completed sea trials in September.
- 2019
Delivery and maiden voyage
[1]Fincantieri delivered the vessel on 15 October. Following a press shakedown cruise, Sky Princess began her official seven-day maiden voyage between Athens and Barcelona on 20 October.
- 2019
Port Everglades arrival and naming ceremony
[1]The ship reached Port Everglades on 1 December and was formally christened there on 7 December by Kay Hire and Poppy Northcutt.
- 2018
Keel laid
[1]The keel-laying milestone was completed at Fincantieri on 5 July.
- 2017
Ship name announced
[1]Princess Cruises announced the name Sky Princess on 30 November, honoring an earlier Princess vessel with the same name.
- 2016
Construction contract finalized
[1]The contract for the new Princess Royal-class ship was finalized on 2 April.
- 2016
Bow steel cutting begins
[1]Fincantieri began construction with steel cutting for the ship's bow at Castellammare di Stabia on 9 November.
- 2015
Carnival and Fincantieri establish a multi-ship agreement
[1]Carnival Corporation entered a strategic agreement with Fincantieri covering five cruise ships scheduled for delivery from 2019 through 2022, creating the broader shipbuilding context for Sky Princess.
- 2015
Fourth Royal-class Princess ship announced
[1]Princess Cruises announced an order for an unnamed fourth Royal-class vessel on 30 December.
Products and positioning
Premium large-ship cruise experience combining resort-style accommodation, onboard entertainment, and seasonal international itineraries.
Royal-class cruise ship · 2019
Sky Princess cruise ship
Sky Princess is a 145,281-gross-ton Royal-class cruise ship operated by Princess Cruises. The 330-metre vessel has 1,830 passenger cabins, of which approximately 81 percent have balconies, plus 757 crew cabins. It uses diesel-electric propulsion with four Wärtsilä engines and two electric propulsion motors. The ship is designed for premium, destination-focused cruising in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Baltic and wider Northern European regions, and along the Canadian Maritimes and New England.
Brand decisions
2019
Launch of Sky Princess operationsProduct launchBackground
After construction, handover, and sea trials, Princess Cruises prepared the fourth Royal-class ship for commercial service.
Action taken
The ship completed a press shakedown cruise, began its maiden Mediterranean voyage, and then repositioned to Port Everglades for Caribbean operations.
Aftermath
Sky Princess entered Princess Cruises' active fleet and adopted a seasonal Caribbean, European, and North American deployment pattern.
2017
Naming the fourth Royal-class ship Sky PrincessStrategyBackground
Princess Cruises was developing a fourth Royal-class vessel as part of a wider Carnival Corporation and Fincantieri fleet expansion program.
Action taken
The cruise line announced that the new ship would be named Sky Princess, reviving the name of an earlier Princess vessel.
Aftermath
The name positioned the new ship within Princess Cruises' existing naming history before construction was completed.
Sources1 sources
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