Giant New Princess Cruise Ship to Make US Debut in Late 2024

Princess Cruises has announced that its largest ship ever, the Sun Princess, will make its U.S. debut in October 2024. The ship will allow guests to visit their favorite Caribbean destinations on seven- and 14-day itineraries departing from Florida. 

As the first ship in the cruise line’s new Sphere class, Sun Princess will be stationed at Port Everglades during the winter 2024 cruise season after completing a season of Mediterranean and Europe cruises from February to September 2024.

Sun Princess Sails from Ft. Lauderdale October 2024

Princess Cruises has revealed that its newest cruise ship, Sun Princess, will be homeporting in Port Everglades, Ft. Lauderdale, starting from October 9, 2024. The cruise line’s first LNG-powered cruise ship will be sailing a series of five-day and seven-day Caribbean cruises that will visit the Bahamas, the eastern Caribbean, and the Western Caribbean. 

“We are thrilled about the expansion of the Princess fleet and know that homeporting Sun Princess in Ft. Lauderdale offers a convenient option for guests to explore the most elevated experience ever from the Love Boat,” said John Padgett, Princess Cruises president.

Cruises include a five-day Caribbean Getaway, with visits to Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic and Grand Turk. There will be two different eastern Caribbean cruises on offer which either visit Puerto Rico and Princess Cays or Amber Cove, Grand Turk, and Princess Cays. 

The western Caribbean cruises will be sailing to Cozumel, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; and Roatan, Honduras. 

“The warmth, pristine beauty, and crystal-clear waters found throughout the Caribbean form an idyllic backdrop for our iconic new ship and create the perfect setting for Princess guests to enjoy the stunning views and playful adventure that are magnified on this beautiful, iconic new ship,” Padgett continued.

Guests can combine the 7-day Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries for an ultimate 14-day Caribbean East/West Adventurer experience.

Delivery Scheduled for Early 2024

Currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the 175,500-ton, 4,300-guest Sun Princess will offer an array of exciting new dining, entertainment, and activity offerings, as well as luxurious staterooms and suites across a broad spectrum of categories.

The steel-cutting for Sun Princess took place in September 2021 at Centro Servizi Navali, a sheet metal production specialist near Trieste, Italy.

The ship was floated out from its dry dock facility at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone on March 8, 2023, marking a significant milestone in the construction of the ship as it progresses toward the completion of interior design work.

The Sun Princess is the first of two sister ships in Princess Cruises’ new Sphere class, which is filled with exciting new designs and spaces. Before heading to the US, she will sail for a season in Europe. 

Sun Princess Cruises

Sun Princess’ European cruises begin with the 10 Night Inaugural Grand Mediterranean cruise. This cruise will start on February 8, 2024, in Barcelona, Spain. Guests will visit destinations such as Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Messina, Italy; Piraeus, Greece; Kusadasi, Turkey; Santorini, Greece; Naples, Italy; and Civitavecchia, Italy.

Following the inaugural cruise, the Sun Princess will continue sailing on 10 Night Grand Mediterranean cruises. The Sun Princess‘s European cruise season will conclude with the 16-night transatlantic cruise, sailing on September 23, 2024. 

From Southampton, England, the itinerary includes a visit to Portland, England, before sailing south to Vigo, Spain. From there, the ship will continue to Madeira, Tenerife, and arrive in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on October 9, 2024.