Princess Cruises Orders 2 Mega-Ships

The Los Angeles-based Princess Cruises said it has ordered two more mega-ships, which will increase the Princess fleet to 13 ships and 22,500 berths. The two yet-to-be-named ships will each cost about $425 million, weigh more that 109,000 tons and be able to carry up to 2,600 passengers. The ships, which are being built by the Fincantieri shipyard in Trieste, Italy, will be delivered in the spring and fall of 2001. Princess Cruises will take delivery of the world’s largest cruise ship, the 109,000-ton Grand Princess, in May. The Grand Princess, too fat to squeeze through the Panama Canal, will sail the Mediterranean in spring and summer before heading for the Caribbean for fall and winter. It is destined to be surpassed in size by superliners under construction.