Sea Princess, the identical triplet to the line's popular Sun Princess and Dawn Princess, debuted in December 1998, becoming the fourth ship in the company's $2.5 billion Grand Class® expansion. The 77,000-ton Sea Princess joins Sun Princess, launched in 1995, Dawn Princess, launched in 1997, and Grand Princess, the world's largest passenger ship, launched in May 1998.

Sea Princess, rising 14 stories, measuring 856 feet in length and costing more than $300 million, offers its 1,950 passengers the same choice in entertainment, dining and accommodations -- the hallmarks of Grand Class cruising -- as her two sister ships. Sea Princess features two state-of-the-art showrooms, two dining rooms, a 24-hour café, an ocean-view fitness center, a sports deck, 19 staterooms to accommodate disabled passengers, a $2.5 million dollar art collection and a teak promenade deck which encircles the entire ship. Sea Princess also offers an extensive number of staterooms with private balconies. Nearly 70 per cent of all outside staterooms -- a total of 410 -- include this popular feature.

"Since Sun and Dawn Princess have been in service, they have set a new standard of cruise experience," said Rick James, Princess Cruises' senior vice president of customer service and sales. "The variety of onboard choices offers freedom from regimentation and appeals to a variety of ages and interests. Best of all, these ships are designed to provide a multitude of options while maintaining the intimacy and feel of a much smaller ship."

Sea Princess continues the Grand Class concept introduced by her sister ships, allowing passengers considerably more choice than available on previous cruise ships. Passengers can dine whenever they want, selecting from a variety of restaurants, or ordering room service and relaxing on one of the ship's many balconies. Entertainment options abound, including Broadway-style productions in Princess Theatre, cabaret acts in Vista Lounge, as well as dancing in Rocky's Disco. Kids will never be bored with the constant activities scheduled in one of the two special areas designed just for them: the Fun Zone (for children) and Wired (for teens). Fitness buffs will find state-of-the-art workout facilities, golf addicts can work on their swing in the Princess Links golf simulator, and everyone can enjoy the ship's four pools and substantial deck areas.

Following Sea Princess, another ship, Ocean Princess, will join the Grand Class fleet in early 2000. In 2001, two more Grand Princess sister ships will debut, bringing the line's total number of Grand Class ships to seven, featuring 15,600 berths.

In December 1998, Sea Princess joined her identical sister ships, Sun Princess and Dawn Princess. Together they are the triplets of Princess' Grand Class® fleet. Sea Princess' popular two sisters have enjoyed three years of widespread acclaim. Here's what some very particular people -- the media -- have to say:

Redefining Cruising: Princess' Grand Class ships are about style and choice:

"For passengers who have complained about regimentation, the Sun Princess offers so many choices in everything from dining to sports to entertainment that now there is just about no reason not to consider a cruise." (Jerry Morris, Boston Globe)

"The idea is to appeal to the first-time cruisers and erase any stereotypes they may have about cruising. Get them to sail on the Sun Princess and they will be convinced there is no regimentation, nor will they be bored. It offers 'what you want, when you want it.' Something for every taste." (Mim Swartz, Rocky Mountain News)

Big-ship amenities, small-ship personality: Intimately designed spaces belie the true size of Sea Princess and her sister megaliners:

"No table-against-table crowding -- stylish separators and different levels create a series of small dining areas. No sea of chaise lounges on deck -- there are plenty to go around, but they are cleverly divided by deck levels and glass baffles. No straining to have a quiet tète-a-tète in a huge lounge with a large band -- there are several cozy little bars. No worry about missing your assigned seating time -- there's a 24-hour alternative dining room." (Jay Clarke, The Miami Herald)

"While her colossal size is one of the Dawn Princess' main claims to fame, this stylish ship has the atmosphere of a smaller vessel with enormous public spaces offset by plenty of cozy and intimate areas on each deck." (Janet Trebowski, Contra Costa Times)

Dining for every taste and every time: Sea Princess and her identical sisters offer dining choices that appeal to all palates, diets and schedules:

