Princess Cruises' Star Princess completed its inaugural Alaska season in late September after 20 sailings that were expected to carry more than 90,000 passengers roundtrip from Seattle.

The LNG-powered vessel arrived at its Washington homeport in early May and operated itineraries calling at Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, with scenic cruising through the Endicott Arm, Dawes Glacier and the Inside Passage. At 175,500 gross tons and 4,000 passengers, the ship ranked among the largest vessels deployed in Alaska this summer.

How the ship fits Princess' Alaska capacity

The Star Princess sailed as one of nine Princess ships in the region this year. The brand's full Alaska program covered 180 departures from six homeports, calling at nearly 20 destinations. For sellers of Alaska product, the addition of the fleet's newest tonnage gave Princess a larger premium inventory base in a market where large-ship berths sell out early in peak shoulder months.

The deployment also anchors Seattle as a major turn port for the company, alongside its established West Coast operations.

Where the ship goes next

After a West Coast coastal cruise, the Star Princess began a repositioning voyage to Fort Lauderdale in early October. The 16-night cruise sailed from Los Angeles with calls at Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán, Panama City and Oranjestad, plus a full Panama Canal transit.

From Port Everglades, the vessel starts weeklong Caribbean cruises — a program that runs through April 2027, when the ship repositions again for a second Alaska summer season. That scheduling gives agents a two-year window of predictable big-ship Caribbean inventory from South Florida, followed by a known return to the Seattle-Alaska rotation.

A new flagship with a short track record

Fincantieri delivered the Star Princess in late 2025, making it the newest and largest ship in the Princess fleet. Its maiden season covered the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, sailing from ports in Spain and Florida, before an April repositioning through the Panama Canal to Seattle.

For trade partners, the ship's first Alaska season closes a first full year of revenue-generating operation for the platform. The 90,000-passenger expectation, stated before the season ended, has not yet been confirmed as a final figure — Princess has not released audited carryings for the deployment.

The confirmed forward picture: Caribbean from Port Everglades through April 2027, then back to Alaska for the summer, keeping the brand's largest tonnage split between its two highest-volume programs.