Fincantieri Launches Golden Princess

Fincantieri launched the 109,000 gt Golden Princess for the P&O Group's Princess Cruises Plc. The vessel, floated out at Fincantieri's Monfalcone yard, is a sister ship to the Grand Princess which, when it was delivered in May 1998 was the largest passenger ship ever at that time to have been built. The Golden Princess has 1,296 cabins and can carry over 2,600 passengers and 1,200 crew. It is 285 m long and 36 m wide and 43 m high above the waterline. Power for propulsion and on-board plants and systems is provided by a diesel-electric plant equipped with six Sulzer diesel engines, capable of providing 70 MW, built by Wärtsilä NSD Italy.