Diamond Princess

Catapulted to Love Boat stardom with advent of the hit television show, Princess Cruises – its signature emphasis now on Personal Choice Cruising -- specializes in providing customized cruise experiences with a modern love boat full of choice in dining, entertainment, amenities and more. By 2006, the Princess fleet will have 15 ships at sea, all stemming from modest 1965 beginnings when a single ship sailed to Mexico. Princess has since grown to a fleet carrying more than 800,000 passengers each year to more places worldwide than any other major cruise line. The smash weekly Love Boat series, starring a ship now retired from the fleet, introduced millions of viewers to the concept of sea-going vacations. Both the Princess name and its “seawitch” logo have been top of mind within the realm of cruising ever since. The modern Princess fleet, now part of Carnival Corporation, has grown to include Coral Princess (2003), Dawn Princess (1997), Diamond Princess (2005), Island Princess (2003), Pacific Princess (1999), Regal Princess (1991), Royal Princess (1984), Golden Princess (2001), Grand Princess (1998), Star Princess (2002), Sun Princess (1995) and Tahitian Princess (1999). Four more ships joining in the pipeline help keep the fleet as one of the most modern on the high seas. The Princess concept of customized cruise vacations -- often copied but never duplicated, as the line says – has become a hallmark of ship design for the entire industry. The Princess Choice philosophy also is reflected in sailing schedules. Offering voyages to more destinations worldwide than any other line, Princess has more than 150 itineraries on seven continents ranging from seven to 72 days. Princess passengers also can enhance cruise experiences via the Adventures Ashore program with more than 1,500 in-port excursions worldwide. An expanding cruisetour line-up also allows passengers to combine cruises with full land tours. With a big presence in Alaska including six ships, five riverside wilderness lodges and Midnight Sun Express Ultra Dome rail cars, Princess offers spectacular earth / sea experiences in the “Land of the Midnight Sun.” Other Princess strongholds include the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Europe, Mexican Riviera, South America, Australia / New Zealand, South Pacific, Hawaii, Tahiti / French Polynesia, Asia, India, Africa, Canada / New England and Antarctica.

Quick View

Debuting in March, 2005 as the largest, most innovative Princess vessel to date, the 2,670-passenger Diamond Princess marks a new ship design that incorporates classic Princess elements for another generation of Personal Choice Cruising. Diamond Princess also made waves as the first sizeable ship built in Japan in well over a decade. Like other vessels in the Princess fleet, Diamond Princess, decorated in contemporary style, conveys the line’s noted big ship choice with small ship feel. Lots of balcony cabins in assorted categories, many dining and entertainment options and assorted intimate spaces in public areas see to that. Diamond Princess, with the fleet’s largest Internet Café and Club Fusion, a new high-tech dance mecca, also was first to unveil the Princess Concierge Service. With Princess cashless cruising, passengers sign for all expenses, excluding stamps. Casino chips, slot tokens and bingo cards also can be obtained on a casino room charge. Shipboard accounts are settled on disembarkation day after itemized statements are delivered to staterooms and reviewed. Princess offers express check-out with credit card or personal check and identification at the Purser's Desk, and also accepts U.S., Canadian and British currency and travelers checks.

About Gratuities
Once applicable only to ships with Personal Choice Dining, all Princess ships, including Diamond Princess, now automatically add gratuities of $10 per person per day for dining and stateroom personnel to the passenger's shipboard account. Passengers may increase, decrease or remove automatic gratuities at their discretion by visiting the purser’s desk. Gratuities for other staff such as casino dealers or spa personnel are at passenger discretion. A 15 percent gratuity is automatically added to all bar tabs.

Disabled Access
The Princess Access program boasts the highest number of wheelchair accessible staterooms in the industry. Diamond Princess (with 27 wheelchair staterooms in various categories) has doorways wide enough for most chairs, and rooms designed with wheelchair movement in mind. Baths feature roll-in showers and hand-held detachable shower heads are among the list of special accommodations. Additionally, special wheelchair transportation gangway mechanisms, ramps, and elevators with Braille call buttons as well as audible arrival sounds are available aboard Princess ships. A supply of ADA "all in one kits" include telephone amplifiers, visual smoke detectors, door knocker sensors, text telephones and other aids for guests with hearing impairment. Also available: Raised toilet seats, shower stools and bed boards. Diamond Princess welcomes service animals.

Ship Features

Hearts and Minds wedding chapel features the cruise industry’s only wedding-at-sea program where passengers can be married by the ship’s captain. Diamond Princess takes the line’s trademark Skywalkers disco / lounge concept a step further with a 125-foot wide balcony for stargazing.

Staterooms
The 960 ocean-view cabins include 28 suites with private balconies, two family suites with interconnecting cabins, 186 mini-suites with private balconies, 532 outside cabins with private balconies, and 212 outside cabins, plus 377 inside cabins.

Stateroom amenities
Terry robes are available on request from cabin stewards. Each stateroom has a safe and hair dryer. Evening turndown service, chocolates on pillows, complimentary shampoo, conditioner and body lotion are little extras guests can expect on Diamond Princess. Fresh fruit is available by request.

Kid & Teen Stuff
Princess Cruises rolls out the red carpet for pint-sized guests over 12 months old (6 months old for Caribbean and Alaska cruises), and has organized child care and a full program of supervised activities for ages 3 to 17. The Princess Kids & Off Limits Teens’ programs feature arts and crafts, video game, discos, movies, splash pools and more. Princess Fun Zone programs are for ages 3 through 12. Teens have their own center with Nintendo, a giant screen TV, card games, board games, and a juke box.

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Life Aboard

Dining
A quartet of themed restaurants are Vivaldi for Italian fare, Sterling for steaks, Santa Fe for Southwestern tastes, and Pacific Moon for Asian cuisine. The main dining room menu also is available to guests dining in the specialty restaurants. For guests choosing traditional dining in the main dining room, the daily menu features options from the themed restaurants. Another dining option is Sabatini's, serving an eight-course Italian menu for a charge. Alternatives are the poolside Trident Grill for burgers, Prego for pizza, Sundaes for Haagen Dazs ice cream, and Horizon Court for a 24-hour buffet / bistro. Guests also can opt for 24-hour room service. Apart from traditional dining at designated times, Princess offers Anytime Dining, so guests have a choice of when and where to enjoy the line’s award winning cuisine.

Sports / Health / Fitness
Diamond Princess has five swimming pools and eight whirlpools. Lotus Spa provides facials, scrubs, body wraps, salon services, massage, and more. An ocean-view gym with top equipment hosts fitness program sessions, with personal trainers conducting a range of classes. The sports deck has a nine-hole golf putting course and two computerized golf simulators.

Entertainment
Princess Theater, the main showroom, presents Broadway and Las Vegas style productions, while the Asian / African-themed Explorers Lounge has cabaret-style entertainment. Diamond Princess has one of the largest Internet cafes at sea with 29 computer stations. Skywalkers disco / lounge has an outdoor balcony.

Casino
Las Vegas-style rules prevail for craps, roulette, blackjack, Caribbean Stud, Let It Ride, and Three Card Poker. Guests also can play video poker, slots and novelty machines, many with progressive jackpots. Slots accept only Princess Casino tokens, valued from a nickel to $25. Casino room charges for obtaining casino chips and tokens are limited to $1,500 per day, to the total limit of $5,000 per cruise, unless prior arrangements are made. A 3 percent processing fee is applied to all casino room charges, billed to your shipboard accounts.

Bars
Club Fusion has 42 high-definition video screens and a spiral staircase leading to the Wake View Bar below. Wheelhouse Bar has a classic nautical theme and there is also a sports bar.