Princess Cruises' newest ship, the Royal Princess, is signed, sealed, delivered and on its way to Southampton. The ship is Princess' largest, at 141,000-tons.
Royal Princess will arrive at the Ocean Terminal in Southampton on Friday, June 7, where she will commence a series of events for customers and travel agents, including a special naming gala on the evening of Wednesday, June 12.
The formal ceremony will take place in Southampton, England, on June 13 with godmother Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton. The Duchess' selection follows the choice of William's mother, Princess Diana, in 1984 to christen the previous Princess ship to bear the Royal Princess name. The ceremony will include a blessing, a performance by the Royal Marines Band and the pipers of the Irish Guards.
"Bringing Royal Princess to the UK is a demonstration of the importance of the UK market to Princess Cruises and our desire to give British customers a chance to see our latest innovations." said Paul Ludlow, UK director of Princess Cruises, "British cruisers love Princess for many reasons including the quality and range of our itineraries, our friendly and attentive service, and of course our outstanding food."
The ship's inaugural celebrations will conclude with her maiden voyage on June 16. The 3,600 passenger Royal Princess will cruise the Mediterranean throughout the summer before transitioning to a winter season in the Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale.
Among the special features found on board the new Royal Princess will be a greatly expanded atrium, the social hub of the ship; an over-water SeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway extending 28 feet beyond the edge of the ship; plush private poolside cabanas that appear to be floating on water; the new Princess Live! television studio; the largest pastry shop at sea; a special Chef's Table Lumiere, a private dining experience that surrounds diners in a curtain of light; and balconies on all outside staterooms.