"I like this aspect of cruising, more flexibility at meal time. The 24-hour dining room also is where we can grab a midnight snack or a cup of coffee to warm us after standing on deck." (Julie Cooper, San Antonio Express-News)

"Perhaps the hardest decision one has to make is what and where to eat! With at least eleven daily meal and snack opportunities aboard, it's no wonder. Dining aboard a Princess cruise can literally turn into a morning-to-night experience." (Lisa Amore, The Quarterly Review of Wines)

Making balconies an affordable luxury: On Sea Princess and her sister ships, passengers find the chance for romance, privacy and relaxation on their own private balconies, which are available on 70 per cent (410) of all outside staterooms:

" ... most romantic spots on board: Your cabin with a private balcony. Open the sliding glass doors before retiring ... On a clear night you can see the stars and in the morning, wake gently with the dawn." (Gunna Bitee Dickson, New York Sunday Times)

"Standing next to your fellow passenger and leaning over the edge of the ship's railing ... is one thing, but standing with your special someone on your private balcony is another." (J.S. Fletcher & Kathy Newbern, Washington Sunday Times)

Now, that's entertainment: Onboard entertainment means a choice of venues, with two showrooms featuring all-original Broadway- and cabaret-style productions and seven lounges/bars for refreshments and dancing:

"The Princess Theatre ... make no mistake, this is not a lounge, but a real theatre with stage and acoustics duplicating the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles." (Ethel Blum, Travel Trade)

"As for the shows ... they also have a unique style and flair that incorporates the thrill of the most exciting places in the world into its original productions." (Violet Szilvas, Airline Ship & Catering Onboard Services Magazine)

All in the family fun: Kids and teens find fun and entertainment in Princess' two distinct, age-specific youth areas:

"One look at the Fun Zone children's center is enough to convince me that I want to come back someday with the kids. This free-flowing play center has computers, puppet theatres, arts and crafts centers and an indoor play area and covered pool for kids from 2 to 12. The ratio of children's hostesses to kids is about 2 to 1." (Vera Vida, The Patriot Ledger)

"Some of the children aboard our sailing burst into oohs and aahs at their first glimpse of the lollipop-bright Fun Zone ... Teens have their own Fast Lane with disco, video games and refreshment bar." (Shirley Slater & Harry Basch, Los Angeles Times)

Variety from ship to shore: Sea Princess and her sisters offer passengers as much choice ashore as they do aboard, with land excursions that meet everyone's tastes:

"Princess has some fabulous shore excursions designed for people of all ages, abilities and interests. All enable passengers to get close to nature on land, water and in the air." (Karen Goodwin, Travelage Mid-America)

"Princess Cruises is known for its extensive shore excursion program and the Alaska cruises are no exception." (Oivind Mathisen, Cruise Industry News)

In The White House:

• Three U.S. Presidents had different birthnames before entering the oval office: Bill Clinton (William Blythe); Gerald Ford (Leslie L. King); Ulysses S. Grant (Hiram Ulysses Grant).
• Three U.S. presidents died on July 4: Thomas Jefferson (1826); John Adams (1826); James Monroe (1831).

In The Sports Arena:

• Legendary boxer Muhammad Ali won three heavyweight championships: February 25, 1964; October 30, 1974; September 15, 1978.
• The Oakland Athletics are the only baseball team to have won three consecutive World Series: 1972, 1973, 1974.
• Two NBA teams have won three consecutive NBA championships: Chicago Bulls (1990-1993); (1995-1998); Minneapolis Lakers (1951-1954).
• Seven NBA players have been named Most Valuable Player three times or more: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6); Michael Jordan (5); Bill Russell (5); Wilt Chamberlain (4): Moses Malone (3); Larry Bird (3); Magic Johnson (3).
• U.S. speedskater Bonnie Blair won three consecutive Olympic Gold medals for the 500 meter speedskating event: 1988, 1992, 1994
• Eleven horses have won the Triple Crown, capturing the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes: Sir Barton (1919); Gallant Fox (1930); Omaha (1935); War Admiral (1937); Whirlaway (1941); Count Fleet (1943); Assault (1946); Citation (1948); Secretariat (1973); Seattle Slew (1977); Affirmed (1978).

