Prior to its premiere today, the 1,082 foot cruise ship that will bear the Duchess of Cambridge’s name has been unveiled with a series of pictures that show off its opulent interior and grand rooms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The newest Princess Cruises vessel, the Royal Princess, certainly lives up to its regal moniker.

The magnificent cruise ship, which will be inaugurated in a customary naming ceremony, features every amenity a well-heeled passenger might need, including a fully-stocked gaming area, casino, and spa.

The Royal Princess also features 1,780 luxurious staterooms, a 28-foot glass-bottomed observation gallery, 10 distinct eateries, including one that specializes in steak and lobster.

The ship, which was built in an Italian shipyard in Montefalcone, landed in Southampton last week. The Southampton University Brass Band gave the ship a hearty welcome by playing God Save the Queen as it approached.

The Royal Princess, which has a specially designed horn that plays the first notes of the theme tune from the television program The Love Boat, responded to the welcoming serenade.

The Duchess of Cambridge will attend the naming ceremony and witness performances by Natasha Bedingfield and Kerry Ellis from the West End before christening the ship, which is currently the largest in Princess Cruises’ 16-ship fleet but will be joined by a sister ship of a similar size, Regal Princess, in 2019.

The event will be opened by the Portsmouth Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines and the 1st Battalion Irish Guards Pipe Band.

The ship was not named after the Duchess of Cambridge, despite its regal moniker. Instead, the name was adopted from the 1984-launched, no longer-in-service original Royal Princess ship.

One of the oldest nautical customs is choosing a godmother to give a new ship its name, according to Paul Ludlow, UK Director of Princess Cruises.

Historically, they have been entrusted with the responsibility of guiding a ship and its passengers safely. We can’t wait to commemorate this historic occasion and are delighted to welcome HRH Duchess of Cambridge, godmother the Royal Princess, to Southampton.

The 3,600-passenger Royal Princess will set sail on its maiden journey after the naming ceremony, traveling the length of Spain’s coastline to Barcelona via Vigo, Lisbon, Gibraltar, and Malaga.

The ship will leave Barcelona for a 12-day trip across the Mediterranean before continuing on for a longer 30-day cruise that will take it to Fort Lauderdale in sunny Florida.

Before returning to the American port, it will then set off on a five-day Caribbean cruise that visits Princess Cays in the Bahamas, the lovely island of St. Maarten, the British Virgin Islands, and St. Thomas.

Lucky travelers who can afford the £1,508 price tag for the 12-day trip or £2,632 for the longer journey will be able to enjoy luxury suites with their own 37″ flat-screen television, 100% Egyptian cotton bed linen, and deluxe en suite bathrooms in addition to the spa and the casino.

Other unique amenities include what Princess Cruises refers to as the “largest pastry shop at sea,” sumptuous private poolside cabanas that seem to float on water, and a “Princess Live!” television studio.