CROWN PRINCESS

Royal Family Arrival. Princess Cruises' Latest Ship, The Crown Princess, Debuts with New Features.

Princess Cruises' newest ship, the 113,000-ton, 3,080-passenger Crown Princess, is a sister ship of the Caribbean Princess but ushers in a host of attractive new features. Among them are La Piazza, a bustling hub of eateries around the Internet center and a stage for live entertainment in the atrium; The Sanctuary, an adults-only relaxation area atop the ship; the Crown Grill, a new steakhouse; and a variety of special meals served on passengers' private balconies.

Accommodations: About 80 percent of all staterooms and suites have private balconies. The standard outside cabin measures 158 to 182 square feet, while an inside cabin is 163 square feet. Of note are two 607 square feet family suites with interconnection cabins and 26 suites from 461 to 1,279 square feet. All staterooms on the Crown Princess have new duvets, linens and mattresses, upgrades that will be rolled out fleetwide.

Public Spaces: The Crown Princess offers such a variety of activities, lounges and other public rooms that it undoubtedly appeals to a wide range of cruisers, from young to old and spanning the demographic profiles.

The heart of the ship is the new La Piazze, centered around the three-story atrium on Deck 5. From the new International Cafe', passengers can sit, sip and munch while watching entertainers of the street performer variety in the atrium stage. Also in this area are Vines, a wine and sushi bar, and the Internet Center, which features 25 computer stations and table service from the International Cafe'. Deck 5 also features a fine arts gallery, a travel cafe for booking future Princess cruises, and the Michelangelo Dining Room.

On Deck 6 is the lower level of the 800-seat Princess Theater (the balcony level can be entered from Deck 7), Gatsby's Casino, a 19-seat Cigar lounge, boutiques and the DaVinci and Botticelli main restaurants. Deck 7 houses some trademark Princess lounges, including the nautically themed Wheelhouse Bar, and the Explorers Lounge. Also in this level are the new Crown Grill, a small library, two shops and the photo gallery.

Deck 15 is the Lido Deck, with the casual eateries such as the Horizon Court, serving three buffet meals a day; Cafe Caribe, a quiet spot with Caribbean meals and decor; the poolside Mermaid's Tail and Trident Grill; and the pizza and ice cream bar. The Calypso Reef and Pool features a shallow reef area as well as the jumbo LED screen that shows "Movies Under The Stars".

On Deck 16 is the Lotus Spa, which features a full service spa, saunas, a steam room, a beauty salon, a gym and a swim-against-the-current-pool. In the fitness center, 35 treadmills, stationary bikes and elliptical machines look out large windows and have their own TV screens. The Adagio Lounge is a new piano bar located next to Sabatini's, the Italian specialty restaurant.

On Deck 17 is The Sanctuary, the adults-only relaxation area. The ship charges $15 for a half-day admission to this area. The fee might be amended until the right balance of cost and capacity is reached. The area is open to everyone free of charge after 5:30 p.m., but it closes at 8 p.m. The Youth and Teen Center is also on Deck 17. The company recently revamped the children's programs. Also new is the Junior Chefs Sea Program, in which kids learn to make "no-cooking required" dishes such as a fruit pizza in the ship's galley.

On Deck 18 is the Skywalker's Nightclub, located foward atop the ship but no longer accessible by a moving sidewalk, as it was on other Princess ships. The sports facilities on Deck 19 include basketball, paddle tennis, computerized cyber-golf, a nine-hole putting course and one-eighth-mile jogging track.

Itineraries: The Crown Princess alternates nine-day Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Brooklyn through Oct.18, 2006. On Oct 27, 2006 the ship departs to its winter homeport of San Juan to operate two Southern Caribbean itineraries through April 28, the Classic Southern Caribbean and the Southern Caribbean Explorer.