royal princess cruise wiki

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Royal Princess Overview

Royal Princess  was christened by the lovely and royal Duchess of Cambridge, formerly Kate Middleton. This ship offers many incredible features, most notably the SeaWalk, a glass enclosed hallway that extends 28 feet beyond the edge of the ship giving passengers a spectacular and unobstructed view of the ocean below. Royal Princess features dozens of food options and an area to play bocce ball, croquet and golf, along with an expanded atrium with a tea tower where passengers can brew their own tea blend - a very royal experience, indeed.

• Passenger Capacity: 3,560 (double occupancy)
• Year Built: 2013
• Last Refurbished:  2018

• Balconies Royal Princess has abolished oceanview cabins. Princess made all of their outside cabins balconies, which gives passengers not only great views of the ports they're in and the oceans they are traversing, but with a balcony you get to experience cruising with all of your senses. You’ll hear the sea birds squaw, you’ll smell the fresh air and feel the breeze on your face. A balcony offers a step up, fit for the Royal Princess’ esteemed passengers.  

• The Atrium The Royal Princess takes Princess Cruises to a new level. With an expanded size and lots of new features, the design team on the ship reinvented many of Princess’ core features. The Atrium, which is the center piece of the ship, is 50 percent larger than any Atrium before her. The Royal Princess’ Atrium connects three stories of the ship with beautiful staircases and presents the perfect spot to grab a cup of coffee or catch an interactive show.  

• Godmother To honor the Royal Princess , none other than the Duchess of Cambridge christened the ship when she debuted in the spring of 2013. The Duchess, formerly known as Kate Middleton, christened the ship just over a month before giving birth to the heir to the British throne, Prince George. Middleton carries on an important family tradition as the original Royal Princess was christened by her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.  

Meet the Royal Princess: An Infographic

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Royal Princess Cruise Destinations

Princess Cruises offers a wide array of cruising destinations, as well as a Cruisetour program that is revered in the cruising industry. This impressive selection includes over 100 itineraries reaching over 300 ports all across the world. Whether cruise to take in the beautiful fall foliage of Canada and New England or a splendid voyage to sunny Tahiti, Princess Cruises can offer you a great value with an exceptional experience. Other destinations include, but are not limited to: Asia, Hawaii, Mexico, the Panama Canal, Australia, and more. 

Choose an Alaska cruise, where you can explore the tundra or view the natural beauty, take a dog sled ride or kick back in some hot springs!

Alaska Cruisetours

A Princess Cruises Alaska Cruisetour is the best choice for a full, in-depth adventure in the Last Frontier.

Bring the Far East and the oriental treasures it holds a little closer with a cruise to Southeast Asia and India.

Satisfy your hunger for the unique and intriguing, whether it’s a rarely seen whale or a quirky new sport, with an Australia and New Zealand cruise.

Australia/New Zealand Cruisetours

Encounter out-of-this-world beauty, rich Aboriginal cultures and thrilling adventures on an Australia and New Zealand cruisetour.

Hawaii holds cultural delights and tropical pleasures in store for your cruise vacation.

Mexican Riviera

Imagine the clear blue waters, fantastic beaches, and fascinating culture you will encounter on a cruise to Mexican Riviera.

South Pacific / Tahiti

French Polynesia’s animated culture and natural, gorgeous landscapes are the highlight of each and every day of a cruise to Tahiti and the South Pacific.

Transpacific

Cross the world’s largest ocean while visiting tropical islands and lively cultures along the way.

U. S. Pacific Coast

From San Francisco treats to Hollywood streets, it’s call about the West Coast—choose a California Coastal cruise.

Royal Princess Departure Ports

Princess Cruises has one of the most extensive set of sailings. Their ships travel the world embarking from popular ports like New York City, Vancouver, Venice and Los Angeles. They also have cruises that sail from smaller, more exotic ports like Kobe in Japan and Valparaiso in Chile. We’ll help you find a Princess cruise you’ll love, give us a call today. 

