123-567: Sitmar Cruises and its predecessor Sitmar Line were company names derived from the acronym for the Società Italiana Trasporti Marittimi (English: Italian Maritime Transport Company ). SITMAR originally was an Italian shipping line founded by Russian émigré Alexandre Vlasov , however the company's headquarters were later transferred to Monaco . Vlasov initially operated cargo services from 1937, gradually replacing these with passenger services from 1947 until 1988, when SITMAR
246-405: A COVID-19 vaccine 14 days prior to departure. Rules were also enforced regarding the donning of face masks and social distancing , and capacity was reduced during the initial phase of the resumption. The success of the first voyages was followed by the resumption of service on seven additional vessels by the end of November 2021, with the whole fleet operating by the end of November 2022 after
369-538: A joint venture between V-Ships of Monaco and Antonio Lefebvre d'Ovidio of Rome. The joint owners had previously been the co-owners of Sitmar Cruises. V Ships and the D'Ovidio family operated Silversea Cruises until taken over by Royal Caribbean Group in July 2020. The former Regal Princess , one of the pair of ships originally ordered and designed for Sitmar, and operated for Princess Cruises, before being operated for P&O Cruises Australia , as Pacific Dawn . She
492-450: A $ 40 million penalty. The charges related to illegal discharges off the coasts of Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. As part of the agreement, cruise ships from eight Carnival companies, including Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line , are required to operate for five years under
615-628: A basketball team, which plays in the EuroLeague . A centre of research into marine conservation , Monaco is home to one of the world's first protected marine habitats, an Oceanographic Museum , and the International Atomic Energy Agency Marine Environment Laboratories, the only marine laboratory in the UN structure. Monaco's name comes from the nearby 6th-century BC Phocaean Greek colony. Referred to by
738-507: A contract with Fincantieri for the construction of two new 3,600-passenger ships, known as the Royal- class cruise ships , for Princess. At more than 140,000 GT , the Royal -class vessels became the largest ships ever constructed for Princess. Named in honor of Princess's former vessels bearing the Royal name, Royal Princess entered service in 2013 and became Princess's flagship vessel; she
861-403: A court-supervised environmental compliance plan with independent audits and a court-appointed monitor. The fine was the "largest-ever criminal penalty involving deliberate vessel pollution." For violation of the probation terms of 2016, Carnival Corporation and Princess were ordered to pay an additional $ 20 million penalty in 2019. The new violations included discharging plastic into waters in
984-527: A full United Nations voting member in 1993. Despite Monaco's independence and separate foreign policy, its defence is the responsibility of France, besides maintenance of two small military units . Monaco's economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with the opening of the state's first casino, the Monte Carlo Casino , and a rail connection to Paris. Monaco's mild climate, scenery, and gambling facilities have contributed to its status as
1107-580: A playground for the rich and a favoured place for them to live. Until the Monégasque Revolution of 1910 forced the adoption of the 1911 Constitution of Monaco , the princes of Monaco were absolute rulers . The new constitution slightly reduced the autocratic rule of the Grimaldi family and Prince Albert I suspended it during the First World War. In July 1918, a new Franco-Monégasque Treaty
1230-403: A population of 38,400, making Monaco the second-smallest and the most densely populated country in the world . The country has a land border of only 5.47 km (3.40 mi), a coastline of 3.83 km (2.38 mi), a maritime claim that extends 22.2 km (13.8 mi), and a width that varies between 1,700 and 349 m (5,577 and 1,145 ft). Jurassic -era limestone
1353-696: A protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia by the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Monaco remained in this position until 1860 when, by the Treaty of Turin , the Sardinian forces pulled out of the principality; the surrounding County of Nice (as well as Savoy ) was ceded to France. Monaco became a French protectorate once again. Italian was the official language in Monaco until 1860, when it was replaced by French. Before this time there
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#17328561531671476-552: A short delay for additional technical work. Star Princess was also delayed and is now scheduled to sail beginning in September 2025. Princess Cruises was involved in litigation with General Electric in 1998 over consequential damages and lost profits resulting from a contract the two parties entered into. General Electric was to provide inspection and repair services upon the SS Sky Princess . Upon noticing surface rust on
