First Lady of Alaska to Christen Sapphire Princess!

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I received this press release from Princess and thought it would be of
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LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
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First Lady of Alaska to Christen Sapphire Princess

Nancy Murkowski Will Name Vessel in Seattle Ceremony on June 10

SANTA CLARITA, Calif., May 17
Alaska's first lady, Nancy Murkowski, will become the godmother of
Princess' newest ship, Sapphire Princess in a special christening
ceremony that will celebrate Princess' long relationship with the
state of Alaska as well as the line's significantly expanded presence
in the homeport of Seattle.

The ceremony, which will take place on June 10, will be the first
naming to take place in the Emerald City of Seattle. Mrs. Murkowski,
wife of Alaska governor Frank Murkowski, will christen the vessel that
evening in a ceremony that pays tribute to both Alaska and the city of
Seattle. The ship will sail on its inaugural seven-day Alaska voyage
on June 13.

"We are honored that Mrs. Murkowski has agreed to become the godmother
of our newest Alaska-bound vessel," said Alan Buckelew, president of
Princess Cruises. "It seems an especially apt choice as Princess is
widely known as a vacation leader and expert in Alaska and we are one
of the area's cruising pioneers. Princess has been taking passengers
to the 49th state for more than 35 years and we're proud to host more
Alaska vacationers each year than anyone else."

Nancy Gore Murkowski, a lifelong Alaskan, was born in Nome and raised
in Ketchikan. An active fundraiser, much of the first lady's focus has
been centered on cancer awareness. Among her numerous projects in this
area, she helped found the Breast Cancer Detection Center of Alaska in
Fairbanks. In 1998, she won the sixth annual Action for Cancer
Awareness Award from the Cancer Research Foundation of America for her
efforts. She also received the 1996 Georgetown University Lombardi
Cancer Center's "Symbol of Caring" award.

Mrs. Murkowski joins a list of illustrious women who have christened
past Princess and company ships, including Princess Diana; Margaret
Thatcher; the President of the Republic of Panama, Her Excellency
Mireya Moscoso; the First Lady of Tahiti, Madame Tonita Flosse;
Olympians Jamie Sali and David Pelletier; and celebrities such as
Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Ali MacGraw and Olivia de Havilland.

The 116,000-ton, 2,670-passenger Sapphire Princess features the
enthusiastically received ship design launched earlier this year with
sister vessel Diamond Princess. The new ship incorporates Princess'
trademark design philosophy -- including an abundance of balcony
cabins, flexibility in dining and entertainment options, Princess'
renowned service and a variety of intimate spaces -- giving the ship
all of the choice of a large ship with the feel of a much smaller
vessel.

The vessel will offer passengers a unique dining program with four
themed main dining rooms, a new Princess Concierge Service, the
fleet's largest Internet Cafi, a brand-new Princess-operated Lotus
Spa, and the debut of Club Fusion, a new high-tech dance lounge.
Sapphire Princess' summer seven-day cruises will feature the best of
Alaska's Inside Passage with calls in Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and
glacier cruising in Tracy Arm, plus a stop in picturesque Victoria,
B.C.

One of the best-known names in North American cruising, Princess
Cruises is a global cruise and tour company. Part of Carnival
Corporation & plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK), its current fleet of 14 ships
sail on approximately 150 different itineraries around the globe,
calling at more than 260 ports on all seven continents. Additional
information is available through a professional travel agent.

Princess Cruises is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines.
Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland
America, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises, Windstar Cruises and The Yachts
of Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest, and a commitment
to quality and value, our member lines appeal to a wide range of
lifestyles and budgets. Together we offer exciting and enriching
cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.