Brisbane, Australia

Brisbane with its lazy subtropical aura is quickly becoming one of Australia’s most popular cruise destinations.

Hobart, Australia

If you are looking for a relaxing, tranquil and laid-back vacation spot – Hobart is the place for you! 

The near perfect days, beautiful scenery, pristine beaches and sparkling water offer the perfect backdrop for any dream adventure in Sydney, Australia.

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo is a dazzling city where you might be overwhelmed at first by its modernity but will find lots of interesting subcultures in its various neighborhoods.

Auckland, New Zealand

The mild temperatures in Auckland enhance an outdoorsy cruise destination. Tour the many beaches, hike beautiful mountain ranges or just wander Auckland’s city streets.

Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii

Honolulu, with its near perfect weather every day and beautiful mountains and tropical landscapes, is a destination not to be missed.

The possibilities are endless when cruising to or from the City of Angels. Let your inner rock star shine as you explore the many wonders of Los Angeles, California.

Known as The Emerald City, Seattle is a beautiful, luscious city with incredible views of the Cascade Mountains and Elliott Bay. The city is full of activities for both water lovers and outdoor enthusiasts.

Whether it’s your cruise destination or a launching point, Vancouver is a beautiful destination in itself with a sophisticated downtown and lots of natural elements to explore.

Whittier, Alaska

Experience the best of the Last Frontier in quaint Whittier, Alaska. Enjoy the clear water filled with salmon, red snapper and trout along with the freely roaming wildlife, all combining to make Whittier a treat to visit.

Royal Princess Deck Plans

Fiesta deck, promenade deck, emerald deck, dolphin deck, caribe deck, riviera deck, marina deck, sports deck, royal princess staterooms.

Balcony (DA)

Choose this enhanced version of a Balcony stateroom with more space and a comfortable sofa bed. Enjoy a larger balcony with more room to view the beautiful scenery as you sail from destination to destination and take in the ocean breeze for a wonderful and romantic evening or morning. This stateroom also includes some of the amenities offered in a Mini-Suite stateroom.

Balcony (DB)

Balcony (dc), balcony (dd), balcony (de), balcony (df), balcony (dv).

Choose this enhanced version of a Balcony stateroom with more space and a comfortable sofa bed. This cabin has an obstructed view balcony from which to enjoy the fresh sea air. Enjoy a larger balcony with more room to view the beautiful scenery as you sail from destination to destination and take in the ocean breeze for a wonderful and romantic evening or morning. This stateroom also includes some of the amenities offered in a Mini-Suite stateroom.

Balcony (DW)

Balcony (dz), balcony (d4).

Larger than a Deluxe Balconcy Suite. Choose this enhanced version of a Balcony stateroom with more space and a comfortable sofa bed. Enjoy a larger balcony with more room to view the beautiful scenery as you sail from destination to destination and take in the ocean breeze for a wonderful and romantic evening or morning. This stateroom also includes some of the amenities offered in a Mini-Suite stateroom.

Balcony (BA)

This impressive stateroom offers the added indulgence of a balcony and gives you more space than a standard stateroom. Enjoy your own private outdoor space with a table, two chairs, and a relaxing view of the inspiring scenery surrounding you, wimpressive stateroom offers the added indulgence of a balcony. Enjoy your own private outdoor space with a table, two chairs, and a relaxing view of the inspiring scenery surrounding you, whether a beautiful sunset over the ocean or a new city to explore.

Balcony (BB)

This impressive This impressive stateroom offers the added indulgence of a balcony and gives you more space than a standard stateroom. Enjoy your own private outdoor space with a table, two chairs, and a relaxing view of the inspiring scenery surrounding you, whether a beautiful sunset over the ocean or a new city to explore. It's also perfect to enjoy offers the elegance of a balcony with fine patio furniture. It offers all the amenities of an interior stateroom, plus a spacious closet and desk

Balcony (BC)

Balcony (bd), balcony (be), balcony (bf), balcony (bv), balcony (bw), balcony (by).