1599-474: A small green/park area. Monaco had previously considered an expansion in 2008, but had called it off. The plan is for about six hectares (15 acres) of apartment buildings, parks, shops and offices to a land value of about 1 billion euros . The development will be adjacent to the Larvotto district and also will include a small marina. There were four main proposals, and the final mix of use will be finalised as
1722-577: A tax haven for wealthy French citizens. In 1993, the Principality of Monaco became a member of the United Nations , with full voting rights. In 2002, a new treaty between France and Monaco specified that, should there be no heirs to carry on the Grimaldi dynasty, the principality would still remain an independent nation rather than revert to France. Monaco's military defense is still the responsibility of France. On 31 March 2005, Rainier III , who
1845-462: A time when she would have usually been laid up for the winter. However, Princess Pat , as she was fondly called, had never been designed for tropical cruising, lacking air-conditioning, and Princess ended her charter in favor of a more purpose-built cruise ship Italia . Princess, who marketed the ship as Princess Italia , but never officially renamed her, used the ship to inaugurate their Mexican Riviera cruises out of Los Angeles and did not receive
1968-443: A tourist destination and recreation centre for the rich. Monaco has become a major banking centre and sought to diversify into the services sector and small, high-value-added , non-polluting industries. Monaco is a tax haven ; it has no personal income tax (except for French citizens) and low business taxes . Over 30% of residents are millionaires, with real estate prices reaching €100,000 ($ 116,374) per square metre in 2018. Monaco
2091-399: Is fishing ; with almost the entire country being an urban area , Monaco lacks any sort of commercial agriculture industry . A small residential expansion formerly called Le Portier was nearing completion in 2023, and additionally a new esplanade was added at Larvatto beach which also had some maintenance. Monaco is the second-smallest country by area in the world ; only Vatican City
2214-560: Is Italian. The principality continued its existence as a protectorate of France until the French Revolution . In 1793, Revolutionary forces captured Monaco and until 1814 it was occupied by the French (in this period much of Europe had been overrun by the French armies under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte). The principality was reestablished in 1814 under the Grimaldis. It was designated
2337-525: Is a dual-listed company , registered in both the United States and the United Kingdom, with the former P&O Princess Cruises being relisted as Carnival plc, more commonly known as Carnival UK , which holds executive control over Cunard Line and P&O Cruises . As an American-based company, executive control of Princess Cruises was transferred to Carnival's American operations, with the formation of
2460-629: Is a global hub of money laundering, and in June 2024 the Financial Action Task Force placed Monaco under increased monitoring to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. Monaco is not part of the European Union (EU), but participates in certain EU policies , including customs and border controls. Through its relationship with France, Monaco uses the euro as its sole currency. Monaco joined
2583-598: Is a prominent bedrock which is locally karstified . It hosts the Grotte de l'Observatoire , which has been open to the public since 1946. The highest point in the country is at the access to the Patio Palace residential building on the Chemin des Révoires (ward Les Révoires ) from the D6007 ( Moyenne Corniche street) at 164.4 m (539 ft) above sea level . The lowest point in
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#17328561531672706-528: Is an American cruise line owned by Carnival Corporation & plc . The company is incorporated in Bermuda and its headquarters are in Santa Clarita , California . As of 2021, it is the second largest cruise line by net revenue. It was previously a subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises . The line has 15 ships cruising global itineraries that are marketed to both American and international passengers. In
2829-550: Is currently being built on the sea. Note: for statistical purposes, the Wards of Monaco are further subdivided into 178 city blocks (îlots), which are comparable to the census blocks in the United States . Monaco exhibits a wide range of architecture, but the principality's signature style, particularly in Monte Carlo, is that of the Belle Époque . It finds its most florid expression in
2952-508: Is smaller. Monaco is the most densely populated country in the world. The state consists of only one municipality ( commune ), the Municipality of Monaco . There is no geographical distinction between the State and City of Monaco, although responsibilities of the government (state-level) and of the municipality (city-level) are different. According to the constitution of 1911, the principality
3075-526: Is the head of government , can be either a Monégasque or French citizen; the monarch consults with the Government of France before an appointment. Key members of the judiciary are detached French magistrates. The House of Grimaldi has ruled Monaco, with brief interruptions, since 1297. The state's sovereignty was officially recognised by the Franco-Monégasque Treaty of 1861 , with Monaco becoming
