Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has floated out the first of two LNG-powered cruise ships it is building for Carnival’s Princess Cruises.
Fincantieri held the launching ceremony for the ship, Sun Princess, on Wednesday at its yard in Monfalcone, it said in a statement.
The shipbuilder started constructing this “Sphere” class LNG-powered vessel in September 2021.
At 175,500 gross tons, this is the largest ship built so far in Italy, as well as the first LNG-powered cruise ship ever built by Fincantieri, according to the firm.
Also, this is the first LNG-powered vessel for US-based Princess Cruises, but its parent Carnival and the company’s units already operate a fleet of LNG-powered ships.
Fincantieri expects to deliver this ship Princess Cruises in the first quarter of 2024, and the sister ship in 2025.
They will each accommodate about 4,300 guests and are based on a next-generation platform design, it said.
Princess Cruises operates a fleet of 15 modern cruise ships, carrying millions guests each year to 380 destinations around the globe, the statement said.
