On New Year’s Day, Princess Cruises participated in the annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, with the “Together in the Magic of Alaska” float. The creation celebrated the line’s new Star Princess — but the ship isn’t the only thing the brand is looking forward to.
During a recent media panel and interview, Gus Antorcha, president of Princess Cruises, highlighted myriad goals for the future. Here’s what travel advisors should know.
Differentiating Princess Cruises and Holland America Line
Antorcha said that he intends to help differentiate Princess from Holland America Line (HAL), which he previously helmed.
"Both [lines are for] guests who like a premium experience, and an elevated experience,” Antorcha shared during a one-on-one chat. “They're both for guests who value enrichment, and to travel the globe. But the experience is different, and the ships are different. I think [Holland America is] very focused on longer deployment than Princess. We don't have as much; we skew shorter. [But, our] entertainment is livelier than Holland America’s. Our guest is a little more animated, a bit younger — mainly because of the deployment.”
Antorcha further explained that Princess has a different mix of guests because the line is more international than HAL. For example, Princess has two ships in Japan as well as year-round deployment in Australia, whereas HAL only offers cruises seasonally in those destinations.
Princess Cruises Today
Today, the Princess Cruises fleet consists of 17 vessels navigating to 345 ports of call across seven continents. The line serves more than 2 million guests annually, with an average ship capacity of 3,320 passengers. It is the second-largest brand in the Carnival Corporation, coming in behind Carnival Cruise Line itself.
But who are the line’s passengers today? In the months leading up to Star Princess’ maiden voyage, research was conducted in order to better understand the core Princess guest. The data gathered shows that the line draws active cruisers age 50 and up, as well as cruisers who seek an elevated and elegant environment alongside like-minded fellow travelers who appreciate discovery, connection and enrichment.
"[Princess is] comfortable, not edgy,” said Antorcha. “[We’re] not trying to be hip. That’s not us.”
Nonetheless, Princess strives to present a lively atmosphere with engaging entertainment and live music venues that stay open later.
Deployment Plans
Princess is doubling up on its year-round deployment in Asia, in addition to other mainstays of the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. In Alaska — a longstanding destination for the line — the new Star Princess will be one of eight ships sailing the region in 2026.
The benefit of the Sun Class (Star is second in the series) is its ability to traverse the Panama Canal and to deliver Alaska trips on the brand’s latest hardware. And that hardware, or what’s onboard the ships, is something else that sets Princess apart from HAL, according to Antorcha.
"The Piazza [has] a lot of energy all day — it's the heart of the ship,” Antorcha said. “Holland America doesn't have that design, though [the line] still [has its] parties. The brands are complementary to each other.”
Into 2027, Princess will continue to increase deployments in Europe, Japan and Alaska.
Enhancements on the Horizon
Princess is an award-winning brand, but the leadership team knows there is still work to be done. To that end, a number of enhancements are on the horizon.
Princess plans to expand on its dining and bar experiences, including growing its zero-proof offerings, adding new Mediterranean and seafood concepts and rolling out Makoto Ocean (a special Japanese dining experience) to Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess. Clients can also look forward to new outdoor bar and eatery destinations.
Then, more collaborations with artists and celebrities — such as the one with Star Princess godparents Matthew and Camila McConaughey and his Pantalones Tequila — can be expected.
As for entertainment, Princess is planning more participatory events, expanded live music and the introduction of new shows. Additional activity enhancements will soon extend to a reboot of youth programs and an increased emphasis on celebrations. The latter makes sense, given that roughly half of the line’s guests are onboard celebrating something, from a family reunion to a birthday or anniversary.
Princess also intends to create signature moments, and it will further leverage its wearable Medallions to do so. The Medallions use location-based technology, and Antorcha teased that the tech could be used to create “special surprises” for guests.
