Southampton fourth terminal to open Saturday 9 May

The new £19 million terminal at Southampton is set to open on Saturday 9^th May. The new facility is the first purpose-built cruise terminal to be built in the UK for almost four decades and will receive around 4,000 passengers travelling through it every day.

Ocean Dock, as the new terminal will be known, is located opposite the site of the old Ocean Terminal which was once home to many of the great transatlantic liners of the last century, when the port was first known as the ‘Gateway to the World’. The new terminal will stand both as testimony to Southampton’s ocean-liner history and as a symbol of the modern cruising age, with cruises from the UK becoming ever popular.

P&O Cruises ship Ventura will be the first ship to use the new berth. Priority use of the terminal will go to Carnival Cruises brands such as Princess Cruises and Ocean Village. Doug Morrison, Port Director at ABP Port of Southampton said: “Over the last few years, the cruise industry has seen enormous growth, which has securely positioned the port of Southampton as the cruise capital of Northern Europe. The new terminal is essential for the Port’s future growth within the cruise market but also represents a significant economic contribution to the Southampton region.”

Princess Cruises offer two new three-day sailings on Ruby Princess

Princess Cruises have added two new sampler cruises for the new Princess Ruby Princess, giving guests the chance to experience the delights of the newest addition to the fleet at a great value price. There are two three day cruises from Fort Lauderdale departing on Monday 14 December and Thursday 17 December, both calling in at the line’s private island, Princess Cays – an exclusive beach resort offering a day of relaxation and water sports. The sailings replace a previously scheduled wet-dock which has now been deemed unnecessary.

Ruby Princess was launched in November 2008 and features many of Princess Cruises most popular new features, such as the dramatic piazza-style atrium with intimate small-bite eateries and engaging street performers. There are a whole host of enticing dining venues including the signature Sabatini’s Italian restaurant and the Crown Grill steak house. Ruby Princess also offers Princess Cruises’ newest innovation, the relaxing adults-only oasis called The Sanctuary.

Princess Cruises bookings surpass last years result in first 2 months of 2009

Princess Cruises have reported a boom in bookings during the first two months of the year, surpassing the same period last year by nearly 6 per cent. Princess Cruises have put this down to lower prices and travel agents who have maximised the cruise line’s sales support tools to generate business in the current economic climate.

"Travel agents gave us a record-breaking reservations day in January, and this further result shows that they continued to sell Princess cruises at an extraordinary rate throughout the first two months of the year," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president of sales, marketing and customer service.

"Agents understand that the best strategy at this time is to promote what's selling--and Princess is selling. We want to thank, and congratulate, our travel partners for their exceptional efforts. Despite the headlines we see every day, now is a great time for agents to build their cruise business. And we're there to help agents do this not only with attractive fares, but also with great tools."

Amongst the promotional offers available was the Princess Balcony Bonanza, with free upgrades to a balcony stateroom at the price of a standard ocean-view stateroom and the Alaska cruises Wilderness Sale featuring four new Seattle based cruise tour options that included air and bus transfers, plus a free stateroom upgrade.

Princess Cruises to broadcast inauguration of new president

Guests sailing with Princess Cruises will get the chance to watch live coverage of the inauguration of Barack Obama.

The swearing-in of the latest US president-elect will take place on the 20 January and is likely to be one of the most popular televisions events in recent history. CNN will be broadcasting the ceremony throughout the day.

Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises' executive vice president, said the cruise line had recognised the intense interest surrounding the event.

"We regularly broadcast 'don't miss' television events for passengers and this significant ceremony certainly fits with our dedication to providing these memorable viewing opportunities," she commented.

Princess Cruises will also be broadcasting a number of other upcoming events for guests to enjoy, such as the Super Bowl and the Academy Awards.

Princess Cruises offering festive Chritsmas cruises

As Christmas draws steadily closer, Princess Cruises are preparing their ships for the festive holiday season and are anticipating unusual flurries of snow on board. Following an extremely good response last year, snow will again fall as if by magic in the ships atriums, transforming them into winter wonderlands throughout December.

