A flagship moment for Princess Cruises has arrived, with Star Princess officially handed over by Fincantieri and setting course for Barcelona. As the second Sphere-class ship and the line’s second LNG-powered build, she brings refinements learned from Sun Princess, a smart first season that spans Europe and the Caribbean, and a clear path to Alaska in 2026 for those already dreaming of glaciers.
The second Sphere-class ship, LNG capable and built by Fincantieri, has been delivered and is sailing to Barcelona for initial Western Mediterranean cruises before a 14-day one-way transatlantic to Fort Lauderdale and a Caribbean season. She will later transit the Panama Canal en route to Alaska for 2026. The ship accommodates about 4,300 guests and is among Italy’s largest cruise ships.
Why The Delivery Matters Now
A ship delivery is more than a ceremonial handover; it is the signal that design ideas have become daily realities. For travellers, it unlocks real planning windows, from shoulder-season Europe to warm-water weeks and, later, long northern light. For Princess loyalists, it is also a promise that the familiar service style you enjoy is now paired with the latest hardware, tested and ready.
A Second Sphere-Class With Refinements
Sister ships are never identical twins. With Sun Princess already at sea, Star Princess benefits from months of guest flow data and crew feedback. Expect quieter pinch points where venues meet, clearer wayfinding at key junctions, and smart tweaks to alfresco areas so breeze and shade feel balanced through the day. The second hull is often where a concept becomes mature, which you notice in the small, everyday moments that make a week easy.
LNG Power in Practice
Princess’s adoption of LNG, where available, fits a broader toolkit focused on lower emissions and smoother port operations. LNG-ready systems are not marketing line items; they are engineering choices that aim to reduce local emissions and manage fuel flexibility as infrastructure grows. For guests, the practical upside is consistency, reliable hotel power when the ship is in port, and quieter machinery spaces that make public rooms feel calm.
Italian Build, Consistent Craft
Fincantieri’s partnership with Princess is long-standing, and it shows in the fit and finish of public spaces and the orderliness of back-of-house layouts. Being the second-largest cruise ship ever built in Italy carries symbolism, yet the useful bit is predictability. When the builder understands a brand’s service rhythm, galley throughput, entertainment load-in, and crew workflows align faster, which smooths those first few months of service.
Where Star Princess Will Sail First
The opening sequence is tidy and diverse, two Western Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona, a 14-day one-way crossing to Florida, a Caribbean season from Fort Lauderdale, then a Panama Canal repositioning on the way to Alaska in 2026. You get variety without changing ships, which keeps packing simple and routines familiar.
Western Mediterranean From Barcelona
Barcelona embarkation keeps things straightforward, with strong rail links and easy pre-cruise nights. The Western Med loop mixes France, Italy, and Spain, which is ideal if your group splits between museum wanderers and café grazers. Spring and early summer light stretches the evenings, so you can enjoy a slow dinner back on board without feeling you have rushed the shore day. First-timers will find port centres walkable, while returning guests can lean into neighbourhood markets and lesser-known galleries.
Transatlantic to Fort Lauderdale and a Warm-Water Rhythm
A 14-day one-way transatlantic is a gift if you love sea days. You can explore the ship properly, settle into a gym and breakfast routine, and space out specialty dining when you actually have the energy to savour it. Arrival in Fort Lauderdale sets the scene for island-hopping weeks where short port hops keep everyone fresh. If your ideal day is a beach morning, a balcony reset, then a show, this is the right cadence.
Panama Canal and Onward to Alaska 2026
After the Caribbean season, Star Princess will transit the Panama Canal, one of cruising’s classic days, where the scenery is machinery and rainforest in equal measure. From there, the 2026 plan points north to Alaska. That handoff from palms to peaks suits travellers who like contrast in a single year, and it means you can stay with the same crew and layout while changing the coastline completely.
What to Expect Onboard for Different Travellers
Large ships live or die by how well they handle the small rhythms of the day. The Sphere-class footprint emphasises glass, light, and multi-use nooks, so your sea days feel varied rather than repetitive. With a little planning, the ship adjusts to you, not the other way around.
Stateroom Choices That Match Your Routine
Treat your stateroom as a base for micro-adventures. Balcony cabins turn sail-ins into private viewing and give you quick resets between shore and dinner. If you sleep lightly, talk to an adviser about quieter zones that still sit close to favourite venues. Families often prefer inter-connecting cabins, which simplify mornings when everyone is changing for a tour and eases bedtimes after a late show.