3198-678: The Fairsky (4). Built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique at Saint Nazaire , France , Fairsky (4) entered service for the North American market in 1984. In 1988 this became Sky Princess for Princess Cruises , then Pacific Sky for P&O Cruises Australia . Next sold to the Spanish operator Pullmantur Cruises , the ship was renamed Sky Wonder , later becoming Atlantic Star . After a prolonged lay-up in Marseille, France , this fuel-hungry turbine steamship
3321-584: The Alaska Railroad . Based in Anchorage, Alaska , Princess Tours now operates ten luxury railcars with full-service scenic tours of Denali (formerly Mount McKinley) and can accommodate over 700 passengers per day. That same year, Princess unveiled Princess Bay, located at Saline Bay on the Caribbean island of Mayreau . Princess Bay was the cruise line's second private island resort, replacing Palm Island, and
3444-861: The Council of Europe in 2004 and is a member of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). It hosts the annual motor race, the Monaco Grand Prix , one of the original Grands Prix of Formula One . The local motorsports association gives its name to the Monte Carlo Rally , hosted in January in the French Alps . The principality has a club football team, AS Monaco , which competes in French Ligue 1 and been French champions on multiple occasions, and
3567-811: The French Army . In addition to their guard duties as described, the carabiniers patrol the principality's beaches and coastal waters. Monaco is a sovereign city-state , with five quarters and ten wards, located on the French Riviera in Western Europe . It is bordered by France's Alpes-Maritimes department on three sides, with one side bordering the Mediterranean Sea . Its centre is about 16 km (9.9 mi) from Italy and only 13 km (8.1 mi) northeast of Nice . It has an area of 2.1 km (0.81 sq mi), or 208 ha (510 acres), and
3690-548: The French Revolution , but after the defeat of Napoleon it was put under the care of the Kingdom of Sardinia . In the 19th century, when Sardinia became a part of Italy, the region came under French influence but France allowed it to remain independent. Like France, Monaco was overrun by the Axis powers during the Second World War and for a short time was administered by Italy, then Nazi Germany , before being liberated. Although
3813-508: The Ligurians as Monoikos , from the Greek "μόνοικος", "single house", from "μόνος" ( monos ) "alone, single" + "οἶκος" ( oikos ) "house". According to an ancient myth, Hercules passed through the Monaco area and turned away the previous gods. As a result, a temple was constructed there. Because this "House" of Hercules was the only temple in the area, the city was called Monoikos. It ended up in
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3936-542: The Municipality of Monaco . The municipality is directed by the Communal Council , which consists of 14 elected members and is presided over by a mayor . Georges Marsan has been mayor since 2003. Unlike the National Council, communal councillors are elected for four-year terms and are strictly non-partisan ; oppositions inside the council frequently form. Members of the judiciary of Monaco are appointed by
4059-559: The P&;O Group . In Australia, the Fairstar would retain her name, with the operation was renamed P&O-Sitmar Cruises , then in 1991 became P&O Holidays . The majority of Sitmar's operational and under construction fleet were transferred to P&O subsidiary Princess Cruises and renamed, officially ending the era of Sitmar Cruises. Vlasov operated cargo ships registered under either Greek, Italian or United Kingdom flags before and during
4182-644: The Port of San Diego with Diamond Princess in September 2022 (later postponed to November 2022 as a result of "staffing challenges" ) after more than ten years away, and to the Port of Galveston in December 2022 with Ruby Princess after a six-year absence. Princess has since made further expansions in its commitment to the American market with the stationing of the larger Regal Princess in Galveston, beginning in fall 2023, and
4305-503: The Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Liguria , in Western Europe , on the Mediterranean Sea . It is a semi-enclave bordered by France to the north, east and west. The principality is home to 38,682 residents, of whom 9,486 are Monégasque nationals; it is recognised as one of
4428-649: The Sea Venture (for the original Sea Venture , the 1609 wreck of which resulted in the settlement of Bermuda ) and Island Venture . In 1974, P&O purchased them for their Princess division, and they served as Island Princess and Pacific Princess respectively. A part-time addition to the Princess fleet was the former Swedish transatlantic liner Kungsholm , purchased by P&O from Flagship Cruises in 1978, and then restyled and rebuilt in Bremen as Sea Princess . She