"What's better than the romance of a white Christmas, especially when it's an unexpected surprise?" said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. "Our snowfalls were such a huge hit last year that this has now become a new tradition on Princess ships."

The falling flakes of snow are created by an innovative process which means they vanish on contact, allowing guests to enjoy the magic of snow flurries without the cold and consequently the need to wrap up. Princess Cruise’s ships will all feature a daily snow fall except for the lines three smaller ships – Pacific Princess, Tahitian Princess and Royal Princess – which do not have large, multi-story atriums.

The enchanting snow falls are just one aspect of what Princess Cruises have planned for the Christmas period. A merry atmosphere will be found throughout the ships, which will be decked out in full holiday décor – even the masts will be decorated with a Christmas tree – and carolers strolling the ships will enhance the festive spirit with the sounds of the season.

Special events will include a ‘gingerbread challenge’, where teams have to build the most impressive gingerbread structure; a turkey carving demonstration from on board culinary experts and a reading of ‘The Night Before Christmas’ by the captain or cruise director. There will be a variety of seasonal shows all adding to the cheer and religious services will be held as well, with guests having the opportunity to attend midnight mass.

Princess Cruises culinary team will be serving up spectacular holiday feasts and on Christmas Day guests can sit down to a traditional dinner with all the trimmings. Guests will even receive a stocking turndown gift and for junior cruisers Father Christmas will be making a special appearance with a sack full of toys.

Princess Cruises christen newest ship Ruby Princess

Princess Cruises newest ship, Ruby Princess, was named with an incredible ‘ruby red’ themed ceremony on Thursday in Fort Lauderdale. America’s reigning reality couple, Trista and Ryan Sutter of the hit US series ‘The Bacherlorette’ did the honors, breaking the bottle of champagne to mark the ship’s launch and celebrating their own fifth wedding anniversary.

The ceremony had a romantic theme and the new godparents of Ruby Princess were surrounded by hundreds of guests wearing ruby red-tie formal attire and a ruby-haired singer serenaded the crowd. The official naming was followed by the ultimate romantic celebration – a wedding in the midst of the festivities. The Californian couple joined in matrimony not only had Trista and Ryan as wedding attendants, but the Love Boat captain himself, Gavin MacLeod, gave away the bride.

In the evening, Princess Cruises hosted a ‘Ruby Red Tie’ gala and set sail on a two night cruise for VIP guests, who will all have the opportunity of renewing their wedding vows whilst the ship is at sea. Ruby Princess is set to return to Port Everglades for her inaugural seven night sailing to the Western Caribbean.

Ruby Princess to serve 'Pub Lunches' and fresh waffles

Princess Cruises tradition of evolving their on board experience for guests continues with the launch of Ruby Princess on the 8 November 2008. Ruby Princess will feature a host of new amenities with a number of special features, including new dining options such as pub lunches and exclusive breakfasts for suite guests. There will also be unique enrichment programs from astronomy to mixology, two new stage shows, plus extended wireless Internet and cell phone connectivity.

The 3,072 passenger Ruby Princess will feature many of the familiar favourites that guests enjoyed aboard her sister ships Crown Princess and Emerald Princess, but in addition there will be an array of special touches and innovations to be found throughout the service, dining and entertainment areas.

"The new features aboard Ruby Princess are a perfect example of our commitment to provide passengers with the widest array of intriguing options to customize their cruise vacation," said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president.

Many of the features on Princess Cruises’ newest addition are also set to be added to ships across the fleet following Ruby Princess’ debut. Some highlights of the new features to be introduced on Ruby Princess:

Wheelhouse Bar Pub Lunch - On sea days, Ruby Princess' Wheelhouse Bar will be transformed into an authentic English-style pub, serving a selection of traditional fare. A menu of British favorites, including bangers & mash, fish & chips, ploughman's lunch and cottage pie, will complement a selection of traditional pub brews such as Stella Artois, Bass Ale or Guinness.

Sabatini’s Breakfast for Suite Passengers - Suite passengers aboard Ruby Princess will have the opportunity to enjoy an exclusive breakfast in Sabatini's. Beginning with a "Good Morning Mimosa," the menu features a variety of breakfast favorites, plus specialty items such as brioche French toast with apple & cinnamon compote, yogurt and super granola parfait with raspberry swirl, soft-poached egg over potato & vegetables with hollandaise sauce, and freshly made Belgian waffles.

