Enchanted Princess Explained
Enchanted Princess is a
Royal-class cruise ship operated by
Princess Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc. Princess finalized the order for its fifth
Royal-class ship in 2016 from Italian shipbuilder
Fincantieri and her
keel was
laid down on 14 February 2019 in
Monfalcone. Originally expected to be delivered in June 2020, the ship was hampered by construction delays after Fincantieri's operations were affected by the
COVID-19 pandemic, and she was delivered three months later, on 30 September 2020. After a year-long pause in operations amid the
pandemic's impact on tourism, Princess inaugurated the ship's operations on 10 November 2021, when she set sail on her maiden voyage.
Design
Enchanted Princess measures and has a length of 330m (1,080feet), a draft of 8.49m (27.85feet), and a beam of 38.4m (126feet).[1] She is powered by a diesel-electric genset system, with four total Wärtsilä engines, producing a total output of 62.4MW. Main propulsion is via two propellers, each driven by a 18MW electric motor. The system gives the vessel a service speed of 21.9kn and a maximum speed of 23kn. The ship houses 1,830 passenger cabins and 757 crew cabins. Of the 1,830 passenger cabins, 81% have a balcony. The ship has a maximum capacity of 5,800 passengers and crew.
On board, the ship includes many of the same modifications in accommodations and offerings first introduced on her sister ship, Sky Princess. Among the shared features include a new suite accommodation category, but she also includes new restaurants and revised interior décor in select venues.[2]
Construction
Carnival Corporation first entered into a strategic agreement with Fincantieri in March 2015 for five cruise ships scheduled for delivery between 2019 and 2022.[3] From this agreement, the contract for a then-unnamed, fifth Royal-class vessel was finalized for Princess on 2 April 2016.[4] [5] Initial reports stated that she would measure approximately 145,000 GT and have a capacity of 3,660 passengers.[6] On 20 August 2018, Princess announced that its fifth Royal-class ship would be named Enchanted Princess.[7]
On 14 February 2019, the keel was laid at the shipyard in Monfalcone.[8] She was then floated out on 6 August 2019 with a dedication performed by Fincantieri employee Marinella Cossu[9] before Princess Cruises celebrated a separate ceremony on 17 September 2019, with Filipino Princess crew recruiter and trainer Doris Magsaysay Ho performing the honors.[10]
In April 2020, Princess announced that Fincantieri had temporarily closed its shipyards for six weeks amid the national outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, which resulted in delays affecting the ship's construction and delivery timeline.[11] [12] After construction resumed, she began her sea trials on 13 June 2020, sailing from Monfalcone to Palermo. She remained in Palermo until 26 June before returning to Monfalcone on 29 June.[13] On 8 July 2020, she successfully completed her sea trials.[14] Enchanted Princess was originally scheduled to debut on 15 June 2020 but delays caused the ship to be delivered three months later on 30 September 2020 in Monfalcone. Upon her delivery, she also became the 100th passenger vessel constructed by Fincantieri.
In November 2021, Princess named three women from The Explorers Club as the godmothers to christen the vessel: Lynn Danaher, Vicki Ferrini, and Jenifer Austin.[15] Princess released a taped production that was streamed on 13 December 2021, during which the three godmothers named Enchanted Princess.[16] [17]
Service history
Enchanted Princess was scheduled to debut on 15 June 2020 on a pre-inaugural Mediterranean sailing from Rome to Southampton on 19 June 2020[18] prior to her christening on 30 June 2020 in Southampton. However, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Princess ceased operations through summer 2021, effectively cancelling the ship's debut year in Europe and the Caribbean.[19] The ship sailed her maiden voyage on 10 November 2021 from Port Everglades, with calls at Princess Cays, St. Thomas, Dominica, Curaçao, and Aruba.[20]
Notes and References
- Web site: Majestic Princess - Sky Princess - Enchanted Princess . Fincantieri.
- Web site: 5 November 2018. Princess Cruises Announces New Details On Enchanted Princess. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200923171816/https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/princess-cruises-announces-new-details-enchanted-princess. September 23, 2020. Travel Agent Central.
- Fincantieri: Five Next-Generation Ships for Carnival Corporation . 27 March 2015 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20201007110934/https://www.fincantieri.com/en/media/press-releases/2015/000619/ . 7 October 2020 . live . Fincantieri.
- News: 2 April 2016 . Carnival Corp. Finalizes 5 Ship Order, One More for Princess . Cruise Industry News . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201012003353/https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/14303-carnival-corp-finalizes-5-ship-order-one-more-for-princess.html . 12 October 2020.
- Record Fincantieri: The Group Will Build 5 Cruise Ships For Carnival Corporation . 2 April 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201008073439/https://www.fincantieri.com/en/media/press-releases/2016/0007072/ . 8 October 2020 . Fincantieri.
- Web site: 7 August 2019 . Enchanted Princess Floated Out . https://web.archive.org/web/20201011133720/https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/enchanted-princess-floated-out . 11 October 2020 . The Maritime Executive.
- Web site: Leposa . Adam . 20 August 2018 . Princess Names Fifth Royal-class Ship Enchanted Princess . https://web.archive.org/web/20200925065738/https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/princess-names-fifth-royal-class-ship-enchanted-princess . 25 September 2020 . Travel Agent Central.
