By
Alice Chambers |
Fincantieri floated out Princess Cruises’ upcoming ship Sun Princess at its yard in Monfalcone, Italy, on 8 March 2023.
Following Italian shipbuilding tradition, the occasion was celebrated with a ceremony where a ‘madrina’ offered blessings for the vessel. Simona Stumberger, hotel general manager at Princess Cruises, was chosen for this role due to her long-standing customer service skills.
“Simona is the ideal candidate to serve as madrina of our newest ship, Sun Princess, because she embodies all the best qualities that our company has to offer – an unwavering commitment to service, hospitality and friendliness,” said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises. “Sun Princess will usher in an exciting new era for our company and the industry, and we can’t think of a better person to serve in this important role.”
The shipyard will now focus on building the ship’s interiors, which will include a diverse range of dining and entertainment offerings and accommodation for 4,300 guests. Interior highlights will include The Dome entertainment venue, the Piazza and a three-storey Horizons Dining Room.
The new ship will primarily operate on LNG, with marine gas oil as its secondary fuel. This, alongside the ship’s two shore power connections and two Azipod propulsion systems, will help to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
Princess Cruises will also install onboard waste management systems to convert combustible materials into thermal energy and manage food waste with biodigesters and dehydrators.