Caribbean Princess

Princess Cruises' Caribbean Princess belongs to the company's GRAND-class liners, built by Fincantieri Monfalcone. Her same-designed sisterships are the Crown Princess and Emerald Princess. Caribbean Princess is slightly larger than the other Grand-class ships due to the addition of an extra cabin deck—Riviera Deck. Unlike her sisters, she does not have a sliding roof over the pool area, as she was designed specifically for Caribbean itineraries.

The ship’s christening ceremony was held on April 2, 2004, in Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades, Florida), which also served as the departure port for her maiden voyage. Her godmother was Jill Whelan, a U.S. actress best known for her role as Vicki Stubing on the 1980s TV series "The Love Boat." Caribbean Princess remained the largest ship in the fleet until June 2013, when the Royal Princess entered service.

Fun fact: Caribbean Princess was the first cruise ship to feature an open-air theater/outdoor movie screen, branded as "Movies Under the Stars."

Her European maiden season was homeported in Southampton, England. She was then repositioned to New York City for Fall Foliage cruises to New England, followed by a return to Fort Lauderdale for roundtrip Caribbean itineraries. In April 2013, the vessel returned to Europe to sail British Isles and various Northern European (Baltic Sea) itineraries.

In early September 2018, Caribbean Princess became the fleet’s first vessel to be equipped with Carnival Corporation’s OceanMedallion technology. These wearable devices give passengers access to "virtual concierge" services, interactive entertainment, and MedallionNet—Wi-Fi connectivity supported by access points in every stateroom. The technology delivers land-like connection quality, enabling passengers to stream movies, make video calls, and share content in real time on social media.

Panama Canal Cruise Itineraries 2017

In 2017, Caribbean Princess completed her first season of Panama Canal transition cruises through the new locks. The ship operated 10-day roundtrip itineraries from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades, Florida), with partial transits through the Agua Clara locks. Her first-ever transit was on October 26, 2017. Fares for this cruise started at USD 1,250 per person (double occupancy). This voyage also commemorated Princess Cruises’ 50th anniversary of the first-ever passenger ship crossing of the Panama Canal in 1967.

Fleet mates Coral Princess and Island Princess continued transiting the Panama Canal through the original three locks (Pedro Miguel, Miraflores, Gatun). The new locks were officially inaugurated on June 26, 2016, following a 9-year construction project costing USD 5.2 billion.

USA to Greenland Itinerary 2019

In January 2018, Princess Cruises announced a new roundtrip Greenland cruise from the USA (New York City) aboard Caribbean Princess.

• Departure was scheduled for August 19, 2019.
• The 16-day itinerary included ports of call in Greenland (Nanortalik, Nuuk, Qaqortoq) and Canada (Halifax, Sydney, St. John's).
• Cruise fares started at USD 2,500 per person (double occupancy, Inside Cabin), plus USD 220 in government taxes and port fees.

Caribbean Princess Refurbishment 2019 Review

During her June 2019 drydock in Freeport, Bahamas, Caribbean Princess underwent significant upgrades, including the installation of the fleet's first-ever waterpark—Reef Splash Zone (no waterslides). Located aft-portside on Deck 17/Sports Deck, beneath the ramp leading to Skywalkers Nightclub (Deck 18), the waterpark replaced the original Pirate's View swimming pool area. The redesigned space now includes a large Splashpad (outdoor water playground) with a splash pool, water cannons, sprays, showers, and an interactive whale-like structure with a “raining” fluke. The surrounding lounge was enhanced with new furniture including comfortable sectionals, chairs, sun loungers, and padded couches with tables, along with new fixtures and finishes. The swimming pool, whirlpool hot tub, and Morgan’s Bar were also renovated.

The newly added Game Zone hosts family competitions and features oversized backyard games like Jenga, Cornhole, and Connect Four. Parents can enjoy cocktails and mocktails at the family-friendly Morgan’s Bar. The area is furnished with comfortable seating, wind panels for protection, and a Shade Canopy (aft-starboard) covered with canvas. Upgrades also included a new music system, lighting at the steps and pool area, and wall lights for evening events such as deck parties, stargazing, and educational kids’ programs.

On Deck 16, the forward Spa complex was renovated with new contemporary artwork and signage. Aft on the same deck, the Camp Discovery Youth Center (for children aged 3–12) received a new outdoor play area featuring an interactive water table with themed activities based on the current itinerary or destination.

Caribbean Princess Refurbishment 2017 Review

During drydock from March 25 to April 5, 2017 (in Freeport, Bahamas), Caribbean Princess underwent several deckplan changes:

• New kids’ area “Camp Discovery” (kids and teen center) added aft on Deck 17.
• The “Movies Under the Stars” (MUTS) screen (850-seat outdoor theater) was upgraded.
• 87 additional pairs of interconnecting cabins were added to accommodate families.
• On Lido Deck 15, “Horizon Court” was replaced by “World Fresh Marketplace,” a new buffet restaurant with updated décor, better layout, and expanded menu. Breakfast features a 24-hour cereal station, designer pancakes, and hot options like shrimp & grits and polenta porridge. Lunch includes hand-crafted sandwiches, regional soups, and assorted meats. Dinner offers comfort foods and a PB&J bar, while nighttime service includes a live cooking station for stir-fry, pasta, and salads.
• “Cafe Caribe” was split into two new casual specialty restaurants:
  • “Planks BBQ” (USD 12 dinner charge) serves meat planks with ribs, beef, sausage, chicken, and sides like fries, chili, coleslaw, and charred toast. Breakfast and lunch are complimentary buffet-style with options like customizable bowls, soups, salads, and sandwiches.
  • “Steamers Seafood” (USD 12 dinner charge) offers regionally sourced seafood steamers (mussels, scallops, clams, crab-stuffed flounder). Complimentary breakfast and lunch options include egg dishes and ramen bowls.
• Deck 15’s pool deck now features four outdoor dining venues:
  • “The Salty Dog Grill” (formerly Trident Grill) serves gourmet burgers including “The Ernesto,” street tacos, fries, and hot dogs.
  • “Slice Pizzeria” (formerly Prego Pizzeria) offers Neapolitan-style pizza, deep dish focaccia, artisanal toast, and Stromboli.
  • “Coffee & Cones” (formerly Scoops Bar) offers gourmet ice cream sandwiches, complimentary cones, specialty coffees and teas.
  • “THE MIX” (formerly Blackbeard’s Bar) was updated as the ship’s redesigned poolside bar.
• Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria (formerly “SHARE by Curtis Stone”) on Promenade Deck 7 was redesigned with a new menu by celebrity chef Angelo Auriana. The revamped menu, rolled out fleetwide in 2017, features antipasti and handmade pasta crafted with traditional grains (like buckwheat and durum wheat) and distinctive herbs such as mint and marjoram.

All 3,200 stateroom beds were replaced with Princess Cruises' signature “Princess Luxury Beds.”

Carnival’s Ocean Medallion technology was installed on the ship in September 2018.