Golden Princess at anchor off Cabo San Lucas. Photo © Aaron Saunders
As the second installment in what came to be known as the Grand Class, the 109,000-gross-ton Golden Princess shared with its sisters an impressive list of seagoing achievements, including the first swim-against-the-tide lap pool at sea, the largest casino afloat, the first wedding chapel at sea, and more private balconies than any other ship at the time.
But as noteworthy as the Golden Princess was, it actually was part of a much larger family tree that included three sisters of the same tonnage and four smaller sisters that together composed the Grand Class. Its influence was felt far beyond even those original seven ships, however; even the most recent offerings from Princess right up to the Ruby Princess are generally based on the blueprint of the Grand Class.