Inside (IA)

These staterooms are the perfect place to recharge your batteries. Our most affordable option, featuring two twin beds or a queen-size bed. Other amenities include a refrigerator, hair dryer, TV, closet and bathroom with shower.

Inside (IB)

Inside (ic), inside (id), inside (ie), inside (if).

A premium stateroom category featuring our best located Mini-Suite staterooms, as well as the great amenities found in all Mini-Suites plus premier dining benefits and luxurious perks. Each night, enjoy Club Class Dining, an exclusive dining area featuring expedited seating with no wait, expanded menu options, dedicated wait staff and tableside preparations. Other amenities include priority embarkation and disembarkation, a complimentary one-time wine set-up and so much more!

Choose a luxurious Mini-Suite with balcony which is substantially larger than a Balcony stateroom and receive a complimentary welcome glass of Champagne. Mini-Suites include a separate sitting area with sofa bed, premium bathroom amenities and two flat-panel televisions. For families or groups needing a little extra space, Mini-Suites offer an appealing and affordable option.

Penthouse Suite features a spacious cabin and balcony. Enjoy exclusive suite-only upgrades and benefits. Surrounding you with deluxe accommodations, a spacious Suite with balcony includes all the amenities of a Club Class Mini-Suite, plus incredible premiums. Enjoy more living space, a sofa bed and separate seating areas, and wonderfully enhanced amenities that range from priority embarkation and disembarkation to a complimentary mini-bar setup in suite and so much more.

Surrounding you with deluxe accommodations, a spacious Suite with balcony includes all the amenities of a Club Class Mini-Suite, plus incredible premiums. Enjoy more living space, a sofa bed and separate seating areas, and wonderfully enhanced amenities that range from priority embarkation and disembarkation to a complimentary mini-bar setup in suite and so much more.

Photo Gallery for Royal Princess Cruise Ship

A lot has changed since the days of the Love Boat . Check out this photo gallery of what a Princess ship looks like in the 21 st century. 

Alfredo's Pizzeria

Royal Princess

Gelato Shop

Standard Balcony Stateroom

Top 10 Royal Princess Cruises

• Royal Princess 21 NIGHT Far East CRUISE Departing From Sydney, Australia (Apr 2024)
• Royal Princess 19 NIGHT Far East CRUISE Departing From Brisbane, Australia (Apr 2024)
• Royal Princess 22 NIGHT Far East CRUISE Departing From Tokyo, Japan (Apr 2024)
• Royal Princess 15 NIGHT Far East CRUISE Departing From Tokyo, Japan (Apr 2024)
• Royal Princess 7 NIGHT Alaska CRUISE Departing From Whittier, Alaska (May 2024 - Sep 2024)
• Royal Princess 15 NIGHT ALASKA TOUR 1412 Departing From Vancouver, British Columbia (May 2024)
• Royal Princess 14 NIGHT ALASKA TOUR 1412 Departing From Vancouver, British Columbia (May 2024)
• Royal Princess 14 NIGHT ALASKA TOUR 1413 Departing From Whittier, Alaska (May 2024)
• Royal Princess 8 NIGHT ALASKA TOUR 1412 Departing From Vancouver, British Columbia (May 2024)

Learn More About Princess Cruises

Accessibility

Learn about Princess Cruises' handicap accessible cruise ships and accommodations for guests with special needs, disabilities or mobility restrictions.

Savor dining aboard Princess Cruises, including the Main Dining Room, Sabatini's, Sterling Steakhouse, Crown Grill, Bayou Café, International Café, Chef's Table, room service and more.

Entertainment

Enjoy Princess Cruises' onboard entertainment, including Movies Under the Stars, stage shows, dancing, karaoke, comedy shows, casino games, bars and lounges.

Onboard Activities

Engage in Princess Cruises' onboard activities, including movie nights, ScholarShip classes, pools, hot tubs, poolside activities, sports courts, art auctions, ship tours, duty-free shops and more.

Service & Awards

Learn how Princess Cruises takes care of your every need with an extensive list of onboard services. Plus, view Princess Cruises' awards.

