Sun Princess – Princess Cruises Unveils Park19 The Family Activity Zone

New top-deck family activity zone to debut onboard Sun Princess featuring Sea Breeze the first Rollglider on a ship

Princess Cruises newest ship to feature engaging family experiences, plus inclusive youth & teen centres

The most engaging family activity zone ever featured on a Princess cruise ship has been revealed today by Princess Cruises. Park19 will debut aboard the new Sun Princess, when the first Sphere Class vessel launches in February 2024. Located on the top decks of Sun Princess, Park19 features nine engaging activities for the entire family to enjoy in a newly envisioned space created for all generations.

“Park19, as the name suggests, is a new space created for all our guests, including activities to bring together multi-generational travel families in a location with spectacular views and fun outdoor activities for all,” said John Padgett, Princess Cruises president. “The new area was tailored based on guest feedback for more family and group activities spaces.”

Located on decks 19, 20, and 21, Park19 was envisioned for active guests and multi-generational families to explore and connect through inclusive and engaging activities, including:

  • Sea Breeze – Inspired by the dream of hang gliding but in a safe environment, the Sea Breeze is the first Rollglider on a cruise ship and takes guests high above to enjoy panoramic views of the ocean and breathtaking ports of call. Using an overhead track, guests are seated and harnessed to this electric ride which reaches speeds of up to 11 mph during the 60- to 90-second experience that is also ADA accessible.
  • Coastal Climb –On this climbing structure guests ascend from decks 19 to 20 through a series of obstacles. Once at the top, guests can take in the gorgeous views before sliding back down to the bottom.
  • The Lookout – At the top of the climbing structure, adventurers make their way to The Lookout open-air observation deck to take in stunning 360º views from the highest point available to guests onboard Sun Princess.
  • The Net – Harnessed above deck 19, guests are challenged to trek across unstable bridges, a z-shaped balance beam and climb cargo nets.
  • Infinite Horizon – For those who love heights, leaning tilt walls cantilevered over the side of the ship allow guests to peer out from deck 19 and look down to deck nine and beyond.
  • Hammock Area – Another first for Princess, relaxing hammocks allow Park19 visitors to take a break from exploring to hang out with family and friends.
  • Splash Zone – A whimsical splash area with pop jets and a beautiful water sculpture offer a refreshing and relaxing area to chill.
  • Recreational Court – From ping pong, shuffleboard, Xponential Fitness classes and morning meditation, a rotation of sports and wellness options will be offered to guests in this multi-function sports court.

Additional family-centric offerings onboard Sun Princess are found in the Youth & Teen Centres located on decks six and seven where activities and age-appropriate areas abound for all younger guests ages six months to 17 years. These complimentary areas include:

Firefly Park – For the youngest Princess guests, this imaginative space, located on deck six, invites youngsters ages six months to seven years old and their families to explore, play and socialise. This family centre is a place to play together or drop kids off for a programme of art projects, theme parties and group games. Firefly Park also invites families with babies and toddlers, ages six months to three years, to crawl and engage their senses with a dedicated play area. After hours group babysitting is available from 10 pm – 1 am for $5 per hour, for ages three – 12 years.

Neon Grove (tweens) and The Underground (teens) – Located on deck seven, two separate areas offer an inviting space for tweens and teens to hang out, socialise, and have fun. Both spaces feature colourful, comfy sofas and chairs for lounging, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch gaming consoles, plus air hockey, foosball, and skeeball. Programme activities for these age groups include ship scavenger hunts, movie nights, friendly competitions, and dance parties.

“These expanded offerings give younger cruisers plenty to explore and enjoy aboard Sun Princess, creating an even more family-friendly experience with something for everyone regardless of age,” Padgett added.

Like all Princess ships, Sun Princess is a MedallionClass ship helping families stay connected onboard via the OceanCompass shipmate locator and chat feature, along with MedallionNet, making it easy to share their experiences by posting photos and videos on social media.

Currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the 175,500-tonne, 4,300-guest Sun Princess will offer an array of exciting new dining, entertainment, and activity offerings, as well as luxurious staterooms and suites across a broad spectrum of categories. 

Take a look at these latest pictures of Sun Princess under construction the shipyard, taken by my friend Vladimir Tonic and shared on my blog with permission.

© Vladimir Tonic

© Vladimir Tonic

With the most balconies on any Princess ship, guests can take in the sunshine and crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean or Caribbean from the comfort of their cabin. The Dome, a transformational entertainment venue inspired by the terraces of Santorini, is the perfect place to relax and the three-storey Horizons Dining Room is sure to have everyone talking.

Inaugural 2024 Sun Princess cruises to the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Transatlantic and Europe are currently on sale. More ship information can be found at www.princess.com/sunprincess.

Are you booked on Sun Princess?, would love to hear if you are or plan to book a cruise on Princess’s stunning new ship.

Thank you for reading my latest post!

KEEL-LAYING CEREMONY HELD FOR CARNIVAL MARDI GRAS

Carnival MG keel laying-2367.JPG
Image: Carnival Cruise Line

In keeping with maritime tradition, a keel-laying ceremony was held yesterday at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, for Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras, which is set to debut in August 2020.

The ceremony, which dates back hundreds of years, was highlighted by the placement of coins placed on top of a 750-ton keel block called 3C signifying good luck for the ship and the official start of construction.  

Carnival’s Senior Vice President of Newbuilds Ben Clement and Mardi Gras Captain Giuseppe Giusa, Chief Engineer Ferdinando Ruocco and Hotel Director Pierre Camilleri joined Meyer Turku CEO Jan Meyer at the festivities. 

Mardi Gras will be a stunning expression of the Carnival holiday experience offering a variety of ground-breaking innovations, including BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea; the first seagoing restaurant by legendary chef Emeril Lagasse; and six themed zones with a wide range of culinary, beverage and activity choices.   Mardi Gras will also be the first cruise ship in North America to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), part of Carnival Corporation’s “green cruising” platform.

“This is a historic day for Carnival – the official start of construction of the spectacular Mardi Gras which will usher in an exciting new chapter for our company and introduce so many guest-pleasing innovations,” said Clement.

 “We have been very excited to design and now finally to start assembling Carnival Mardi Gras. All these different features onboard require a lot of engineering and design expertise which we have been happy to provide to our customer,” CEO of Meyer Turku Jan Meyer states.

 Mardi Gras is set to debut in Europe on 31st August 2020, then reposition to New York for a series of voyages before shifting to Port Canaveral for year-round Caribbean departures.

Carnival MG keel laying-2463.JPG
Image: Carnival Cruise Line

To learn more about Carnival Cruise Line, visit www.carnival.com. For reservations, call 0808 234 0680. Carnival can also be found on: FacebookInstagramTwitter and YouTube

 About Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is “The World’s Most Popular Cruise Line®” with 26 ships operating three- to 24-day voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Bermuda, Cuba, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia.  The line currently has three new ships scheduled for delivery – Carnival Panorama™ in 2019, Mardi Gras in 2020 and an as-yet-unnamed ship in 2022.