Princess Cruises celebrated the launch of the cruise company's next-generation ship – Sun Princess – at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.
Following the tradition of the Italian shipyard, the launching is marked by a special ceremony in which a "Godmother" is appointed to offer blessings and best wishes for the ship. Princess Cruises' General Manager of Hotels, Simona Stumberger, was selected to fulfill this special role as a Princess ambassador because she embodies professionalism and always provides service with a smile.
Originally from Slovenia, where Stumberger studied hotel management, she began her career at sea in the bar department and further diversified her hotel experience by working in guest services and closely with the hotel and food and beverage divisions. Stumberger has been with Princess Cruises for almost five years.
“Simona is the ideal candidate to serve as Godmother of our newest ship, Sun Princess, because she embodies all the best qualities our company has to offer: an unwavering commitment to service, hospitality, and kindness,” said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises.
The launch completes the first comprehensive phase of construction of the Sun Princess, which now focuses on building the ship's interiors.
Princess has also announced that it has appointed Gennaro Arma as captain, who will lead the construction, preparation and delivery operations of the Sun Princess, and oversee the final stages of the ship's construction, working closely with the brand's naval architects, engineers and shipbuilding experts, as well as the shipyard's management team.
The 175,500-ton Sun Princess, with a capacity for 4,300 guests, will offer a wide variety of exciting new dining, entertainment, and activity options, as well as luxurious staterooms and suites in a broad range of categories. The ship will feature stunning, never-before-seen spaces, such as The Dome, a transformative entertainment venue inspired by the terraces of Santorini; the iconic, next-level Piazza; and the three-story Horizons dining room, which is sure to be the talk of the town.
Furthermore, the Sun Princess has been designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. The Sun Princess's sustainability features include
The Sun Princess is the first ship in the Princess fleet powered by LNG. It also features two shore power connections, also known as "cold ironing," allowing the ship to shut down its engines and connect to local electricity to operate all onboard services during day calls in various ports.
Another Princess first for sustainable energy and improved maneuverability to save fuel, the Sun Princess will be equipped with two Azipod propulsion systems for forward and reverse and the four largest controllable pitch propellers on the market, known as bow thrusters, for lateral navigation.
The ship has a complete automatic microgasification system (MAGS) installed for waste and food waste management, designed with distributed and centralized biodigesters and dehydrators as a clean alternative to recycle food waste and reduce the use of landfills.
