Island Princess Celebrates 20 Years in Service

Island Princess

The Island Princess is completing 20 years in service this month.

Built in France by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard, the Princess Cruises vessel was christened on July 11, 2003.

The ceremony took place at Vancouver’s Canada Place Cruise Terminal and saw the Olympic Gold Medalists Jaime Sale and David Pelletier serving as godparents.

A day later, the cruise ship set sail on its first commercial voyage, kicking off a maiden season in Alaska and Canada.

During the 2003 summer, the Island Princess offered Princess’ traditional “Voyage of the Glaciers” itinerary.

At the time, the one-way cruise sailed between Seward and Vancouver, and included visits to Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. The week-long itinerary also featured scenic cruising at the Glacier Bay, with a stop at the College Fjord.

After completing its maiden program in Alaska, the Island Princess repositioned to Fort Lauderdale ahead of the winter season.

Starting in September, the vessel offered a series of roundtrip cruises to the Caribbean and Central America that included partial transits of the Panama Canal.

An identical sister to the Coral Princess, which entered service in 2002, the Island Princess can accommodate up to 1,950 guests in double occupancy.

With more than 700 balcony cabins, the 88,000-ton vessel offers different amenities and facilities, such as a casino, a two-deck theater, two pool decks, and a selection of dining venues.

Among its specialty options is the Bayou Café and Steakhouse, a New-Orleans-inspired specialty venue that serves traditional Cajun and Creole dishes.

After a major refurbishment in 2015, the ship also introduced new features, such as a revamped self-service restaurant and new staterooms.

Currently sailing in the Baltic Sea, the Island princess is set to spend the 2023 summer cruising in Northern Europe.

After a fall season in the Mediterranean, the ship repositions to North America ahead of embarking on Princess’ 2024 world cruise.

Setting sail from Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles, the 111-night global voyage is set to depart next January.

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