The Caribbean Princess is celebrating a significant milestone in 2024, marking its 20th anniversary of service since its launch in April 2004.
This vessel, a notable member of the Princess Cruises’ Grand Class series, accommodates 3,100 guests and was constructed at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy. The Caribbean Princess boasts a unique design with a slightly larger structure than its earlier counterparts, featuring an additional deck of cabins.
Designed specifically for sailing in the Caribbean and other warm climates, this ship distinguishes itself from its sister ships with several modifications suited for tropical destinations. These include expanded open deck areas, an extra outdoor pool deck, and a new open-air dining venue.

The Caribbean Princess initiated its inaugural season with a year-long schedule in the Caribbean, embarking on seven-day cruises from Fort Lauderdale. The ship’s christening was performed by Jill Whelan, known for her role in “Love Boat,” in a special ceremony at Port Everglades on April 2, 2004.
Over the past two decades, while primarily navigating Caribbean waters, the Caribbean Princess has also ventured into Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Canada & New England regions. From 2024 to 2026, it is set to continue its journey, offering summer itineraries in the British Isles and Alaska, along with spending the winter seasons back in the Caribbean.
This December, the Caribbean Princess is scheduled to inaugurate Princess Cruises’ service in Port Canaveral, initiating a series of six- to fourteen-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.
The Grand Class fleet of Princess Cruises, besides the Caribbean Princess, includes the Grand Princess (built in 1998), the Golden Princess (built in 2001), and the Star Princess (built in 2002), with the latter two having been repositioned to P&O Cruises Australia in 2021 as the Pacific Adventure and the Pacific Encounter, respectively.
The Caribbean Princess is part of an extended family of ships based on a similar design, which between 2006 and 2010, saw the addition of five more vessels: the Ruby Princess, the Emerald Princess, the Crown Princess, the Ventura, and the Azura, with the last two currently operating under P&O Cruises in the United Kingdom.