Thread: New Crown Princess...

Princess Cruises to Crown a New Ship Crown Princess,
debuting in 2006, is name of sister ship to Caribbean
Princess

Innovative vessel will feature new dining
opportunities and design features

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. - Reprising the name of a
former Princess ship, the line will name the next new
vessel to join its fleet Crown Princess. A sister ship
to the highly praised Caribbean Princess, it will
debut in May 2006. Like her sibling, Crown Princess
will also offer a year-round Caribbean deployment.

But Crown Princess will not be an identical twin.
Similar to Caribbean Princess, Crown Princess will
feature a number of innovations designed for cruising
in the balmy Caribbean waters, but the ship will also
offer a number of new design evolutions to create
additional options for passengers, including a
piazza-style atrium, even more dining venues and
redesigned public spaces.

New choices include several new eateries -- an
International Café, Wine and Seafood Bar, pub fare in
the Wheelhouse Bar, and a Steak and Seafood House --
as well as a redesigned Skywalkers nightclub and
larger space on the top deck for the line's trademark
Italian trattoria, Sabatini's.

Among the ship's signature spaces will be the ship's
atrium area, which will take on a new flare and offer
some tasty added options with an open piazza-style
design. Within this street café environment,passengers
will find a new International Café serving up fresh
pastries and baked goods in the morning and assorted
other offerings throughout the day, as well as a wine
and seafood bar to tempt passengers with an assortment
of fine wine and a bar featuring chilled seafood
"cocktails." The ship's
Internet Café will be housed in the atrium as well as
the Travel Café -- a place to plan future travels.

The 113,000-ton ship takes over the name of a Princess
vessel that left the fleet in 2002. The original Crown
Princess , which debuted in 1990,
was the first ship built for Princess by the
Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, and construction of her
successor ship is soon to be underway at the same
yard. The first Crown Princess became the A'Rosa Blu
for sister company Aida Cruises, a brand serving the
German market.

"Crown Princess is clearly the perfect name for a
Princess ship, and this seemed like the appropriate
opportunity to bring this moniker back into our
fleet," said Jan Swartz, Princess' senior vice
president of customer service and sales. "More
importantly, her debut will further our growth in the
region and our goal of providing one of the best
cruise experiences in the Caribbean."

Crown Princess' public areas on decks six and seven
will also offer new or redesigned spaces. Meeting
planners will appreciate the new conference center,
available to the many onboard groups. The ship's
casino will now feature a private cocktail lounge for
those who want to indulge in cigars and spirits.
Princess' signature Wheelhouse bar will be expanded
and moved forward (as on Diamond Princess), offering a
club-like atmosphere with the addition of a menu of
traditional pub fare and draft ale. The line's popular
martini bar, Crooners will move its menu of 50
specialty martinis to an intimate location on the port
side of the vessel.

An evolution from previous ships' Sterling Steakhouse
concept, a new Steak and Seafood house will move into
the area traditionally held by Sabatini's and the
Wheelhouse Bar. This showplace eatery will feature an
open, theater-style kitchen where chefs will
custom-prepare steamed shellfish-- such as lobster,
scallops, clams and mussels -- and cooked-to-order
steaks and chops. Passengers can choose to sit at the
kitchen's eat-up counter and watch the show as they
dine. Larger than the Sterling Steakhouse venues, this
180-seat restaurant will feature the privacy of booths
as well as tables and counter seating.

Up on the top decks other changes are afoot. The
ship's profile will more resemble that of Diamond
Princess with the signature Skywalkers nightclub moved
forward towards the ship's funnel. A sports court will
crown the top of this trademark disco and observation
lounge. And the company's Lotus Spa will grow to a
two-story space.

New to the top decks is Trattoria Sabatini, which will
offer additional space for diners to enjoy this
eight-course Italian extravaganza. The space will also
offer a lounge area where Sabatini diners can enjoy a
convenient pre-dinner cocktail. The stunning venue
offers views on three sides with dramatic vistas over
the ship.

Of course Crown Princess will offer many of the
special features than passengers have come to love on
her sister ship. The vessel will sport the dramatic
"Movies Under the Stars" poolside screen, featuring
outdoor viewing of first run movies and special events
complete with reserved padded lounge chairs, drink
specials and movie nibbles. Café Caribe will continue
to serve up tasty Caribbean specialties in a deluxe
buffet setting, with a focus on a different island or
region each night.

Princess passengers will also enjoy the many Personal
Choice options they know from the line's other
vessels. Princess continues to be the only line
offering a choice in the ships' main dining rooms
between Traditional seating and the restaurant-style
Anytime Dining. Crown Princess will offer multiple
show lounges and main dining rooms, as well as a
variety of intimately designed public spaces for the
"big ship choice, small ship feel" atmosphere that
defines the line. Other ship features include a
wedding chapel with Internet wedding cam, and an
extensive children and teen's center with splash pool
and outdoor play area, sports and fitness facilities,
a wide array of educational ScholarShip@Sea classes,
and a Princess trademark -- nearly 900
staterooms with private balconies.




.

That sounds nice!! If the add the huge balcony/deck, that is aft of Skywalkers that the diamond has, that would be magnificent!!

The Crown Princess will be making Port Canaveral a port of call! (Five times only, but that is a start!)