Island Princess Inaugurates New Canada Place Facility to Reduce Air Emissions

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (August 31, 2009) – Today Island Princess helped inaugurate the Port of Vancouver’s new shore power facility by turning off its engines and instead “plugging in” to clean hydroelectric power from shore.

The new shore power technology at the Canada Place cruise ship terminal enables Princess Cruises’ ships, and other equipped vessels, to use power from the city’s grid instead of the onboard diesel-powered engines, reducing emissions when docking in Vancouver.

The port becomes the third in the world where Princess Cruises’ ships can take advantage of this innovative technology. The new shore power installation is the very first use of this technology in Canada and is the result of a $9 million cooperative partnership among Port Metro Vancouver, Transport Canada, Western Economic Diversification Canada, British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, British Columbia Hydro, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises.

"We’ve been committed to shore power for many years, so we’re pleased we can now ‘plug in’ our ships at Port Metro Vancouver," said Charlie Ball, president of Princess Tours. "We know that local air quality issues are important to the community, and we’re proud to join with all those involved in realizing this important environmental initiative."

Princess’ shore power program made history when it debuted in Juneau, Alaska in the summer of 2001. It expanded to Seattle in summer 2005 and is planned to roll out in other ports that have made commitments to the technology, including Los Angeles and San Francisco. Currently nine of the line’s ships are outfitted with the capability to "plug in" to a shoreside power source.

Four Princess ships will use shore power in Vancouver during the remainder of the 2009 Alaska season. The vessels – Coral Princess, Diamond Princess, Island Princess and Sapphire Princess – sail on seven-day Gulf of Alaska cruises.

To create this unique power system, Princess has outfitted its ships with custom-built connection cabinets that connect the ship’s electrical network to the local electrical system ashore. Since 2001, Princess has invested nearly $7 million in equipment alone to enable its vessels to connect to shore power. The ships currently equipped with this technology include:

• Coral Princess
• Dawn Princess
• Diamond Princess
• Golden Princess
• Island Princess
• Sapphire Princess
• Sea Princess
• Star Princess
• Sun Princess

Also known as "cold ironing," shore power uses electrical power transmitted from a landside transformer to the vessel via four 3½-inch diameter flexible electrical cables. The actual cable connection on a vessel is a traditional, though quite large, plug and socket. The length of time needed to connect a ship to shore power and shut down the vessel’s diesel generator is approximately 40 minutes. Once connected, the ship’s engines are powered down and, simultaneously, the necessary amount of power, provided by BC Hydro, will be used to run the ship’s services while in port.

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Princess Continues to Give Behind-the-Scenes Peak at Ship Refurbishment with

Sea Princess Drydock Journal

                               Latest Ship Remodel Chronicled with Daily Online Updates

 SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (September 14, 2009) – The enthusiastic following for Princess Cruises’ recent online drydock journals for Golden Princess and Dawn Princess, has prompted yet another installment for Sea Princess’ current drydock.  Visitors to www.princess.com can follow along through September 25 as the ship receives new interior furnishings and finishes, fresh hull paint and exterior refurbishment, plus the addition of the line’s adults-only Sanctuary.

The Sea Princess Drydock Journal features regular updates of the work in progress at BAE Systems San Francisco Ship Repair at Pier 70 in San Francisco.  The journal can be found on the Sea Princess page in the website’s “Ships” section, and it will be regularly updated throughout the ship’s two-week drydock.  The photos will also be posted to Princess’ Twitter feed, Facebook page and Flickr photostream.

“We’ve received great feedback from passengers who have enjoyed following along with these drydock journals, and have gained a new appreciation for the work that goes into maintaining our vessels,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president.  “Viewers love watching how quickly ships are transformed when in drydock.”

When Sea Princess emerges from the drydock, the ship will feature the opportunity to get away from it all in the tranquility of The Sanctuary, Princess’ signature adults-only retreat featuring plush padded lounge chairs and the services of dedicated Serenity Stewards.  Visitors to this exclusive space can enjoy refreshing beverages and light snacks or listen to a relaxing playlist of music.

Other changes viewers will see throughout the drydock include a remodeled photo gallery area, the installation of new carpet and upholstery, plus a rare view of the bottom of the ship’s hull as it receives several new coats of silicone paint.

Once out of drydock, Sea Princess will transit the Panama Canal on her way to the Caribbean to begin a series of 14-day cruises from Barbados.

