As one of the industry’s most contemporary cruise lines, Princess Cruises has come a really long way from its modest beginnings. When it was founded back in 1965, Princess consisted of a single ship that was a converted ferry boat that carried passengers from Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera. Today, Princess Cruises boasts seventeen ships in its fleet and handles around 100 itineraries every year. Princess ships visit more than 300 different ports per year, too – a statistic that is quite mind-blowing, to say the least. As a part of the Carnival Corporation, Princess Cruises has the means to provide some of the best cruise experiences in the world.
What’s New
Princess Cruises’ “Movies Under The Stars” program – in which popular films are shown on a massive LED screen above the main pool – is currently being expanded to the majority of its ships. Indeed, this innovation has proven to be a wildly successful one for Princess. Princess was also the very first cruise line to provide the popular Wii Fit program on board many of its ships. In fact, the cruise line holds Wii Fit tournaments that are displayed on the large LED screens used for “Movies Under The Stars” nights. These two innovations alone are proof positive that Princess Cruises is more than willing to keep up with emerging and cutting edge trends; Internet cafes on every ship are further proof of this.
Known For
When it comes to Royal Caribbean, massive ships and larger-than-life entertainment options are par for the course. Consider these key characteristics:
Alternative Eateries
Princess Cruises is constantly updating and tweaking its impressive array of alternative eateries. Recently, they introduced a New Orleans style restaurant, for example. Alternative eateries have been a mainstay of the Princess line for some time, and continue to be immensely popular.
Anytime Dining
In another nod to growing trends, Princess was one of the earliest proponents of flexible dining options for passengers. The vast majority of Princess ships allow passengers to eat whenever they want to between the hours of 5:30pm and 10pm. This helps add a dose of relaxation and customization to any cruise experience, and passengers – especially those with children – surely appreciate it.
Eclectic Itineraries
Thanks to its large fleet and overall popularity, Princess Cruises is able to offer one of the most extensive number of itineraries in the world. In addition to old standbys like the Caribbean, Princess ships travel the globe. From the Far East to the Alaskan wild, Princess boasts a very impressive roster of itineraries.
Chef’s Table
Once on board, guests on most Princess cruise ships have the option of paying $75 per person to enjoy a bevy of great perks. Those perks include hors d’oevoures and champagne in the ship’s galley as well as a a multi-course tasting menu over at the Chef’s VIP table.
Top Itineraries
Alaska
Princess Cruises is the top major cruise line when it comes to Alaskan cruises. Ports of call generally include Skagway, Juneau, the Sawyer Glaciers, Ketchikan and Glacier Bay.
South Pacific
Cruises to the South Pacific are largely what give Princess its reputation for being a romantic cruise line. Popular ports of call in the region include Fiji, Tahiti, Bora Bora and the Cook Islands.
Mediterranean
Proving its versatility, Princess also boasts plenty of Mediterranean cruises every year. Princess ships stop regularly at ports like Rhodes, Naples, Marseille and Mykonos. These are incredibly popular cruises for the line.
Western Caribbean
Not to be outdone, Princess Cruises also offers a wide array of cruises to the Western Caribbean. Passengers are whisked along through many great ports of call including Costa Maya, Cozumel and St. Thomas.
The Fleet
Caribbean Princess
The Caribbean Princess and innovation go hand-in-hand. After all, this is the Princess ship that launched the “Movies Under The Stars” program. A phenomenal kids facility, called the Princess’ Kids Club, helps make this a very family-friendly vessel. The ship’s atrium was recently remodeled into the Piazza, which is three decks high and features an entertainment area, a bakery, Vines Wine & Seafood Bar and a state of the art Internet Cafe & Library. The adults-only Sanctuary is a wonderfully serene place to kick back and relax.
Ruby Princess
Princess Cruises’ newest ship, the Ruby Princess, stands apart from the crowd for many important reasons. Firstly, the behind-the-scenes tours on this ship are simply astonishing and no one should miss out on them. A wide range of reasonably priced cabins with balconies also makes this ship a true standout. Kids’ features – including a mini-golf course – will keep the little ones content and help keep boredom at bay.
Tahitian Princess
Romance is the name of the game when it comes to the Tahitian Princess. This ship allows people who are willing to pay an extra fee to enjoy ultra-romantic balcony meals. As one of Princess Cruises’ smallest ships, the Tahitian Princess is perfectly intimate and excellent for honeymooners. Although there’s no Anytime Dining option, the cuisine on board is excellent. Once restricted to the South Pacific, the Tahitian Princess now boasts global itineraries and is being renamed the Ocean Princess.
Diamond Princess
As one of Princess Cruises’ largest ships, the Diamond Princess is all about grandiosity. More than 10,000 square feet of space is dedicated to children’s and teen’s facilities and activities alone. Club Fusion is a truly modern, well appointed dance club where passengers can let loose in style.