…

Megaship fans have a great new option for Alaska cruises.

Princess Cruises announced Wednesday that its next massive new ship, the 4,300-passenger Star Princess, will make its maiden summer voyage to Alaska out of Seattle.

Scheduled to debut in October 2025, the ship will begin Alaska voyages in May 2026, the line said.

For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG Cruise Newsletter.

The Star Princess, in particular, will be the largest cruise ship ever to sail to Alaska.

At about 178,000 gross tons, it will be about 5% larger than Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore, the current size leader in the Alaskan market. That ship measures 169,116 gross tons.

The next-largest ships in the Alaska market are Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas, each measuring 168,666 gross tons.

All three ships sail from Seattle to Alaska, traditionally home to the largest cruise ships to Alaska.

Two other ships that are nearly as large, the 168,028-ton Norwegian Bliss and the 167,725-ton Norwegian Joy, will also sail to Alaska out of Seattle in 2026.

Thus, the arrival of Star Princess in Seattle in 2026 would set up a six-way “battle of the megaships” out of Seattle for the summer of 2026.

When she launches, Star Princess will be the second ship in Princess’ long-awaited new Sphere class of ships. Under development for more than six years, the Sphere class includes the recently unveiled Sun Princess.

Related: Best Alaska Shore Excursions

Sphere Class ships are significantly larger than previous Princess ships and offer many notable new-line amenities, including suites that come with exclusive access to private restaurants, lounges and sundecks.

In addition, the Sphere Class ships are designed with their additional 10th deck with an innovative type of “cabana cabin” that comes with access to a private deck area. Plus, the ships top decks have some unusual sizzle for a princess with the addition of a glass dome-topped pool area that transforms into a nightspot after the sun goes down.

Princess announced Wednesday that the Star Princess will be one of eight ships sent to Alaska for the summer of 2026 — its largest Alaska deployment to date.

Princess, along with its sister company Holland America, has long been a leader in Alaska cruises.

Wednesday’s line did not disclose the exact itinerary the Star Princess will sail in Alaska, but a spokeswoman told TPG that the itinerary will be seven-nights. The itinerary will go live and available for booking on the Princess website on August 1.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories: