LIKING the look of the theatre planned for Princess Cruises’ next big launch, which will offer performances in the round instead of tried and tested, but increasingly tired, traditional cruise ship show venues.

The Princess Arena will enjoy pride of place on Sun Princess, which is due to set sail early next year and which, we’re promised, will be The Love Boat line’s newest, largest and most innovative vessel yet.

Upon entering the theatre, guests will be drawn to visuals above the central stage which can become part of the show, and seated amid soft curved walls meant to reflect the movement of the tide.

With moveable seats and capacity of a little more than 1,000 people, three different configurations will maximise sightlines, and state-of-the-art tech will help deliver all manner of stage productions.

Views of the Arena are among the official ‘first glimpse’ set of CGI renderings of Sun Princess interiors which, say designers, are inspired by rays of sunlight and include larger than usual public spaces.

There’ll be the line’s first-ever three-storey restaurant, named The Horizons Dining Room, with wake views and natural light highlighting a sculpture that stretches from deck 6 to deck 8.

Each of the three decks, we are told, will have its own personality, offer a different dining experience and level of formality. 

Meanwhile, Crown Grill – a longstanding favourite of Princess guests – will have a classic steakhouse vibe with leather booths, circular seating and modern artwork custom designed for the restaurant.

Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria will offer what is described as “a modern, casual but elegant Italian dining experience” and a crisp geometric design will also feature a pasta room for guests to watch the pasta being made.

Elsewhere, Alfredo’s Pizzeria will boast an open kitchen design, allowing guests to watch as the chefs create pizza by hand and serve them straight out of the new open-mouth oven.

The Princess Casino will be the line’s largest yet and be sited in the Piazza, offering not just the usual table games but also more than 200 of the newest and most popular slots and video poker games.

Other newly designed areas will include Princess Live!, which will do what it says on the tin, offering live entertainment and signature cruise activities such as game shows, trivia and a large LED screen on stage.

Additional spaces with new designs, signage and décor will include Crooner’s, Wheelhouse Bar, International Cafe, Good Spirits and Gelateria.

Currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, it will be the largest Princess ship ever constructed, accommodating 4,300 guests,, and will introduce a completely new class of ships for the cruise line.

The 2024 Sun Princess inaugural cruise season in the Mediterranean is on sale now. More information can be found at www.princess.com