< img width="1200"height=" 630 "src=" https://www.tastyitinerary.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Star-Princess-Delivered-Princess-Cruises-Welcomes-Its-Newest-Sphere-Class-Ship.webp "alt ="An aerial view of the new Star Princess cruise ship sailing
at sea, including its signature Princess Cruises wave design on the bow, multiple decks lined with terrace staterooms, pool, and the glass-domed home entertainment location on the top deck. Photo credit: Princess Cruises. “/ > PinPin Subscribe now to get our Cruise Planning Guide and the latest updates! Princess Cruises formally took delivery of its brand-new Star Princess this week at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. The handover event on September 26 marked the conclusion of the second Sphere-Class ship, following the debut of Sun Princess in
2024. The 177,800-ton ship can carry 4,300 visitors and is the 17th vessel in the Princess fleet. More than 1,500 of its staterooms are balconies, and the ship introduces 30 dining and bar venues along with entertainment spaces that the line has actually been spotlighting over the previous year. Venues consist of The Dome, a multi-deck entertainment and relaxation area; The Arena, Princess’s most sophisticated theater; The Piazza, a significant focal point with floor-to-ceiling windows; and the immersive Mesmerized by Magic Castle experience.
Guests will also see the growth of the Sanctuary Collection, a private-access area that comes with its own dining establishment, Sanctuary Club, and adults-only swimming pool deck– something Princess says is designed as a more exclusive escape at sea.
Now staffed with 1,600 team, Star Princess will leave Italy for Barcelona, where she’ll begin her inaugural season on October 4 with an 11-day Western Mediterranean itinerary. After a couple of Mediterranean sailings, she’ll cross the Atlantic and begin a series of Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale on November 7. Looking ahead to 2026, the ship is set up to cruise through the Panama Canal to the West Coast and then invest her very first summer season in Alaska.
Princess Cruises president Gus Antorcha called the shipment “a happy moment” for the brand name and applauded the enduring partnership with Fincantieri that brought the brand-new ship to life.
Photo Credit: Princess Cruises
Meet Kathy Ava, a food, travel, and cruise writer based in Los Angeles/Pasadena, and the owner and primary author of Tasty Travel plan. With over 20 years of experience preparation journeys and logistics at her full-time job and for herself, she’s become a pro at crafting memorable delicious itineraries. She’s always on the hunt for delicious, enjoyable travel destinations and cruise schedules. She strongly believes that life is short and we should take advantage of it, so constantly state yes to dessert.