Carnival’s Princess Cruises Takes Delivery Of Cruise Ship Amid CDC's Extended No-Sail Order

Carnival’s (CCL) Princess Cruises took delivery of a new cruise ship on Thursday dubbed the Enchanted Princess.

The 145,000-ton ship was handed over in a ceremony at the Fincantieri Shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. The Enchanted Princess will carry 3,660 guests onboard, expanding the cruise line’s fleet of MedallionClass vessels, which includes sister ships – Regal Princess, Royal Princess, Majestic Princess, and Sky Princess

The arrival of the Enchanted Princess marks the 100^th ship to be built by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. Princess Cruises also took delivery of the first cruise ship that Fincantieri built back in 1990 – the Crown Princess. The Enchanted Princess is also the first ship to be completed during the coronavirus pandemic, which has stalled sailings through Oct. 31 as part of a no-sail order that was extended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday.

“We officially welcome Enchanted Princess into the Princess global fleet and recognize the strong bond between Carnival Corporation, Princess Cruises, and Fincantieri, our long-standing shipbuilder partner,” Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises, said in a statement. “Fincantieri shares the Princess spirit of delivering the highest level of excellence, and we know they will also share in our enthusiasm with pride when the ship welcomes its first guests.”

New to the cruise ship is an increased number of pools and whirlpool hot tubs, new dining experiences, additional entertainment venues, and enhanced Sky Suites with views from balconies. Guests will also be able to participate in expedited boarding, on-demand food and beverage options as well as retail and service delivery. There are also keyless stateroom entry, contactless payment, friends and family locator, anywhere wagering, interactive games, wireless internet, and movies and live TV on the go.

Princess Cruises said the Enchanted Princess is set to arrive in North America in December 2020. Here, it will sail a season of Caribbean cruises, which the cruise line is now taking reservations for.

“The heart and soul of the ship are always its team, and I know she is in good hands with our dedicated crew watching over her with great care and pride,” Swartz said. “We look forward to brighter days ahead, when we can officially welcome the first Enchanted Princess guests to enjoy all this beautiful ship has to offer.”

Shares of Carnival Cruises was trading at $14.95 as of 3:15 p.m. EDT, down 23 cents or 1.52%.