Spa & Fitness

Unwind at Princess Cruises' spa and fitness programs from the Lotus Spa and Lotus Fitness centers. Relax with a massage, facial, pedicure or Botox, or get a workout with a gym class.

Special Events

From holidays to weddings, make your Princess Cruises vacation even more special by celebrating at sea.

Explore Princess Cruises' premium staterooms, including suite, balcony, oceanview and inside staterooms. Princess Cruises' family- and mini-suites give you room to spread out.

Youth Programs

Learn about cruising with children aboard Princess Cruises. Most ships have youth programs for ages 3+, including kidsitting, youth dining, youth centers and teen lounges.

Cruise Type

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Royal Princess Ship Info

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• Ship info and tracking

On this page you will find Royal Princess features, history, sister ships, and useful facts provided by Cruisedeckplans.com.

Princess Cruise Line

General information.

The Royal Princess started sailing in 2001. Former names: none. The Royal Princess is registered in Hamilton, Bermuda. The Royal Princess has 355 cabins. You can expect between 710 to 852 passengers on a typical sailing. This means that at the higher number (usually peak and holiday sailings) Royal Princess has a space ratio of 35.4. (A space ratio less than 33 means that you may find the ship crowded in areas. A space ratio greater than 39 means that there should be plenty of space for each passenger.) When this ship isn't sailing at capacity the space ratio can be as good as 42.5. The Royal Princess has 381 crew members on board. There are 2 passengers for every crew member on board. There are self serve laudromats on this ship.

Sister Ships

The following ships share the same class as this ship. This means the basic design and layout of the ship is the same. For the most part the cabins will be identical among these ships, but may be decorated differently. 1999- Ocean Princess - No longer sailing 1999- Pacific Princess - No longer sailing 2001- Royal Princess - No longer sailing

Accessibility

There are 0 special needs cabins on this ship. These cabins have been modified for accessibility purposes.

11 Decks

There are 11 on this ship. The highest deck number is 11. The number of decks with passenger cabins is 4.

72% Balconies

This is the percent of the staterooms on board have balconies.

Other Information

The 710-passenger Royal Princess was first launched in 2001 by Renaissance Cruises as the R8. After Renaissance ceased operations, the ship sailed as the Minerva II for Swan Hellenic. In March 2006, Carnival Corp., the parent company of both Swan Hellenic and Princess, announced that the Minerva II would move to Princess and sail as the Royal Princess.

Royal Princess Ship Stats

Royal princess features, smoking policy.

• Smoking is prohibited in all staterooms and balconies with the exception of electronic cigarettes which may be smoked inside the stateroom
• All smoking is permitted only in designated smoking areas. These areas include cigar lounges, a section of the nightclub and casino, and a portion of the open decks.

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Royal Princess

Princess cruises history.

Princess Cruises � birthplace of �Love Boat� fantasies and now among Carnival Corporation�s 13 distinct brands -- offers nearly 150 itineraries calling at some 260 ports worldwide with itineraries from seven to 72 days. Princess� original parent company, P&O (Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company), ranks as oldest among the great British shipping concerns, dating to 1822. With decline of trans-ocean crossings after dawn of the jet age, P&O astutely shifted focus toward cruising, acquiring Sitmar Cruises for Princess in 1988. Sitmar�s Italian officers joined forces with P&O's British officers in the expanding Princess fleet. (P&O also ran other cruise interests, combined to form a British-based company listed in 2000 as P&O Princess with the New York and London stock exchanges. Subsequent to Royal Caribbean International�s unsuccessful effort to merge with Princess, parent P&O Princess merged with Carnival Corporation via a dual listed company structure in 2003, forming the world�s largest cruise corporation operating more than 70 vessels. Princess Cruises� Personal Choice Cruising gives passengers opportunity to customize their cruise experiences with extensive choices in dining, entertainment, amenities and more. By 2006, five more newbuilds will join the Princess fleet for a total of 15 vessels.