A Few Fine Touches - A number of new service touches will be introduced to delight passengers. In the Horizon Court buffet, new waffle stations will offer fresh cooked-to-order waffles at breakfast and throughout lunchtime, and the buffet will also begin serving complimentary lemonade as a beverage choice. In the evening, passengers will find a selection of canapés in several of the ship's public lounges. Passengers arriving back from shore will be greeted with chilled face cloths, and by the pool, "misting stewards" will offer a quick refreshing spritz with Evian to cool off.

Star Princess undergoes a transformation

Following a three-week dry-dock, Princess Cruises’ Star Princess set sail this weekend with a dramatically transformed new look. Several areas on board have received the new updates, including the alteration of the atrium into a vibrant street-style piazza and the addition of the adults-only retreat The Sanctuary on the top deck, plus the installation of a 300 square foot Movies Under the Stars poolside screen.

Princess Cruises guests have enthusiastically enjoyed these features on other Princess Ships and so have inspired the introduction to other ships within the fleet and Star Princess was the first to be revitalised with these popular amenities.

Star Princess’s new piazza will feature an array of dining and entertainment opportunities, including specialty coffees, freshly baked goods, paninis, salads and tapas in the style of an International café. The Vines wine bar concept has been expanded with more than 30 varieties of wine available, a selection of artisan meats and cheeses, plus a wine shop where guests can buy their favourite wines.

The Sanctuary is now available to adults on the top deck, where they can relax in a tranquil environment on plush lounge chairs whilst enjoying refreshing beverages and light snacks, with the choice of receiving a massage in on the two private cabanas.

Princess Cruises trademark Movies Under the Stars poolside screen is now in situ and will show a selection of films, concerts and special events daily. In the evenings the area will become an outdoor theatre with specially covered lounge chairs and warm blankets, where moviegoers and enjoy free popcorn, plus other snacks and beverages.

There were a number of other smaller changes that occurred during the three week dry dock, including a new Internet cage and library, enhancements to boutiques and the addition of flat screen LCD televisions in all staterooms, plus a variety of other cosmetic alterations.

The first of three ships to receive the updates, Star Princess will be followed by Caribbean Princess and Golden Princess which are due to receive them in January and April 2009 respectively.

Princess Cruises introduce new fitness programs

Princess Cruises are making it even easier to stay fit on a cruise with them by introducing new ways for guests to exercise on their cruise holiday. Princess Cruises are launching the industry’s first in-room fitness program, fun yoga classes for kids and teens and a new selection of Lotus Spa classes featuring three vitals components of balanced health.

Fitness@Sea is designed for cruisers of all ages and activity levels and these innovative fitness choices allow guests to exercise in the privacy of their own staterooms with classes hosted by celebrity trainer Gillian Clark, with nine different classes shown exclusively on Princess Cruises Wellness Channel.

Debuting fleetwide this month, Fitness@Sea will also be shown on ships with Movies Under the Stars 300 square foot screens in the morning for those guests who like to exercise whilst enjoying the fresh sea air on open deck.

Yoga for kids and teens is another industry first and will introduce kids and teens in a fun and imaginable way to the benefits of yoga, whilst also promoting exercise in a fun and positive environment. The classes promote building coordination, breathing, balance and emotional strength with an element of play incorporating music, chants and singing. The classes are complimentary and range from 30 minutes to 1 hour, with parents welcome to participate.

Princess Cruises Lotus Spa will be promoting the exclusive Core.Balance.Strength fitness program which focuses on these three vital components of balanced health. There will be a series of classes that correspond with each fitness component, from Pilates and postural alignment, fusion yoga classes centring on mind and body to high energy strength and cardio classes to get the heart racing.

The new Core.Balance.Strength fitness program will be available on all Princess Cruises ships by the end of the year and a nominal fee is charged for each class.

