The steel of the first of two LNG-powered cruise ships for Princess Cruises was cut at Centro Servizi Navali (in San Giorgio di Nogaro/Udine Italy) - a company specializing in logistics and production of sheet metal for the Fincantieri shipyards situated in northeastern Italy.
The ship will be built at Fincantieri's Monfalcone yard. With GT tonnage/volume 175,000 tons, the “Sphere” boats will be the largest cruise vessels built so far in Italy. Each with passenger capacity ~4300 (lower berths), these vessels will be Princess Cruises' first dual-fuel-powered (primarily by LNG/Liquefied Natural Gas).
The Carnival Corporation-owned Princess is one of the best-known brands in cruising and a premium cruise line operating a fleet of 14 modern liners, annually carrying ~2 million passengers to 380 destinations worldwide.