Christened by Princess Diana, the elegant Royal Princess caused quite a stir upon her 1984 debut and remains one of the most beautiful ships afloat, with all-outside staterooms, a wrap-around promenade deck, and terraced observation areas enhancing seductive itineraries that include the Orient. As a mid-sized ship, she is easily navigated with most public rooms situated on Riviera Deck (Deck 3). Unparalleled in beauty, Asia is rich in culture and history and makes for an extraordinary cruise experience aboard Royal Princess. In late 2004, Royal Princess sails a variety of seductive itineraries covering Beijing, Xian and the Yangtze; the Far East from Bangkok to Osaka, and more. There�s also a 30-day adventure from Bangkok to Cape Town.

Year entering service: 1984 Registry: Great Britain Tonnage (GRT): 45,000 Cruising Speed: 20 knots Capacity: 1,200 Decks: 9 Crew: 520 Officer Nationality: British Cruise / Hotel Staff Nationality: International Destinations: Orient, Africa

About Gratuities Automatic per person, per day gratuities added to shipboard accounts with Princess Cruises do not apply on Royal Princess, where passengers tip in the traditional manner.

Disabled Access Ten cabins in various categories are wheelchair accessible.

Ship Features

The elegant Royal Princess, the only ship of its size with all outside staterooms, also has more balconies than any other ship of similar size along with spacious public rooms, and traditional dining along with alternatives. Amenities include four pools including one of the largest lap pools afloat, and two freshwater whirlpools. Also aboard are a lavish casino, charming library, and tubs as well as showers in all baths. With self-service laundries and a cinema for numerous days at sea, the ship lends itself to longer, more exotic itineraries. Royal Princess has an advanced system of engines and generator, and features cutting-edge stabilization, communications, and navigation systems. The founding core between fore and aft bulkheads runs through the ship in a revolutionary design that allows for maintenance without disturbing passengers. Carpets and wall coverings are mostly in muted pastels and neutrals providing a soothing, refined backdrop for pleasant days and spirited evenings aboard.

Staterooms Among 600 outside cabins are 152 have private balconies. The 52 mini-suites have a sitting area and balcony, while 12 suites have a separate sitting room and bedroom plus balcony. A pair of deluxe suites have separate sitting and dining rooms, Jacuzzi tub, queen-sized bed and large balcony.

Stateroom amenities Each stateroom has TV with CNN, ESPN and other favorites along with local channels, phone, refrigerator, personal safe, hair dryer, robes, and bathtub with showers. Some cabins have obstructed views.

Kid & Teen Stuff Longer, more exotic itineraries tend to attract adults traveling sans children, and no dedicated teen or children�s facilities are aboard to risk standing empty. Children�s counselors are aboard when several youngsters are booked to sail, typically during holidays.

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Life Aboard

Dining The 600-seat Continental Dining room has breakfast, lunch and dinner in two seatings, each announced with a traditional dinner gong. Pastel wall murals and pleasant lighting reflect newer vessels in the Princess fleet. The indoor/outdoor Lido Caf� serves breakfast and lunch buffets, afternoon snacks and has 24 hour tea/coffee available. By night it transforms into the Pizzeria, with personal pies made to order, and the Bistro, with steak, seafood and chef�s special alternative dining. Tipping is an individual option.

Sports / Health / Fitness The Lotus Spa and gym are on Sun Deck where fitness experts conduct daily classes and seminars. Aqua aerobics, energizing and relaxation classes include Pilates, Yoga and meditation. The glass enclosed gym offers a great view while working up a sweat on tread mills, weight machines, bicycles and step machines. Lotus Spa includes an indoor Jacuzzi and two saunas. Massage, facial, wrap and de-stress treatments take place here while the Plaza Deck salon handles hair and beauty treatments. A golf driving range, Ping-Pong and shuffleboard are on Caribe and Baja decks.

Entertainment International Lounge has production shows with plenty of razzle- dazzle. Small ensembles perform evenings in the sophisticated Riviera Lounge. Horizon Lounge becomes a late-night disco with karaoke some evenings. The 150-seat Princess Theater shows first-run movies several times a day. Cruise staffers run putting contests and dance classes. The 66-seat Bridge Lounge is a card and game magnet.

Casino A lavishly decorated Crown Casino has more than 100 slots, plus roulette, black jack, craps and other games of chance.

Bars The 151-seat Princess Court piano lounge tends to be a circular center of social action. The Sun Deck Bar is next to the lap pool and the Lido Bar is next to the other pools and outdoor hot spa.

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The History of Princess Cruises: A Timeline of Key Events

• Company founder Stanley B. McDonald charters Princess Patricia and forms Princess Cruises - first winter season of Mexico cruises starts in November
• Princess Patricia returned to owners
• Princess Italia chartered (one of first modern ships built specifically for cruising)
• First Panama Canal cruises (company pioneered regularly scheduled Canal cruises)
• Princess Carla chartered
• Seawitch logo makes first appearance
• Boise Cascade purchases Princess
• First transatlantic sailing (13-day Nassau-Genoa, Princess Italia)
• First Alaska season (Princess Italia)
• Stanley McDonald repurchases Princess from Boise Cascade
• Princess Carla returned to owners
• Island Princess joins fleet (formerly Island Venture)
• Princess Tours founded
• Princess Italia returned to owners
• Princess acquired by the Pennisular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O)
• Pacific Princess joins fleet (formerly Sea Venture)
• Sun Princess joins fleet (formerly P&O's Spirit of London)
• "The Love Boat" TV series developed by producer Aaron Spelling; Princess agrees to become backdrop for the show
• "The Love Boat" begins filming
• Princess Tours acquires Johansen Royal Tours
• Stanley McDonald departs company
• Princess begins calling at first private Caribbean island, Palm Island in Grenadines
• Royal Princess joins fleet (innovative ship features all outside cabins)
• Pacific Princess launches company's first Mediterranean season
• First major cruise line to base a ship in San Diego (Pacific Princess to Mexico)
• Sea Princess joins fleet from P&O (formerly Kungsholm)
• New "Voyage of the Glaciers" route debuts (Vancouver/Whittier on Sea Princess)
• New private island, Mayreau (Grenadines), replaces Palm Island
• Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge opens
• First Caribbean cruises from Miami
• First Asia cruises (Royal Princess)
• First Northern Europe (Baltic) cruises
• P&O acquires Sitmar Cruises
• Dawn Princess joins fleet (formerly Fairwind)
• Fair Princess joins fleet (formerly Fairsea)
• Sky Princess joins fleet (formerly Fairsky)
• Sun Princess sold
• First Midnight Sun Express Railcars built
• Star Princess joins fleet
• Crown Princess joins fleet
• Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge opens
• Captain's Circle loyalty program begins
• Regal Princess joins fleet
• Sea Princess transferred to P&O as Victoria
• New private island launched (Princess Cays in Eleuthera)
• Golden Princess chartered (formerly Royal Viking Sky)
• Dawn Princess sold
• Fairbanks Princess Hotel opens
• Sun Princess joins fleet (debuts largest number of balcony cabins)
• First 24-hour café debuts
• Fair Princess transferred to P&O Australia
• Golden Princess returned to owner
• C.R.U.I.S.E. customer service program debuts
• Dawn Princess joins fleet
• Star Princess transferred to P&O becoming Arcadia
• Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge opens
• Grand Princess joins fleet 
• Sea Princess joins fleet
• "Love Boat: the Next Wave" debuts
• First world cruise (Island Princess -- 64 days Rome/San Francisco)
• First wedding chapel and wedding program at sea
• Santa Clarita, California customer service center opens
• Princess Cays expanded
• Island Princess sold
• Company web site debuts
• P&O Princess International demerged from P&O
• Ocean Princess joins fleet
• Sky Princess transferred to P&O Australia becoming Pacific Sky
• First Bermuda cruises (program ran 2000-02)
• Fleet transferred to British/Bermuda registry
• Personal Choice Dining debuts on Grand Princess
• Golden Princess joins fleet
• Princess headquarters moves to Santa Clarita, California
• Use of shore power debuts in Juneau
• Original Pacific Princess sold
