PORTOFINO, Italy, June 15, 2007 -- The intimate 710-passenger Royal Princess was christened yesterday in the picturesque harbor of Portofino, and formally joined the Princess fleet.

A sister ship to the line's popular Tahitian Princess and Pacific Princess, the 30,200-ton Royal Princess is a "boutique" ship, and one of eight ships originally built for Renaissance Cruises. Princess has two additional sister ships: Tahitian Princess and Pacific Princess.

The vessel was christened by Princess' most-traveled cruise passenger, Lorraine Arzt, who has in total spent more than 11 years sailing aboard Princess ships.

With the words, "I name this ship Royal Princess, may God bless her and all who sail in her," Arzt released the lever which broke the champagne bottle over the ship, and became one of the select women to be honored with the title of ship godmother.

Having spent more than 4,100 days at sea, Arzt is undoubtedly the most traveled passenger in the entire cruise industry. At the ceremony which celebrated her loyalty to Princess, she was feted by Princess executives and the passengers and crew of Royal Princess, set to the backdrop of local Italian musicians and a traditional blessing by the Father of the local parish.

Last month when the ship entered service, Arzt, who spends approximately 10 months cruising each year, moved onto her "home away from home," a suite aboard Royal Princess. She plans to travel exclusively on the intimate 710-passenger vessel, when not at her shoreside residence in Beverly Hills.

"Watching Lorraine christen 'her' vessel was a special treat for us at Princess," said Alan Buckelew, president of Princess Cruises. "She is so deserving of this special honor, which pays tribute to her loyalty to Princess over many years." Buckelew added that by naming Arzt godmother, the line was also recognizing the importance of all Princess' loyal past passengers.

Arzt has been a regular resident aboard various Princess ships over the years. She began cruising with her late husband, Joe, in the early 1970s aboard P&O's Spirit of London -- which later became the original Sun Princess. The Arzts, professional dancers who later became successful in the real estate business, discovered that their first voyage, to Mexico, sparked a life-long love of cruising. The couple, whose marriage Lorraine describes as "a 46-year romance," spent 17 of those years as regular passengers aboard the original Royal Princess. Following the transfer of that ship to P&O, Arzt sailed regularly aboard Sea Princess until the recent debut of the new Royal Princess.

The Portofino ceremony marked a first for Princess in this picturesque Italian Riviera port. "Portofino made a perfect scenic setting for the naming of Royal Princess, as it represents the many special places we take our passengers," added Buckelew. Known for its enchanting views and a lovely waterfront, the quaint fishing village sports a dramatic natural harbor that has attracted sailing vessels for centuries. The christening voyage -- a new 12-day "Mediterranean Collection" itinerary -- began in Rome and also features calls at Monte Carlo, Corsica, Sorrento, Messina (Sicily), Valletta (Malta), and Corfu, in addition to the brand new Princess ports of Kotor (Montenegro), Split (Croatia) and Ravenna (Italy), before ending in Venice.

Princess describes itself as follows:

One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is a global cruise and tour company operating a fleet of 17 modern ships renowned for their innovative design and wide array of choices in dining, entertainment and amenities, all provided in an environment of exceptional customer service. A recognized leader in worldwide cruising, Princess offers its passengers the opportunity to escape to the top destinations around the globe, with sailings to all seven continents, ranging in length from seven to 102 days. The company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK).

Princess Cruises is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises and The Yachts of Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest, and a commitment to quality and value, our member lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets. Together we offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.