Princess Cruises was founded by entrepreneur Stanley Mc Donald in 1964 using a veteran steam ship named PRINCESS PATRICIA operating her along the West coast of America. More ships followed the PRINCESS ITALIA and in 1968 the PRINCESS CARLA. In 1974 the company was sold to the British P&O. P&O brought their own SPIRIT OF LONDON into the company and renamed her SUN PRINCESS.

Perhaps the most famous ships of the 1970's for Princess were the PACIFIC PRINCESS and ISLAND PRINCESS both of which were used in the filming the the hit TV show Love Boat, though it was originally the SUN PRINCESS which was used in the pilot episode.

It was all free publicity for Princess and it worked attracting passengers to the ships in droves. The company later introduced SEA PRINCESS - The former Swedish America Liner KUNGSHOLM.

Princess first purpose built ship was the ROYAL PRINCESS which was built in Finland and registered in Great Britain. Following a courtesy call at Southampton the ship sailed west. Possibly the most significant new cruise building of the mid 1980's the ship still looks fresh 17 years after her introduction.

Expansion for Princess came with the takeover of rivals Sitmar Cruises in 1988. This takeover gave P&O 3 ships renamed SKY PRINCESS, FAIR PRINCESS and DAWN PRINCESS the later 2 former Cunard Steam ship and the former a 4 year old Steam Ship, the last known Steam ship to be built, and another new build the STAR PRINCESS and two more bigger ships followed, CROWN PRINCESS and REGAL PRINCESS in 1990/1.

The now booming fleet was fairly established throughout the 1990's until new purpose built tonnage was delivered from Ficantieri in Italy. Two series were ordered both code named Grand Class. The smaller ships of which 4 were built were 77,000 tonnes and the larger class of which 5 are being built with a further 1 for P&O Cruises in the UK are 109,000 - 113,000 tonnes. 2 of the larger class are being built in Japan.

In 2002 the PACIFIC PRINCESS, the oldest and smallest member of the P&O Princess fleet will be sold and OCEAN PRINCESS the newest of the Grand 77,000 tonne class will transfer to P&O Cruises in the UK as OCEANA.

Also in 2002 the CROWN PRINCESS transferred to newly launched A'Rosa an up market German company and subsidury of Aida Cruises which Princess bought in 1999. This company operate the Club Ship AIDA which is dedicated to the German mass market and does her job very successfully. They also own the ARKONA which is out on charter to other German interests.

The company is now owned by the Carnival Corporation and its extensive building programme continues.