Enchanted Princess

Scheduled for inauguration in January 2021, the 2020-built Enchanted Princess cruise ship is the 5th Royal-class vessel in Princess Cruises fleet, with fleetmates and sisterships Royal Princess (2013), Regal Princess (2014), Majestic Princess (2017), Sky Princess (2019) and Discovery Princess (2021). One more Royal-class liner (still unnamed) is on order and scheduled for launch in 2022. From the same class is also the P&O UK's ship Britannia (2015).

History - construction and ownership

Princess Cruises is a US cruise company headquartered in Beverly Hills CA. A former subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises (founded 1977), in 2003, the company merged with Carnival Corporation - world's largest passenger shipping company. Among Princess Cruises assets is the Caribbean private island resort Princess Cays (on Bahamas Eleuthera Island's southern end), located approx 80 km (50 mi) from Nassau.

The 139,000-ton, 3,600-passenger Enchanted Princess is among the largest cruise ships sailing the seas. The vessel was built at Fincantieri shipyard, Italy and has 19 decks. Enchanted Princess features an impressive number (16) of bars and restaurants and a luxury spa. The ship offers unique features to her guests, such as a glass-enclosed walkway over the ocean known as the SeaWalk.

Cruise itinerary program

Enchanted Princess itinerary program was planned to start with an inaugural cruise season in Europe (Mediterranean). Departures were scheduled from homeports Civitavecchia-Rome, Barcelona and Piraeus-Athens. The 7-day Mediterranean itineraries were combinable into 14-day and 21-day B2Bs (back-to-back cruises).

The inaugural cruise was initially scheduled for June 18, 2020 (11-day Rome to Southampton England). On July 1 was the maiden voyage from Southampton to Rome (10-day) and to Athens (17-day). For November 5 was scheduled a 14-day Transatlantic repositioning crossing from Europe to USA (Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale).

However, due to the ongoing Coronavirus-related international travel restrictions, Princess Cruises eventually cancelled the fleet's entire 2020 program through December 31. Enchanted Princess' inaugural cruise was rescheduled for January 2, 2021 (7-day Western Caribbean itinerary leaving roundtrip from the liner's homeport Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale Florida.

Cabins

Most Enchanted Princess staterooms are 220-sq.foot balcony rooms (724). Almost 80% of ship's outside accommodations have private balcony views. There are a total of 1539 staterooms in 38 categories. 36 are the wheelchair accessible rooms. The largest accommodations on Enchanted Princess are the Balcony Suites (440 ft2). The ship has no Oceanview cabins.

Sky Suites (new cabin category) are Princess Cruises first staterooms for 5 people and feature 270-degree top-deck views. These are also the fleet's largest cabins and with fleet's largest balconies. Both Sky Suites are located midship on Sports Deck 18, Each Sky Suite has 700 ft2 (65 m2) wraparound terrace providing a private unobstructed view of the outdoor theatre Movie Under the Stars (fleet's biggest LED screen).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

There are many for-fee dining options onboard Enchanted Princess, but guests who would rather not pay are offered enough quality and variety to satisfy. Those who prefer tradition will choose between the three main dining rooms: Allegro, Concerto and Symphony.

Horizon Court and Horizon Bistro are the buffet options, providing a more casual vibe. Passengers who want to have lunch in their swimsuits can take a burger from Trident Grill or a slice at Prego Pizzeria. Indoors, Alfredo's features delicious calzones, salads and thin-crust pizza. Allegro Dining Room is the only option for free dinner with traditional set dining. Passengers can eat at 5:45 p.m. or 8:15 p.m. Allegro's menus are diverse and offer a soup or salad course, an appetizer, pasta and an entree. There is also a special dessert menu.

Follows the complete list of Enchanted Princess restaurants and food bars.