4551-612: The Westfield Valencia Town Center . With the debut of Golden Princess in North America in 2001, Sky Princess was deployed to Australia for P&O Cruises Australia in 2000 and replace Fair Princess. Sky Princess was transformed into Pacific Sky to become the sister brand's first modern-era cruise ship for the recently spun off P&O Cruises Australia . Star Princess commenced operations in March 2002 and became
4674-534: The humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ). As a result, it has balmy warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. The winters are very mild considering the city's latitude, being as mild as locations located much further south in the Mediterranean Basin . Cool and rainy interludes can interrupt the dry summer season, the average length of which is also shorter. Summer afternoons are infrequently hot (indeed, temperatures greater than 30 °C or 86 °F are rare) as
4797-427: The turbine rotor, the vessel was brought ashore for cleaning and balancing, but good metal was unintentionally removed. This destabilized the rotor, forcing Princess Cruises to cancel two 10-day cruises while additional work was performed. Princess originally prevailed, being awarded nearly $ 4.6 million. On appeal , however, the judgement was reversed in favor of General Electric, and Princess Cruises only recovered
4920-515: The 1630s, he sought French protection against the Spanish forces and, in 1642, was received at the court of Louis XIII as a "duc et pair étranger". The princes of Monaco became vassals of the French kings while at the same time remaining sovereign princes. Though successive princes and their families spent most of their lives in Paris , and intermarried with French and Italian nobilities, the House of Grimaldi
5043-548: The 1878–9 Casino and the Salle Garnier created by Charles Garnier and Jules Dutrou. Decorative elements include turrets, balconies, pinnacles, multi-coloured ceramics, and caryatids. These were blended to create a picturesque fantasy of pleasure and luxury, and an alluring expression of how Monaco sought and still seeks, to portray itself. This capriccio of French, Italian, and Spanish elements were incorporated into hacienda villas and apartments. Following major development in
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5166-499: The 1970s, Prince Rainier III banned high-rise development in the principality. His successor, Prince Albert II , overturned this Sovereign Order. In recent years the accelerating demolition of Monaco's architectural heritage , including its single-family villas, has created dismay. The principality has no heritage protection legislation. Monaco has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification : Csa ), with strong maritime influences, with some resemblances to
5289-493: The 1980s, Princess rose in prominence after American television series The Love Boat was set primarily on the Pacific Princess in its weekly episodes, and the brand has since continued to invoke its connection to the series. Princess Cruises began in 1965, when founder Stanley McDonald chartered Canadian Pacific Limited 's Alaska cruise ship Princess Patricia for Mexican Riviera cruises from Los Angeles during
5412-439: The American actress Grace Kelly , an event that was widely televised and covered in the popular press, focusing the world's attention on the tiny principality. A 1962 amendment to the constitution abolished capital punishment, provided for women's suffrage and established a Supreme Court of Monaco to guarantee fundamental liberties. In 1963, a crisis developed when Charles de Gaulle blockaded Monaco, angered by its status as
5535-659: The Australian government to carry British emigrants from Southampton to Australia under the Assisted Passage Scheme . These commenced in December 1955 using the extensively refitted Fairsea (1). In 1957 the arrangement was expanded, so SITMAR arranged for the conversion of their idle other C3 design ship, Castel Forte , formerly the escort carrier HMS Attacker . Castel Forte received major structural alterations for her new role in New York in 1957, transferring to Italy at
5658-559: The Bahamas, falsifying records, and interfering with court supervision. During the COVID-19 pandemic , several ships from the cruise line became major clusters of infection of the disease, including Diamond Princess and Ruby Princess , spreading it around the world. By February, 712 cases had developed on Diamond Princess , of which 11 eventually died. This drew worldwide attention and led to several countries repatriating their citizens from
5781-655: The German Wehrmacht occupied Italy and Monaco, and the Nazi deportation of the Jewish population began. René Blum , the prominent French Jew who founded the Ballet de l'Opéra in Monte Carlo, was arrested in his Paris home and held in the Drancy deportation camp outside the French capital before being transported to Auschwitz , where he was later murdered. Blum's colleague Raoul Gunsbourg ,
5904-412: The Grimaldi family for over 500 years. These were ceded to France in return for 4,100,000 francs. The transfer and Monaco's sovereignty were recognised by the Franco-Monégasque Treaty of 1861. In 1869, the principality stopped collecting income tax from its residents — an indulgence the Grimaldi family could afford to entertain thanks solely to the extraordinary success of the casino. This made Monaco
