Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has held the keel laying ceremony for the second LNG-powered cruise ship it is building for Carnival’s Princess Cruises.
Fincantieri held the ceremony for the second Sphere Class vessel, Star Princess, on Monday at its yard in Monfalcone, it said in a statement.
Earlier this year, the shipbuilder launched the first LNG-powered vessel in this batch of two ships, Sun Princess.
Both cruise ships are dual-fuel, primarily powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the “cleanest” marine fuel currently available on a large scale on the market, it said.
Star Princess will accommodate 4,300 guests and, like Sun Princess, is based on a next-generation platform design.
According to Fincantieri, Sun Princess will be delivered in the first quarter of 2024 while Star Princess is scheduled for delivery in 2025.
Princess Cruises said in a separate statement that Star Princess will make its debut in August 2025.
Princess Cruises operates a current fleet of 15 cruise ships, carrying millions of guests each year to 330 destinations around the globe.