• Sabatini’s Restaurant (Italian speciality restaurant, a la carte: offers 3-course Italian/seafood menu; open between 6 p.m. -11 p.m., reservations recommended). This space blends the spaciousness of a contemporary setting with classic Italian accents, featuring handmade pasta courses via collaboration with LA chef Angelo Auriana which is prepared daily.
• La Mer by Three-Michelin Star Chef Emmanuel Renaut offers casual, French bistro-style dining with a contemporary twist inspired by the flavours of the French Alps and contrasts from the ocean. La Mer carries a cover charge of US$35 per person.
• Symphony Restaurant (midship location; offers “Anytime Dining” for Dinner; with “Wine Cellar” area serving “Wine Maker’s Dinner” for $40, capacity 12 guests)
• Alfredo’s Pizzeria (121-seat; the largest complimentary pizzeria at sea)
• Concerto Restaurant (forward Dining Room; offers “Anytime Dining” 5:30 p.m. -10 p.m.; serves “Wine Maker’s Dinner” package for $40)
• Allegro Restaurant (aft Dining Room; offers formal dining and two fixed dinner seatings at 6 p.m. or 8:15 p.m.; “Chef’s Table Lumiere” private dining for $115, 12 guests)
• Ocean Terrace (speciality seafood bar)
• Crown Grill (160-seat steakhouse/seafood restaurant, reservations recommended; on select days serves British Pub Lunch, complimentary)
• Salty Dog Grill & Alfredo's Pizzeria (self-service, complimentary fast food bar). The rustic pub space, Salty Dog Gastropub, is a new venue where passengers can watch sporting events, gather over small bites and drinks, and partake in Ernesto Burger by chef partner, Ernesto Uchimura, founding chef of the original Umami Burger and owner of the new LA-based restaurant and bar, Electric Owl.
• Calypso Cabana (food bar offering picnic baskets, desserts, champagne and wine packages)
• World Fresh Marketplace (self-service buffet restaurant, complimentary); Horizon Buffet (indoor sitting) and Horizon Terrace (outdoor seating)
• Swirls Bar (ice cream).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The bulk of performance action takes place in the 2-level Princess Theater (decks 6 and 7). This is the ship's main show lounge with palladium-style seating and grand-style evening show productions.

Theatre lounge doesn't offer tables or drink holders, so if you order one preshow or come with a drink, you'll have to hold it. The entertainment program is excellent and varied, with a beat that is quite innovative. In addition to the production shows, the Princess theatre hosts other acts including vocalists and instrumentalists.

In comparison to Royal-Class Princess ships, Enchanted Princess has the new Wakeview swimming pool (aft-located) plus 2 deep-water top deck swimming pools and Retreat Pool (adults-only), also more Jacuzzis (including 2 cantilevered, over the deep-water pools). The expanded Sanctuary area offers new design and twice as many private cabanas as the sister ships. Vista Lounge is also redesigned. The Princess Live! and Cafe is a new restaurant serving quick bites, speciality teas and barista-made coffees. The venue offers premium drinks and live performances.

Follows the complete list of Enchanted Princess lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• The Piazza Atrium (3-deck open floor area; features live performances entertainment and lobby Bar Piazza)
• Princess Fine Arts Gallery; Photo Gallery & Shop; Limelight photo studio; Platinum Studio
• International Cafe (24-hour specialty coffee bar and patisserie)
• Vines Bar (wine/seafood/sushi bar)
• Gelato (the largest ice cream bar at sea)
• Library (with Internet stations); Internet Cafe (24-hour)
• Princess Enchanted Theater (2-level musical and show productions; hosts workshops, seminars, game shows)
• Celebrations Shop; Calypso Cove Shop; Essence Shop; Meridian Bay Shop; Facets Shop
• Club 6 Disco & Bar; Churchill’s Lounge & Bar (cigar bar); Bellini’s Bar; Crooners Lounge & Bar; Princess Live Lounge; Vista Lounge; Concierge Lounge (Suite guests only); SkyLight Bar; Seaview Bar
• Princess Casino (gambling lounge and bar)
• Wheelhouse Bar (piano bar during the day and an English pub nightly)
• Lotus Spa complex; Beauty Salon; Fitness Center (with Aerobics Studio)
• Wedding Chapel
• Movies Under the Stars (LED screen outdoor cinema)
• The Game Lounge (Video Games Arcade); Teen Center; Youth Center; Remix Disco & Lounge (teen club)
• The Sanctuary (adult-only sundeck / open-air relaxation complex)
• SeaWalk (glass-bottomed cantilevered walkway, 18 m/60 ft long)
• Fountain Pool area; Retreat Pool area
• Princess Sports Central - Center Court (volleyball, basketball, European football); Tennis Tables, Game Lounge virtual gaming, The Greens golf nets, Golfing Cage, Laser Shooting; Jogging Track
• "Take 5" (deck 6 midship-portside) is world's only jazz theater at sea. The new jazz-themed bar lounge features a chic setting, live performances by renown jazz musicians (including iconic female singers), hand-crafted premium cocktails (developed by Rob Floyd/master mixologist), guest performers, late-night themed parties, daily enrichment programming (with engaging speakers and workshops). Custom media content is displayed on lounge's TV screens.

