When Royal Princess was named in Southampton by HRH The
Princess of Wales in November 1984, she was the most
advanced purpose-built luxury cruise ship ever conceived
and constructed. Built at the beginning of the modern
commercial age of cruising, she was the trend-setter of
the cruise ship world and continues to hold a number of
records, among them, the first contemporary cruise ship
to have all outside cabins, and in 2010 as Artemis, the
first British passenger ship to be commanded by a female
captain, Sarah Breton. In the following years of service,
she has taken passengers all over the globe in luxury and
style, and it is hoped she has many more years of
cruising ahead of her. At 45,000 gross tons she is small
in comparison with the super-liners of today, but when
launched she was one of the largest cruise ships afloat.
Her traditional ambiance and service standards have
attracted a loyal following, not only among passengers,
but also among her crew.