Dining, Evenings, and Show Pacing
Port-heavy days pair well with earlier seatings and an unhurried post-dinner wander. On long sea days, a slow lunch and a later show fit the ship’s natural tempo. Specialty venues are best reserved for sea days, when you have time to linger. If your group enjoys variety, set one anchor reservation, then leave room for a discovery night when a lounge or new menu catches your eye.
Families, Friends, and Multi-Generational Groups
Mixed-age groups thrive with one anchor activity ashore, a market, a museum, or a short coastal walk, followed by free time for favourites. Pick a go-to lounge as a daily meeting point by day two, which removes friction. With around 4,300 guests, you will appreciate a familiar corner where the team recognises you and anticipates your coffee order before you ask.
Planning Tips Across Regions
The three regions on the calendar reward slightly different approaches. A clean plan keeps energy steady and avoids the scramble that turns good days into rushed ones.
Timing Windows, Weather, and Crowd Clues
The Western Med is lovely in the shoulder months if you want softer crowds and gentler prices. The Caribbean shines when you need reliable warmth and pool time during school holidays. Alaska depends on your priorities: early season for snow on the peaks, mid-season for longest days, and late season for autumn colours and crisp air. Build backward from the photos you want to take, then pick dates.
Pack Systems, Not Volume
For Europe, think breathable fabrics, a light layer for evenings, and comfortable shoes for cobbles. In the Caribbean, swim gear, a brimmed hat, reef-safe sunscreen, and a light cover-up for indoor venues keep you comfortable. Alaska adds a waterproof shell, light gloves, and a beanie, plus shoes with grip for damp boardwalks. Across all three, a compact daypack and a power bank cut queue time and keep your day smooth.
Booking Strategy, Flights, and Buffers
Barcelona connects cleanly by rail if you are already in Europe, and Fort Lauderdale pairs nicely with a pre-cruise overnight for long-haul travellers. For the transatlantic followed by a Caribbean week, confirm dining times early, then keep one or two evenings open for serendipity. For Alaska, arrive a day ahead to absorb delays, then let embarkation feel like the start line, not a checkpoint.
How Star Princess Compares to Her Sister
Sister ships share DNA, yet the second entry often lands closer to what the designers imagined on day one. If you sailed Sun Princess, you will recognise the overall flow, then spot refinements that feel like quality-of-life upgrades.
Familiar Anchors, Smarter Transitions
Core spaces return with incremental polish, clearer transitions between venues, and better acoustic control in busy zones. Expect entrance thresholds that reduce drafts, and seating arrangements that make a quick coffee stop as natural as a long lunch. These are the tweaks that make the ship feel intuitive by day two.
Outdoor Decks That Work All Day
Shade, wind, and views compete on any sun deck. Feedback from Sun Princess has likely shaped awning angles, wind breaks, and traffic lanes so pool zones feel comfortable across more of the day. If you like a morning walk, look for the quietest loop before breakfast, then return for sunset when the rails open up for photo time.
Crew Rhythm and Guest Flow
The second hull benefits from seasoned trainers who already know where first-month friction points appear. Check-in for kids’ clubs, show entry, and popular breakfast hours typically run smoother on a sister ship. You will feel that in shorter waits and staff who have the bandwidth to add small kindnesses that make a day.
Before you lock a date, it helps to see the opening Western Med weeks next to the transatlantic and early Caribbean choices, then pencil how each week would actually feel for you. Our Cruise Finder lines up dates, routes, and port orders so you can judge pacing instead of guessing. Start with two or three options that match your calendar and energy, then refine by cabin type and show preferences.
If you are coordinating across Australia, North America, or Europe, the tool keeps everyone looking at the same shortlist. Add notes on balcony priority, early versus late dining, mobility needs, or preferred sea-day placement. Those signals make it faster for us to pinpoint the departure that fits your real life, not just your wish list.
Plan Your Star Princess Voyage With S.W. Black Travel
If the delivery of Star Princess has sparked ideas for the year ahead, we can turn them into a clear, relaxed itinerary. Our advisers will match sailing dates to your calendar, secure cabins that fit your routine, and map shore days to the way you like to travel, whether that is museum mornings, market lunches, or photo-friendly sail-ins. When you are ready, you can request tailored cruise advice, and we will hold the sailing while your preferred categories and dining times are still available.
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