If you’re a fan of a particular cruise line – or simply a cruise connoisseur like me – there’s always excitement and anticipation as a new ship begins to take shape. You clamor for those first images, curious to find out what they’ve come up with next.

Alan Whitt

Today that ship is Royal Princess, the first of two new ship for Princess Cruises and their first since Ruby Princess debuted in 2008.

Royal Princess is actually more than a year away from completion with a June 2013 launch date. that’s why the excitement level is so high.

Today Princess released the first in a series of virtual tours of the new ship to travel professionals, and I thought I would share it with you, some of my closest friends.

Today’s tour is of the ship’s Piazza and Atrium, the main artery of every Princess ship.

Check out this virtual world where Princess Cruise’s largest ship (at 141,000 tons) currently resides.

Of course, as more are released I’ll be more than happy to share them with my readers.