In one year, the newest addition to the Princess Cruises fleet, Sun Princess, will make her debut in the Mediterranean. The next-generation LNG-powered cruise ship will offer a host of new and exciting experiences for guests to enjoy.
To ensure the smooth sailing of this beautiful vessel, Princess Cruises has handpicked a team of seasoned mariners to guide Sun Princess through its final stages of construction and ready her for her debut.
Princess Cruises revealed a team that brings many years of combined experience to steer the ship through its final construction phase and into the inaugural season.
Princess Reveals Sun Princess Senior Management Team
Princess Cruises revealed that Captains Craig Street and Paolo Arrigo will be in charge of Sun Princess during the final phases of construction and during the maiden season of cruises in the Mediterranean.
“Sun Princess promises something special for everyone and we’re pleased to announce the skilled and deserving team, led by Captains Street and Arrigo, who will guide Sun Princess through the remainder of the construction phase and ready her for her shining debut in just one year,” said Princess President John Padgett.
Captain Street joined Princess Cruises as a deck cadet in 1990 after training at the Warsash Maritime Academy in England. He has since served as captain of 13 Princess ships.
Captain Arrigo joined Princess Cruises in 1996 as a deck cadet and has since served as first officer, safety officer, and staff captain. He also served as captain during the reality-based television program “The Real Love Boat.”
“With such an amazing opportunity to elevate the guest experience, it takes an equally talented team of revered mariners to oversee the ship’s final stages of construction at the Fincantieri shipyard, then officially take delivery of the ship and welcome the first guests onboard,” Padgett continued.
Also onboard are Staff Captains Brian Whelan and Valerio Esposito. Staff Captain Whelan, a native of Galway City, Ireland, has been with Princess Cruises for 23 years. Staff Captain Esposito, a native of Meta di Sorrento, Italy, has been with Princess Cruises for 17 years.
The hotel department will be led by Hotel Managers Ralph D’Souza and Simona Stumberger; Chief Engineers Gaetano Guida and Davor Pavlovic-Kalifo will be in charge of the technical areas onboard.
A New Era for Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises will launch Sun Princess in Europe on February 8, 2024. The ship, currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, will be the line’s first cruise ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and will be the largest ship ever built for the company, at 175,500 gross tons and accommodating 4,300 guests.
The Sun Princess will embark on its maiden voyage from Barcelona, Spain, visiting popular Mediterranean destinations such as Palma De Mallorca, Messina, Piraeus, Kusadasi, Santorini, Naples, and Civitavecchia.
After cruising the Mediterranean in the summer of 2024, Sun Princess is scheduled to reposition to Fort Lauderdale in November 2024. It is expected that the ship will offer a range of Caribbean itineraries for the winter season. In mid-2025, Princess Cruises will also debut the second ship of the Sphere class, which is currently unnamed.
