Sphere-class cruise ship
{{short description|LNG powered cruise ship}}
| {{Infobox ship begin |sclass=2
|infobox caption= yes }} {{Infobox ship image |Ship image=File:Sun Princess at Piraeus Harbour.jpg |Ship image size= |Ship caption=Lead Ship, Sun Princess in Piraeus on 6 July 2024 |image alt= }} {{Infobox ship class overview |Builders=Fincantieri, Monfalcone, Italy |Operators=Princess Cruises |Class before={{sclass|Royal|cruise ship|4}} |Class after= |Subclasses= |Built range= 2021–2025 |Total ships on order= |Total ships building=1 |Total ships completed=1 |Total ships cancelled= |Total ships active= |Total ships laid up= |Total ships lost= |Total ships retired= |Total ships scrapped= |Total ships preserved= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship type=Cruise ship |Ship tonnage={{GT|175,000}} |Ship length={{cvt|345.3|m|ftin}} |Ship beam={{cvt|47|m|ftin}} |Ship height= |Ship draught= |Ship draft= |Ship depth= |Ship decks=21 |Ship deck clearance= |Ship ramps= |Ship ice class= |Ship power=Dual-fueled LNG power |Ship propulsion= |Ship speed= |Ship capacity=4,300 passengers |Ship crew=1,500 |Ship notes= }} |
The Sphere-class cruise ship is a class of cruise ships that entered service with Princess Cruises in February 2024. They are the largest ships built for Princess Cruises and the company's first ships powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The first ship is named {{ship||Sun Princess|2024|2}}.
Design and construction
In July 2018, Fincantieri announced it signed a memorandum of agreement with Princess Cruises, for the construction of two cruise ships with a gross tonnage of {{Gross tonnage|175,000|link=off}}, the largest ships built in Italy. The deliveries were planned for late 2023 and early 2025.{{cite press release |url=https://www.fincantieri.com/en/media/press-releases/2018/2-navi-di-prossima-generazione-a-lng-per-princess-cruises/ |title=2 Next-Generation LNG Ships for Princess Cruises |date=23 July 2018 |access-date=19 February 2024}} The construction was to take place at Monfalcone. The signing of the final contracts was announced in March 2019.{{cite press release |url=https://www.fincantieri.com/en/media/press-releases/2019/princess-cruises-and-fincantieri-sign-contracts-for-two-next-generation-cruises/|title=Princess Cruises and Fincantieri Sign Contract For Two Next-Generation Cruise Ships |date=27 March 2019 |access-date=19 February 2024}}
The ships have a capacity of about 4,300 passengers{{cite news |last=Sloan |first=Gene |date=23 July 2018 |title= Princess Cruises joins list of cruise lines ordering giant new ships |url= https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2018/07/23/princess-cruises-ship-order-finantieri-record-size/817734002/ |work=USA Today |access-date=19 February 2024}} and will be primarily powered by LNG.{{cite press release |url= https://www.fincantieri.com/en/media/press-releases/2021/fincantieri-construction-of-new-sphere-class-ship-for-princess-cruises-begins/|title= Fincantieri: Construction of New "Sphere" Class Ship for Princess Cruises Begins |author= |date=3 September 2021 |publisher= Fincantieri S.p.A |access-date=19 February 2024}} The vessels measure {{convert|345.3|m|ftin}} long{{cite web |author= |date=15 March 2023 |title=Sun Princess Cruise Ship, USA |url=https://www.ship-technology.com/projects/sun-princess-cruise-ship-usa/ |work=Ship Technology |access-date=19 June 2023}}{{cite web |date=8 March 2023 |title=Fincantieri Floats Its First LNG and Largest Cruise Ship Sun Princess |url=https://maritime-executive.com/article/fincantieri-floats-its-first-lng-and-largest-cruise-ship-sun-princess |work=The Maritime Executive |access-date=19 June 2023}} with a beam of {{Convert abbreviated|47|m|ftin}}. The ships have 2,157 cabins and are served by a crew of 1,500.{{cite web |url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/construction-navale/fincantieri-livre-le-paquebot-sun-princess |title=Fincantieri livre le paquebot Sun Princess |last=Groizeleau |first=Vincent |work=Mer et Marine |language=fr |trans-title=Fincantieri delivers the Sun Princess liner |date=15 February 2024 |access-date=19 February 2024}}
