Star Princess Arrives in Seattle to Open Princess Cruises’ Largest-Ever Alaska Season
Princess Cruises’ newest ship, Star Princess, docked at Seattle’s Pier 91 on May 3 to begin her inaugural Alaska season, kicking off what the cruise line is calling its biggest Alaska deployment to date. The arrival was preceded by an Alaska-themed drone show at Seattle Center on May 1, part of the cruise line’s debut celebrations.
The 177,800-ton vessel, which can carry 4,300 guests, is the latest addition to the company’s Sphere Class and will sail 20 weekly roundtrip voyages from Seattle through Alaska’s Inside Passage between May 3 and September 13, 2026. Ports of call include Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Sitka, with glacier viewing at Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier.
The ship’s arrival was marked with a maritime plaque exchange between Port of Seattle officials and Star Princess senior officers, including Captain Gennaro Arma and Princess Cruises President Gus Antorcha.
“Designed for these journeys, Star Princess brings together advanced technology, comfort, and elegance as we continue Princess Cruises’ legacy in Alaska,” said Captain Arma. “We’re grateful to the Port of Seattle and our port partners for their warm welcome and continued collaboration.”
A Fleet-Wide Commitment to Alaska
The 2026 Alaska season is Princess Cruises’ largest on record. Eight ships are deployed across the program this summer, with 180 departures serving 19 destinations. Star Princess joins Royal Princess, which also sails weekly from Pier 91 to the Inside Passage, as the two Seattle-based options for the season.
The other six ships in Princess’ Alaska fleet this summer are Coral Princess, Ruby Princess, Grand Princess, Emerald Princess, Discovery Princess, and Island Princess.
All eight ships feature the cruise line’s North to Alaska programming, which brings aboard Iditarod champions, local lumberjacks, and Alaska storytellers, alongside Glacier Bay Park Rangers and Naturalists providing glacier commentary. Fresh Alaska seafood menus round out the regional experience.
Community Investment at Each Port
Alongside the inaugural celebrations, Princess Cruises announced charitable contributions to organizations in each of Star Princess’s four Alaska homeports.
In Ketchikan, Princess and Holland America Line are jointly contributing $100,000 to the Joseph T. Craig American Legion Post 3, which was destroyed by arson. In Juneau, a $25,000 donation goes to Juneau Flukes, a whale research and marine conservation group. Skagway Childcare Council receives $25,000 to support local childcare access, and Sitka Trail Works gets $10,000 toward trail maintenance in the region.
The contributions reflect a pattern Princess has maintained in Alaska, where the cruise line has long emphasized relationships with Southeast Alaska communities as a core part of its regional operations.
What Travelers Should Know
Star Princess operates weekly roundtrip sailings from Seattle’s Pier 91 through mid-September. Travelers looking to combine a cruise with a land component have multiple options through Princess’ 2026 Alaska program, which positions the cruise line as the dominant carrier in the market by number of ships and departure volume.
Bookings and itinerary details are available through Princess Cruises directly.
