The Crown Jewels

Princess Cruises Offers Lucky Passengers Million Dollar Memories
100-Carat "Crown Jewels" Available for Purchase and Portrait Posing

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (June 27, 2006) - 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, 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 café environment of the atrium, passengers will find an International Café 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.

Additional information about Crown Princess is available through Lighthouse Travel at 800-719-9917.