Ruby Princess Floated Out

[Captain Rhone]

This is a news release from fincantieri.it

 

Friday, February 01, 2008

 

THE “RUBY PRINCESS” LAUNCHED AT MONFALCONE

Today at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard there was the launch of the cruise ship “Ruby Princess”, ordered by Princess Cruises Lines. The new ship, sister to the “Crown” and the “Emerald”, will take up service in autumn 2008.

Present at the ceremony representing the shipowner were the President, Alan Buckelew and the Vice President Newbuilding Cunard Line and Princess Cruises, Stuart Hawkins while Fincantieri was represented by Enrico Buschi, General Director Merchant Ships and Carlo De Marco, Head of Monfalcone shipyard. Godmother to the ship was Mrs Rita Ratcliffe, the wife of Ian Ratcliffe who is in charge of Princess Cruises Site Office at Monfalcone.

The 116,000-tonne ship is 289.6 metres long and 36 wide with a maximum speed of 22.1 knots. There will be 1,549 cabins accommodating up to 4,800 passengers – guests and crew included.

The “Ruby Princess” is the twenty-fourth cruise ship to be built at Monfalcone since 1990 and the thirteenth to be built here for Princess Cruises.

In addition to the “Ruby” the yard’s order book includes a 113,000-tonne vessel, the “Ventura” for P&O Cruises, due for delivery shortly. Moreover, the yard is also scheduled to build a further two ships, ordered by Carnival Cruise Lines: the “Carnival Dream”, due for delivery in autumn 2009, whose keel will be laid next week and the “Carnival Magic” due to enter service in spring 2011. Weighing in at 130,000 gross tonnes, the two ships will be the largest passenger ships ever built by Fincantieri. And last, but not least, there is another vessel for P&O Cruises due for delivery in spring 2010 and the “Queen Elizabeth” for the British operator, Cunard Cruise Line, scheduled for delivery in autumn 2010.

 

With 19 ships on order (including two options) Fincantieri is the world leader in the cruise ship sector with a market share of over 40%.

 

 

Trieste, 1 February 2008

[Colo Cruiser]

Sounds great, thanks for the info. ;)

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

Thanks for posting this article.

[Captain Rhone]

A couple photos...

 

http://www.ferrovie.it/ferrovie.vis/timdettvp.php?id=5161

[RSWBADGER]

A couple photos...

 

http://www.ferrovie.it/ferrovie.vis/timdettvp.php?id=5161

 

Good find, I tried to locate this myself last night.

 

[Princess Chatterer]

Thanks for telling us about the pictures. This is the last of the new Princess ships that have been ordered.

[Lynda90]

I hope it's ready on time for the scheduled inaugural cruise! Does anyone know if most of them are ready on time or is it hit and miss? I'm a bit nervous about making airline reservations too soon.