The Star Princess, the highly anticipated 4,300-passenger cruise ship, has experienced a setback in its inaugural season. Princess Cruises, in conjunction with shipbuilder Fincantieri, has decided to delay the delivery of the vessel. As a result, nine cruises have been canceled much to the disappointment of passengers who were eagerly awaiting their voyages.
John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises, cited the need for additional time to ensure that the Star Princess is delivered to the highest standards expected by guests. Despite the collective efforts and dedication, it became evident that more time was necessary to complete the remaining construction milestones.
New Inaugural Sailing
The Star Princess is now expected to be delivered on Sept. 26, 2025, with the new inaugural sailing set for Oct. 4, 2025. Passengers can look forward to an 11-day Mediterranean roundtrip cruise departing from Barcelona. Subsequent sailings include a seven-day cruise in the Mediterranean and a 14-day transatlantic crossing to Fort Lauderdale. Bookings for these sailings will open for sale on April 30.
Princess Cruises has offered guests booked on the impacted voyages the option to book any Princess cruise worldwide. Those who choose to rebook will receive a future cruise credit and onboard credits based on the new cruise selection. Alternatively, guests have the option to cancel their bookings and receive a full refund of the cruise fare.
Previous Delay
This is not the first delay experienced by Princess Cruises for its Sphere-class ships. The Sun Princess, the sister ship of the Star Princess, was initially scheduled to begin sailing in early February but faced a similar delay in its delivery.
The postponement of the Star Princess’ delivery has left passengers disappointed and eager for updates on the new sailing schedule. Princess Cruises is working diligently to ensure that the ship is delivered to the highest standards and that guests’ expectations are met. While the delays are unfortunate, the cruise line is committed to providing passengers with alternative options and full refunds if needed.