STAR PRINCESS – THE AMAZING DELIVERY CEREMONY

Monfalcone 26 Settembre 2025 – The Star Princess was delivered today in Monfalcone, the second ship of the Sphere class and new flagship powered by LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) of Princess Cruises that followed the advent of last year’s Sun Princess. It was an exciting event full of unique moments.

The Star Princess is the new flagship of Princess Cruises and the second ship of the revolutionary Sphere class, after the twin Sun Princess. With a tonnage of about 175,000 gross tons, 345 meters long and over 2,100 cabins, it can accommodate up to 5,189 passengers, assisted by a crew of about 1,500 people. Built in the Fincantieri shipyards of Monfalcone, it represents one of the most modern and sustainable ships in the world, thanks to the liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply, which significantly reduces emissions compared to traditional fuels. Among the main attractions on board are the Square, the beating heart of social life with shops, bars and shows; the futuristic Princess Arena, a technological theater dedicated to exclusive productions; and the evocative Dome, a multifunctional space that transforms from an indoor pool during the day to a location for evening events. There is no shortage of reserved areas such as the Sanctuary Club and the exclusive Signature Suites, which offer premium services and dedicated private bridges. The Star Princess is a real floating city, capable of offering diversified experiences for every type of traveler: from relaxation areas such as swimming pools and spas, to “active” spaces with sports tracks and water games, up to a wide international gastronomic offer. The official debut is scheduled for October 4, 2025 with an inaugural season in the Mediterranean, before positioning themselves on international itineraries. Combining comfort, technology and attention to the environment, the new ship perfectly embodies the future vision of Princess Cruises.

THE DELIVERY CEREMONY

The ceremony, presented by journalist Martina Maltagliati, was attended, among others by Gus Antorcha (President of Princess Cruises), Mauro Bordin (President of the Regional Council of Friuli Venezia Giulia), Ester Fedullo (Prefect in the Province of Gorizia), Luca Fasan (Mayor of the Municipality of Monfalcone), Pierroberto Folgiero (CEO and General Manager of Fincantieri), Biagio Mazzotta (President of Fincantieri), Luigi Matarazzo (General Director of Merchant Ships Division), Cristiano Bazzara (Director of the Monfalcone shipyard).

The first to take the stage was Luca Fasan, Mayor of Monfalcone: after an initial praise to the Princess Cruises company that in 1990 started the construction of cruise ships in Monfalcone with the Crown Princess, the mayor expressed his great appreciation for the new ship, proud that he will bring the emblem of the city of Monfalcone to the world. He then invited Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and General Manager of Fincantieri, to a meeting to find a point of continuity on the work already done and to address the problems related to subcontracting and the enhancement of work.

The second to take the stage was Biagio Mazzotta, president of Fincantieri: for the president, the day is an important moment for technological excellence, which is achieved through product innovation of which the Sphere class is an example. He then thanked all the workers for the teamwork in achieving the result. He then dedicated the most famous wish for a ship that is “good wind”.

The third to take a seat on stage was Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and General Manager of Fincantieri: He began his speech by talking about the beauty of walking inside a physical product, a metalworking product, full of technology and full of added value. He spoke of Star Princess as a beautiful project, especially for the technical solutions applied in the various innovative structures such as the Dome. He then added: “A beautiful execution, built and managed with levels of respect and government of superlative quality timing and dynamics. Despite being a repeated ship, there is still a new and great challenge here.” He then praised the partnership with the Carnival Group and in particular with Princess, fortified over the years in the curve of learning and integration between the shipowner and the shipyard. The CEO then spoke about a novelty concerning Carnival; in fact, a project was started to build the largest ships ever built, thanks to a reorganization of the dock and the installation of a new crane to increase the lifting capacity of the shipyard, which is the great limit in the construction of ships. Monfalcone is the largest construction site of the group, where new technologies are tested, the heart of the executive and engineering skills of the cruise world. Thanking the mayor for the kind words, he said that he has innovated and will innovate subcontracts and the relationship of foreign Italian labor with concrete projects already in the field.

The fourth on stage was Gus Antorcha, President of Princess Cruises: After thanking everyone, he introduced Star Princess in all its details including all the news on the ship. He then talked about the LNG propulsion that reiterates the company’s commitment to efficient and modern shipbuilding. He concluded by thanking the crew, the future guests and all those who will walk on the ship, thanking for the trust, dreams and future adventures on Star Princess. He concluded with: “It is an honor for me to accept the delivery of the Star Princess on behalf of Princess Cruises“.

The ceremony then continued with two very exciting moments. The first, that of the change of flags, symbolic passage between builder and shipowner; with the Italian anthem the flag of Fincantieri and the Italian one have been lowered. At the sound of the American anthem, the flags of Princess Cruises and the American one were hoisted. At the end of the flag change after a long applause, we moved on to the exchange of the ampoule containing the first water that touched Star Princess. The transition took place between the director of the Monfalcone Shipyard, Cristiano Bazzara, and the commander of the Star Princess, Gennaro Arma, known all over the world as The Brave Captain.

The director on stage said: “Behind the construction of this ship there is an extraordinary work of an incredible team of people. I didn’t say much, on the contrary, the value of this adventure is that we managed to build this complex and fantastic ship with serenity, we did it by planning it, knowing exactly what to do. I am proud of the work and the success we have achieved.”

The commander said: “More than courage I will bring the memory of these fabulous months. I feel here today with honor and pride because we celebrate the success of the adventure of this beautiful ship. This achievement is the result of difficult work, dedication, passion, but above all teamwork. I thank Fincantieri, the engineers, the workers and my colleagues for making this success. Together I think we built not only a ship, but a symbol of commitment and passion. Thank you all.”

Before leaving the stage, the director wanted to say a few words about the problem related to the many injuries that have taken place: “We come from a period with several serious accidents, accidents that have marked all of us, from which, however, we have learned and we must learn many things. We must learn that the safety bar is never too high. I assure you that the management and all the engineers, workers and RLS are thinking every day to try to ensure that all our guys and our workers who cross the gates of this construction site can work every day in complete safety. It’s a commitment that I make, that the company takes from us and I assure you that we will never grind.”

MY OPINION ON THE SHIP

The ship has shapes and offers that are very much in line with my tastes: there are many open spaces, there are many windows that radiate natural light and on board you can breathe air of future and innovation. I spent just over five hours on Star Princess but the truth is that I wanted to stay on board. I’m sure it was a goodbye and I’m strongly advise you to think about it. Star Princess is really beautiful.