Steel was cut for the first ship by Fincantieri in September 2021. The second ship is planned to be completed in 2025.{{cite news |last=Thakkar |first=Emrys |date=3 September 2021 |title=Construction Begins on First Sphere-Class Princess Cruise Ship |url=https://www.cruisehive.com/construction-begins-on-first-sphere-class-princess-cruise-ship/55744 |work= Cruise Hive |access-date=19 February 2024}} It will be the largest ship ever built in Italy, eclipsing MSC Cruises' recently launched flagship MSC Seashore, which currently holds the record at 170,412 gross tons.{{Cite web |title=Sun Princess Review |website=Cruise Critic |last=Williamson |first=Jeanine |url=https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=1566 |access-date=19 February 2024 |language=en-gb}} The first float-out took place on 8 March 2023.{{cite web |url=https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2023/03/sun-princess-floats-out-at-fincantieri/ |title=Sun Princess Floats Out at Fincantieri |work=Cruise Industry News |date=8 March 2023 |access-date=19 February 2024}} Sun Princess was delivered on 14 February 2024. There were technical issues aboard the ship after entering service, delaying its first port of call.{{cite web |url=https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/03/technical-delays-lead-to-change-in-sun-princess-itinerary/ |title=Technical Delays Lead to Change in Sun Princess’ Itinerary |work=Cruise Industry Daily |date=15 March 2024 |access-date=13 April 2024}}{{cite news |last= |first= |date=January 24, 2024|title=Princess Cruises, Fincantieri Mutually Agree to Postpone Sun Princess Delivery February 8 Inaugural Voyage Cancelled |url=https://www.princess.com/en-int/news/news-releases/2024/01/princess-cruises-fincantieri-mutually-agree-to-postpone-sun-princess |work=Princess Cruises |location=Monfalcone, Italy|publisher=Princess Cruises |access-date=}}{{cite news |last= |first= |date=February 14, 2024|title=Princess Cruises Takes Delivery of New Sun Princess from Fincantieri; Additional Work in Shipyard Required to Support New February 28 Maiden Voyage |url=https://www.princess.com/en-int/news/news-releases/2024/02/princess-cruises-takes-delivery-of-new-sun-princess-from-fincantieri-additional-work-in-shipyard-required-to-support-new-february-28-maiden-voyage |work=Princess Cruises |location=Monfalcone, Italy|publisher=Princess Cruises |access-date=}}
In April 2024, Princess announced that the delivery of the Star Princess will be delayed by two months.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=April 19, 2024|title=Princess and Fincantieri to Delay Star Princess Delivery |url=https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/04/princess-and-fincantieri-to-delay-star-princess-delivery/ |work=Cruise Industry News |location= |publisher=Cruise Industry News |access-date=}} The ship was launched in September and is scheduled for delivery in fall 2025.{{cite news |author=Anne Kalosh |date=September 26, 2024|title=Fincantieri's Monfalcone shipyard floats out Star Princess |url=https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/shipbuilding-equipment/fincantieri-s-monfalcone-shipyard-floats-out-star-princess |work=SeatradeCruiseNews |location= |publisher= Informa PLC Informa UK Limited|access-date=}}
Ships in class
| {{Table}}
! Name !! Gross tonnage !! Capacity !! Builder | |
| {{ship | Sun Princess|2024|2}}{{cite web |title=Next Princess Ship Set to Be Named Sun Princess, Debut Spring 2024 |url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/28273-next-princess-ship-set-to-be-named-sun-princess-debut-spring-2024.html |work=Cruise Industry News |date=15 September 2022 |access-date=19 February 2024}}
| rowspan="2" align=center" | {{Gross tonnage|175,000}} | rowspan="2" align=center" | 4,300 passengers | rowspan="2" align="center" | Fincantieri, Monfalcone, Italy |
| {{ship | Star Princess|2024|2}}{{cite web |title=Second Sphere-class ship, Star Princess, to debut August 2025 |url=https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/second-sphere-class-ship-star-princess-debut-august-2025 |website=Seatrade Cruise News |last=Kalosh |first=Anne |date=12 May 2023 |access-date=19 February 2024}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.princesscruises.de/en/ships/sun-princess Princess Cruises: Sun Princess]
- [https://www.princesscruises.de/en/ships/star-princess Princess Cruises: Star Princess]
{{Princess Cruises ships}}
{{List of ships built by Fincantieri}}