Royal Princess, the world`s newest 141,000-ton, 3,600-passenger cruise ship will be launched on June 16, 2013 with a series of 12-night cruises out of Barcelona and Venice. But, Princess Cruises has announced two preview cruises onboard Royal Princess, giving passengers the chance to get a taste of the new ship from Southampton on a two-night itinerary which will include a call in St. Peter Port, Guernsey, before its official inaugural voyage.
Currently under construction in Italy, Royal Princess will leave the city for the two preview cruises, scheduled for June 9 and June 14. Both voyages will go on sale on Tuesday, January 29 at 2pm to passengers already booked on the maiden voyage, and Wednesday, January 30 at 2pm to all other customers. Fares start from £349 ($554) per person for a balcony stateroom.
Royal Princess, which is being named in tribute to the line’s first purpose-built vessel, is a new-generation ship for Southampton-based Princess Cruises. It is Princess’ first new ship in five years and its largest ever – some 20 percent larger than Princess Cruises’ next biggest vessels.
Princess has revealed a handful of novel-sounding touches for Royal Princess, which include a greatly expanded atrium, the social hub of the ship; a dramatic over-water SeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway extending more than 28 feet beyond the edge of the vessel; plush private poolside cabanas that appear to be floating on the water; the new Princess Live! television studio; a pastry shop; a special Chef’s Table Lumiere, a private dining experience that surrounds diners in a curtain of light; and balconies on all outside staterooms.
After debuting in June, the Royal Princess will spend the summer sailing in the Mediterranean before heading to the Caribbean for winter.
A sister ship, Regal Princess, will arrive in spring 2014.