Princess Cruises has officially welcomed its newest vessel as the highly-anticipated Discovery Princess has set sail on her maiden voyage. Sailing from Los Angeles, the Royal-class ship departed on March 27, 2022 on a 7-day Mexican Riviera itinerary and will make her initial visits to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta this week.
Discovery Princess Sets Sail
Great fanfare greeted the new cruise ship, and her very first passengers – Michael and Sally Smith – were welcomed with a special ceremony by Captain Gennaro Arma and Princess Cruises President John Padgett. The husband and wife, who live in Sacramento, California, and have been frequent Princess Cruises guests for 10 years, were given a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion.
“Today we celebrate our newest ship, Discovery Princess, as she sets sail on her maiden voyage to the Mexican Riviera from the Port of Los Angeles – the same port our very first cruise departed from in 1965,” said Padgett.
Princess Cruises is the cruise line with the longest history of sailing from the West Coast, and offers a range of itineraries to Mexico, Alaska, and along the California coast.
Discovery Princess will offer a series of Mexican Riviera and California Coast voyages from March 27 through April 24, 2022. Her maiden voyage is the first Mexican Riviera itinerary, which will be repeated with a departure on April 10.
The 7-day California Coast sailings, departing April 3 and April 17, will visit San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and San Diego, as well as stopping in Ensenada, Mexico.
On April 24, a special 5-day Baja Getaway sailing will visit Cabo San Lucas, staying in that attractive port overnight to allow passengers plenty of time to enjoy the famous El Arco and other amazing sites in the region.
Following that special sailing, Discovery Princess will then head up the Pacific coast to begin a season of seven-day Alaska cruises from Seattle, making her the newest ship sailing in the Alaska region. While exploring the Last Frontier, the ship will offer 7-day Inside Passage voyages, visiting popular ports such as Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Victoria.
In late September as the Alaska season ends, the ship will return to Los Angeles to resume Mexican Riviera and California Coast sailings for the fall and winter.
New Features on a New Ship
As befits a new ship, Discovery Princess offers some amazing new features for guests to enjoy. Among them are Princess’ largest balconies at sea – 1,000 square feet – in the Sky Suites and a brand-new Broadway-style production show, Spotlight Bar, set in a vibrant bar atmosphere where local storytellers share tales of their lives through song.
Guests will also enjoy the cruise line’s signature attentive service delivered by the 1,346 crew members aboard the ship.
“Cruising is back and the elegant Discovery Princess showcases the many reasons why travelers should take a cruise now. We also recognize and applaud the ship’s company, who will work tirelessly to deliver memorable cruise vacations to all who sail on this magnificent cruise ship,” said Padgett.
The 145,000-gross-ton ship, the fifteenth vessel in the Princess Cruises’ fleet, features 25 bars and restaurants to indulge every taste, as well as the popular Take Five lounge showcasing live jazz in a vintage-inspired setting with exclusive gin cocktail creations.
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Guests can relax in multiple pools and hot tubs, including the infinity-style Wakeview pool and bar offer spectacular views of the horizon from the ship’s aft, while the Retreat Pool offers a quiet oasis.
Younger guests will enjoy the Camp Discovery Youth & Teen Center and Discovery at SEA programs, and other popular Princess Cruises’ features – the Lotus Spa, Movies Under the Stars, the casino, and more – are all part of Discovery Princess and are sure to delight passengers for many years to come.
