Royal Princess and former Sea Princess to trade companies

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Was not sure if this has appeared on the board....


PRINCESS CRUISES TO TRADE SHIPS WITH SISTER COMPANY IN 2005
P&O Cruises' Adonia to Re-Join Princess Fleet as Sea Princess *** Royal Princess Departs for P&O Cruises to Serve British Cruise Market

Today Princess Cruises announced that the P&O Cruises ship Adonia will be transferred to the Princess Cruises fleet and renamed Sea Princess. In a trading of ships that will support Princess' modernization program and trademark onboard product, Royal Princess will become a P&O Cruises ship serving the British cruise market. Both changes will occur in May 2005.
The 1,950-passenger Sea Princess was originally built for Princess and entered service for the company in 1998 under the same name. It was transferred in April 2003 to P&O Cruises to support the UK's growing cruising industry. The vessel is one of the line's popular Sun-class ships, which set a new standard for cruise ship design and onboard flexibility in the mid 1990s.

The 1,200-passenger Royal Princess has been sailing under the Princess banner since 1984, and was the first cruise ship to feature all outside cabins. The ship also launched Princess' efforts to provide as many passengers as possible their own private balcony, an amenity that has been prominently featured on every Princess ship built since. Royal Princess will be converted to a British-style vessel prior to entering service for P&O Cruises.

"The Sea Princess was originally built by Princess to support our philosophy of big ship choice with a small ship feel, including multiple dining and entertainment venues," said Alan Buckelew, president of Princess Cruises. "It expanded our commitment to a brand-new style of cruising, and it also helped develop the British market when it needed new modern ships to begin a course of growth. We're delighted to have her back again, and we are planning some unique itineraries appealing to both the American and British market." The ship is currently scheduled to operate UK-based cruises in the summer and 14-day Caribbean cruises in the winter.

Commenting on the transfer of Royal Princess Buckelew said, "After over 21 years of excellent service to Princess Cruises, Royal Princess will be transferred to P&O Cruises for the next stage of its career. This beautiful ship is one of the most beloved in our fleet and, in fact, has a large following of British passengers. While very successful for us, the ship features a design that is less flexible in terms of the dining and entertainment options our passengers have come to expect from Princess." He added that the company looks forward to an excellent farewell season and anticipates these last sailings as a Princess vessel will attract a large number of Royal Princess' long-time fans.