Princess Cruises Offers Lucky Passengers Million Dollar Memories on Crown Princess

**Ally** · 06-28-2006, 12:07 PM

100-Carat 'Crown Jewels' Available for Purchase and Portrait Posing

When Crown Princess set sail for the first time on June 14, she was dripping in more than one million dollars in diamonds specially commissioned to commemorate her inaugural.

An exclusive collection of diamond jewelry is showcased on board, the highlight of which
is a showpiece, 100-carat matching set of four pieces, appropriately dubbed
the "Crown Jewels." The pieces in this sparkling collection will be
available for purchase aboard Crown Princess only for her first eight
sailings, and during that time, four lucky women on each sailing will have
the opportunity to "borrow" the Crown Jewels for a special portrait sitting
on formal night.

The entire million dollar collection will be on display for
passengers to view (and purchase) in the ship's Facets jewelry salon. The
Crown Jewels made their debut among some very royal company. America's
favorite pop princess Katharine McPhee, home and lifestyle expert Martha
Stewart, and Scripps National Spelling Bee champion Kerry Close were all on
hand for the ship's naming ceremony and helped unveil the jewels amidst a
flutter of paparazzi flashes. The elaborate ensemble features flawless
diamonds and platinum, in settings reminiscent of the Victorian era, and the
Crown Jewels pieces include a necklace, earrings, bracelet, and ring. Valued
at $585,000 for the four-piece set, the Crown Jewels come with a diamond
grading report from an independent gemological institute, authenticating the
carat weight, color, cut, and value of the stones in each piece. On each of
the first eight sailings, Princess will offer a drawing to give four
passengers the opportunity to wear the Crown Jewels pieces while sitting for
a special keepsake portrait on formal night. "Diamonds are indeed a girl's
best friend, and we are pleased to offer passengers the opportunity to truly
feel like 'red carpet royalty' ... right down to the borrowed jewels," says
Jan Swartz, Princess' senior vice president of customer service and sales.
"It seems appropriate to offer our own Crown Jewels aboard this spectacular
new ship." The Crown Jewels' home, the 113,000-ton Crown Princess,
introduces a number of new design innovations to the Princess fleet,
including a dramatic new piazza-style atrium and new casual dining venues.
Within the new street cafe environment of the atrium, passengers will find
an International Cafe serving up fresh pastries and baked goods in the
morning and assorted other offerings throughout the day, as well as a wine
and seafood bar. Several signature Princess venues have been further
enhanced, including an expanded Sabatini's Italian trattoria with a new
piano lounge, and the Crown Grill, a new steak and seafood restaurant with
an open, theater-style kitchen where chefs custom-prepare steamed shellfish
and cooked-to-order steaks and chops. The ship also showcases the many
hallmark features that define the Princess experience, including the
dramatic Movies Under the Stars poolside movie screen, multiple dining and
entertainment options, a Lotus Spa fitness center, an extensive children and
teen's center, a wedding chapel and nearly 900 staterooms with private
balconies.

The inaugural 2006 summer season for Crown Princess features
nine-day roundtrip voyages to both the Eastern and Western Caribbean, and
marks the return of Princess visits to Bermuda, as well as the line's
first-ever regular calls to Grand Turk. In the fall the ship will reposition
to San Juan for winter Caribbean sailings.