Key Aspects:
- Princess Cruises took delivery of the new-build Star Princess from a Fincantieri shipyard in Italy on September 26, 2025.
- The 4,300-guest ship is the second in the line’s Sphere class, following the 2024 launch of Sun Princess.
- Star Princess will soon sail to Barcelona, where she will embark her first guests on October 4, 2025, and operate an 11-night Western Mediterranean inaugural cruise.
Princess Cruises took delivery of Star Princess, its 17th ship and the second in its celebrated Sphere class, during a festive handover ceremony at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.
The delivery of the 177,882-gross-ton ship on September 26, 2025 drew cruise line and shipyard officials, and government representatives to the shipyard event.
“Today is a proud moment for Princess as we welcome the new Star Princess to our incredible fleet,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Princess Cruises.
“This remarkable vessel is a testament to the innovation and craftsmanship of our long-standing partners at Fincantieri, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to the shipbuilding team for bringing our newest ship to life,” Antorcha added.
The 4,300-guest Star Princess is a sister ship to Sun Princess, which launched in February 2024. The Sphere class brought several new features to Princess Cruises, including The Dome, a multi-deck entertainment space, the Princess Arena, an in-the-round stage show venue, and the Piazza, a three-story grand atrium at the center of the ship.
Guests on Star Princess will enjoy 30 dining venues and bars, and choose from more than two dozen stateroom categories, including the luxury Sanctuary Collection, which debuted on Sun Princess.
The private-access luxury area offers access to the exclusive Sanctuary Club and restaurant, and its cruise fares include Princess Premier perks, which cover unlimited specialty dining and premium spirits, a WiFi package, and crew gratuities, among other amenities and services.
Star Princess guests also will see two new mainstage productions in the Princess Arena, “Meridien” and “Illuminate: A Spectacle of Joy,” both created by London-based Black Skull Creative.
Another entertainment venue that launched on Sun Princess will be repeated on the new ship — Spellbound by Magic Castle, the speakeasy experience created in partnership with the Hollywood-based The Magic Castle venue.
Crew Members Are Onboard, Preparing For First Guests
Following the ship’s delivery to Princess Cruises, Star Princess’ 1,600 crew members are onboard the ship preparing staterooms and public spaces for the arrival of the first guests.
Star Princess will make her way to Barcelona, where embarkation will take place prior to her inaugural cruise departure on October 4, 2025.
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The 11-night voyage will call at Marseille, France; Rome and Naples, Italy; Palermo, Sicily; Cartagena, Spain; and Gibraltar, UK before returning to Barcelona.
The ship will sail a 7-night Mediterranean cruise after her maiden voyage before beginning a transatlantic crossing to her US homeport, Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades. Star Princess will sail 7- and 14-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from the South Florida port through mid-April 2026.
On April 13, 2026, the ship will sail a 20-night “Panama Canal – Ocean to Ocean” voyage to Seattle, where she will be based for the summer Alaska season. From Seattle, the ship will sail 7-night Inside Passage cruises.
The ship will return to Fort Lauderdale in October 2026 for seasonal winter voyages.
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The launch of Star Princess was twice delayed. She was originally slated to enter service in July 2025, then in September 2025. Several cruises had to be cancelled as a result of the postponements.
The ship’s sea trials were held from August 9 to 12, 2025, when key systems such as navigation, propulsion, safety, and other processes were tested. Star Princess and Sun Princess represent the line’s first vessels to be powered by LNG (liquified natural gas).
