Royal Princess, the newest addition to the Princess Cruises fleet, will experience a rare honor: having a true royal Godmother. Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, the former Kate Middleton, will officially name the ship in Southampton, England on June 13, 2013. In British ship-naming tradition, a spectacular ceremony will include the blessing, a performance by the Royal Marines Band and the pipers of the Irish Guards. The Duchess will christen the new ship as the highlight of a week-long inaugural celebration welcoming the vessel into service.

Princess Cruises will stream the ceremony live online at www.princess.com at 11:15 a.m. local time (6:15 a.m. ET) and a recording will be available soon thereafter for those who aren’t early risers to view at their leisure.

The maiden voyage of the 3,600-passenger Royal Princess will depart Southampton on June 16. The ship will sail Grand Mediterranean cruises through the summer, then following a Transatlantic crossing, will sail Eastern Caribbean cruises in the fall.

Princess has improved and expanded some favorite features of their other ships on this new-generation ship. Princess calls Royal Princess “an evolutionary tribute to our existing fleet.” The social hub of Royal Princess is the open and airy three-story Atrium which is over 50% larger than the atriums of her sister ships. Warm finishes, sophisticated lighting and water features are anchored by twin marble spiral staircases for a dramatic, yet comfortable gathering place. A number of casual and alternative dining venues are positioned around the three story atrium and live entertainment in the central Piazza can be viewed from the open spaces surrounding the Atrium.

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Another “wow feature” that is exclusive to Royal Princess is the over-water SeaWalk – a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway extending 28 feet beyond the edge of the ship and 128 feet above the sea! On the opposite side of the ship, the Seaview Bar with a glass floor cantilevers over the water. Other top deck features create a relaxing ambience for guests. The Sanctuary is an exclusive retreat for adults only with plush private poolside cabanas. For families and others seeking action, Royal Princess also sports the largest pool area yet  with two pools connected by an island with palm trees. Nightfall on the expansive pool deck brings live entertainment, a spectacular water and light show and the largest screen in the Princess fleet for Movies Under the Stars.

Princess is known for its culinary excellence and Royal Princess has some very special features that will advance that reputation even further. In the two forward dining rooms, guests can choose private dining for a table of up to 12 in a circular wine cellar. The aft dining room offers a special private dining experience at the Chef’s Table Luminere where light surrounds a custom made glass table in a soft curtain of privacy. Other notables include the clubby Crown Grill chophouse, the very popular Sabatini’s Italian trattoria, and the largest pastry shop at sea in Horizon Court.

With balconies on all outside staterooms and a host of traditional Princess features that are anything but “standard,” this Royal Princess is befitting a royal Godmother and her guests are likely to feel like royalty themselves. For rates and itineraries on the new ship, please contact Covington Travel.

Covington Travel is pleased to recognize Princess Cruises as a valued partner and sponsor of this blog post.