Onboard the Princess Cruise Ships. The Crown Grill steakhouse is a new – and welcome – addition to Grand Princess. Photo courtesy of Princess Cruises
Onboard, passengers will find a soothing and inviting mélange of influences, as Princess combines many different styles into a unique shipboard culture. Its California roots are evident in the line’s light and airy color schemes and interior décor. A British element permeates its officer corps, the result of a longtime association with P&O Cruises, the historic Peninsula and Oriental Steam Navigation Company founded in 1837. An Italian flair marks its dining experience due in part to an acquisition of Sitmar Cruises many years ago. Now part of Carnival Corporation, it is an internationally recognized brand name that does just about everything exceptionally well.
Movies Under the Stars, or MUTS, was one of Princess Cruises’ most popular innovations. Photo © Aaron Saunders
Princess has long been an innovator when it comes to redefining the cruise experience. They were among the first lines to popularize private verandahs for everybody (in 1998 aboard the Grand Princess ), and more recently, they have introduced “Movies Under the Stars” on big poolside LED screens (in 2004 aboard the Caribbean Princess ) and adults-only sanctuaries two year later (in 2006 aboard the Crown Princess )—both features imitated and adopted by other lines. The ScholarShip@Sea program raised the bar for onboard enrichment with up to 40 classes on every sailing. Passengers can choose from a range of topics—everything from cooking to computers to cameras to ceramics.