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 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.

Keel laying ceremony for P&O Cruises newest ship Azura

P&O Cruises latest superliner currently under construction at the Monfalcone shipyard of Fincantieri near Treste, Italy, is to be named Azura and along with her sister ship Ventura will be the largest ships ever built for the British cruise market.

A keel laying ceremony took place today however it was much a lower key ceremony than planned in respect of the tragic death of a worker on the Ruby Princess that happened last week.

Keel laying involves placing one segment of the ship’s hull in the dry dock. This section is made up of six pre-manufactured blocks which weigh up to 650 tons and is ready-fitted with piping and other interior composition. The keel laying follows from a concentrated period of design and development. Fifty sections and several supplementary interconnecting steel blocks will be used in the construction of Azura.

P&O Cruises managing director, Nigel Esdale, commented: "Evoking images of the ocean and capturing the thrill of cruise travel, the name Azura is very fitting for this most sophisticated of superliners. It is also appropriate for a ship that will be a haven of serenity and the embodiment the choice and service excellence for which P&O Cruises is renowned."

Azura is set to float out in summer 2009 before her delivery to P&O Cruises in spring 2010. Set to begin her maiden voyage in late spring 2010, Azura will feature 15 public decks; have 11 restaurants, five boutiques, four pools, two lounges and over 900 staterooms with private balconies.

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.

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.

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."

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.