In Hollywood:

Three of hollywood's most famous and successful film series have been trilogies:

• The Godfather, which won three Oscars (1972); The Godfather Part II (1974); The Godfather Part III (1990)
• Star Wars (1977); The Empire Strikes Back (1980); Return of The Jedi (1983)
• Raiders of The Lost Ark (1981); Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom (1984); Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

On the Television

Some of television's most successful sitcoms have created three spinoffs:

• The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970): Rhoda (1974); Phyllis (1975); Lou Grant (1975)
• All In the Family (1971); Maude (1972); The Jeffersons (1975); Archie Bunker's Place (1979)
• Happy Days (1974); Laverne & Shirley (1976); Mork and Mindy (1978); Joanie Loves Chachi (1982)

Around the World:

• Births of triplets in the U.S. more than doubled between 1989 and 1996, with 5,298 sets of triplets born in 1996
• Maddalena Granata of Italy holds the world record for the most sets of triplets in one family. She has given birth to 15 sets of triplets!
• In the U.S., 5,100,000 households have three children under 18 who are related either by birth, by marriage (stepchildren) or by adoption
• In Argentina there is a city called Tres Arroyos, which means "The Three Streams"
• Santa Domingo in Mexico is home to a national park called Los Tres Ojos, which means "The Three Eyes"
• Rome's most famous restaurant in the Piazza Navona is called I Tre Scaline, meaning "The Three Steps"

On The Stage:

• Three of the world's most famous opera singers have come together to tour the world as "The Three Tenors": José Carreras; Plácido Domingo; Luciano Pavarotti
• Over the course of four years, Audra McDonald won three Tony Awards for Best Featured Actress: Carousel (1994); Masterclass (1996); Ragtime (1998)

On The Page:

Many enduring and popular written tales have been trilogies:

• Lives of the Mayfair Witches by Anne Rice (The Witching Hour, Lasher, Taltos)
• Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (The Return of the King; The Two Towers; Fellowship of the Ring)
• Time Trilogy by Madeleine La Engel (A Wrinkle in Time; A Wind in the Door; A Swiftly Tilting Planet)

On The Radio:

Many popular artists and bands have written or performed songs that focus on threes or trilogies. Among them:

• Jimmy Buffet: Door Number Three
• Commodores: Three Times A Lady
• Tony Orlando and Dawn: Knock Three Times
• Bob Dylan: Three Angels
• Elton John: Three Way Love Affair
• Meat Loaf: Two Out of Three Ain't Bad
• The Police: One World (Not Three)
• Elvis Presley: Three Corn Patches; An American Trilogy
• Frank Sinatra: Three Coins in the Fountain
• Emerson, Lake and Palmer: Trilogy
• Tori Amos: Etienne Trilogy
• Joan Baez: Prison Trilogy
• Lyle Lovett: Texas Trilogy -- Bosque County Romance; Daybreak; Train Ride

Sea Princess was constructed by one of the largest and most advanced shipbuilders in Europe, the Italian Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani. A worldwide leader in shipbuilding with more than 200 years of experience, Fincantieri has built more than 5,000 ships since its inception.

The yard is also building three additional Grand Class® ships for Princess, which will debut by the year 2001. Ocean Princess (2000) will be a sister ship to Sea Princess, Dawn Princess and Sun Princess while two more have been designed as sister ships to Grand Princess (debuting spring and fall of 2001). The line's Grand Princess, Dawn Princess, Sun Princess, Regal Princess and Crown Princess were also constructed by Fincantieri. The latter two vessels marked the shipyard's re-entry into the modern-day cruise-ship building business.

The Merchant Shipbuilding Division of Fincantieri, responsible for the construction of Princess' new ships, operates one of the most advanced automated ship design centers in Europe. The center gives the company's design teams the capability to create technologically-advanced vessels combining the latest in efficiency and design concepts. The yard is also recognized for providing its shipbuilding customers with the highest quality interior finish.

