Princess Cruises celebrated the steel-cutting ceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard in Castellammare di Stabia, Italy, marking the start of construction on its fourth Royal-class ship. This new vessel will follow in the footsteps of its sister ships, the Royal and Regal Princess, and the Majestic Princess, which is scheduled to launch in April 2017. It is expected to be completed by 2019.
The ceremony was attended by Firouz Mal, Project Director, Keith Taylor, Executive Vice President of Operations, Elio Autiero, Director General of Human Resources, and Carlo Febbraro, Director of Technical Personnel on board.
The Royal Class ships offer a wide variety of new services and culinary experiences inspired by the ship's ports of call.
The other ships in this class have also been able to offer an exclusive culinary experience thanks to Chef Lumiere. Organized by the company's head chef, it includes a private tour and dinner where guests will enjoy French cuisine in a sophisticated atmosphere. It also features the Crown Grill & Bar American steakhouse and Alfredo's, the company's Neapolitan pizzeria named after the Italian chef Alfredo Marzi.
“The steel cutting in Castellammare demonstrates the strong relationship between Princess Cruises and Fincantieri, which has lasted for 16 years. This shipyard has delivered some of the most spectacular and innovative cruise ships at sea. We are delighted with our relationship with Fincantieri and are confident that this next ship will achieve the same success as its sister ships,” said Keith Taylor, Executive Vice President of Operations for Princess Cruises.
The ship will be transported by sea to Monfalcone, where it will be outfitted and built by Fincantieri. This new vessel will have a gross tonnage of 145,000 and a capacity for 4,250 passengers. The third ship in the Royal class, the Majestic Princess, was unveiled in February 2016 and will be delivered in April 2017.
