Things You Might Not Know About Royal Princess

Princess Cruises has revealed nearly all the features about Royal Princess—with the exception of naming her Godmother—and they know their many loyal passengers are looking forward to its debut in June. The ship will contain many striking features, including a soaring atrium and the dramatic over-the-water SeaWalk. But what may escape immediate notice are the myriad of unique innovations throughout the ship designed to enhance the Princess Cruises experience that passengers have come to know and love. Including technological advancements, fresh entertainment offerings, new taste treats, and expansions of the classic Princess experience, these new features will bring an extra level of enjoyment for everyone on board when the ship sets sail.

To bring you up-to-date on what to expect, here are “ Things You Might Not Know about Royal Princess”...

1. New (and Complimentary) On-Demand Stateroom Programming – A new generation of in-room television entertainment will debut aboard Royal Princess, offering an extensive array of on-demand movies and other programming options. The entire library of hundreds of movies, as well as classic and contemporary television show episodes, will be offered free to passengers. The new system will also offer a live feed from the ship’s television studio Princess Live!

2. Four Brand-New Original Production Shows – The Princess Theater aboard Royal Princess will debut four new production shows, including “Colors of the World,” an experiential journey through the destinations visited by Princess ships; “Spectacular!” a colorful music extravaganza; “Sweet Soul Music,” a tribute to rhythm and blues; and “What the World Needs Now,” an elegant show celebrating the music and style of the ‘60s.

3. Tea Tower with Sommelier and 250 Blends – Featuring a tea sommelier and a choice of 250 blends, tea lovers will revel in Royal Princess’ unique tea tower located in the ship’s central Piazza.

4. Art & Architecture Mobile Tour – A new self-guided tour will enable passengers to explore the ship’s extensive art collection using their personal smart phones or tablets. Passengers can enjoy the 30-stop tour at their leisure, or scan a QR code located at each artwork to discover interesting facts about the artist and their work.

5. Outdoor Art Installation by Marine Artist Wyland – Famous marine artist Wyland is creating a dramatic, custom piece of sea-inspired art that will be installed on the ship’s top deck. The new work will be revealed during the ship’s inaugural celebration in June.

6. Flair Bartending Shows – The top-deck SeaView Bar will feature midday and sunset flair bartending shows where talented bartenders will entertain passengers with their impressive bottle-tossing and mixing skills.

7. Whiskey Flights at Wheelhouse Bar – Inspired by the growing popularity of whiskey, the line’s signature Wheelhouse Bar will feature a menu of three different whiskey flights, each featuring three whiskeys. Passengers can choose from single malts, three “Glens,” and other iconic whiskey options.

8. Daily Pub Lunch – Also in the Wheelhouse Bar, Princess’ popular English pub lunch will be offered daily. Previously available only on select sea days, Royal Princess will serve the full traditional pub-style lunch on all sea days and on port days will offer fish and chips and a ploughman’s lunch. Signature brews will also be available.

9. Mobile Cruise Information Intranet – Princess@Sea, a brand-new mobile-friendly intranet site will enable passengers to easily access daily updates about entertainment, onboard specials, weather and port news, as well as review their onboard folio from their personal mobile or tablet devices.

10. Royal Indulgence Package – New cabanas in The Sanctuary, which feature an array of exclusive treatments in the adults-only setting with ocean views, will offer customized packages that range from $320 to $3,000, the latter for a “Royal Indulgence” package for four people.

11. Concierge Lounge for Suites – A first on a Princess ship, suite passengers can access an exclusive area to relax or work, with access to full front desk services, plus light snacks and beverages. A dedicated lounge staff will be on hand to assist with such things as shore excursions, specialty dining, or Lotus Spa reservations. It will also serve as a private disembarkation lounge for suite passengers.

12. Largest Gelato Menu at Sea – Royal Princess’ new gelateria will serve up the largest variety of Italian-inspired gelato and ice cream creations at sea. Gelato will feature a menu of eight delicious flavors prepared by the ship’s pastry chef, plus more than 20 toppings and sauces, and specialty items such as sundaes, waffle cones, and sweet crepes.