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Royal Caribbean International has added an alpine coaster called Dragon’s Tail Coaster to Labadee, its private beach in Haiti. President and CEO Adam Goldstein announced the addition on his blog. He said similar attractions exist at some ski resorts but not at cruise lines’ private destinations. On Labadee, guests rise up from the beach on Santa Maria’s lookout mountain. “Once you reach 680 feet, you’ll have just enough time to catch your breath and marvel at the view before turning and whooshing down at 30 mph. As you race through 360-degree turns as well as dips, waves and curves, you can catch glimpses of the ocean,” Goldstein wrote. “Roaring down the gorgeous mountainside forest, this alpine coaster is one thrilling ride you and your family will be talking about long after you get home.”

The minimum age to be a single rider is 12 years old. Children between the ages of 5 and 11 may ride in the same cart with their parent/guardian. Maximum occupancy per cart is two people with a maximum combined weight of 360 pounds. Total ride time is approximately three to five minutes. Those who purchase a ticket can take someone else in their cart for free. Price is $35.

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Royal Protection

Royal Caribbean International is reminding vacationers that they can enjoy the benefits of booking early and the peace of mind of receiving the best advertised prices with the line’s Best Price Guarantee program. By booking early, vacationers have access to a much wider selection of staterooms and availability on their desired departure date. If the guest then finds a lower fare advertised by Royal Caribbean for the same ship, sail-date and stateroom category, they can receive the difference in price as an onboard credit to spend on beverages, cocktails, spa services, specialty dining and other shipboard purchases. Any dollars not spent will be refunded at the conclusion of the cruise.

“Best Price Guarantee gives guests peace of mind, allowing them to plan ahead, book early and get the staterooms and excursions that they want with no worries that a better deal will come along after they’ve committed,” said a Royal Caribbean spokesperson.

Guests can take advantage of Royal Caribbean’s Best Price Guarantee immediately from the time of booking to up to 72 hours prior to sailing. If after the cruise is booked, a qualifying advertised lower price is found, their cruise specialist at Cruise Planners will advise the cruise line. The difference in pricing will be provided in the form of an onboard credit. For reservations outside of the final payment period, onboard credit may be replaced, upon request, with a reduction to guests’ outstanding balance or a refund, as applicable. A limited number of pricing programs are excluded from the Best Price Guarantee program and it does not apply to group bookings.

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Ship Shape Shopping

Delivering the very best in overall guest experiences is the central motivator behind the design of Royal Caribbean International’s newest ship, Oasis of the Seas. When she debuts in December 2009, the most cutting-edge amenities and activities ever seen at sea will be complemented with a variety of retail venues – 13 stores, including open-air shopping that cover more than 10,000 square feet. With many products exclusive to Oasis, the shopping experience will be one of a kind in terms of both the items offered and the setting on the largest and most revolutionary cruise ship in the world. Guests of all ages and styles will find their retail therapy of choice in outlets that range from children and teen-favored shops to jewelry and duty-free stores for adults.

            Not only will Oasis of the Seas provide the broadest selection of boutiques and shops industry wide, but several international brands also will be making their debut. Perhaps the most eagerly awaited store onboard will be Coach. Located in the Central Park neighborhood, the iconic maker of luxury leather goods will unveil its first dedicated store at sea. Custom built to the brand’s standards, the Coach store will showcase the signature line of beautifully crafted designer handbags, leather goods, sunglasses and scarves. Among the recognizable jewelry and clothing designers establishing a presence at sea for the first time are Breitling, watches that are instruments for professionals, and Italian jewelry designer Pianegonda, as well as apparel companies including Lucky Brand, Eileen Fisher, DC Apparel and Forest & Fauna, makers of 100% organic t-shirts and garments. Oasis of the Seas also will carry a number of brands never before seen in the Royal Caribbean fleet, including elegant jewelry from Roberto Coin, Charriol and Yvel, as well as offer long-time favorites, such as cosmetics by iconic brands Chanel and Christian Dior, among many others.

            The next generation of cruise enthusiasts will have their choice of stores throughout the Boardwalk neighborhood to satisfy anything from clothing and gadget needs to a sugar fix. Star Pier will be an interactive, hybrid shop touting an electronics wall adorned in the latest technology, tween and teen apparel by Roxy, Quiksilver and DC Apparel, as well as a DJ station and Nintendo Wii game area making it a truly innovative shopping experience. Younger cruisers will be drawn to Pinwheels featuring everything from clothes and toys by kid-favored brands, such as Crayola, to impromptu playtime in the store’s dedicated area equipped with LEGO stations and a number of other popular games.  Candy Beach will be the ultimate boardwalk candy store, offering more than 72 varieties to mix and match into a customized candy grab bag, as well as vintage candy treats from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s.

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