Princess Cruises today announced plans to expand its presence in Sydney, with its 3,560-guest Regal Princess set to sail alongside sister ship, the Majestic Princess out of Sydney.

The 141,000-ton Regal Princess will be deployed out of Sydney for her maiden Australian season from December 2020 to April 2021.

The move follows growing demand for cruise holidays, and represents a 40 percent increase in Princess Cruises’ capacity from Sydney compared with the line’s current 2018-2019 summer season, the company said. 

Princess Cruises’ Senior Vice President Asia Pacific, Stuart Allison said: “Further to the incredible response to Majestic Princess’ maiden season in Australia, I’m delighted to now share that Regal Princess, will also call Sydney home in the Summer of 2020. Not only will this be the first time in history that Princess Cruises has deployed two Royal-Class ships from the same homeport outside the Caribbean, but it will be the biggest deployment we’ve ever had in Sydney.”

The Regal Princess will sail from Rome to Sydney on a voyage crossing four continents, with the itinerary on sale from November 20, 2018.

A more detailed deployment for Regal Princess from Sydney will be announced in late March 2019.

With five of its 18-strong fleet cruising down under in 2019, Princess Cruises ranks Australia as its biggest market outside the United States.