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Princess Cruises’ New Ship Begins Countdown to Summer 2017 Debut for China Year Round Cruising
Traditional KeelLaying Ceremony at Fincantieri Shipyard Features
First Chinese Lion DanceCeremony to Mark Construction Milestone
SANTACLARITA, Calif. (July 10, 2015) – Carnival plc today marked the beginning ofconstruction of PrincessCruises’ third new generation of ships with the official keel layingceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. As the keel – thebottommost part of the ship – was ceremoniously lowered into position, andshipyard officials celebrated the occasion with a traditional Chinese liondance. This, yet-to-be-named ship, will be customized to appeal to the Chinamarket when it debuts in summer 2017.
Followingthe lion dance and a traditional blessing by a priest, the ship’s keel – whichweighs approximately 500 tons – was moved into position by crane onto the keelblocks. The computer-guided maneuver took only minutes, belying the more thantwo million man-hours that will ultimately go into building the vessel. The3,600-passenger, 141,000-ton ship will remain in the building dock until floatout next summer.
“We’reincredibly excited to mark this step in the ship’s construction,” said AnthonyKaufman, Princess Cruises senior vice president of Asia operations, whotraveled to Italy for the ceremony. “We’re very pleased to be working with ourlong-term partner, Fincantieri, on our newest ship and we appreciate theirpartnership and collaboration to customize and tailor the ship for the Chinesemarket.”
“Thelion dance has been part of the Chinese culture for thousands of years and isperformed on various auspicious occasions and celebrations. According totraditional Chinese belief, the lion signifies courage, wisdom, and goodfortune and brings happiness, longevity, and good luck. We believe this specialceremony will bring prosperity and good fortune to Princess Cruises and ourguests in China,” said Cherry Wang, country director of Carnival China, whoalso traveled to Italy for the ceremony.
The newRoyal Class ship will offer many of the same special features as RoyalPrincess and RegalPrincess,which have been so well-received by the industry. These include a dramaticmulti-story atrium serving as the social hub of the ship; an over-the-oceanSeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway extending 28 feet beyond the edge ofthe ship; the Princess Live! interactive studio; a special Chef’s TableLumiere, a private dining experience that surrounds diners in a curtain oflight.
Guestswill enjoy the international flavor of cruising with Princess, includingexperiencing cuisines from China, Japan, South-East Asia, Italy, France, andNorth America among other regions; as well as an array of internationalfestivals re-created to celebrate cultures around the world; PrincessWatercolor Fantasy, a fountain and music show; MoviesUnder the Stars featuring the largest outdoor screen at sea; and balconieson all outside staterooms. Accommodations will be configured to appeal tofamilies and multi-generational travelers.
Inaddition, the new ship will showcase the exclusive Princess Class experiencedesigned specifically for the Chinese market. Delivered by the ship’s dedicatedand caring crew, Princess Class enriches the travel experience of each cruiseguest, enabling them to participate in unique cultural, culinary, entertainingand inspiring programs including the World Leaders Dinner, traditional Englishafternoon tea, a Lobster Grill, Ultimate Balcony Dining, an ocean-view hot potdinner option, ballroom dancing, and an unparalleled duty-free shoppingexperience.
Additionaldetails about the new ship’s features and deployment schedule will be announcedover the coming months.
Additionalinformation about Princess Cruises is available by visiting the company'swebsite at # style="font-size: 9pt;">
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About PrincessCruises:
One of the best-knownnames in cruising, Princess Cruises is a global cruise line and tour companyoperating a fleet of 18 modern cruise ships renowned for their innovativedesign and wide array of choices in dining, entertainment and amenities, allprovided in an environment of exceptional customer service. A recognized leaderin worldwide cruising, Princess carries 1.7 million guests each year todestinations around the globe ranging in length from three to 114 days. Thecompany is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:CCL; NYSE:CUK).
Newsroom:
Additional mediainformation is available at princess.com/news.
For furtherinformation contact:
Karen Candy, kcandy@princesscruises.com, 661-753-1540
Brian O’Connor, boconnor@princesscruises.com,661-753-1530
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