WiiFit is becoming a popular feature on Princess Cruises ships, with the revolutionary WiiFit balance games challenging guests of all ages to put their athletic skills to the test with active video game tournaments such as the ski jump, Hula Hoop and soccer balls. There are exciting family competitions held on board Princess Cruises ships, including on the dramatic Movies Under the Stars poolside screens.

Romantic christening of Ruby Princess

It has been revealed that Princess Cruises newest ship, Ruby Princess, is to be named by a couple who met very publicly on America’s reality TV show The Bachelorette.

The announcement came from Princess Cruises during National Romance Week. Trista and Ryan Sutter (above) are to christen the newest ship in the Princess Cruises fleet, Ruby Princess, on the 6 November 2008 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The Sutter’s met on ABC’s reality series, The Bacherlorette, will celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary this autumn and will mark the even during the Ruby Princess inaugural, which will be themed around ‘romantic moments and milestones’. Trista and Ryan are one of the best-known romantic duos in recent broadcast history, as they are the first and only couple from the The Bachelor and Bachelorette franchises who have actually gotten married. The Sutters also recently celebrated the first birthday of their son, Max.

"We're incredibly honored to be invited to be the godparents of Ruby Princess," said Trista Sutter. "It's hard to believe that it's been five years since we got married. This is a wonderful way to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and also to remind people about the importance of marking not only the key milestones in a relationship, but also making time to incorporate romance into our everyday lives. We are so excited to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

The 3,070 passenger Ruby Princess includes a host of favourite Princess Cruises innovations that define the Princess experience and well as many new additions, such as the dramatic piazza-style atrium and the adults only area called The Sanctuary.

During Ruby Princess’ inaugural season she will make seven-day weekly sailings from Fort Lauderdale to the Western Caribbean, with calls at Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Cozumel, Mexico and Princess Cays in the Bahamas. Next spring Princess Cruises Ruby Princess will move to Europe for 12 day sailings in the Mediterranean and Greek Islands.

Ruby Princess completes sea trials

Ruby Princess has achieved another landmark objective in readiness for her launch on 8 November 2008. Princess Cruises’ newest ship currently in the final stages of construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy and has completed her sea trials. Ruby Princess was put to the test with a series of manoeuvres to test her propulsion, steering and navigational equipment.

After four days of trials, Ruby Princess passed with flying colours and is now back in the shipyard for further exterior and interior finishing. Ruby Princess’s maiden voyage will be from Fort Lauderdale, a 7 night western Caribbean voyage sailing guests to Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Princess Cays.

Sister ship to the Emerald Princess and Crown Princess, Ruby Princess will be Princess Cruises crowing glory with a number of exciting features. The dramatic piazza-style atrium so popular on her sister ships will be the same and other highlights will be the adults-only retreat called The Sanctuary, ‘Movies Under the Stars’ poolside movie screen, a seafood and steakhouse, an Italian trattoria and 900 staterooms with private balconies.

Lose pounds whilst cruising

We have all been there – struggling to lose a few extra pounds before the start of your holiday and the inevitable bathing costume ceremony. Now whilst the concept of a cruise holiday on board a super-liner with a whole host of tantalising restaurants and bars to tempt you and weight loss do not go hand in hand, it has been found that cruise holidays can actually be a great holiday for losing some pounds.

Many dining rooms on board cruise ships often have a healthy eating option. Royal Caribbean Cruises newest addition to the fleet, Independence of the Seas, offers guests the opportunity to take part in ‘An Eat More to Weigh Less’ scheme. The programme on Independence of the Seas includes a tour of the buffet restaurant by an instructor who can provide tops on the healthier food options available.

Most cruise ships also feature comprehensive and up-to-the-minute gym facilities and with jogging tracks and surf pools on Royal Caribbean Cruises, calorie conscious cruisers will be in heaven.

Carnival Cruises also boast a deck jogging track, a golf course and a multi-faceted swimming pool.

The latest innovative addition to Princess Cruises is Wii Fit, where guests can take part in fitness tournaments.

Princess Cruises introduce Wii Fit to all ships

For those of you unable to get hold of Nintendo’s new Wii Fit, take a cruise with Princess Cruises. Not only will you have the holiday of a lifetime but you can also get the chance to enjoy the much anticipated new fitness system.

