Princess Cruises recently unveiled a brand-new, custom-built ship platform that will carry over 4,000 passengers and is the largest ship in the brand’s history. The new Sun Princess features breathtaking views, expansive venues, innovative entertainment venues, multi-story dining rooms, and next-level stateroom accommodations, while staying true to the sleek, clean lines and design aesthetics inspired by the Seawitch icon and popularized in the original “Love Boat” television series, and reviving the venerable “Sun Princess” moniker.

The 175,500-ton vessel, currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard and scheduled to debut in early 2024, is the largest Princess ship ever built and celebrates Italian heritage with a brand-iconic Piazza and The Dome, a cutting-edge entertainment space inspired by the terraces of Santorini. Sun Princess will also feature the exclusive Princess Medallion, which will enhance Princess’s leadership position in providing extraordinary personalized experiences on an unrivaled scale. Princess is unique in its capacity to provide cruise ship amenities typical of the world’s largest ships while providing the personalized service found on the smallest ships in the industry.

John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises, remarked, “Sun Princess is a new and bespoke ship platform, designed to simultaneously embrace Princess heritage while boldly pressing into the future with iconic, elegant and pure lines unique to our brand. A show-stopping, first-of-its-kind Dome on the top deck and suspended glass Piazza in the center of Sun Princess offer innovative designs showcasing expansive ocean views for incredible opportunities to connect with the sea.”

The cruise line also announced that Sun Princess will sail its maiden spring/summer season of Mediterranean cruises out of Port Everglades, Florida, followed by Western and Eastern Caribbean excursions in the fall of 2024.

Innovative Guest Experience

Infused with light, the ship provides guests with dynamic vistas of the world and new service, dining, and entertainment experiences. The line’s Piazza spans three storeys, producing a prominent architectural element that provides visitors with an outward-facing suspended space with comfortable sitting and opportunities to take in ocean views from every angle. In the center of the Piazza is an outstanding LED screen that can be moved and customized to display live entertainment programming. Coffee Currents, Bellini’s Cocktail Bar, and Princess favorites such as Crooners Bar and Alfredo’s Pizza will be located adjacent to the Piazza Atrium.

The Dome is another notable component aboard the Sun Princess. Inspired by the terraces of Santorini, this multi-level glass-enclosed dome is the first of its kind to be created on a cruise ship. The Dome has an indoor/outdoor pool and a unique water feature during the day in a warm and relaxing setting. At night, the pool changes into a stage, and the Dome entirely transforms into an entertainment venue with a South Beach ambiance, state-of-the-art lighting effects, and the capacity to host breathtaking aerial shows.

The ship’s interior design embraces the outdoors and celebrates the romanticism of the sea by providing vistas of the exterior from daylight to night. With brighter and lighter décor and fittings, Sun Princess provides guests with more vantage points from which to see the breathtaking destinations and ocean panoramas they desire during Princess cruise holidays.

Modernized Suites and Staterooms

The 21-deck Sun Princess boasts 2,157 cabins, including 50 suites and 100 connecting rooms, more outside balcony space, and sofas in every balcony stateroom.

Signature Collection, a new level of suite accommodations, will also debut exclusively on Sun Princess. Signature Collection suites feature access to the Signature Restaurant, Signature Lounge, and Signature Sun Deck, a secluded portion of the Sanctuary, in addition to premium stateroom amenities.

Club Class accommodations onboard Sun Princess and all other Princess ships will now be referred to as Reserve Collection. These are the best-located mini-suite staterooms. Reserve Collection Cabana accommodations, resort-style staterooms with a balcony and private cabana, an extra-large outdoor lounging area, will be included in the Reserve Collection. In addition to providing access to the Reserve Collection Restaurant, these upscale rooms also offer guests access to the Reserve Collection Restaurant.

In addition to the ship’s spectacular aesthetic, sustainable components are being included into its construction. Sun Princess is one of 11 new Carnival Corporation ships fueled by LNG fuel technology and is part of the company’s green cruising initiative.

The inaugural season for Sun Princess begins in the Mediterranean at the beginning of 2024. The first three journeys are now available for purchase.

This is the third ship to bear the name Sun Princess, adding to the legacy of the first ship, which sailed from 1974 to 1988, and the second ship, which will sail from 1995 until 2020. At the time, she boasted the most balcony cabins and the first 24-hour cafe of any cruise line.

In the following months, additional information about Sun Princess, including cuisine, entertainment, and onboard amenities, will be revealed.