Princess Cruises’ Golden Princess will enjoy a theatrical welcome to Melbourne this Friday, with two giant 20,000 sq ft golden curtains greeting the 108,000-tonne ship as she makes her maiden visit to her new homeport.
Carrying 2600 guests, Golden Princess will claim the mantle of the largest ship ever to be based in Melbourne when she arrives on October 30 for the start of a five-month season of cruises from the city.
To mark the occasion, two helicopters will position the golden curtains in front of Golden Princess as she sails toward the city in Port Phillip Bay soon after 6am. The largest ever seen in Australia, the curtains will then be drawn apart to reveal the ship to Melbourne.
Forty per cent larger than any other ship based in Melbourne, Golden Princess’ deployment is a measure of the growing popularity of cruising in Victoria in recent years.
Stretching 290 metres long, the 2600-guest Golden Princess has many standout features – including a nightclub suspended at the rear of the ship and reached by a moving walkway above the decks.
The ship also offers more than 1300 staterooms, four pools, nine whirlpools and 12 dining options. It is the first ship in Princess’ fleet to offer menu items by Curtis Stone, following the recent announcement of an exclusive partnership between the Melbourne-born chef and Princess Cruises.
SOURCE: Princess Cruises