Princess Cruises has announced that contracts to build two 3,600-passenger ships have been finalized with Italy’s Fincantieri shipyard.

The new ships – which each will have an all-in cost of approximately €155,000 per lower berth – are scheduled to enter service in spring 2013 and spring 2014. At an estimated 141,000 tons, the as-yet-unnamed ships will be the largest in the Princess Cruises fleet.

The ships’ design will be evolutionary, in keeping with the themes of the line’s newest vessels, but with some new features and innovations. For example, all outside cabins will feature balconies, bringing the percentage of balconies on the ships to 80 percent of all staterooms.

The company’s signature Piazza – the ship’s central atrium featuring dining, entertainment and retail – will be expanded, as will the popular Sanctuary, spa, and restaurants.

“We’re pleased that in this challenging economic environment, the order for these new ships is a testament to the confidence in the growth potential of the Princess brand,” said Alan Buckelew, president and CEO of Princess Cruises. “These new ships will include the features from our newest ships that have been so well received, and take them to the next level,” he added.

Giuseppe Bono, chief executive officer of Fincantieri, said, “We are grateful for this vote of confidence in Fincantieri. We are proud to have met the requirements of Princess Cruises, one of Carnival’s most prestigious brands, with an innovative design both from a technical and architectural point of view.”

Specific amenities and design elements for the new ships will be revealed over the coming months.

I have just stepped off the stunning Crown Princess where I have a most enjoyable tour of the entire ship and a wonderful lunch onboard. The photographs are now loaded on my website if you would like to take a virtual tour, and I will tell you all about it when  am back at my desk.This evening I am sampling the new pre cruise stay package at the DeVere Grand Harbour, in Southampton – just a shame they haven’t provided a ship for me to sail on tomorrow. Oh well, I cant have everything!! I will keep you updated of my findings.

and you can view my full photo set here

Princess Cruises is to embark on a multi-million pound upgrade of its fleet of 18 ships.

The upgrade to the Princess Cruises fleet, which will take place this year and next, follows the successful introduction of a number of features including Movies under the Stars, the poolside movie screen and adult-only retreat The Sanctuary.

Princess Cruises head of brand marketing Pieter van der Schee said, “We’ve had amazing feedback from guests who have cruised onboard our newest ships and have therefore decided to roll out many of the innovations from these ships to the rest of our fleet.”

“This means for example that Grand Princess, when she sets sail on her maiden season of Mediterranean voyages from Southampton this summer will have the popular 300 sq ft poolside Movies under the Stars screen and the adult only outdoor spa retreat The Sanctuary.”

Van der Schee said the developments follow a tradition of innovation at the cruise line, having introduced Royal Princess as the first cruise ship with all-outside rooms in 1984 , built – at the time – the largest ship Grand Princess in 1998 and having introduced Personal Choice dining.

As a part of the upgrade, Movies under the Stars will be added to most of the fleet (apart from the small ships, Tahitian Princess, Pacific Princess, Royal Princess) and The Sanctuary will be added to all ships that do not already have it.

Star Princess and Caribbean Princess recently received these new features, and Grand Princess recently received The Sanctuary, preparing her for her maiden season of Mediterranean cruises from Southampton this summer.

Other new product enhancements being rolled-out across the fleet include:

• Chilled face cloths – chilled face cloths are handed out to passengers as they return from a hot day ashore and by the pool ‘misting stewards’ will offer a quick refreshing ‘spritz’ with Evian to cool off
• Flat screen TVs – staterooms are being upgraded with Viewsonic 26″ flat screen televisions
• Sabatini’s suite breakfast programme – passengers in full suites can enjoy an exclusive breakfast in Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria on sea days featuring speciality items
• New waffle stations – the 24-hour international food buffet area Horizon Court on each ship, will feature new waffle stations offering fresh, cooked-to-order waffles at breakfast and lunch and complimentary lemonade
• Ultimate Ships Tour – a behind-the-scenes tour of the ship visiting backstage, galley, engine room, print ship, photo lab, laundry room, funnel, bridge etc lasting approx 3 hours on a sea day and costs $150 per person
• Chef’s Table – for $75, passengers are welcomed into the inner sanctum of the ship’s galley by the executive chef for pre-dinner drinks and hors d’oeuvres followed by a specially prepared multi course tasting dinner – designed as a unique treat for ‘foodies’ hosted by the executive chef
• WI-FI – ‘hotspots’ for internet access have been expanded throughout the fleet.

Passengers Can Now Enjoy a New “Piazza” with International Café and Vines, plus Adults Only Sanctuary and Movies Under the Stars.

16 October 2008 – Star Princess set sail this weekend after a three-week drydock that dramatically transformed several spaces onboard, including turning the ship’s atrium into a vibrant street café-like piazza, adding the company’s signature adults-only retreat called The Sanctuary, and installing a 300-square-foot Movies Under the Stars poolside screen.

These features, which have been enthusiastically enjoyed by passengers on Princess Cruises’ newest vessels, have inspired an expansion to other ships in the fleet, and Star Princess is the first to be revitalised with these favourite elements.

Star Princess’ updated pizza-style atrium will now feature an array of dining and entertainment options including the specialty coffees, freshly baked goods, Panini’s, salads and tapas of the International Café. It will also introduce an expanded Vines wine bar concept, which will feature more than 30 wines by the glass, a selection of artisan meats and cheeses, plus a wine shop where passengers can purchase their favourite bottle.

On the top deck of the ship, passengers can now relax in the tranquil environment of The Sanctuary, Princess’ signature adults-only retreat featuring plush padded loungers and the services of dedicated Serenity Stewards. Along with enjoying refreshing beverages and light snacks, visitors to this exclusive space can also receive a massage in one of two private cabanas. Princess’ trademark Times Square-style Movies Under the Stars poolside screen is now in place and will show a variety of films, concerts and special events daily. And in the evenings it becomes an outdoor theatre with specially covered loungers and cosy blankets, where moviegoers can enjoy free popcorn, plus other snacks and beverages.

Additional changes made during the drydock include a new Internet Café and library area, enhancements to the onboard boutiques, the addition of LCD flat screen televisions in all staterooms, and a variety of other cosmetic updates.

Star Princess is the first of three ships to receive these updates. Caribbean Princess and Golden Princess will also receive similar transformations in subsequent drydocks, in January and April of 2009, respectively. Caribbean Princess and Golden Princess will also receive additional enhancements including a new Crown Grill steak and seafood restaurant, a new casino area and six additional suites.