The keel laying of the Star Princess took place in Monfalcone today, Fincantieri announced in a press release.

Following the Sun Princess, the vessel is set to become the second in the new Sphere Class and will be operated by Princess Cruises, a Carnival Corporation brand.

Both cruise ships are dual-fuel, Fincantieri said, and primarily powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the cleanest marine fuel currently available on a large scale in the market.

The Star Princess will accommodate 4,300 guests and, like the Sun Princess, is based on a next-generation platform design. The Sun Princess will be delivered in Q1 2024, the shipyard added, while the Star Princess is scheduled for delivery in 2025.

The 175,000-ton ship is then set to kick off its inaugural season on August 4, 2025. Along with the Sun Princess, the Star Princess is set to offer a series of itineraries in the Mediterranean and Southern Europe.

Celebrating Princess Cruises’ 40th anniversary in the region, the program features a nine-day Grand Mediterranean itinerary that sails to Italy and Greece, in addition to a series of 10-day cruises to Greece, Italy and Spain, sailing roundtrip from Rome, with calls in La Spezia, Barcelona, Mykonos, and more.

Other destinations being visited by the ship during its maiden season include Kotor, in Montenegro; Istanbul, in Turkey; Marseille, in France; Santorini, in Greece; Gibraltar, in the United Kingdom; and Messina, in Italy.

In October, before crossing the Atlantic Ocean for its North American debut, the Star Princess is also set to offer a ten-night cruise to Southampton, England.

Departing from Barcelona, the one-way itinerary features visits to Palma de Mallorca, Cádiz, Málaga and Vigo.

Following a 16-night repositioning voyage, the Star Princess is set to arrive in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 5, 2025.

Before arriving in Florida, the ship pays visits to a total of five destinations in England, Spain, and Portugal.