Senior Officers Appointed Under Commodore
Nick Nash and Captain Gennaro
Arma
FT.
LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 26,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Princess Cruises, the
world-famous cruise line delivering dream vacations to millions
each year, celebrated a major construction milestone today of its
second Sphere-Class vessel, Star Princess, with the traditional
maritime float out ceremony at the Fincantieri Shipyard in
Monfalcone, Italy. The new ship
will now transfer to the outfitting quay where construction will
continue in anticipation of her Fall 2025 debut.
Honoring the hundreds-year-old seafaring custom, the float out
celebrates the first time the superstructure of a new ship meets
water for the first time. Third Engineer Chiara del Vecchio,
who currently works aboard sister ship Sun Princess, served as the
brand'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 both were on hand
for the ceremony, will serve as masters of Star Princess. Arma will
serve as master of Star Princess when the ship is delivered next
fall 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-ton Star Princess is the second in
the new Sphere Class of ships for Princess and will also be powered
by liquefied natural gas (LNG). Sister ship Sun Princess, also
built by Fincantieri in Monfalcone, debuted in February and is
hailed as the next-level Love Boat featuring the iconic and elegant
structural lines Princess is known for, while delivering an
evolution of the brand with new eye-catching architectural
spectacles like The Dome, the cruise industry's first geodesic
feature on the top deck; The Sphere, the suspended glass Sphere
Piazza at the center of the cruise ship; and The Arena, the most
technically advanced theater at sea.
Voyages for the inaugural season of Star Princess are on sale
now.
More information about Princess Cruises is available through a
professional travel advisor, by calling 1-800-Princess
(1-800-774-6237) or by visiting www.princess.com.
About Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises is The Love Boat, the world's most iconic cruise
brand that delivers dream vacations to millions of guests every
year in the most sought-after destinations on the largest ships
that offer elite service personalization and simplicity customary
of small, yacht-class ships. Well-appointed staterooms, world class
dining, grand performances, award-winning casinos and entertainment, luxurious spas,
imaginative experiences and boundless activities blend with
exclusive Princess MedallionClass service to create meaningful
connections and unforgettable moments in the most incredible
settings in the world - the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera,
Europe, South America, Australia/New
Zealand, the South Pacific, Hawaii, Asia,
Canada/New
England, Antarctica, and World Cruises. The company is part of
Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:CCL; NYSE:CUK).
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/star-princess-commemorates-construction-milestone-with-float-out-ceremony-302260410.html
SOURCE Princess Cruises