Grand Princess Makes
By any standard, Princess Cruises' new Grand Princess is truly GRAND!
Just consider these eye-popping statistics:
1 -- The Grand Princess is the world largest cruise ship, at 109,000 tons, just a bit larger than the 101,000-ton Carnival Destiny. The elegant new ship, which made its debut in late May, is 951 feet long, 201 feet in height (49 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty) and 43 feet wider than the Panama Canal.
2 -- The Grand Princess is the world's most expensive cruise ship, costing about $450 million. By comparison, that's almost double the cost of the Pathfinder mission to Mars.
3 -- The ship will have 18 decks and be able to carry 2,600 passengers -- about four times the capacity of the original "Love Boat" -- the Pacific Princess. Of the 1,300 cabins, 928 are outside. The 208 suites (28 regular and 180 mini-suites) have private balconies as do 502 of the outside cabins.
4 -- There are three main dining rooms, skillfully subdivided so that none holds more than 470 diners, thus preventing a warehouse-like feeling. In addition, there's a Southwestern restaurant, an Italian pizzeria, a 24-hour cafe, an outdoor grill and a dozen other lounges and bars.
5 -- There are three show lounges, four swimming pools (one of which is a current pool), golf simulator, a tennis court, a volleyball/basketball court, a virtual-reality center that includes a motion-based ride and a library with CD-ROM computer terminals. And one final touch is appropriate for this successor to the "Love Boat" -- a Wedding Chapel. But unlike other lines, which allow weddings only in port, the captain of the Grand Princess now has the legal authority to perform marriages that will be recognized as valid in the United States. The wedding can be held in the chapel, which can hold about 35 guests, or elsewhere on the ship.
Despite all these public rooms, entertainment areas and other diversions, the Grand Princess still manages to retain the feel of a smaller vessel. There are no enormous rooms on the ship; the emphasis is on a world of activities and entertainment, but all spread throughout the ship.
On such a vessel, passenger flow and management is important. The Grand Princess has two passenger embarkation areas, with passengers directed to the one closest to their stateroom. Passengers are assigned the dining room nearest their cabin.
The Grand Princess will make 12-day cruises between Istanbul and Barcelona this summer. In the fall, the ship moves to this hemisphere and will make seven-day cruises from Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean in the fall. For more information, see a travel agent or call 1-800-774-6237.