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I received this press release from Princess and thought it would be of
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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 a
professional travel agent.
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