LACruiser88

Not for long, the Harmony Restaurant is being removed during the upcoming dry dock (March of 2025 in Palermo, Italy).

Yes, the Harmony Restaurant is a specialty dining venue.

September 26, 2024 3:09 PM EDT Star Princess Commemorates Construction Milestone with Float Out Ceremony Senior Officers Appointed Under Commodore Nick Nash and Captain Gennaro Arma FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Princess Cruises, the world-famous cruise line delivering dream vacations to millions each year, celebrated a major construction milestone today of its second Sphere-Class vessel, Star Princess, with the traditional maritime float out ceremony at the Fincantieri Shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. The new ship will now transfer to the outfitting quay where construction will continue in anticipation of her Fall 2025 debut. Honoring the hundreds-year-old seafaring custom, the float out celebrates the first time the superstructure of a new ship meets water for the first time. Third Engineer Chiara del Vecchio, who currently works aboard sister ship Sun Princess, served as the brand's madrina and became the first member of the Princess technical team to hold this time-honored role. "Today is a celebration of teamwork, craftsmanship, and innovation. Star Princess is the second ship in our new Sphere class, and now as she prepares to take to the water for the first time it is a testament to the incredible dedication and skill of the entire shipyard team," said John Padgett, Princess Cruises president. "Fincantieri has again turned vision into reality, building on the success of her sister ship - Sun Princess, which has already captured the hearts of our guests with its elegance and cutting-edge design. Together, we are creating amazing machines that will inspire adventure and deliver unforgettable experiences for all who sail with us for decades to come." Padgett also announced that Commodore Nick Nash and Captain Gennaro Arma, who both were on hand for the ceremony, will serve as masters of Star Princess. Arma will serve as master of Star Princess when the ship is delivered next fall ahead of Commodore Nash's turn at the helm. Additional Star Princess senior officers include: Chief Engineer Gaetano Guida who joined Princess Cruises in 2002 and was named chief engineer aboard Royal Princess in 2017. Guida was part of the team that delivered Sun Princess and continues to play an important role in guiding the construction and delivery of Star Princess from the Fincantieri shipyard. Chief Engineer Massimiliano Imperiale is a 15-year Princess Cruises veteran, having joined the company in 1999 as third engineer, with his first appointment as Chief Engineer in 2013 aboard Caribbean Princess. Staff Captain Chris King joined Princess in 2010 as a third officer, following several years working as a deck cadet on container ships. He was named Staff Captain in 2023 and currently serves in this capacity aboard Discovery Princess. Staff Captain Michele Russo has worked at Princess for nearly two decades, joining the company as a deck cadet on the since-retired Dawn Princess. After moving up through the ranks he was named Safety Officer in 2017 and his current position, Staff Captain, last year. Hotel General Manager Ralph D'Souza joined Princess in 2006 as a junior purser and was named hotel general manager in 2019. He has been part of the launch team for several ships, including the new Sun Princess, and was also part of the deployment team for the MedallionClass Experience in 2017. Hotel General Manager Bosco Pires has been a Princess Cruises hotel general manager since 2019 and has served on a variety of ships throughout the fleet. His nearly 25 years of specialized cruise industry experience has provided him with a solid foundation in both business and hospitality operations. The 4,300-guest, 178,000-ton Star Princess is the second in the new Sphere Class of ships for Princess and will also be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). Sister ship Sun Princess, also built by Fincantieri in Monfalcone, debuted in February and is hailed as the next-level Love Boat featuring the iconic and elegant structural lines Princess is known for, while delivering an evolution of the brand with new eye-catching architectural spectacles like The Dome, the cruise industry's first geodesic feature on the top deck; The Sphere, the suspended glass Sphere Piazza at the center of the cruise ship; and The Arena, the most technically advanced theater at sea. Voyages for the inaugural season of Star Princess are on sale now.

Except on the new Sun Princess. On the Sun, the Sanctuary is part of the Signature Collection amenities for suites, some mini-suites and a few balcony cabins. I forgot to add that the Signature Collection on the Sun Princess begins on October 14th.

The Majestic does not have a Sanctuary. In that location there is the Hollywood Conservatory. This is a totally enclosed area that is free to all on a first-come basis. The space has chairs, couches and lounge chairs. There have been "discussions" regarding converting this area to a Sanctaury in the unknown future.

In Palermo, Italy.

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Wow! Hopefully, no one was hurt...

