Tag Archives: princess Cruise

Princess Cruises Adds Third Solar Eclipse Voyage for 2026

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Princess Cruises has announced a third voyage in its 2026 Total Solar Eclipse series: a 14-day Mediterranean & Adriatic with Total Solar Eclipse cruise onboard the Enchanted Princess, departing from Rome.

The new Enchanted Princess sailing joins two other eclipse-focused Princess cruises onboard Sky Princess (August 8, 2026, from Southampton) and Sun Princess (7-, 14- and 21-day itineraries departing from Barcelona and Athens).

Highlights of the Enchanted Princess itinerary, sailing August 4-18, 2026, include:

  • Civitavecchia (Rome)
  • Naples (for Capri & Pompeii)
  • Kotor, Montenegro
  • Dubrovnik, Croatia
  • Corfu, Greece
  • Messina & Palermo, Sicily.
  • Gibraltar
  • Alicante, Spain
  • Barcelona, Spain

“Adding Enchanted Princess to our 2026 solar eclipse lineup allows more guests to be part of this extraordinary moment at sea while exploring breathtaking Mediterranean and Adriatic destinations,” said Terry Thornton, Princess Cruises’ Chief Commercial Officer. “With limited availability on Sky Princess and Sun Princess, we’re excited to give our guests a new opportunity to be part of this rare astronomical event aboard another of our spectacular ships.”

During the eclipse, guests will gather on the top decks with Princess eclipse viewing glasses, and enjoy lectures from astronomy experts, themed treats and drinks, stargazing at night, solar system trivia and more.

Princess said guests are encouraged to set up their own telescopes on deck and wear festive eclipse-themed apparel and accessories.

Three Princess Ships to Undergo Drydocks in April

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Three Princess Cruises ships are set to undergo drydocks in April: the Emerald Princess, the Grand Princess and the Regal Princess.

The first ship to enter dry dock was the Emerald Princess, which recently arrived at the Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo, Italy.

After repositioning to Europe earlier this month, the 2007-built vessel arrived at the facility for scheduled maintenance, in addition to class inspections and technical work.

Set to spend the upcoming summer season sailing from Southampton, the Emerald Princess will resume service on April 29, 2025.

Before kicking off a summer deployment in Alaska and Canada, the Grand Princess is also undergoing a dry dock.

The 1998-built ship arrived at the Vigor Shipyard in Portland in mid-April and is now going through regular maintenance.

Before welcoming guests back in early May, the Grand Princess is also scheduled to undergo class inspections, as well as upkeep and minor updates to public areas and staterooms.

A third Princess ship is undergoing a dry dock later this month, the Regal Princess.

Currently sailing in Northern Europe, the vessel is set to arrive at the Damen Shiprepair Yard in Rotterdam on April 25, 2025.

The 3,600-guest ship is expected to undergo technical work and general maintenance before resuming service in early May.

Sailing from Southampton, the Regal Princess is set to offer 12-night cruises to the British Isles during the summer of 2025.

Earlier this year, the Majestic Princess also visited a shipyard in Europe, emerging from dry dock with new venues and reimagined spaces.

According to Princess, the 2017-built vessel saw the addition of new bars and restaurants, including O’Malley’s Irish Pub, Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria and Good Spirits at Sea.

Sailing in Europe for the first time in eight years, the ship is currently offering itineraries in the Mediterranean.

Australia Set for Record-Breaking Cruise Capacity in 2024

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According to the 2024 Cruise Industry News Annual Report, the Australian cruise market is poised for record-breaking cruise capacity in 2024.

Building on a strong 2023, the region will see 57 different cruise ships from various brands.

Accounting for approximately four per cent of the global cruise market share, some of the big deployment moves include the arrival of the Crown Princess.

Joining Princess Cruises’ lineup in Australia and New Zealand for the 2024-25 season, the 3,100-guest vessel will offer cruises departing from Sydney, Auckland, Brisbane and more.

Taking over the program currently offered by the Coral Princess, the Crown is also scheduled to offer longer cruises, including sailing to the South Pacific and Europe.

Cruise Industry News independent research shows that P&O Australia continues to serve as the market leader, with three ships operating year-round from ports in Australia and New Zealand.

The company’s fleet includes the Pacific Encounter and the Pacific Adventure, which are among the largest ships sailing in the region.

Other brands with significant capacity in the Australia and New Zealand regions include Royal Caribbean International and Carnival Cruise Line.

Royal Caribbean is deploying three ships to the region in 2024, offering seasonal programs from Sydney and Brisbane.

In addition to the Carnival Splendor operating a year-round schedule out of Sydney, Carnival is once again deploying the Carnival Luminosa to Australia in 2024.

After joining the company’s fleet in 2022, the 2,260-guest ship has been offering seasonal programs from Brisbane.

Australia and New Zealand’s 2024 lineup is also highlighted by Disney Cruise Line, which is returning to the region for a second consecutive season in late 2024.

Following a successful debut in 2023, the Disney Wonder will return to the market in late October for an extended program that features itineraries departing from Brisbane, Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney.