Studying a Princess Still in Drydock

A cruise industry scenario unfolded recently in the conference room of a French shipyard as a group of American, British and Italian cruise line executives watched a videotape detailing the construction of a vessel scheduled for North America in late March.

Early in the building the ship’s name was FairMajesty, and a red and white Sitmar swan logo decorated its blue stack.

Later, the name on the bow became Star Princess, and the decoration on the stack became a female head with flowing hair, which some Princess personnel have privately nicknamed “The Witch.”

Last July 28 London-based P&O;, owner of Princess Cruises, announced the purchase of Sitmar Cruises’ stock, plus one ship under construction and two others in the planning, and virtually doubled its passenger capacity overnight.

Less than two months later the Sitmar ships were renamed and painted in Princess colors. The Fairsky became the Sky Princess, the Fairsea the Fair Princess and the Fairwind the Dawn Princess.

At the shipyard the FairMajesty turned into the Star Princess.

Benefits for Consumers

“We’re trying to get the best of both worlds,” Princess President Tim Harris said. “The two lines are comparable in terms of quality; the overall standard of both is excellent.”

The consumer will benefit, Harris said, with better itineraries, more choices, a better air program and better overall services.

When the three new ships are in place before the end of 1991, Princess will have more than 10,000 berths.

Although many operation details remain, Harris said that the Princess entertainment format also will be implemented on the former Sitmar ships.

In addition, families can continue to expect the new fleet to find the right cruise for them, Harris promised, continuing Sitmar’s popular children’s program.

Italian-Accented Cuisine

Hotel and food programs already are similar, as both offer Italian-accented cuisine served by Italian and European dining room stewards.

A recent walk through the Star Princess in the Chantiers shipyard shortly before her first sea trials appears to confirm Harris’ optimism.

The 1,600-passenger ship will have 735 staterooms, some of which will be the largest in the industry. Even the bottom-priced, inside, double cabins measure about 180 square feet, a legacy from Sitmar that traditionally has had larger standard cabins than Princess.

Each cabin has twin beds that can be converted to a queen-size bed, a mini-refrigerator, a safe for valuables, a color TV with remote control, a push-button telephone and generous storage space.

In addition, the ship will have 36 mini-suites of 320 square feet, each with its own terrace, and 14 suites of 430 square feet, each with king-size beds, marble baths and extra-wide verandas.

Ten cabins have been designed for people in wheelchairs, and 151 will offer two recessed upper berths for third and fourth passengers.

Some public areas will serve more than one type of activity.

The Plaza, a three-deck atrium area, will serve as a reception area in the daytime, with the lobby area offering music and dancing every evening. An adjacent patisserie serving French pastry and Italian coffee in the daytime converts to cocktail service in the evening.

The disco, deep inside the ship to control noise, is adjacent to Images, which features saunas, steam rooms, massages, Nautilis equipment and a carpeted and mirrored exercise area. Larger aerobics classes can spread out into the disco area, which will double as a fresh juice bar in the daytime.

The galley built below the dining room has four escalators that speed service and features big windows on three sides. The 200-seat Princess Theater also will double as a conference center or for stage-productions.

The pool deck, however, may be one of the most successful areas on the whole ship. Two pools, one with a swim-up bar, are divided by a walkway and waterfalls. A raised platform offers four Jacuzzis.

Framing the center pool area on the forward end is the pizzeria (a Sitmar touch) and a small bar called Characters, with an indoor-outdoor, self-service cafe opposite at the aft end of the deck.

With the use of neon, pool lighting, live music and special evening activities, the area should receive about as much use after dark as in the daylight.

Two areas should be especially popular: the atrium, dominated by a 20-foot, kinetic, stainless steel sculpture, computer-programmed to move “like choreography,” by George Baker, a sculptor from Occidental College, and Windows on the World, a huge observation lounge high atop the ship with a 270-degree view through floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

The Star Princess will make its inaugural 10-day cruise in the western Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., on March 24, followed by alternate 10-day eastern Caribbean itineraries.

Beginning May 29 it will make 12-day round-trip cruises to Alaska from San Francisco.