"Launched in 1965 with a single ship, the chartered Princess Patricia, Princess Cruises was acquired by the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) in 1974. In 1975 the company's Pacific Princess became the star of the world-famous TV series, "The Love Boat", making her one of the best-known cruise ships in the world.
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"Princess Cruises' fleet is among the industry's most contemporary; half of its ships have been launched in the 21st century."
Holland America Experience:
Princess Cruises is known for introducing innovative features, amenities and programs. Its Personal Choice Dining program, which permits passengers to opt for traditional set-seating dining or a more flexible open-seating plan, keeps getting better. In its most recent evolution, Diamond Princess features one traditional style dining room and four alternative-like eateries (Vivaldi for Italian, Santa Fe for Southwestern, Pacific Moon for Asian-fusion, and Sterling steakhouse). Personal Choice Dining is available on all ships except for Regal, Royal, Tahitian and Pacific Princesses.
Destination-wise, the breadth of itineraries is a great strength for Princess, whose ships offer everything from Caribbean to exotica like Africa and the Far East. It is an industry leader in Alaska/Northwest Canada, with not only one of the highest concentrations of ships sailing seasonally in that region but also for its pre- and post-cruise land options. Princess owns lodges in areas such as Denali, McKinley, Kenai and Fairbanks. It opened the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge. Princess continues to be a leader in the Mexican Riviera market and will have seven ships in Europe in 2007.
The cruise line also takes credit for the industry's first Cajun and Creole restaurants at sea (on Coral Princess and Island Princess respectively). Another innovation is its ScholarShip@Sea Program. Available on Coral, Island, Diamond and Sapphire Princesses, it features numerous educational- and hobby-oriented learning experiences in areas that range from cooking demos to digital photography. In addition, the company has also emphasized an affordable verandah strategy, particularly on its Grand- and Coral-class ships and beyond. Internet cafes have also been a relatively recent addition.
