Princess Cruises has revealed a first glimpse of its newest, “largest and most innovative ship ever built” which is scheduled to debut early 2024
The cruise operator said in a statement, “With bright designs inspired by rays of sunlight and next-level expanded spaces, guests are in for an extraordinary cruise experience including a show-stopping Arena theatre and stunning three-story dining venue – a first for Princess.”
“With the construction of any new ship, we have the incredible opportunity to design standout spaces with our guests’ preferences in mind,” said Princess Cruises chief executive John Padgett. “With the new platform and size of Sun Princess, we’re uniquely able to refresh venues we know our guests love and expand upon, redesign and elevate them to the next level. We know our sun-inspired designs will exceed expectations and elevate the entire Princess experience.”
A first for Princess, the Horizons Dining Room introduces a three-storey dining venue. This newly envisioned space is open and flexible, featuring dining options to suit every mood. Wake views and natural light highlight a decorative sculpture that stretches from deck 6 to deck 8.
The three decks will each have their own personalities, and offer different dining experiences and a range of formality levels.
Princess Cruises says contemporary and versatile, the Princess arena “is an evolution and the most technologically advanced Princess Theatre design. Upon entering, guests will be drawn to a stunning visual above the central stage which can become part of the show. A radical ceiling accentuates the arena’s in-the-round configuration with soft curved walls that allude to the movement of the tide. With moveable seats and capacity of a little more than 1,000 people, three configurations will maximise sight lines, as technological capabilities deliver a truly captivating experience.”
Additional signature favourites with new designs and décor scheduled to debut on board Sun Princess in early 2024, include:
Alfredo’s Pizzeria: which will once again have an open kitchen design, allowing guests to watch as the chefs create pizza by hand and serve them straight out of them oven. New to the kitchen is a professional, open-mouth oven that reaches 968°, allowing chefs to create contemporary Neapolitan pizza.
Princess Casino: the largest Princess casino in both size and number of gaming positions will be in the Piazza.
Crown Grill: Crown Grill on Sun Princess takes this space and modernises it with a classic steakhouse feel with modern touches.
Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria: Princess Cruises said, “Serving a modern, casual but elegant Italian dining experience, the newly imagined Sabatini’s will appeal to families with unique handmade pasta courses prepared fresh daily. A crisp, tailored, geometric design that features a pasta room for guests to marvel at the pasta-making process. The restaurant is designed with intimate bistro-style nooks and a dramatic circular main room.”
Princess Live! Combining the design elements of Princess Live! and guest favourite Explorer’s Lounge, guests on Sun Princess will enjoy participatory, signature cruise activities like game shows, trivia and the daily Wake Show. Luxurious textures and materials will be featured on a mixture of comfortable loose and fixed lounge seating with full beverage service, an inviting semi-open façade, and large LED screen on stage.
The Shops of Princess: There are five retail locations, plus an art gallery.
Additional spaces with new designs, signage and décor will include Crooner’s, Wheelhouse Bar, International Cafe, Good Spirits and Gelateria.
Currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the largest Princess ship ever constructed, accommodating 4,000 guests, embraces Italian heritage by featuring a newly designed, brand-iconic Piazza and The Dome, a cutting-edge entertainment space inspired by the terraces of Santorini.
Part of Carnival Corp’s green cruising focus, Sun Princess will be the first Princess ship and one of 11 new vessels in the corporate fleet powered by LNG.