Princess Cruises have unveiled that Wii Fit will be added to all their ships, allowing guest to get their hearts pumping with the headline grabbing new release on Wii. Princess Cruises have long featured Nintendo’s popular Wii systems on board and Princess Cruises staff has just completed special onboard training with Nintendo team members, ensuring that they are able to offer guests the best possible experience.

The revolutionary Wii Fit will challenge guests to put their athletic skills to the test with active video game tournaments such as the ski jump, Hula Hoop or football. Wii Fit is a precisely engineered platform that senses both weight and shifts in movement and balance. Wii Fit can even track users progress, which lets people see how much they have improved whilst challenging them to better their scores and stay motivated.

Princess Cruises will introduce exciting family competitions that will be held on board and on ships equipped with Movies Under the Stars, tournaments will be shown on the 300 square foot poolside screens. Youth and teen centers will also offer younger cruisers the chance to participate in Wii Fit activities.

"We're very excited to partner with Nintendo to bring the Wii Fit experience to our passengers," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises senior vice president. "Our onboard team has just finished training with the experts at Nintendo to ensure that we're able to offer passengers the best possible experience with this innovative fitness game."

Princess Cruises release schedules for 2009-2010 Caribbean and Mexican Riviera Cruises

Princess Cruises have now announced their new season of cruises to the sun drenched Caribbean and Mexican Riviera. The relaxing voyages of 7 to 14 days offer guests the opportunity to experience these magical ports and take in the dramatic scenery, colourful cultures, and white sand beaches whilst also enjoying the delights of Princess Cruises large, amenity filled ships.

Princess Cruises will feature 13 itineraries in the Caribbean with 6 ships sailing to more than 25 ports. Ruby Princess will take over Princess Cruises 10 day Eastern and Southern Caribbean voyages, offering visits to some of the less visited ports in the region.

Emerald Princess will be sailing the Eastern Caribbean itinerary and Crown Princess the Western Caribbean. Caribbean Princess will continue to sail on alternative 7 day Southern Caribbean sailings from San Juan. Princess Cruise’s Grand Princess will be returning with an extensive 14 day Caribbean Collection route and Sea Princess will be taking to the sea’s again with a 14 day cruise from Barbados.

The Mexican Riviera will be visited by Sapphire Princess sailing the 7 day Mexican Riviera route from Los Angeles and Star Princess will be cruising for a 10 day journey from Barbados.

"The Caribbean and Mexican Riviera both offer the delightful sense of fun and make for a wonderful warm weather escape," said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. "And passengers will also be able to enjoy an array of fantastic ships on these routes, including Caribbean Princess and Star Princess with brand new piazza-style atriums and a number of new features."

Princess Expands Panama Canal Experience in 2009-2010

Princess Cruises are introducing a new ‘Two Day Canal Experience’ on all 2009-10 Panama Canal transits of 15 days or longer. This will enable guests to enjoy both the engineering wonder of the Canal and further explore the country.

Panana Canal cruises offer a dramatic transfer through the Canal’s locks and often guests wish they could have more time to really take in the natural beauty and culture of the area. With Princess Cruises new offering guests will get the chance to do this.

The Canal experience will be offered on 23 sailings on four ships and in addition Princess Cruises will also offer a shorter 10 day full transit option and a 10 day roundtrip cruise from Fort Lauderdale featuring a partial transit to Gatun Lake. This will give guests three distinct options of visiting the Panama Canal.

Guests opting for the two day Canal experience will get the chance to enjoy a full Canal transit plus a day with the ship at anchor at Fuerte Amador, on the Canal’s Pacific side. There will be time to enjoy an array of shore excursions including the Panama Canal Railway, Panama City, Soberania National Park Rainforest or a visit to an authentic Embera Indian Village.

"Panama is such a rich country with so much to see, and many passengers don't get the opportunity to experience it because they naturally want to savor the marvel of engineering that is the Panama Canal," said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. "So we're now offering the opportunity to do both - spend one day on the ship as it is lifted and lowered through all three sets of locks, plus have a day in port to venture further into Panama."