On the sisterships Sky and Enchanted, Princess Cruises introduced the exclusive "Jim Henson’s Inspired Silliness" - a 30-min live production show themed on Jim Henson’s hilarious puppetry works. James Maury Henson (1936-1990) was an US puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor and filmmaker best-known as the creator of "The Muppets" (TV show created in 1955). The cruise company's new production show (hosted at Princess Theater) includes singers and dancers, high-tech visuals, comedy acts and professional puppetry. The show starts with a video introduction by James Henson's son (Brian) and features new puppets from Henson’s Creature Shop plus newly designed characters.

The Experience Center (Deck 18 aft-starboard) has max capacity 6 people and no age restrictions. This is ship's Escape Room hosting the "Phantom Bridge" game that combines physical and virtual/digital elements for unique puzzle-solving experiences at sea. The attraction is part of Princess Cruises' onboard enrichment program (Discovery at SEA) and offers interactive (real-world + virtual) adventure gaming experiences with 700+ different outcomes. Phantom Bridge's gaming sessions last 23 min each and allow passengers to navigate the virtual cruise liner, watch as the generated simulations change, uncover the clues and solve puzzles (current game's mystery). The implemented technologies include a physical steering wheel and touch-screen surfaces (in the room), projection mapping, top-notch sound-, lighting- and digital effects, hidden physical elements (throughout the ship).

The vessel's powerplant includes four Wartsila marine diesel engines (model 46F, 2x 12V and 2x 14V) with combined power output 62,4 MW (83,700 hp). The propulsion system is based on two azipods with combined power output 18 MW (24,000 hp).

In April 2016, Princess Cruises (via Carnival Corporation) signed a shipbuilding order for 2 new vessels, scheduled for deliveries in 2019 (Sky) and 2020 (Enchanted). These are 4th and 5th Royal-class liners (same-designed as Royal,Regal and Majestic) constructed at Monfalcone Shipyard (near Trieste) as part of a previous agreement between Carnival Corporation (shipowner) and Fincantieri (shipbuilder). At that time, Carnival Corp had a total of 16 shipbuilding orders, with scheduled deliveries between 2016-2020. All these new vessels are fleet's largest and feature Movies Under the Stars (outdoor theatre), Piazza Atrium, 80% balconied staterooms, new dining venues.

At the end of January 2017, Carnival Corporation announced 2 more shipbuilding orders. The new liners were ordered for the fleets of Princess (Royal-class / Discovery Princess) and Holland America Line (Pinnacle-class / Nieuw Ryndam-Rotterdam). Carnival signed an MoA (memorandum of agreement) with Fincantieri to construct both vessels, with scheduled deliveries in 2021 (for HAL, at Marghera yard) and 2022 (for Princess, at Monfalcone yard). By the time when both contracts were finalized (February 2017), Carnival Corporation had a total of 19 new ships scheduled for delivery between 2017 and 2022.

Fun facts: It takes 3 million man-hours (~6000 employees) to build a Royal-class cruise ship. For its construction are used 37,000 tons of steel. For instance, about 12,000 tons of steel were used for constructing the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. The paint used for the vessel is 95,000 gallons (360,000 L), which is twice the quantity consumed for Golden Gate Bridge (re-painted annually). The electrical cables wiring the whole vessel are long 2484 ml (4000 km) which is enough to link NYC with LA.

