Princess Cruises and ship builder Fincantieri announced on Friday (April 19) the mutual decision to postpone the delivery of the next Sphere Class ship, Star Princess.
Following a comprehensive review of the remaining construction milestones, both parties have elected to adjust the ship’s delivery date from July 29, 2025 to September 26, 2025, which will result in the cancellation of the nine inaugural sailings.
“Despite our collective dedication and relentless pursuit to deliver the ship in late July, it has become evident that additional time is required to ensure the Star Princess is delivered to the highest standards expected by our guests,” said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises.
The new inaugural sailings of Star Princess will sail roundtrip from Barcelona and include an 11-day Mediterranean voyage on October 4, 2025, and a 7-day Mediterranean voyage on October 15, 2025, that precede a 14-day transatlantic crossing to Fort Lauderdale on October 22, 2025 for the ship’s first Caribbean season. These three new cruises will open for sale on April 30, 2024.
Guests who are booked on any of the impacted voyages will be given three options: book any Princess cruise worldwide, including aboard the new Star, sister ship Sun Princess, or any other Princess ship.
Guests who elect to rebook will receive future cruise- and onboard-credits depending on the cruise they select. Guests will also have the option to cancel and receive a full refund of the cruise fare.
Princess will protect travel agent commissions on all bookings that have been paid in full.
Star Princess is the second in the new Sphere Class of ships for Princess. Sister ship Sun Princess, built by Fincantieri in Monfalcone, debuted in February and is hailed as the next level Love Boat featuring the iconic and elegant structural lines Princess is known for, while delivering an evolution of the brand with new eye-catching architectural spectacles like The Dome, the cruise industry’s first geodesic feature on the top deck, and The Sphere, the suspended glass Sphere Piazza at the center of the cruise ship.