Tony Draper News

Standing on the naming platform with the ship's Captain Tony Draper, The Duchess of Cambridge pronounced, "I name this ship 'Royal Princess'. The Duchess then cut the rope that sent a giant Nebuchadnezzar-size bottle of Moet & Chandon champagne toward the ship, officially welcoming Royal Princess into the fleet of Princess Cruises at the Southampton ceremony. Internationally renowned percussive orchestra Mass Ensemble performed with its signature "Earth Harp," an architectural instrument with strings that extended 1,000 feet and was played as it hovered over the nearly 2,000 ceremony guests.

When the new Royal Princess launches in June 2013, Captain Tony Draper will be in command of Princess Cruises ’ newest vessel, leading a senior officer team with more than 100 years of seagoing experience among them. The senior four-stripe team will also include Relief Captain Dino Sagani, Chief Engineer Fabio Braccelli, Hotel General Manager Dirk Brand, and Staff Captain Tim Stringer. The 3,600-passenger Royal Princess is a new-generation ship currently under construction in Italy that will debut a number of new features for Princess, including a dramatic over-water SeaWalk, a 50 percent larger atrium, a new Princess Live! television studio, and balconies on all outside staterooms.