Sea Princess was built at Fincantieri's Monfalcone shipyard, one of six yards in the company's shipbuilding division. Fincantieri, part of the IRI Group, operates two divisions, offering diversification in the merchant and naval shipbuilding, ship repairing and diesel manufacturing industry.

Sea Princess' senior officers bring a combined 127 years of experience between them to Princess Cruises' newest Grand Class® ship. This four-stripe team leads the new vessel's many departments as the ship begins a fall/winter/spring season of Western Caribbean cruises out of Ft. Lauderdale.

Serving as the new ship's master is Captan David Christie. A native of Edinburgh, Scotland who was raised in Kenya, Christie studied at the Nautical College Pangbourne and first took to the sea in 1966 as a cadet with P&O, Princess' parent company. In 1975 he joined Pacific Princess as a navigator, and has since served aboard Island Princess, Sky Princess, Star Princess, and the original Sun Princess and Sea Princess. He most recently served as captain of Royal Princess.

Giampietro Azzarelli is the chief engineer. Most recently relief chief engineer for Crown Princess and Regal Princess, Azzarelli is a 2-year veteran with the company, having joined Sitmar in 1977 as second engineer on Fair Star. Within two years, he was promoted to chief engineer. Following Princess' acquisition of Sitmar in 1988, he served as staff/chief engineer aboard Star Princess. He was promoted to chief engineer in 1990 and served aboard Star Princess until the ship was transferred to P&O and renamed Arcadia.

Cliff Brinkmann, most recently purser aboard Grand Princess, will serve in the same capacity aboard Sea Princess. A 31-year veteran with Princess, Brinkmann grew up in Holland and New Zealand and began his career at sea as an interpreter aboard passenger ships running between Amsterdam and Australia. He has since served as purser aboard nearly every Princess ship, including five vessels during their inaugural seasons -- Grand Princess, Dawn Princess, Sun Princess, Star Princess and Golden Princess. He also assisted ashore in the construction and delivery of several of the line's ships, including Sky Princess, Star Princess, Crown Princess and Sun Princess.

In his first new ship appointment as cruise director is Paul Burns. An entertainer who has toured Europe and Canada, Paul joined Princess in 1991 as an assistant cruise director aboard Sky Princess. He has since sailed on nearly every ship in the Princess fleet, and has served as cruise director on Regal Princess, Crown Princess, Royal Princess and most recently, Grand Princess. He currently resides in Manchester, England.

Nicolo Bommarco joins the Sea Princess team as staff captain. A 13-year Princess veteran, Bommarco began his career at sea with studies at the Nautical Institute Giorgio Cini in Venice. His prior duties have included assignments aboard Dawn Princess, Fair Princess, Star Princess, Regal Princess and most recently Crown Princess. He also has worked with the Sea Princess team during construction at the Monfalcone shipyard to ready the ship for delivery.

Directing Sea Princess' medical facilities is Dr. Grant Tarling. Born in Zimbabwe, Dr. Tarling was raised in South Africa and studied at Johannesburg's University of the Witswatersrand. After several years of medical practice in Durban, he joined P&O/Princess in 1991 with an assignment aboard Canberra, followed by Sky Princess and Pacific Princess. He has since served on numerous ships in the fleet, including Sun Princess, Dawn Princess and his most recent post aboard Grand Princess.

Rounding out the ship's team is Attilio Guerrini, who will serve as Sea Princess' relief captain. Originally from a small village in Tuscany, Guerrini first went to sea on a fishing trawler at age 14. In 1968, after graduating from Livorno Nautical Institute, her served two years in the Italian navy as a reserve officer on mine-sweeping units. Since joining the Princess family in 1981, he has captained Crown Princess, Star Princess and most recently, Regal Princess.

7-Day Western Caribbean Itinerary
Saturdays December 19, 1998 - April 17, 1999

7-Day Gulf of Alaska Itinerary
Alternate Saturdays May 15 - September 11, 1999

7-Day Gulf of Alaska Itinerary
Alternate Saturdays May 22 - September 18, 1999