Karl WP Beyer 
At the beginning of April 2017, 18 cruise ships were sailing under the shipping flag of zur Carnival group belonging premium brand Princess Cruises. The ships, which can hold between 672 and 3.560 passengers, have a total capacity of more than 40.000 beds. Two million passengers are drawn on board Princess ships every year. They navigate around 150 routes on the world's oceans and dock in more than 300 ports around the world.
Princess Cruises - Regal Princess leaves Fort Lauderdale
The development of the shipping company began in 1965. At that time, a certain chartered Stanley B McDonald a passenger ship named Princess Patriziato offer cruises from Los Angeles along Mexico's west coast. Due to the lack of air conditioning, the ship was not really suitable for cruises under the Mexican sun. The company's start was a solid failure, but in retrospect it turns out to be the beginning of a lasting success story.
Princess Cruises - Island Princess
The Princess Patrizia was followed two years later by the more suitable for cruises Princess Italy. The small fleet was eventually still around Princess Carla extended.
Princess Cruises - Grand Princess
In 1974 the company was acquired by the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) accepted. Under the name of P&O Princess Cruises the business was successfully developed.
The company benefited significantly from the popular US television series love boat The episodes played on ships of the shipping company, namely the Pacific Princess and the Island princess. Millions of TV viewers got to know cruises for the first time as an attractive form of travel in this way.
Princess Cruises - Sapphire Princess in Ketchikan / Alaska
By taking over the Italian shipping company SITMAR Cruises in 1988 the P&O Princess Cruises expanded further. This merger made P&O Princess Cruises one of the largest American cruise companies. The autumn of 2000 then saw the separation and independence of the operating part P&O Princess Cruises plc.
Princess Cruises - Ruby Princess in Fort Lauderdale
The company headquarters was after Santa Clarita / California relocated and since then the Princess ships have been registered in Hamilton / Bermuda. Only two ships sail under the British flag. After another three years, the took over Carnival Corporation & plc the shipping company for a purchase price of $ 5,4 billion. Princess Cruises was then merged with Carnival and has been operating as a premium brand under the umbrella of the first-class ever since Holland America Group. The company is managed by Jan Black. The manager has held high management positions in the company for almost 20 years.
As a brand symbol, all Princess ships carry the symbol of a sea witch on the chimney. In the coming years, this landmark will also be used as hull painting on all ships.
Majestic Princess - hull painting - sea witch
The Princess Cruises fleet is divided into eight classes. In the most recently introduced Royal Class shunt the most magnificent and largest ships of the shipping company. They are Royal Princess, the Regal Princess and the one that was added in April 2017 and was specially developed for the Chinese market Majestic Princess.
Majestic Princess in the roadstead in front of Kotor / Montenegro
These cruise ships are each 330 meters long and 36 meters wide; their GT is 141.000 and more. The number of cabins and suites is given as 1.780; with double occupancy this corresponds to 3.560 passengers. - Apparently there is a growing need for these ships. In the meantime, three more ships of this class were at the shipyard Fincantieri SpA. ordered.
(Karl Beyer - Update April 2017)
