ROYAL OCCASION: Kate to name new Royal Princess

Princess Cruises has announced that Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, will name Royal Princess, the newest addition to the line’s fleet. The ceremony will take place in Southampton, England on June 13 and will be the highlight of week-long inaugural celebrations to welcome the vessel into service. “It is a great honour for Princess Cruises that Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge has accepted our invitation to become the Godmother to Royal Princess,”said Princess president Alan Buckelew. “We are delighted that the Duchess will launch our new ship and can think of no better way to celebrate our company’s British heritage and our commitment to the country.”Royal Princess will arrive at the Ocean Terminal in Southampton on June 7, where it will commence a series of events for customers and travel agents, including a special naming gala on the evening of June 12. The ship’s inaugural celebrations will conclude with its maiden voyage on June 16. The 3,600-passenger Royal Princess is a new-generation ship. Among the special features found on board will be a greatly expanded atrium, the social hub of the ship; an over-water SeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway extending 8.4 metres beyond the edge of the ship; plush private poolside cabanas that appear to be floating on water; the new Princess Live! television studio; the largest pastry shop at sea; a special Chef’s Table Lumiere, a private dining experience that surrounds diners in a curtain of light; and balconies on all outside staterooms. (http://www.princess.com/royalprincess)