Princess Cruises shares sneak peek of its brand-new ship
“The Love Boat” star Jill Whelan brings cruisers along on a behind-the-scenes tour of the upcoming Star Princess cruise ship.
Star Princess, a new Love Boat designed to shine opposite its sister ship, Sun Princess, is taking shape in the shipyard and preparing for her close up.
The second ship in Princess Cruises’ next-generation Sphere Class, Star Princess will debut in fall 2025. The ship will sail an inaugural season of Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale before repositioning to Alaska in spring 2026.
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Like Sun Princess, which debuted in February 2024, Star Princess is an evolution of the Princess Cruises brand featuring new architectural highlights like The Dome, the cruise industry’s first geodesic feature on the top deck; The Sphere, the suspended glass Sphere Piazza at the center of the cruise ship; and The Arena, considered the most technically advanced theater at sea.
“The Love Boat” star Jill Whelan, who serves as Celebrations Ambassador for Princess Cruises, recently joined Star Princess Captain Gennaro Arma for a behind-the-scenes tour of Star Princess, currently under construction at the Fincantieri Shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.
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Behind the Scenes of Star Princess with Jill Whelan & Captain Arma
Transcript:
Jill Whelan: This really is a memory of a lifetime. Here I am on a brand-new ship being escorted by our Captain Arma.
Captain Arma: Hello, everyone.
Jill Whelan: So, I mean, talk about royal treatment. This is incredible. This is star treatment.
Jill Whelan: So, Captain, where are we now?
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Star Princess will feature 30 restaurants and bars
Captain Arma: All right, then we are here on Deck 6 in the main dining room. You know, on board Star Princess, there are 30 different restaurants and bars, including this stunning space here on Deck 6. This is all about giving our guests a choice to dine when they want, where they want, of course, in a stunning environment that overlooks the sea.
Jill Whelan: And there are so many stunning environments that you can eat. I've been to Makoto on the Sun Princess, which is spectacular. I've been to Love by Brito, The Catch by Rudy, Butcher Block by Dario. There are just so many incredible different types of food from different countries. And O'Malley's, the Irish pub, they're going to be expanding it, I understand, right here on Star Princess, so it'll be bigger than it is on the Sun.
Captain Arma: Correct, that's true.
Jill Whelan: Or you can have room service, so there's something for everybody.
Captain Arma: And you know what, Jill? During our Alaska season, we will offer Cook My Catch, in addition to locally sourced menu items and Alaska beers and spirits.
Jill Whelan: I love Cook My Catch. I got the opportunity to do that before with my husband. Yes, and it was such a special experience. Well, all this talk makes me hungry.
Captain Arma: Well, we are not quite ready yet, so you need to wait a little bit.
Jill Whelan: Okay, I'll wait. Everything's a little rare right now.
Captain Arma: Yes, indeed.
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The Arena theater will transform for each production on board
Captain Arma: And this is The Arena. This unique theater can be arranged in three different styles, thanks to a series of hydraulic movers. We can have the seating arranged as a standard theater or a crescent arrangement over a 360-degree arena.
Jill Whelan: That is so incredible, especially for the shows that Princess does. It offers so much variety and opportunity to bring the audience in closer, to make it more of a huge production feel. I love that, and I didn't even know that you could do a crescent style as well, which is super fun. All I can say is, I can't wait. I cannot wait to see my first show here. It's going to be amazing.
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Jill Whelan: Captain Arma, thank you for the star treatment. This was a bucket list item for me, and I look forward to sailing with you on our maiden voyage for Star Princess.
Captain Arma: Thank you.
Jill Whelan: Thank you.
Jill Whelan: Wow, what an incredible day visiting Star Princess. I cannot wait for you to experience her this fall.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)
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