NEWS SHIP LAUNCH


Star Princess will sail in Alaska from May 2026


A new Star shines P


Princess Cruises’ Star Princess impresses agents on fam sailing, reports Alice Barnes-Brown One of the


rincess Cruises is changing its approach for the upcoming wave period following feedback


from agents and its sales teams, according to the line’s vice- president for the UK and Europe. Speaking to Travel Weekly


after the inaugural sailing of Star Princess from Barcelona, Eithne Williamson said Princess intends to “make sure agents have marketing communications in plenty of time” and that campaigns run for the “right length”. She added: “The message from agents to us is that simplicity is key.”


‘UK a top priority’ Williamson said the UK market remains a top priority for Princess Cruises, which has seen strong sales for its Europe 2027 programme in the UK since the July launch, despite a challenging economic environment and growing concerns about the upcoming Autumn Budget on November 26. “Of our top-eight agents globally


[in terms of sales of Europe 2027 sailings], five were UK agents, which is incredible if you think about the size of the market. It shows what a


14 30 OCTOBER 2025


big trends that we have been seeing is booking further out


brilliant job our agents did to get behind that launch,” she said. Star Princess is now completing


its inaugural Mediterranean season before crossing to Fort Lauderdale in Florida for its official naming ceremony on November 6, which will be attended by godparents Camila and Matthew McConaughey. It will then embark on its maiden


Caribbean season on November 10. Williamson said the inaugural


season of the line’s second Sphere Class ship had started “incredibly well”, with guest satisfaction scores “so, so high”. “When you have a new ship, it can


take a couple of sailings for things to settle down, but the feedback has been incredible from the outset,” she added. This, she said, is highlighted by


the fact the majority of Star Princess’s sailings for the rest of this year are sold out, with a continued rise in the number of further-out bookings. “One of the big trends that we have been seeing is booking


further out,” Williamson added. “At our third-quarter corporate update at the end of September, our president and chief executive officer, Josh Weinstein, talked about record-breaking bookings for cruises more than two years out.”


According to Williamson, the


4,300-capacity Star Princess is equipped with “evolved” features compared with sister vessel Sun Princess, including a 32-seat expansion of the “hugely popular” O’Malley’s Irish Bar.


AGENTS’ VIEWS OF STAR PRINCESS


“This ship is luxurious – I would even go as far as to say it would compare with Regent’s. They’ve designed it very high end. I love the Dome area; I went to swim there, and I was pleasantly surprised by how deep the pools were, and that they were heated. If their budget allows, it’s worth clients


upgrading to the Princess Premium package.” Shirley Harris, cruise specialist, Cruise Nation


“You’ve got the comforts of Princess, but this ship takes it to another level. I like how the eateries are laid out and how spacious they are. For such a big ship, it is so calming – it doesn’t pile people on. There are different pool areas, you will always find a sunbed and there won’t be


massive queues for the bar.” Jordan Dewick, cruise specialist, Cruise Kings


“The technology blew me away. With 30 restaurants and bars on the ship, if someone says, ‘Meet me at this place’, the Princess app will give you directions. The Medallion service device just works; everything is delivered to exactly where you are. The staff are on point and tuned in.”


Janet Connolly, travel expert, Designer Travel


travelweekly.co.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48