SUN PRINCESS
August 22, 2026 | Piraeus (Athens), Greece
On August 22, 2026, the Sun Princess (Princess Cruises) was in Piraeus, Greece, at the beginning of a Mediterranean cruise from Athens. Introduced in 2024 as the first of Princess Cruises’ new Sphere Class, the ship is easily recognized by the large glass Sphere built into the sides of her superstructure.
On August 22, 2026, the Sun Princess (Princess Cruises) was in Piraeus, Greece, at the beginning of a 21-night Mediterranean cruise from Athens. Introduced in 2024 as the first of Princess Cruises’ new Sphere Class, the ship is easily recognized by the large glass Sphere built into the sides of her superstructure.
At 177,882 gross tons, Sun Princess introduced an entirely new generation of ships for Princess Cruises. Built by Fincantieri in Monfalcone, Italy, she is significantly larger than the line’s earlier ships and introduced new spaces including the glass-enclosed Dome and three-level Piazza within the ship’s namesake Sphere.
Information List
Name: Sun Princess
Operator: Princess Cruises
Year Launched: 2023
Year Delivered: 2024
Shipyard: Fincantieri, Monfalcone, Italy
Class: Sphere Class
Length: 1,133 feet (345 meters)
Beam: 139 feet (42 meters)
Tonnage: 177,882 GT
Passenger Capacity: 4,300 passengers (lower berths)
Crew: Approximately 1,600
Guest Staterooms: 2,157
Decks: 21
Maximum Speed: 22 knots
Propulsion: Dual-fuel engines powered primarily by liquefied natural gas (LNG)
Sister Ship: Star Princess
Godmother: Hannah Waddingham
Facilities Include: The Dome, The Piazza, Princess Arena, Spellbound by Magic Castle, Sanctuary Collection, casino, spa, pools, restaurants, bars and lounges, shopping areas, and extensive outdoor decks
History and Features
Construction and Launch:
Sun Princess was constructed by Fincantieri at its Monfalcone shipyard in Italy as the first vessel in Princess Cruises’ new Sphere Class.
The ship was floated out at Monfalcone on March 8, 2023.
At the time of her construction, she was the largest passenger ship ever built in Italy.
She was also the first LNG-powered cruise ship constructed by Fincantieri.
The new class represented a significant increase in size from Princess Cruises’ preceding Royal Class.
Fincantieri developed the ship on a next-generation platform designed to accommodate approximately 4,300 passengers.
Her construction introduced a number of architectural elements not previously seen aboard Princess ships, most notably the glass Sphere incorporated into the center of the vessel.
Sun Princess was delivered by Fincantieri at Monfalcone on February 14, 2024.
Following delivery, additional technical work was completed before the ship began passenger operations.
Entry Into Service:
Sun Princess entered service in 2024 as the first member of Princess Cruises’ Sphere Class.
Her introduction marked the beginning of a new generation of significantly larger Princess ships.
Her early career included Mediterranean voyages followed by Caribbean service.
Actress Hannah Waddingham was selected as the ship’s godmother.
The Sun Princess name continues a long tradition within Princess Cruises and has previously been carried by earlier ships in the fleet.
The Sphere Class expanded to two ships with the introduction of sister ship Star Princess in 2025.
Design and Style:
The most distinctive architectural feature aboard Sun Princess is the Sphere, a large glass structure extending outward from both sides of the ship.
The Sphere surrounds the central Piazza and provides extensive views through large curved windows.
The Piazza spans three levels and serves as one of the primary gathering, dining, and entertainment spaces aboard the ship.
Its suspended glass design gives Sun Princess a profile unlike any previous Princess Cruises vessel.
More than 1,500 balcony accommodations provide private outdoor space throughout the ship.
Princess designed the vessel with an emphasis on natural light and views of the sea.
At 177,882 gross tons, Sun Princess is substantially larger than Princess Cruises’ earlier Royal Class ships.
The ship has 21 decks and 2,157 passenger staterooms.
Service:
Sun Princess began her career with Mediterranean cruises in 2024.
Following her initial European season, the ship also operated Caribbean voyages.
Her deployments have included Mediterranean, Caribbean, transatlantic, and other seasonal itineraries.
During the summer of 2026, Sun Princess returned to Europe for an extensive season of Mediterranean cruising.
Princess scheduled a variety of seven-, 14-, and 21-night itineraries during the season, allowing passengers to combine different Mediterranean regions.
