Sarah Bretz, ContributorPrincess Cruises celebrated a major construction milestone today, as its second Sphere-class ship, Star Princess, was floated out at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. The new ship will now move to the outfitting dock where construction will continue in anticipation of her fall 2025 debut.
Honoring the age-old seafaring custom, the float out celebrates the first time the ship touches water for the first time. Third Engineer Chiara del Vecchio, who currently works aboard sister ship Sun Princess, served as the ship’s madrina and became the first member of the Princess technical team to hold this time-honored role.
“Today is a celebration of teamwork, craftsmanship, and innovation. Star Princess is the second ship in our new Sphere class, and now as she prepares to take to the water for the first time it is a testament to the incredible dedication and skill of the entire shipyard team,” said John Padgett, Princess Cruises president.
“Fincantieri has again turned vision into reality, building on the success of her sister ship – Sun Princess, which has already captured the hearts of our guests with its elegance and cutting-edge design. Together, we are creating amazing machines that will inspire adventure and deliver unforgettable experiences for all who sail with us for decades to come.”
Padgett also announced that Commodore Nick Nash and Captain Gennaro Arma, who were both in attendance at the ceremony, will serve as masters of Star Princess. Arma will serve as master of Star Princess when the ship is delivered, ahead of Commodore Nash’s turn at the helm.
Additional Star Princess senior officers include:
- Chief Engineer Gaetano Guida who joined Princess Cruises in 2002 and was named chief engineer aboard Royal Princess in 2017. Guida was part of the team that delivered Sun Princess and continues to play an important role in guiding the construction and delivery of Star Princess from the Fincantieri shipyard.
- Chief Engineer Massimiliano Imperiale is a 15-year Princess Cruises veteran, having joined the company in 1999 as third engineer, with his first appointment as Chief Engineer in 2013 aboard Caribbean Princess.
- Staff Captain Chris King joined Princess in 2010 as a third officer, following several years working as a deck cadet on container ships. He was named Staff Captain in 2023 and currently serves in this capacity aboard Discovery Princess.
- Staff Captain Michele Russo has worked at Princess for nearly two decades, joining the company as a deck cadet on the since-retired Dawn Princess. After moving up through the ranks he was named Safety Officer in 2017 and his current position, Staff Captain, last year.
- Hotel General Manager Ralph D’Souza joined Princess in 2006 as a junior purser and was named hotel general manager in 2019. He has been part of the launch team for several ships, including the new Sun Princess, and was also part of the deployment team for the MedallionClass Experience in 2017.
- Hotel General Manager Bosco Pires has been a Princess Cruises hotel general manager since 2019 and has served on a variety of ships throughout the fleet. His nearly 25 years of specialized cruise industry experience has provided him with a solid foundation in both business and hospitality operations.
The 4,300-guest, 178,000 gross ton Star Princess is the second in its Sphere-class, following Sun Princess. Sun Princess, also built in Monfalcone by Fincantieri, debuted in February.
Voyages for the inaugural season of Star Princess are on sale now.
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