Star Princess and Caribbean Princess to be Remodeled

Princess Cruises are to remodel two of their ships, Star Princess and Caribbean Princess, to include a host of amenities that have become hugely popular with guests on the line’s newer ships.

There will be a makeover of the Deck 5 atrium on both ships, transforming it into the piazza style street café the same as on Crown Princess and Emerald Princess. Princess’ signature adult only Sanctuary will be included, as will the Crown Grill steak and seafood restaurant, along with a relocated casino to a more central location and seven new suites.

Star Princess will receive these new features during her September dry-dock in San Francisco and Caribbean Princess will follow in January 2009. The ships new atriums will feature the specialty coffees, freshly baked goods, paninis and tapas of the International Café. In addition there will be an enhanced Vines wine bar concept which will feature rare vintages of wine, a selection of artisan meats and cheeses, plus a wine shop where guests can purchase their favourite bottle.

The Sanctuary will be a welcome addition, having become extremely popular on the newer ships in the fleet. Guests get the chance to relax in a tranquil adults only area, on plush lounge chairs with the dedicated attention of the Serenity Stewards.

As part of the renovation, each vessel will also receive seven new suites with ocean-view picture windows, and the casino will be relocated one deck higher to deck 7, bringing it into the ship's central entertainment area.

"After Crown Princess and Emerald Princess debuted, we knew we had struck a chord with our passengers who loved the piazza-style atriums, new dining experiences and the peaceful environment of The Sanctuary," said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. "And so we're delighted to bring these hallmark features to two of the other vessels."

Princess Cruises add “Sanctuary” to All Ships

There has been such an enthusiastic response from Princess Cruises passengers that the cruise line have decided to add the ground breaking “pocket of tranquillity” The Sanctuary to the entire fleet of Princess ships. It has become a huge favourite with guests looking for a peaceful haven to escape to following its debut in 2006 aboard Crown Princess.

This summer Princess Cruise’s trademark retreat will be added to the Island Princess, followed by Grand Princess and Star Princess by the end of the year. Princess is looking to add The Sanctuary to additional ships throughout 2010.

Following its debut on the Crown Princess in 2006, The Sanctuary became an immediate success. It gave passengers the opportunity to escape to a private getaway, where they could really indulge and take a break. The Sanctuary is very luxurious, with an outdoor spa-inspired setting, complete with massage cabanas, signature beverages, light meals, attentive service and relaxing personal entertainment. The exclusive adults-only retreat enjoyed continued popularity on sister ship Emerald Princess, and will also be available on Ruby Princess, debuting in November.

"The Sanctuary has come to personify Princess' essential philosophy of escape coupled with personal service," said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. "Passengers have told us they love this opportunity to completely relax in such a peaceful and pampering environment, so we're delighted to introduce this special Princess feature on all our vessels."

The Sanctuaries will be located in different areas depending on the design of the ship, for example the sports courts atop the Grand Class vessels will be relocated.

The outside positioned Sanctuary will allow guests to relax amidst lush greenery, with the presence of gentle breezes, ocean waves and softly piped spa music to enhance the sense of relaxation. Guests can lounge on plush outdoor furniture including double loungers for couples, as well as deluxe chaise lounges and chairs.

The Serenity Stewards will also be on hand in the Sanctuary to provide personal attention, everything from a chilled face towel, Evian water atomizers to a menu of healthy beverages and fare. Also available from the Serenity Stewards are personal MP3 players with noise cancelling headphones loaded with themed play lists focused on relaxation.

In addition, The Sanctuary features two outdoor private cabanas where guests can also take advantage of the exclusive Lotus Spa Services at The Sanctuary, including sybaritic favorites such as a Deep Tissue Muscle Massage, a relaxing Swedish Massage or a Full Body Lotus Massage especially for couples.

Tahitian Princess to be renamed Ocean Princess

Princess Cruises Tahitian Princess is one of their fleets smaller cruise ships and in 2009 will be renamed Ocean Princess. The new name is intended to reflect the ships new deployment on worldwide itineraries.

