Currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, Star Princess will join Sun Princess as the largest ships ever built for the line at 175,500 tonnes and carrying 4,300 guests.

The new ship is being built on a platform which is "distinctly different and unique" to Princess, designed to embrace the company’s heritage while offering more dynamic, outward views.

While 20% larger than any of the line’s existing ships, Star Princess’s design retains the intimate settings with a number of new spaces such as The Dome, a transformational entertainment venue; the Piazza featuring a glass sphere; the Princess Arena; and a dining room positioned aft of the ship.

This ship will also offer an array of new food and beverage concepts; an expanded casino; a two-storey Lotus Spa; and entertainment headlined by Cirque Eloize. 

Expanded accommodations options will also be available with staterooms and suites, including the new reserve and signature collections. 

The new ship will be the second in the Princess fleet to be powered by liquefied natural gas fuel technology, and will debut on 4 August 2025 with a nine-day maiden Grand Mediterranean round-trip voyage from Rome, calling at Corfu, Kotor, Mykonos, Santorini and Naples.

Star Princess cruises will go on sale with the line’s larger Europe 2025 programme release on 1 June 2023. 

"There’s much to be admired about Star Princess – her sleek, eye-catching design, spacious interiors, and of course, the remarkable views of the sea and sky, just like the features found on Sun Princess that have prompted cruise lovers to snap up inaugural year bookings," said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises.

"We’ve carefully designed these ships to feel familiar to our guests yet significantly advanced with lots of exceptional new and expanded experiences to embrace and explore."