Princess Announce Their Most Technologically Advanced Cruise Ship Is Set To Launch

Posted on 23 January, 2017 by Spacejunkie2

Regal Princess

Princess Cruises has just announced it has placed an order for its sixth Royal Class vessel.

Guests can expect the 3,560 guest ship to be delivered in 2022, but is still yet to be named.

The next ship for the line will feature signature elements that have become synonymous with the Princess guest experience, such as a central atrium hub with multiple dining, entertainment and retail venues; Movies Under The Stars with the largest outdoor screen at sea; and 81% of all staterooms with balconies.

Princess’ newly announced vessel will also feature the recently released Ocean Medallion Class, including the Ocean Medallion, a first-of-its-kind wearable device that promises to offer enhanced services and a more personalised experience for guests.

The new technology is set to debut aboard Regal Princess on Nov. 13 on Ocean Medallion Class cruises from Port Everglades, and will follow on Royal Princess and Caribbean Princess in early 2018, the cruise company has said

The yet-to-be-named Princess ship will be built at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, and further details will be announced in due course.

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The line’s vice president UK and Europe, Tony Roberts, has stated: ‘The decision to grow our fleet is testament of the success of Princess Cruises around the world. With four new ships now due for delivery, starting with Majestic Princess in March, these are incredibly exciting times for Princess Cruises.’

Carnival Corp & PLC, cruise giant that owns Princess Cruises, made this announcement on the 19th January, along with a new ship for its Holland America Line brand.

The new 99,500-ton, 2,660-passenger Holland America ship will be the third in its new Pinnacle class of ship. It will join sister ships ms Koningsdam — now sailing from Port Everglades for the winter season — and the Nieuw Statendam, currently under construction and set to debut in November 2018.

Company CEO for Carnival Corp , Arnold Donald, has stated: “Using our strategic fleet enhancement plan to introduce new ships is an important part of our measured capacity growth strategy, which includes replacing less efficient ships with newer, larger and more efficient vessels.”

With Thursday’s agreement, Carnival Corp. now has 19 new ships scheduled to be delivered across its corporate fleet between 2017 and 2022. The company’s cruise lines also includes Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Seabourn, Cunard, Fathom, P&O Cruises (UK), P&O Cruises (Australia) and AIDA Cruises.

Carnival Corp claims ‘medallions’ innovation puts it alongside Apple and Microsoft

Posted on 5 January, 2017 by Spacejunkie2

Carnival Corporation claims its new personalisation technology puts it on a par with global technology giants like Apple and Microsoft.

The world’s largest cruise operator, which owns brands including Princess Cruises, Cunard and P&O Cruises, unveiled its Ocean Medallion innovation today.

In what is believed to be a first for the travel sector, Carnival chief executive Arnold Donald is due to give a keynote at the prestigious CES consumer technology show in Las Vegas.

This is where all the major global technology brands go to showcase the new products they hope will take the world by storm.

Ocean Medallion has been devised by Carnival chief experience and innovation officer John Padgett, the man behind Disney’s MagicBands used in its Florida Disney world themepark.

MagicBands were touted as a game-changer for the themepark sector and much the same is being predicted for Ocean Medallion.

Padgett said: “It’s huge deal that Carnival is featuring at this [CES] tech show. This isn’t Carnival with Royal Caribbean and Norwegian.

“This is Carnival alongside the likes of Microsoft or Apple. So this isn’t about market share, it’s about us being in the vanguard to show how truly great the entire cruise industry is.”

Padgett said the technology will create an “experiential aura” around every guest that will trigger personalised information to be sent to them to enhance their holiday.

He said the technology is a step beyond MagicBands as it does not require the human wearer to do anything to make it work.

“Guests don’t need to swipe or tap the medallion. They just have to wear it as a pendant, bracelet or keyfob, and every single one will have a digital concierge looking out for them.

“It won’t stereotype or segment passengers; it will track what they engage in, in real-time, from the minute they book their holiday, and send them only information relevant to their interests and preferences,” he said.

“The more they engage, the better their experience will be.”

Padgett says it will change the cruise industry’s focus from the maximisation of on board revenue to the enhancement of a customer’s personalised holiday experience.

In doing so, he believes guests will, by default, spend more money, either on the ticket price due to the perceived greater value of a cruise holiday, or by spending more on board as hassle, distractions and friction are eliminated.

The Princess Cruises line will be the first brand to offer the new technology before a roll out across Carnival’s brands.

Princess Cruises’ Regal Princess will adopt the new ‘Ocean Medallions’ in November 2017, with Royal Princess and Caribbean Princess following next year.

Princess Cruises announces biggest ever season of ex-UK sailings

Posted on 20 November, 2016 by Spacejunkie2

by Natasha Salmon

Princess Cruises has announced 2018 will be its biggest ever season of cruises departing from the UK.

More than 40 itineraries on three Princess ships will be available between April and October out of Southampton and Dover.

In 2016 the operator’s Emerald Princess spent the summer season in Southampton.

Tony Roberts, vice president Princess Cruises UK and Europe, said: “Having seen a significant increase in popularity of Princess cruises from the UK, we are thrilled to announce that our 2018 programme will be our biggest ever season.

“We have a long history with the UK market and after a significant growth, especially with the popularity of our Emerald ex-UK sailings; we decided to grow it further.”

The Sapphire Princess will make its maiden visit to Europe sailing from Southampton to the Mediterranean and northern Europe for the full period between April and October.

Prior to this, from March, it will sail from Singapore on the Indian Ocean & Europe Grand Adventures 38-night cruise to Southampton and then return to Singapore in October.

In May 2018, Royal Princess will return to the UK offering round-Britain cruises, five years after it was launched by the Duchess of Cambridge.

Pacific Princess, the lines smaller ship, will sail a roundtrip from Dover to northern and southern Europe between June and September, including the 12-night European capitals cruise with overnight stay in Amsterdam.

Roberts said the company’s success is reliant on their work with agents.

“The thing which has made 2016 such a success for us is closely working with the trade.

“Agents are critical to the success of our presence in the UK and we will continue to work with them.”

For the first time in three years summer Caribbean cruises will return with 47 itineraries around the Caribbean and Panama Canal ranging from seven to 20-nights.

Princess will offer its largest ever Alaska deployment with seven ships sailing in the region, increasing the number of guests by 15%.

Crown Princess will offer Mediterranean cruises from Rome, Athens and Barcelona while Regal Princess will sail roundtrip from Copenhagen to Scandinavia and the Baltic.