Princess Cruises is joining a growing trend, basing ships in China to tap into China’s fast-growing demand for cruises. Princess laid the keel yesterday for a new ship that will be based year-round in Shanghai.
The ship, which will be a twin of two of its newest ships, the Royal Princess and Regal Princess, doesn’t have a name yet, but it got a Chinese lion dance to start it off. It’s being built at Fincantieri in Italy, and will share attractions with its sisters, including Sea Walk and Movies Under the Stars. It will also be customized with features that are in demand on Chinese cruises.
When the new ship goes into service, it won’t be Princess’s first for China cruises; it’s been offering cruises there since 2014 with Sapphire Princess, but only a few months at a time. This will be the line’s first full-time entry in the market.