The ship will be renamed during a routine maintenance period whilst the ship is out of service in Singapore in November 2009. Pacific Princess, another of Princess Cruise’s small ships, will provide cruises from Papeete, Tahiti where the Tahitian Princess has been based.

Tahitian Princess offers cruisers a more intimate cruise experience and has succeeded in gaining a loyal following. The ship’s size allows the opportunity to visit some off-the-beaten-path destinations but still in an environment rich with amenities and beautifully designed. There are 200 balcony staterooms, refined dining rooms and speciality restaurants, with live entertainment.

Tahitian Princess joined the Princess fleet in 2002, and has been primarily deployed on sailings in the South Pacific, particularly French Polynesia and Hawaii. Beginning this summer, the ship sets off on new worldwide deployments, featuring a Connoisseur's cruise in Alaska, a world cruise in early 2009 and a season of unique Northern Europe sailings next summer. Following the 2009 renaming, Ocean Princess will sail on a series of Asia voyages to be announced separately.

Princess Cruises exclusive ‘Opera Under the Stars’ Event

Princess Cruises will be the first cruise ship ever to broadcast a live performance from the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

In an industry first, the special The Met: Live on the High Seas presentation of Puccini’s La Boheme will be held on the 5^th of April. The special will be part of the Met’s series of eight opera performances that are transmitted live via satellite to movie theatres around the world.

Opera lovers and newcomers alike can enjoy Puccini’s famous love song on the giant poolside LED screens while sailing in locations such as Mexico, Caribbean, or Hawaii as well as exotic locations such as Cape Horn and Egypt.

This unique ‘Opera Under the Stars’ experience will be offered across Princess’s 16 ship fleet on vessels equipped with Movies Under the Stars. Other vessels will show the broadcast in the Princess Theatre.

La Boheme is Puccini’s most famous masterpiece and tells the story of a community of artists in Paris and is the opera that inspired Broadway’s hit musical RENT. Acclaimed soprano Angela Gheorghiu and tenor Ramón Vargas star as Mimi and Rodolfo in Italian director and designer Franco Zeffirelli's iconic production. Nicola Luisotti conducts.

Princess Cruises ‘Movies Under the Stars’ is no ordinary television. It has a 300 square foot screen with a 69,000 watt sound system and is well equipped with enough lighting power to be seen clearly day or night. It offers an amazing experience for guests to watch family films, concerts, sporting events and many other broadcast entertainments whilst floating in the pool, sunbathing, or by comfortable chaise lounges which can be reserved complimentary for evening viewings.

At evening viewings comfortable cushions and blankets are placed on the lounge chairs. Additionally, cocktail specials are available as well as free popcorn and other movie munchies. The unique screen shows up to seven movies or events daily, so you can be sure there is something for all the family to enjoy.

The Met: Live on the High Seas is one of many special events and features shown daily on Princess' giant Times Square-style ‘Movies Under the Stars’ LED screens. Movies Under the Stars is featured on Caribbean Princess, Crown Princess, Emerald Princess, Grand Princess and Sea Princess.

Ruby Princess to sail ahead of schedule

Princess Cruises have announced that their new ship Ruby Princess will be sailing the seas ahead of schedule this winter.

The brand new Ruby Princess will include a dramatic piazza-style atrium featuring small bite eateries and performing street entertainers. Passengers will also enjoy a huge choice of dining venues, including the signature Sabatini’s Italian Restaurant and the Crown Grill steak and seafood restaurant, plus a relaxing oasis just for adults called The Sanctuary.

Ruby Princess will also feature Movies Under the Stars, an array of entertainment options, Personal Choice Dining featuring traditional or anytime seating, Lotus Spa fitness centre and an extensive children and teens centre. There will be nearly 900 staterooms with private balconies, perfect for enjoying the beautiful sights of the Caribbean.

Originally Ruby Princess was due to set sail on her inaugural cruise on 15 November 2008, however there will now be a voyage on 8 November which will precede this.

Princess Cruises have confirmed that passengers who were booked on the maiden voyage 15 November will have the opportunity to bring their cruise holiday forward to the earlier cruise date or if they prefer they can remain on the second sailing.