Coral
May 17th, 2004, 04:46 PM
Press Release (http://www.princess.com/news/article.jsp?newsArticleId=na677)
5/17/2004
FIRST LADY OF ALASKA TO CHRISTEN SAPPHIRE PRINCESS
Nancy Murkowski Will Name Vessel in Seattle Ceremony on June 10
Alaska's first lady, Nancy Murkowski, will become the godmother of Princess' newest ship, Sapphire Princess in a special christening ceremony that will celebrate Princess' long relationship with the state of Alaska as well as the line's significantly expanded presence in the homeport of Seattle.
The ceremony, which will take place on June 10, will be the first naming to take place in the Emerald City of Seattle. Mrs. Murkowski, wife of Alaska governor Frank Murkowski, will christen the vessel that evening in a ceremony that pays tribute to both Alaska and the city of Seattle. The ship will sail on its inaugural seven-day Alaska voyage on June 13.
"We are honored that Mrs. Murkowski has agreed to become the godmother of our newest Alaska-bound vessel," said Alan Buckelew, president of Princess Cruises. "It seems an especially apt choice as Princess is widely known as a vacation leader and expert in Alaska and we are one of the area's cruising pioneers. Princess has been taking passengers to the 49th state for more than 35 years and we're proud to host more Alaska vacationers each year than anyone else."
Nancy Gore Murkowski, a lifelong Alaskan, was born in Nome and raised in Ketchikan. An active fundraiser, much of the first lady's focus has been centered on cancer awareness. Among her numerous projects in this area, she helped found the Breast Cancer Detection Center of Alaska in Fairbanks. In 1998, she won the sixth annual Action for Cancer Awareness Award from the Cancer Research Foundation of America for her efforts. She also received the 1996 Georgetown University Lombardi Cancer Center's "Symbol of Caring" award.
Mrs. Murkowski joins a list of illustrious women who have christened past Princess and company ships, including Princess Diana; Margaret Thatcher; the President of the Republic of Panama, Her Excellency Mireya Moscoso; the First Lady of Tahiti, Madame Tonita Flosse; Olympians Jamie Salé and David Pelletier; and celebrities such as Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Ali MacGraw and Olivia de Havilland.
The 116,000-ton, 2,670-passenger Sapphire Princess features the enthusiastically received ship design launched earlier this year with sister vessel Diamond Princess. The new ship incorporates Princess' trademark design philosophy -- including an abundance of balcony cabins, flexibility in dining and entertainment options, Princess' renowned service and a variety of intimate spaces -- giving the ship all of the choice of a large ship with the feel of a much smaller vessel.
The vessel will offer passengers a unique dining program with four themed main dining rooms, a new Princess Concierge Service, the fleet's largest Internet Café, a brand-new Princess-operated Lotus Spa, and the debut of Club Fusion, a new high-tech dance lounge. Sapphire Princess' summer seven-day cruises will feature the best of Alaska's Inside Passage with calls in Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and glacier cruising in Tracy Arm, plus a stop in picturesque Victoria, B.C.
One of the best-known names in North American cruising, Princess Cruises is a global cruise and tour company. Part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK), its current fleet of 14 ships sail on approximately 150 different itineraries around the globe, calling at more than 260 ports on all seven continents. Additional information is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com (http://www.princess.com).
5/17/2004
FIRST LADY OF ALASKA TO CHRISTEN SAPPHIRE PRINCESS
Nancy Murkowski Will Name Vessel in Seattle Ceremony on June 10
Alaska's first lady, Nancy Murkowski, will become the godmother of Princess' newest ship, Sapphire Princess in a special christening ceremony that will celebrate Princess' long relationship with the state of Alaska as well as the line's significantly expanded presence in the homeport of Seattle.
The ceremony, which will take place on June 10, will be the first naming to take place in the Emerald City of Seattle. Mrs. Murkowski, wife of Alaska governor Frank Murkowski, will christen the vessel that evening in a ceremony that pays tribute to both Alaska and the city of Seattle. The ship will sail on its inaugural seven-day Alaska voyage on June 13.
"We are honored that Mrs. Murkowski has agreed to become the godmother of our newest Alaska-bound vessel," said Alan Buckelew, president of Princess Cruises. "It seems an especially apt choice as Princess is widely known as a vacation leader and expert in Alaska and we are one of the area's cruising pioneers. Princess has been taking passengers to the 49th state for more than 35 years and we're proud to host more Alaska vacationers each year than anyone else."
Nancy Gore Murkowski, a lifelong Alaskan, was born in Nome and raised in Ketchikan. An active fundraiser, much of the first lady's focus has been centered on cancer awareness. Among her numerous projects in this area, she helped found the Breast Cancer Detection Center of Alaska in Fairbanks. In 1998, she won the sixth annual Action for Cancer Awareness Award from the Cancer Research Foundation of America for her efforts. She also received the 1996 Georgetown University Lombardi Cancer Center's "Symbol of Caring" award.
Mrs. Murkowski joins a list of illustrious women who have christened past Princess and company ships, including Princess Diana; Margaret Thatcher; the President of the Republic of Panama, Her Excellency Mireya Moscoso; the First Lady of Tahiti, Madame Tonita Flosse; Olympians Jamie Salé and David Pelletier; and celebrities such as Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Ali MacGraw and Olivia de Havilland.
The 116,000-ton, 2,670-passenger Sapphire Princess features the enthusiastically received ship design launched earlier this year with sister vessel Diamond Princess. The new ship incorporates Princess' trademark design philosophy -- including an abundance of balcony cabins, flexibility in dining and entertainment options, Princess' renowned service and a variety of intimate spaces -- giving the ship all of the choice of a large ship with the feel of a much smaller vessel.
The vessel will offer passengers a unique dining program with four themed main dining rooms, a new Princess Concierge Service, the fleet's largest Internet Café, a brand-new Princess-operated Lotus Spa, and the debut of Club Fusion, a new high-tech dance lounge. Sapphire Princess' summer seven-day cruises will feature the best of Alaska's Inside Passage with calls in Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and glacier cruising in Tracy Arm, plus a stop in picturesque Victoria, B.C.
One of the best-known names in North American cruising, Princess Cruises is a global cruise and tour company. Part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK), its current fleet of 14 ships sail on approximately 150 different itineraries around the globe, calling at more than 260 ports on all seven continents. Additional information is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com (http://www.princess.com).