Princess Cruises has begun construction on its third new generation cruise ship – following the Royal Princess and Regal Princess – with the laying of the vessel’s keel at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. The ceremony included a traditional Chinese lion dance as the yet-to-be-named ship will be tailored to the China market when it launches in the summer of 2017.
“We’re incredibly excited to mark this step in the ship’s construction,” said Anthony Kaufman, Princess Cruises senior vice president of Asia operations, who traveled to Italy for the ceremony. “We’re very pleased to be working with our long-term partner, Fincantieri, on our newest ship and we appreciate their partnership and collaboration to customize and tailor the ship for the Chinese market.”
The new 3,600-guest Royal-class ship will measure in at 141,000 gross tons and reprise features from its preceding sister ships such as the cantilevered glass-floored SeaWalk, Princess Live! shipboard studio, Chef’s Table Lumiere “curtain of light” dining experience, Princess Watercolor Fantasy deck fountain show, Movies Under the Stars outdoor cinema screen, and balconies for every outside stateroom.
International experiences will include Chinese, Japanese, South-East Asian, Italian, French and North American cuisine, world cultural festivals, and the Princess Class program. Developed specifically for the Chinese market, Princess Class provides guests the opportunity, according to the cruise line, to “participate in unique cultural, culinary, entertaining and inspiring programs including the World Leaders Dinner, traditional English afternoon tea, a Lobster Grill, Ultimate Balcony Dining, an ocean-view hot pot dinner option, ballroom dancing, and an unparalleled duty-free shopping experience.”
More information will be revealed in the coming months. In the meantime, visit Princess Cruises‘ website here.
HEADER IMAGE SOURCE: PRINCESS CRUISES