We do the same thing.

Personally, I don't get the draw for a solar eclipse cruise??? 🤷‍♂️ But, there are many folks that do!

September 23, 2024 9:30 AM EDT Growing Popularity of Solar Eclipse Travel Inspires New Cruise Itinerary Aboard Sun Princess to View 2026 Spectacle Now Open for Booking—Sun Princess Joins Sky Princess in the Mediterranean with Several Itinerary Options to Witness this Phenomenon in the Sky FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Princess Cruises, the world's most iconic cruise line, has added a second Total Solar Eclipse cruise option, this one aboard its newest and most stunning ship – Sun Princess, when the next spectacle takes place in August 2026. The cruise company re-worked the itinerary of the Sun Princess voyage departing Barcelona on August 8, 2026 to position the ship off the coast of southern Spain on August 12, where eclipse devotees can marvel in the two minutes and 18 seconds of totality. With seven- to 21-day destination-rich Mediterranean voyage options departing from several popular ports, Sun Princess 2026 Total Solar Eclipse itineraries include six incredible sailings, appealing to all cruisers: Roundtrip from Rome: 21-day Best of the Mediterranean with Total Solar Eclipse - July 25, 2026: Port stops in Naples, Crete, Kusadasi, Mykonos, Athens, Santorini, Bar, Corfu, Sicily, Barcelona, Gibraltar, Cartagena and Florence/Pisa. Athens to Rome: 14-day Mediterranean with Total Solar Eclipse – August 1, 2026: From Athens to Santorini, Bar Corfu, Sicily, Barcelona, Gibraltar, Cartagena, Florence/Pisa, ending in Rome . Roundtrip from Athens: 21-day Best of the Mediterranean with Total Solar Eclipse – August 1, 2026: Visiting Santorini, Bar, Corfu, Sicily, Barcelona, Gibraltar, Cartagena, Florence/Pisa, Rome, Naples, Crete, Kusadasi and Mykonos. Barcelona to Rome: 7-day Mediterranean with Total Solar Eclipse – August 8, 2026: Departing from Barcelona to Gibraltar, Cartagena, Florence/Pisa, arriving in Rome. Barcelona to Athens: 14-day Mediterranean with Total Solar Eclipse – August 8, 2026: From Barcelona to Gibraltar, Cartagena, Florence/Pisa, Rome, Naples, Crete, Kusadasi, Mykonos, arriving in Athens. Roundtrip Barcelona: 21-day Best of Mediterranean with Total Solar Eclipse – August 8, 2026: Visit Gibraltar, Cartagena, Florence/Pisa, Rome, Naples, Crete, Kusadasi, Mykonos, Athens, Santorini, Bar, Corfu and Sicily. "Sun Princess truly lives up to its name, offering an out-of-this-world experience with a front-row seat for a total eclipse of the sun," said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises. "Following the incredible response to our solar eclipse voyages last year, we're thrilled to have both Sky Princess and Sun Princess providing guests with the unique opportunity to experience one of nature's most breathtaking spectacles." The Sun Princess 2026 Total Eclipse Voyage is on sale now. During the eclipse, Sun Princess guests will gather on the top decks with Princess safety glasses for viewing, and enjoy lectures from astronomy experts, themed treats and drinks, stargazing at night, solar system trivia and more. Guests are even encouraged to set up their own telescopes on deck and wear festive eclipse-themed apparel and accessories. The 14-day Total Solar Eclipse Mediterranean cruise onboard 3,560-guest Sky Princess sails August 8-22, 2026, roundtrip from Southampton, and visits seven historical and vibrant ports including Cherbourg, France; Bilbao, Spain, Malaga, Spain; Cartagena Spain; Gibraltar, Lisbon and La Coruña, Spain.

The below is what we always bring on our cruises, never had an issue. Hopefully, Princess does not ban them in the future. 🤷‍♂️

Below is a link to the Princess website re: Suite amenities... https://www.princess.com/en-us/ships-and-experience/ships/staterooms/suites

No, there was no Global Entry.

We are on the same sailing with you on the Coral and will also be leaving home a week before embarking. We have ordered our Medallions and usually we receive them a couple of weeks before the sail date. If they do not arrive in time, we will get them at the port. A couple of times when they did not arrive in time, they gave us an old fashion cruise card to board and then we had to go to GS for our Medallions. No big deal. See you in Singapore! 🙂