Enchanted Princess Joins Princess Fleet

Enchanted Princess Officially Joins Princess Cruises Fleet

The nightmare that is 2020 finally got a lot better. Today was a very happy day for me. It began with a personal invitation to attend the virtual handover of Enchanted Princess from the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy. This was the first cruise-related ceremony that I have had the opportunity to witness since the Covid lockdown. In fact I had been in a cruise-desert (if that can be a thing) and had become despondent that things would ever be the same again.

The excitement I felt joining the virtual event was akin to that when you are waiting to embark on your next cruise. Bliss.

The newly completed Enchanted Princess was delivered to Princess Cruises in an official handover ceremony presented via live streaming video from the Fincantieri Shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. With the arrival of this 145,000-ton, 3,660-guest ship, Enchanted Princess expands the Princess Cruises global fleet of MedallionClass™ vessels. 

Jan Swartz, Group President of Princess Cruises and Carnival Australia

The  ceremony was virtually attended by executives from Carnival Corporation & plc including Micky Arison, Chairman of the Board of Carnival Corporation; Arnold Donald, President and CEO of Carnival Corporation; Stein Kruse, Group CEO of Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, Carnival Australia and Carnival UK; and Jan Swartz Group President of Princess Cruises and Carnival Australia. Fincantieri was represented by CEO Giuseppe Bono. 

Enchanted Princess is the 100th cruise ship built by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. This milestone is significant for both companies since Crown Princess was the first ship to launch Fincantieri into the modern passenger ship building business, when it was delivered in 1990. The finalisation of Enchanted Princess also marks the first ship to be completed during the time of COVID. In fact, Fincantieri was one of the first businesses to reopen in Italy, helping to energise the economy, while operating in new and innovative ways to ensure a safe and productive work environment. 

“We officially welcome Enchanted Princess into the Princess global fleet and recognise the strong bond between Carnival Corporation, Princess Cruises and Fincantieri, our long-standing shipbuilder partner,” said Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises. “Fincantieri shares the Princess spirit of delivering the highest level of excellence, and we know they will also share in our enthusiasm with pride when the ship welcomes its first guests.”     

Enchanted Princess represents an evolution of the design platform used for her sister ships - Regal Princess, Royal Princess, Majestic Princess and the most recently introduced Sky Princess - offering an elevation of spectacular style and elegance that is distinguished by Princess. The cruise ship introduces new dining experiences, the most pools and whirlpool hot tubs ever, world-class entertainment venues and the breathtaking Sky Suites, offering expansive views from the largest balconies at sea. 

“We are so proud to deliver the new Enchanted Princess today and celebrate a major milestone of completing our 100th vessel built here at Fincantieri,” said Giuseppe Bono, Fincantieri CEO. “I must acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the shipbuilding team and yard workers who changed course in new and unfamiliar ways to complete construction on Enchanted Princess during the global pandemic. Thank you to Princess Cruises for your partnership and belief in our ability to complete this complex project.”   

On MedallionClass ships, the OceanMedallion™ wearable device transforms holidays by making the entire cruise experience effortless, delivering highly personalised service, and enabling touchless interactive experiencoes and entertainment. Among enhancements, guests enjoy expedited boarding; on-demand food, beverage, retail and service delivery; keyless stateroom entry; contactless payment; friends and family locator; anywhere wagering; interactive games; and movies/live TV on the go.   

Enchanted Princess also features the best Wi-Fi at sea, MedallionNet™, on board so guests can stay connected to the things they love and share holiday memories with ease. MedallionNet offers unprecedented connectivity that’s fast, unlimited, reliable, and affordable with an access point in every stateroom, so guests can stream favorite movies, shows, games and music; connect to favorite social media sites; and video chat from anywhere on the ship. 

First introduced on Sky Princess and now Enchanted Princess, are the new luxury Sky Suites with inclusive amenities, attentive service and a dedicated Suite Experience Manager. In addition, Enchanted Princess features Take Five, the only jazz theater at sea, celebrating the iconic sounds, culture and history of jazz. 

Swartz added, “The heart and soul of the ship are always its team, and I know she is in good hands with our dedicated crew watching over her with great care and pride. We look forward to brighter days ahead, when we can officially welcome the first Enchanted Princess guests to enjoy all this beautiful ship has to offer.”   

There followed a virtual exchange of flags - from the green white and red of the Italian flag, to the red white and blue of the British and American Flags, to the strains of the three National Anthems. Then the handover was marked by newly-promoted Commodore Nick Nash being handed the traditional gift of a bottle of “first water”, which will remain on Enchanted Princess for safe-keeping.

Enchanted Princess is scheduled to arrive in North America in December 2020, for a season of Caribbean cruises. More information about Enchanted Princess and inaugural itineraries can be found at www.princess.com/enchanted. 

Enchanted Princess Handover 30 Sept 2020