Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has celebrated the beginning of construction of the second LNG-powered Sphere Class cruise ship ordered by the US-based cruise line Princess Cruises, part of Carnival Corporation.
The keel laying ceremony for the Star Princess took place in Monfalcone, Italy, on December 11, 2023.
The keel, the bottommost part of the ship and main foundation, is the first block of the vessel to be constructed. Star Princess’ 500-ton keel was ceremoniously lowered by crane into position on the keel blocks in the dry dock, where the ship will remain until the float out. The computer-guided maneuver took only minutes, commencing the more than two million man-hours that will ultimately go into building the cruise ship.
Followed by a traditional blessing and ceremony, Princess and Fincantieri executives welded a Princess Medallion into the ship, believed to bring good luck to the vessel and all who sail on it.
Star Princess joins her sister ship, Sun Princess, as the largest ship ever built for Princess at 175,500 tons and carrying 4,300 guests.
As its sister vessel Sun Princess, the dual-fuel Star Princess is primarily powered by LNG fuel technology and is being built with advanced sustainable innovations.
Sun Princess will be delivered in the first quarter of 2024 and Star Princess will make its debut in August 2025.
Both ships will sail from Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale) offering Eastern and Western Caribbean Itineraries, according to Princess Cruises.