Grand Princess has become the third Princess ship to touch down in Australia after arriving to Sydney for its inaugural Australia sailing. 

She’ll be offering a range of sailings out of Melbourne and Adelaide, as well as some repositioning cruises out of Sydney.

The Princess vessel will be taking up to 2600 guests at a time across South Australia, Queensland, New Zealand and the South Pacific with highlight ports including Kangaroo Island, Phillip Island, Tauranga and more. 

With a new ship in the Australian cruise landscape, here’s everything you need to know about Grand Princess.

The history

When she entered into service in 1998, Grand Princess was the largest and most expensive  cruise ship in the world at 109,000 tonnes and $450USD million. Since then she’s had many makeovers, adding in Princess’s more modern amenities. She served as the flagship of Princess’s fleet until Royal Princess took over in 2013. 

The numbers

Grand Princess and her 107,517 tons can  hold 2600 guests and 1150 crew. Across the 1301 guest cabins there are 35 suites, 180 mini-suites, 502 balcony cabins, 218 ocean view cabins and 366 inside cabins. Across the ships 17 decks there are four pools, eight whirlpool spas, 10 entertainment venues.

You can try a repositioning cruise

If you’re looking for something different than her Aussie itineraries, you can hop on Grand Princess at the end of her season for an amazing adventure across the pacific. Right at the end of her inaugural Aussie reign, Grand Princess will then commence a 32-night repositioning cruise back to the United States, visiting New Zealand, the South Pacific and Hawaii along the way. 

One of the pools onboard.

What there is to do

While life often can move a little slower on a Princess ship, there’s plenty to keep you busy on Grand Princess. After trying your luck at the vegas style casino you can splash some cash on the extensive tax and duty-free shopping available with brands like Swarovski, Chanel, Calvin Klein and more waiting for your indulgence. You’ve also got miniature golf, sports courts, freshwater pools, hot tubs, the chance to capture memories at the photo gallery and the always vibrant European-style Piazza to explore. 

What to eat

As far as included dining goes, you’re well sorted on Grand Princess with Alfredo’s Pizzeria, International Cafe, the World Fresh Marketplace in Horizon Court, The Salty Dog Grill and the complimentary ice cream cones at Coffee & Cones. When you’re ready to splurge you can try out the handmade pastas at Sabatini’s, the old-school steakhouse feel of Crown Grill, the tapas and rich reds of Vines Wine Bar or you can really treat yourself with the chef’s table experience or ultimate balcony dining.

Make sure you catch a show 

You can catch a range of original and repurposed premium shows on Grand Princess, with the Princess theatre completed decked out to deliver Broadway levels of production and theatricality. Even if the big shows aren’t doing it for you, you can slow things down by cozying up for a movie under the stars, treat yourself to some live music or even dance and sing the night away at the Piano bar. 

Shows you can’t miss.

What’s in it for the kids 

For little ones aged three to seven, they can around and explore the Treehouse, a forest-themed world that packs in activities like pajama movie nights, arts and crafts, lego building contests and more. Those eight to 12 have the Lodge, filled with games like foosball and air hockey, with science programs adding an educational element. Teens have the Beach House with dance classes, late-night movies, sport competitions, teen-only parties and plenty more.

The ultimate night of sleep

Part of the fun on a Princess Cruise is getting to experience Princess’s Ultimate Night of Sleep at Sea and Grand Princess bedrooms are decked out to help you snooze in peace. You’ll sleep on a scientifically engineered mattress and bed springs, as well as a two-inch pillow top, European-inspired duvets and opulent Jacquard-woven linens to take you to dreamland in style.