- News: 14 February 2019 . Fincantieri Marks Milestone Event for Trio of Princess Ships . https://web.archive.org/web/20190214203845/https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/20382-fincantieri-marks-milestone-event-for-trio-of-princess-ships.html . 14 February 2019 . Cruise Industry News.
- News: Mathisen . Monty . 6 August 2019 . Enchanted Princess Floats Out at Fincantieri . Cruise Industry News . https://web.archive.org/web/20200928065037/https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21342-enchanted-princess-floats-out-at-fincantieri.html . 28 September 2020.
- News: Saunders . Aaron . 17 September 2019 . Princess Cruises Floats Out New Ship Enchanted Princess . . https://web.archive.org/web/20201007183248/https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/4470/ . 7 October 2020.
- News: 15 April 2020 . Enchanted Princess Delivery Delayed . Cruise Industry News . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201008103420/https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/22787-enchanted-princess-delivery-delayed.html . 8 October 2020.
- News: Gray Faust . Chris . 30 September 2020 . Princess Cruises Takes Delivery of New Ship, Enchanted Princess, From Shipyard . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201105184938/https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5633/ . 5 November 2020.
- News: 13 June 2020. A Monfalcone debutta dopo il lockdown la nuova maxi-nave: "Enchanted Princess". it. Il Piccolo. live. 13 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201009032432/https://video.ilpiccolo.gelocal.it/locale/a-monfalcone-debutta-dopo-il-lockdown-la-nuova-maxi-nave-enchanted-princess/126174/126640?ref=twfpi&twitter_card=20200613212348. 9 October 2020.
- News: Kalosh. Anne. 9 July 2020. Enchanted Princess successfully completes sea trials. Seatrade Cruise News. live. 9 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201025053617if_/https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/enchanted-princess-successfully-completes-sea-trials. 25 October 2020.
- News: Kalosh. Anne. 30 November 2021. Explorers Club members are Enchanted Princess godmothers. Seatrade Cruise News. 30 November 2021.
- News: Kalosh. Anne. 13 December 2021. Enchanted Princess is named by Explorers Club women. Seatrade Cruise News. 19 December 2021.
- News: 14 December 2021. Princess Cruises Airs Enchanted Princess' Naming Ceremony. Cruise Industry News. 19 December 2021.
- News: Kalosh. Anne. 24 June 2019. Princess appoints executive officers for Enchanted Princess. Seatrade Cruise News. https://web.archive.org/web/20210122130343/https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news-headlines/princess-appoints-executive-officers-enchanted-princess. 22 January 2021.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, Princess Cruises cancelled cruises through 2020 and 2021 in intervals. See:
- Princess Cruises Extends Temporary Pause of Global Operations Through June 30 Due to Global COVID-19 Outbreak . April 14, 2021. In continued response to the impact of the COVID-19 global outbreak and the recent order from the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Princess Cruises is canceling all voyages through June 30, 2020. . en . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210121082856/https://www.princess.com/news/news_releases/2020/04/princess-cruises-extends-temporary-pause-of-global-operations.html . 21 January 2021 . none.
- News: McCarthy. Daniel. 15 April 2020. Princess Cancels Sailings through June 30, Delays Enchanted Princess Debut. Travel Market Report. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200423045627/https://www.travelmarketreport.com/articles/Princess-Cancels-Sailings-through-June-30-Delays-Enchanted-Princess-Debut. 23 April 2020. none.
- Princess Cruises Extends Pause of Global Ship Operations For Remaining 2020 Summer Season . May 6, 2020 . en . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210226102633/https://www.princess.com/news/news_releases/2020/05/princess-cruises-extends-pause-of-global-ship-operations-for-remaining-2020-summer-season.html . 26 February 2021 . none.
- News: Dolven . Taylor . 23 July 2020 . Princess Cruises cancels cruises through mid-December citing COVID-19, months past CDC ban . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201120162111/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article244418237.html . 20 November 2020 . none.
- Princess Cruises Extends Pause of Guest Cruise Vacations Through May 14, 2021 . 6 January 2021 . ...the company is extending its pause of guest cruise vacations on ships sailing through May 14, 2021. . en . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210406235217/https://www.princess.com/news/news_releases/2021/01/princess-cruises-extends-pause-of-guest-cruise-vacations-through-may-14-2021.html . 6 April 2021 . none.
- Princess Cruises Extends Pause of Cruise Vacations from Los Angeles, Ft. Lauderdale and Rome through June 30, 2021 . 9 March 2021 . ...the company is extending its pause of cruise vacations sailing the Caribbean, California Coast, Mexico and Mediterranean through June 30, 2021. . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20210506020004/https://www.princess.com/news/news_releases/2021/03/princess-cruises-extends-pause-of-cruise-vacations-from-los-angeles-ft-lauderdale-and-rome-through-june-30-2021.html . 6 May 2021 . none.
- News: 10 November 2021. Enchanted Princess Enters Service in Port Everglades. Cruise Industry News. 30 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211110162424/https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/26206-enchanted-princess-enters-service-in-port-everglades.html. 10 November 2021.