On February 14, Italian shipbuilding group Fincantieri announced that Sun Princess, the first of two LNG (liquefied natural gas) cruise ships for Princess Cruises, was delivered today at the Monfalcone shipyard. The vessel will remain at the Monfalcone yard for additional technical works.
At about 178,000 gross tons, Sun Princess is the largest ship ever built in Italy, as well as the first LNG cruise ship ever built by Fincantieri, and the first dual-fuel vessel powered primarily by LNG to enter the Princess fleet. LNG is the most advanced fuel technology that is mature, scalable, and commercially viable for the maritime industry. LNG is also considered among the cleanest fossil fuels because it reduces greenhouse gas emissions and almost totally avoids other air emissions and particulate matter.
Sun Princess is the first in Princess Cruises’ Sphere class, which includes a sister-ship to be delivered in 2025. They will each accommodate approximately 4,300 guests and are based on a next-generation platform design.
Princess Cruises and Fincantieri finalized the contracts for the construction of two next-generation 175,000-ton dual-fueled cruise ships back in 2019. The construction of Sun Princess was kickstarted in September 2021.
The keel for the second ship in this class, Star Princess, was laid in December 2023.
As one of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is a world leading international cruise line operating a fleet of 16 modern cruise ships, carrying millions of guests each year to 330 destinations around the globe.