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2013 naming for first of new wave of superships (From Daily Echo)
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2013 naming for first of new wave of superships
9:45am Wednesday 15th August 2012 in Shipping
By Keith Hamilton, Shipping & Heritage Reporter
Artist’s impression of how the 141,000-ton Royal Princess will look at sea.
THE first in the next generation of 21st century superships, Royal Princess, is on course to be revealed to the world in Southampton next year.
At 141,000 tons and able to carry up to 3,600 passengers, Royal Princess, bristling with on-board facilities never before seen on a cruise ship, will be officially named in a spectacular ceremony on Southampton’s waterfront in June 2013.
The choice of Southampton by Carnival Corporation, the Miamibased cruise ship empire, as the venue for this prestigious international event reflects the important and influential role the city now has in this multi-billion-pound maritime sector.
Royal Princess, the latest vessel destined to join the growing Princess Cruises fleet of 16 ships , is under construction in Italy.
It will undertake a number of preview cruises from Southampton leading up to her maiden voyage.
For the remainder of the 2013 summer season, Royal Princess will be based in the Mediterranean.
Although Princess Cruises has already released a huge amount of information about Royal Princess, no details of who will name the ship – the third vessel to bear the name in the company’s history – or what form the ceremony will take have been revealed.
A spokesman for Princess Cruises, said: “Royal Princess will be without doubt one of the most remarkable ships Southampton has ever seen, and the celebrations surrounding her entry into service will be equally spectacular.’’ The ship is nowat an advanced stage of construction and later this month she is due to be floated out of her present dry dock and moved to a nearby fitting-out berth before undergoing a demanding programme of sea trials.
The most striking new design element is an over-water “SeaWalk’’, a top-deck glass-bottomed enclosed walkway on the ship’s starboard side extending more than 28ft beyond the edge of the vessel.
From here passengers will have dramatic views, including to the waves 128ft below, while on the ship’s port side, guests will find a similarly unique cantilevered “SeaView’’ bar.
Princess Cruises has already introduced an open-air cinema on a number of its ships, but on Royal Princess this facility will be expanded in size and be equipped with a highdefinition viewing system.
All of Royal Princess’s outside cabins, which make up more than 80 per cent of her 1,780 staterooms, will feature a private balcony.
A sister ship to Royal Princess will be launched in spring 2014.
Comments(17)
Huffter
says...
10:10am Wed 15 Aug 12
Murray mint
says...
11:59am Wed 15 Aug 12
The Wickham Man
says...
12:29pm Wed 15 Aug 12
Mr E
says...
1:00pm Wed 15 Aug 12
wishilivedabroad
says...
1:59pm Wed 15 Aug 12
Well I suppose in years to come when the UK - a small island at that - is swamped with more and more immigrants and ends up sinking, we can always set sail for a life on the ocean, - bit like WALL-E only on sea instead of space !
WECOMING4U
says...
2:43pm Wed 15 Aug 12
southy
says...
2:52pm Wed 15 Aug 12
hulla baloo
says...
2:53pm Wed 15 Aug 12
wishilivedabroad wrote:Seems it is neede, or they would not have gone to the expense of building it.
yes, because we really need another one !
Well I suppose in years to come when the UK - a small island at that - is swamped with more and more immigrants and ends up sinking, we can always set sail for a life on the ocean, - bit like WALL-E only on sea instead of space !
john-987
says...
2:54pm Wed 15 Aug 12
espanuel
says...
5:10pm Wed 15 Aug 12
southy
says...
5:13pm Wed 15 Aug 12
espanuel wrote:Agree with you
Bring back when ships looked like ships and not a block of floating flats.with an amusement arcade in the middle.
Chas O'Bursledon
says...
6:25pm Wed 15 Aug 12
john-987 wrote:You might as well spend a week in Canary Wharf! At east you would be able to get away! It's a monstrosity.
I cant wait for Royal Princess to start sailing, the facilities on board will make for a great cruise holiday and i need to get on board.
X Old Bill
says...
7:37pm Wed 15 Aug 12
Customers/Passengers
/Guests want balconies - so ships are built with balconies - lots of them.
More people on a bigger ship is more economical to run, therefore the prices can be kept lower.
When on-board you only see the interiors, so who cares what it looks like from the quay?
It's all driven by the market and by profits.
Fatty x Ford Worker
says...
7:37pm Wed 15 Aug 12
andysaints007
says...
1:51am Thu 16 Aug 12
Mr E wrote:Maybe they will do that with the next one - just to keep you happy! Idiot
Oh dear - another Ocean going block of flats. Whatever happened to designing ships that look like ships ?
andysaints007
says...
1:52am Thu 16 Aug 12
X Old Bill wrote:Well said
Not exactly the 'first of a new wave' - Princess (aka Carnival) are just playing catch up with Royal Caribbean.
Customers/Passengers
/Guests want balconies - so ships are built with balconies - lots of them.
More people on a bigger ship is more economical to run, therefore the prices can be kept lower.
When on-board you only see the interiors, so who cares what it looks like from the quay?
It's all driven by the market and by profits.
Inform Al says...
9:54am Wed 15 Aug 12