Vessel's keel-laying ceremony was held on February 14, 2019. On the same day was launched (floated-out from drydock) the sistership Sky Princess (inaugurated in October 2019) and also was held the steel-cutting ceremony for the 6th (final) Royal-Class liner (yet to be named, scheduled inauguration in 2022). During the keel-laying, the traditional coin ceremony was "modernized". To bring good luck, instead of a metal coin, into the hull was welded an OceanMedallion device.

The vessel was launched (floated out from Monfalcone's drydock) on August 6, 2019. The float-out ceremony was attended by Firouz Mal (Princess Cruises' Director of Building Services) and Roberto Olivari (Monfalcone Shipyard's Director). Ceremony's Godmother was Marinella Cossu (shipyard employee). Since 1990, Fincantieri had built 92 cruise liners, of which 66 for Carnival Corporation (16 for Princess) plus 54 currently under construction or on order (as of 2019).

The new cruise ship was officially delivered by Fincantieri Monfalcone on September 30, 2020, as the 100th Fincantieri-built cruise vessel. The special ceremony was attended by Giuseppe Bono (Fincantieri's CEO), Roberto Olivari (Fincantieri Monfalcone's Director), Nick Nash (ship's Captain) and virtually (via live streaming) also by Micky Arison (Carnival Corporation's Chairman), Arnold Donald (Carnival Corporation's President and CEO), Stein Kruse (Holland America Group's CEO) and Jan Swartz (Princess Cruises' and Carnival Australia's Group President).

The liner Enchanted Princess is Bermuda-flagged (MMSI number 310791000) and registered in Hamilton. Its christening ceremony was initially scheduled to be held in Port Southampton (England UK) on June 30 - a day before the Maiden Voyage (July 1-11) from Southampton to Civitavecchia-Rome. Bookings were opened on November 8, 2018. Ship's Masters/Captains were announced in late-June 2019. Captain Nick Nash (previous commander of Royal Princess) brings the vessel into service from Monfalcone Shipyard. Captain Gennaro Arma (ship's permanent Master) will serve together with the chief officers Massimiliano Imperiale (Chief Engineer), Richard Harry (Hotel Manager) and Richard Dalton (Staff Captain).

• Captain Gennaro Arma (from Sorrento, Italy) is with Princess Cruises since 1998. He became Master in 2015 (on Sea Princess).
• Massimiliano Imperiale is with Princess since 1999 (starting as Engine Cadet) and was first appointed as Chief Engineer Officer in 2013 (on Caribbean Princess).
• Richard Harry (from Farnborough, England) is with Princes since 1988 (starting as Front Desk Receptionist).
• Richard Dalton (from Isle of Bute, Scotland) is with Princess since 2001 and became Staff Captain in 2017.

Inaugural cruise itineraries 2021-2020 (CANCELLED)

Next tables show the ship's inaugural cruises per homeport/destination, with prices in USD per person (double occupancy Inside cabin rates). Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the vessel's delivery from Fincantieri Monfalcone was delayed and a total of 11 itineraries (July 1st through and including 29th) were cancelled. Eventually, due to the ongoing health crisis, Princess cancelled the Enchanted ship's entire 2020 program and the Inaugural Cruise was rescheduled for January 2, 2021.

(MAIDEN VOYAGE 2021) 14-day "Caribbean EastWest Adventurer" (B2B itinerary) from USD 1400 per person with double occupancy

(Inaugural Transatlantic crossing 2021) 14-day "Spanish Passage Cruise"

(Inaugural Mediterranean cruise 2021) 7-day "Mediterranean and Adriatic" (USD 1040 pp)

(cancelled MAIDEN VOYAGE 2020) 14-day (B2B) Caribbean cruise ("Eastern/Western Adventurer") from USD 1800 pp

Next tables show the originally planned for 2020 (and cancelled) maiden voyages in Europe.

(OLD INAUGURAL CRUISE) 9-day Rome to Southampton - from $1390

17-day Inaugural Mediterranean cruise from UK ($3050)

21-day Inaugural "Mediterranean Collection" ($4500)

14-day Inaugural Repositioning Cruise (Transatlantic crossing to Florida USA) - from $1630

Godspeed to the new ship!