Royal First for Sydney - Princess Cruises' Spectacular Royal Princess Debuts Down Under
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Royal First for Sydney - Princess Cruises' Spectacular Royal Princess Debuts Down Under
Princess’ Biggest Ever Australian Summer Season with four ships including two Royal-Class Vessels homeported in Sydney for the very first time
Image Source, Princess Cruise
Sydney has welcomed a new royal visitor this morning, with Princess Cruises’ spectacular Royal Princess sailing into the city’s harbour for its inaugural season of cruising from Australia.
Measuring 330 metres in length, and 19 decks high, the stunning 3560-guest ship will be based in Sydney until April next year, offering 14 round trip cruises from the city during its six-month deployment Down Under.
One of Princess Cruises’ largest and most popular ships, the 142,229-tonne Royal Princess has a strong regal connection. The ship was christened by HRH, Catherine, Princess of Wales, in the United Kingdom 10 years ago, while the late Princess Diana - Catherine’s mother-in-law - christened Princess Cruises’ original Royal Princess in 1984.
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Princess Cruises Senior Vice President Asia Pacific, UK + Europe Stuart Allison said the cruise line is thrilled to welcome Royal Princess to its Australian fleet this summer. The ship will sail in local waters with Coral Princess, Majestic Princess and Grand Princess.
“Royal Princess set new standards for premium cruising when it was launched and continues to turn heads wherever she sails around the globe,” Mr Allison said.
“Not only is she a fantastic looking ship, she’s packed with wonderful features for guests, from superb cuisine to world-class entertainment and facilities. We know guests will especially love the Sanctuary and Retreat areas over the summer season.”
Royal Princess will sail in Australasian waters with Coral Princess, which returned from her Round World Cruise to Sydney on September 20, Grand Princess, which spent Saturday (October 21) in Sydney’s harbour, Majestic Princess, arriving in Sydney on November 4 as well as Island Princess calling into the Harbour City on Valentine’s Day February 14, 2024.
‘We’ll have 44% more guest capacity than last season and 85% more guests passing through Sydney, making this the biggest summer season in Australia Princess has ever had.”
“The vast majority of guests disembarking today are international so today is sure to be a multi-million dollar day in economic contribution to the state of NSW and setting the industry on the way to exceed the $5.6b of economic contribution last year. “
The inaugural vessel within the cruise line’s Royal-Class, Royal Princess elevates the guest experience with an abundance of amenities including 11 restaurants, 9 bars and additional lounges, and entertainment options. Among its remarkable features is the Sea Walk, a breathtaking glass-bottomed enclosed walkway that extends nearly 9 metres beyond the ship's edge, treating guests to awe-inspiring views while suspended 39 metres above the sea.
Other notable features include private poolside cabanas, two main pools, 8 top deck spas, the Enclave and Lotus Spa featuring Princess’ largest-ever thermal suite, and an exquisite Chef Lumiere dining option, where guests are magically surrounded by a curtain of light. Meanwhile, more than 80 per cent of the ship’s staterooms offer a private balcony.
In addition to the incredible amenities aboard Royal Princess, guests also enjoy personalised service found throughout the fleet. Exclusive Princess Medallion innovation takes the entire holiday back to the roots of what makes cruising special by creating a personalised, customised and simplified experience for each and every guest. The connected guest experience maximises guests’ time by delivering a host of onboard conveniences including contactless payment for anything on board; expedited embarkation; keyless stateroom entry; muster anywhere; friends and family locator; and ordering food, drinks, retail items or requesting service from their smart device or a crew member and having their order delivered directly to them…even if they move.
Royal Princess’ arrival in Sydney today marks the end of its inaugural 27-night transpacific crossing from Vancouver, Canada. The ship will sail from Sydney this evening on it first Australian voyage - a 10-night roundtrip cruise to Queensland, making maiden calls to Brisbane, Cairns, the Whitsundays and Port Douglas.
“We’re excited to have such an impressive regal visitor in our waters this summer and look forward to welcoming our New Zealand guests on board,” Mr Allison added.
Mr Allison added that Princess will continue its popular Across the Ditch program on all Princess ships sailing to New Zealand.
“We’ll be revealing some new features and exciting product enhancements to the program highlighting authentic cuisine and local entertainment. These fantastic guest experiences bring the best of New Zealand onboard further showcasing our leadership in this magnificent and much-loved destination,” Mr Allison said.
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