Long Beach
The 1,083-foot Majestic Princess cruise ship quietly sailed into the the Port of Los Angeles early Wednesday morning, Oct. 6, ready for her first West Coast trip.
The 19-deck ship — 224 feet in height — will now call Los Angeles home when not out on the sea.
Dignitaries were on hand to celebrate the occasion, as the 1,346 members of the shipboard crew readied the 143,700-ton vessel for passengers to fill 60-70% of its 1,780 cabins — a new health protocol — for a three-day voyage to Ensenada.
“We’re pleased to welcome guests aboard Majestic Princess today and celebrate the ship’s maiden voyage from the West Coast,” Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president, said during a media conference shipside Wednesday morning.
“We have been sailing out of Los Angeles since our cruise line first began in 1965,” she added, “and our guests and crew are helping the City of Angels generate substantial revenue for local businesses with our West Coast cruises homeporting from here year over year.”
The ship, designed with the Asian market in mind, made its inaugural cruise in March 2017, christened by former NBA All-star Yao Ming and his wife Ye Li.
The ship, registered in the United Kingdom, has been sailing in Asian and Australian waters and recently completed a partial summer season in Alaska. Increased local demand for cruising prompted the cruise line to make Los Angeles the ship’s new home port, Princess officials said.
Recently, the ship converted the individual karaoke rooms on board into additional spa rooms. The high rollers section of the casino is now a sports lounge.
“The Port of Los Angeles has evolved into a year-around cruise port, and we are excited to be forecasting a record 200 sailings for all cruise lines in 2022,” Port Executive Director Gene Seroka said.
“The spiritual impact of this sailing is more profound (than the sailing itself), because it brings hope,” he added.
Princess Cruises, which calls itself Los Angeles’ hometown cruise line, contributed $594 million to the Los Angeles economy in 2019, officials said. Over the past decade, Princess had more than 700 ship visits in Los Angeles — the most of any line, officials said.
Princesses Cruises is also known for its co-starring role on the hit TV 1970s series “The Love Boat” and frequently sailed with the show’s cast members and guests stars from the Port of Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera.
“Layers of protection,” is how Swartz described the increased pandemic-era safety measures on board. She confirmed that all crew members are fully vaccinated.
Before before they can board, passengers also must be fully vaccinated for at least 14 days, and are required to present a negative, medically observed COVID-19 test — PCR or antigen — taken within two days of the trip.