• Tahitian Princess joins fleet
• Crown Princess transferred to A'ROSA becoming A'ROSA Blu
• Ocean Princess transferred to P&O Cruises becoming Oceana
• Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge opened
• P&O Princess International acquired by Carnival Corporation 
• Coral Princess joins fleet
• New Pacific Princess joins fleet
• New Island Princess joins fleet
• Sea Princess transferred to P&O Cruises becoming Adonia
• First Antarctica cruise
• Cunard Line integrated into Princess operations
• Diamond Princess joins fleet
• Caribbean Princess joins fleet
• Sapphire Princess joins fleet
• First Movies Under the Stars screen debuts
• First Caribbean sailings from Galveston, Texas
• Royal Princess transferred to P&O Cruises becoming Artemis
• Sea Princess returns to Princess fleet
• Princess Cruises celebrates 40th anniversary
• First Sanctuary debuts
• Emerald Princess joins fleet
• New Royal Princess joins fleet
• First Chef’s Table debuts
• Regal Princess transferred to P&O Australia becoming Pacific Dawn
• Ruby Princess joins fleet
• Ultimate Ship Tour debuts
• Shore power begins in Vancouver
• Tahitian Princess renamed Ocean Princess
• Royal Princess transferred to P&O Cruises to sail as Adonia
• Digital travel documents debut
• Bon Voyage Experience program begins
• eZAir program debuts
• Shore Power begins in San Francisco
• Gavin MacLeod 80th birthday party on Golden Princess
• Most significant drydock transformation – Grand Princess
• Princess launches first blog – “50 Essential Experiences”
• “Inspired to Cruise” blog debuts
• First Entertainer of the Year competition held onboard
• “Linked by the Sea” blog debuts
• Japan-based cruising begins
• New Royal Princess joins fleet (christened by The Duchess of Cambridge)
• First "Cruising with a Cause" cruise to support U.S. veterans charities
• New Regal Princess joins fleet
• New Princess@Sea Messenger debuts giving guests the opportunity to stay connected with fellow cruisers using mobile messenger app
• Princess Cruises celebrates 50th anniversary including the cruise line’s very first cruise ship float in the iconic annual New Year’s Day Rose Parade, along with special onboard activities and food and beverage offerings
• Princess Cruises launches “Come Back New Promise” – a $450 million, multi-year product innovation, cruise ship renovation and guest experience enhancement campaign, highlighting new partnerships with Chef Curtis Stone, Chef Ernesto Uchimura, Master Chocolatier Norman Love, award-winning composer and songwriter Stephen Schwartz, Sleep Dr. Michael Breus with the development of the Princess Luxury Bed and brand partnership with Discovery Communications “Discovery at Sea,” featuring innovative activities and shore excursions
• Princess Cruises, with parent company Carnival Corporation, introduces  MedallionClass  Vacations enabled by the  Medallion®, the vacation industry’s most advanced wearable device
• Majestic Princess joins the fleet
• Princess MedallionClass debuts onboard Caribbean Princess, along with MedallionNet, the fastest Wi-Fi at sea
• Sky Princess joins the fleet, debuting new Sky Suites
• Princess Cruises celebrates 50 years of cruising to Alaska and opens Fannie Q’s Saloon at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge
• The Reef Family Splash Zone debuts onboard Caribbean Princess
• Princess breaks the  GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS  title for the  largest multi-location vow renewal  after 1,443 couples reaffirmed their love for one another during simultaneous ceremonies onboard three ships
• Enchanted Princess joins the fleet
• Golden Princess, Sea Princess, Star Princess and Sun Princess leave the fleet
• All 14 ships in the Princess Cruises fleet offer Princess MedallionClass Experience and Princess MedallionNet, the best Wi-Fi at sea
• Pacific Princess leaves the fleet
• Princess Cruises celebrates the 90th birthday of Brand Ambassador Gavin MacLeod, everyone’s favorite Captain Stubing of “The Love Boat”

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Transportation History

Finding the unexpected in the everyday.

1984: A Royal Princess Launched This Aptly Named Ship

November 19, 1984

The record-setting cruise ship Royal Princess embarked on her maiden voyage, departing from Southampton, England, for Miami, Florida, with approximately 700 passengers on board. The transatlantic trip began only four days after the British-registered vessel, which had been built for Princess Cruises by the Finnish corporation Wärtsilä at its Helsinki shipyard, was christened at Southampton by Diana, Princess of Wales.

Hundreds of invited children were in attendance to watch Diana crack a bottle of Krug champagne against the ship. Other dignitaries at the ceremony included Mauno Koivisto, President of Finland. “Diana, wearing a bright red suit and hat, was launching her first ship,” reported the Canadian Press news agency. “She pulled a white lever to release the specially doctored bottle which broke successfully against the white hull.”

The Royal Princess, at a cost of $165 million, was the most expensive passenger ship built up to that time. It also had the distinction of being the first cruise ship to have only outside passenger cabins (oceanview rooms lining the edges of the vessel) rather than any inside passenger cabins (rooms built in the middle of a deck and without windows or other outlets for outdoor views)

The ship left Southampton for her maiden voyage shortly after 1:00 p.m. on November 19, and the rough conditions that she soon encountered invited comparisons with an ill-fated ship from more than seven decades earlier. A Knight-Ridder Newspapers article reported, “The Titanic ran into ice. The Royal Princess ran into 60-knot [111.1-kilometers-per-hour] winds with the blow of a hurricane. Both were on their maiden trans-Atlantic voyages from Southampton, England, to America. Both were being called the most luxurious, expensive ships ever built. Both ran into a little bad luck their first time out.”

As the Knight-Ridder account also confirmed, however, the Royal Princess – unlike the Titanic – stayed afloat. This was due to Captain John Young of the Royal Princess maneuvering the ship well out of harm’s way and taking her south past the Azores before turning west to Miami. While this emergency detour helped ensure the safety of the Royal Princess and everyone on board, it also delayed the arrival in Miami by two days.

This delay resulted in the cancellation of various festivities planned to welcome the Royal Princess to the United States. There was still live coverage of the ship’s arrival on November 29 by the television show Good Morning America . In addition, the ship’s crew and passengers were thrown a lavish party that was also attended by the cast of the long-running television series The Love Boat . The Royal Princess subsequently appeared on the series a few times as the cruise ship S.S. Pacific Princess.

The Royal Princess remained in service with Princess Cruises until 2005, when she was transferred to P&O Cruises and renamed Artemis. As Artemis, the ship made history yet again when Sarah Breton took charge as her captain in 2010. Breton was the first woman to command a major cruise ship for P&O Cruises. Even more significantly, she was only the second woman in the world to assume such a role. (Karin Stahre-Janson became the first woman to command a major cruise ship when she took charge of MS Monarch of the Seas of Royal Caribbean Cruises in 2007.)

Artemis sailed for P&O Cruises until 2011, when she was transferred to the fleet of cruise ships operated by the travel agency Phoenix Reisen. Artemis was renamed MV Artania by Phoenix Reisen and remains in service with that organization today.

For more information on MV Artania (previously called Royal Princess and Artemis), please check out http://www.doverferryphotosforums.co.uk/mv-artania-past-and-present/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Artania .

A short video of Diana, Princess of Wales, christening the ship in 1984 is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G6RlhRvCUY .

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2 thoughts on “ 1984: a royal princess launched this aptly named ship ”.

Great, but what about Allure of the Seas:

Allure of the Seas – world’s biggest cruise ship

When it left Turku, it was the largest cruise ship. Now it is, maybe, the second large.

Have a good day!

Wow, that’s nice 🙂

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Royal Princess

Princess cruises.

• Year of built 2013
• Length (LOA) 330 m / 1082 ft
• Passengers 4272
• Destination Sydney
• ETA April 5, 17:30
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