Ports featured during her 2026 Mediterranean program included Piraeus, Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Naples, Santorini, Mykonos, Istanbul, Kotor, Corfu, Marseille, Genoa, and La Spezia.
On August 12, 2026, Sun Princess was positioned off the coast of Spain as part of a specially modified voyage allowing passengers to experience the total solar eclipse.
On August 22, 2026, the date of these photographs, Sun Princess was scheduled to begin a 21-night roundtrip voyage from Athens.
That itinerary included destinations in Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Spain, France, Gibraltar, and Turkey before returning to Piraeus.
As of September 2026, Sun Princess remains in active service with Princess Cruises, operating Mediterranean voyages before transitioning between seasonal deployments.
Environmental and Technical Features:
Sun Princess was the first Princess Cruises ship designed to operate primarily on liquefied natural gas.
She was also the first LNG-powered cruise ship constructed by Fincantieri.
Her dual-fuel propulsion system can operate using LNG or conventional marine fuel when necessary.
LNG significantly reduces sulfur oxide and particulate emissions compared with traditional marine fuels and also reduces nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide emissions.
The ship incorporates a new hull and propulsion platform developed for the Sphere Class.
Energy-efficiency measures are incorporated throughout the vessel to reduce fuel consumption.
Her construction represented an important technological step for both Princess Cruises and Fincantieri.
The Sphere and Piazza:
The Sphere gives the new class its name and is one of the defining visual features of Sun Princess.
The suspended glass structure extends outward from the ship and encloses the central Piazza.
The Piazza spans three decks and combines entertainment, dining, bars, and gathering spaces.
Large curved windows provide panoramic views from inside the ship.
The design represents a significant departure from the more traditional atriums aboard earlier Princess ships.
At night, lighting within the Sphere makes the structure an especially prominent feature of the ship’s exterior.
The Dome:
The Dome is a large glass-enclosed structure located high on the ship’s forward upper decks.
Its design was inspired by the terraces of Santorini, Greece.
During the day, the space functions as an indoor and outdoor pool and relaxation area.
The venue can transform at night into an entertainment space.
Performances developed with Cirque Éloize have been staged within the Dome.
The glass enclosure allows the venue to remain usable in a wider variety of weather conditions than a conventional open pool deck.
Entertainment and Features:
The Princess Arena is the ship’s primary theater and represents Princess Cruises’ most technologically advanced theater design.
The approximately 990-seat venue can be configured in several different arrangements depending on the production.
Sun Princess introduced Spellbound by Magic Castle, developed in partnership with Hollywood’s Magic Castle.
Spellbound combines close-up magic, themed rooms, theatrical elements, and specialty cocktails.
Princess Live! provides another dedicated entertainment and activity venue.
The ship also includes a casino, spa, fitness facilities, pools, shopping areas, and numerous bars and lounges.
More than 30 restaurant and bar venues are available throughout the ship.
Sphere Class:
Sun Princess is the first member of Princess Cruises’ Sphere Class.
Sister ship Star Princess joined the fleet in 2025.
Both ships were constructed by Fincantieri in Monfalcone, Italy.
The ships accommodate approximately 4,300 passengers at lower berths.
The Sphere Class represents the largest ships constructed for Princess Cruises.
The class introduced LNG propulsion to the Princess fleet.
Both vessels feature the distinctive Sphere, Dome, Piazza, and other architectural concepts introduced aboard Sun Princess.
The design represents a significant departure from the Royal Class that formed the backbone of Princess Cruises’ newbuild program during the previous decade.
Legacy:
Sun Princess introduced one of the most significant changes in ship design in Princess Cruises’ history.
She became the line’s first Sphere-class ship and its first vessel designed to operate primarily on LNG.
At the time of her construction, she was also the largest passenger ship ever built in Italy.
Her Sphere and Dome introduced architectural elements unlike those aboard previous Princess ships.
Her introduction established the design direction continued aboard Star Princess in 2025.
The ship also continues the historic Sun Princess name, which has been associated with Princess Cruises across multiple generations of vessels.
Her 2026 Mediterranean season included a particularly unusual chapter when the ship was positioned for passengers to experience the total solar eclipse of August 12.
These images from Piraeus on August 22, 2026, capture Sun Princess during the early years of her career and at the beginning of a 21-night Mediterranean voyage from Athens.