13. Sabatini’s Bites and Flights – As the line’s signature Sabatini’s Italian restaurant will be located right next to Vines on deck 5, the wine bar will now offer Sabatini’s Bites to accompany its popular wine flights. Passengers can sample small bites of such dishes as Tuscan Brochettes, Beef Carpaccio, and Lamb Chop Lollipops.

14. Largest Outdoor Movie Screen at Sea – Princess was the first cruise line to introduce this innovative offering in 2004. Aboard Royal Princess, not only is the Movies Under the Stars screen 30 percent larger than our current screens, it will be the largest at sea.

15. Touch Screen Photo Finder with Facial Recognition Technology – The Royal Princess photo gallery will feature digital kiosks that use facial recognition technology to help passengers find all of their photographs. Passengers can save favorites, customize prints, and take advantage of special packages, all from the convenience of the kiosk.

16. Princess Live! All Day Programming – The new television studio aboard Royal Princess, a first for Princess, will feature programming from 8am until midnight, including live talk shows (such as the daily Wake Show), demonstrations, and performers. With seating for just under 300, the space will afford a more intimate opportunity to meet the ship’s entertainers, play games, and enjoy refreshments with the dedicated café.

17. Four Different Water and Music Shows – The ship’s central pool area will feature daily and nightly performances of four separate themed sequences comprising dancing fountains, special music, and live performers. The Movies Under the Stars screen will also be incorporated as an additional show element.

18. Largest Collection of Super Tuscan Wines at Sea – More than 20 choices of these headline-making wines from Tuscany will be available in Sabatini’s, featured by the bottle and in a new Sabatini’s Super Tuscan Wine Tasting event, where passengers can enjoy the rare opportunity to sample the wines accompanied by small plates from the Italian restaurant.

19. Largest Complimentary Pizza Restaurant at Sea – Alfredo’s Pizzeria, already a favorite on several vessels, will take Princess’ reputation for serving the best pizza at sea to a new level. With 121 seats, Alfredo’s aboard Royal Princess will be the largest such pizza restaurant at sea, and will feature an expanded menu of Neapolitan-style pizzas, calzones, flatbreads, and baked pasta.

20. Princess’ Greenest Ship – Royal Princess has been designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, making it the line’s greenest ship. Some of the key areas of focus include the ship’s extremely efficient hull and propeller design, which requires the same energy as the line’s smaller ships to drive it; a distributed air conditioning system with a large number of fan coil units rather than a centralized system; usage of low energy lighting throughout the ship with an emphasis on LED; the addition of variable speed drives to the biggest electrical consumers such as ventilation fans; a tunnel washer in the laundry which will reduce water consumption; and the introduction of additional monitoring of the ship’s overall energy usage.

The 3,600-passenger Royal Princess is a new-generation ship for Princess Cruises. Among the special features found on board will be plush private poolside cabanas that appear to be floating on the water; a pastry shop; a special Chef’s Table Lumiere, a private dining experience that surrounds diners in a curtain of light; and balconies on all outside staterooms. The ship’s 2013 maiden season will include cruises on the line’s signature Grand Mediterranean itinerary throughout the summer, followed by Eastern Caribbean cruises beginning in the fall. More information and video previews of the ship are available at Princess.com/RoyalPrincess.

Find more Royal Princess details, images, and videos on Cruise Diva's blog at:

• Princess Cruises Newest Ship Will Be A Royal
• Royal Princess: Expanded Atrium, New Features
• Royal Princess Introduces Updated Amenities and A New Balcony Stateroom Category
• Royal Princess: Expanded Atrium, New Features
• Princess Cruises Raises the Curtain on New Royal Princess Entertainment Venue
• The Ultimate In Relaxation Coming Aboard Royal Princess
• Princess Cruises Shares A Look At New Royal Princess Fitness Facilities
• Princess Cruises Takes Dining To The Next Level With New Royal Princess
• Princess Cruises Unveils Posh Royal Princess Sanctuary & Retreat Pool With New Features
• Junior Cruisers Have A Lot to Look forward to In New Royal Princess Youth & Teen Centers

Photo Courtesy of Princess Cruises