6027-676: The Holland America Group umbrella, which comprises Princess, Holland America Line , Seabourn Cruise Line , and P&O Cruises Australia . In 2005, Princess swapped two ships between it and sister brand P&O. The Royal Princess , Princess Cruises first purpose-built ship, was transferred to P&O Cruises in April after 21 years of service with the line. Princess reacquired Sea Princess in May from P&O, which it had transferred over just two years prior. On April 3, 2008, Micky Arison ,
6150-555: The IRO charter contracts ended in 1952, Castelbianco and Castelverde were extensively rebuilt and used to carry emigrants, initially from Europe to Central America, later from Europe to Australia. This service ended in 1957 and both vessels were sold to the Spanish Line . Vlasov also bought two war surplus United States Maritime Commission C3 class ships, the first in 1949 being the former escort carrier USS Charger . Austerely refitted to carry 1800 passengers, this vessel became Fairsea (1) under Panamanian registry. Fairsea (1)
6273-417: The Mediterranean, using two small cargo ships. During the Second World War , these ships were lost to the company. Vlasov restarted SITMAR after the war and slowly assembled a new fleet of passenger and cargo ships. SITMAR obtained contracts with the International Refugee Organisation (IRO) to take refugees from Europe to Australia and other nations. SITMAR's first vessel to operate services to Australia
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#17328561531676396-432: The Monégasque throne was a two-step event with a further ceremony, drawing heads of state for an elaborate reception, held on 18 November 2005, at the historic Prince's Palace in Monaco-Ville . On 27 August 2015, Albert II apologised for Monaco's role during World War II in facilitating the deportation of a total of 90 Jews and resistance fighters, of whom only nine survived. "We committed the irreparable in handing over to
6519-418: The Princess fleet by eventually adding six ships, making it a major competitor with the other Caribbean cruise lines. In 1991, Princess Cruises began developing their third ever Caribbean private resort named Princess Cays located on the southern tip of the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas . The development was reported to cost $ 1.2 million and was unveiled in 1992, becoming an exclusive port of call for
6642-406: The Princess logo on her funnel until 1967. In 1969, Princess Italia was used on Alaskan cruises from San Francisco, but by 1973, the charter was canceled, and Italia returned to Europe on charter to Costa Cruise Line . Princess's third charter ship was none other than Costa's Carla C . Originally, Compagnie Générale Transatlantique 's SS Flandre , the ship had been purchased by Costa in
6765-440: The San Marco shipyards in Trieste . From 1972, SITMAR successfully built a fine reputation in the North American cruise market with Fairsea (2) (previously Fairland ) and Fairwind . Fairsea (1) was scrapped in 1969 after a disabling engine-room fire, while the veteran Castel Felice was scrapped in 1970, following the loss of the Australian contract. Operating from Australia as a full-time cruise ship since 1974, Fairsky (2)
6888-417: The Second World War. SITMAR ships carried a letter "V" on their funnels, for "Vlasov". After the war, Vlasov purchased the former American troop ships Wooster Victory and Vassar Victory , chartering them to the IRO. Wooster Victory first operated under its original name then was renamed Castelverde , while Vassar Victory was immediately renamed Castelbianco . Both vessels were Italian-registered. After
7011-452: The Sitmar Cruises acquisition. The last purpose-built Princess new build had been the Royal Princess in 1984, and the 3 recent inherited new builds had all been designed for Sitmar Cruises. A new building project was commenced with the first new build debuting in 1995 with the Sun Princess as the lead vessel for the Sun -class . This was the first of four ships in the class, followed by the Dawn Princess, Sea Princess, and Ocean Princess. At
7134-428: The Sovereign Prince. Key positions within the judiciary are held by French magistrates, proposed by the Government of France. Monaco currently has three examining magistrates . The wider defence of the nation is provided by France. Monaco has no navy or air force, but on both a per-capita and per-area basis, Monaco has one of the largest police forces (515 police officers for about 38,000 people) and police presences in
7257-472: The atmosphere is temperate because of constant sea breezes. On the other hand, the nights are very mild, due to the fairly high temperature of the sea in summer. Generally, temperatures do not drop below 20 °C (68 °F) in this season. In the winter, frosts and snowfalls are extremely rare and generally occur once or twice every ten years. On 27 February 2018, both Monaco and Monte Carlo experienced snowfall. Princess Cruises Princess Cruises
7380-408: The chairman of Carnival Corporation & plc, stated that due to the low value of the United States dollar because of the recession , inflation and high shipbuilding costs, the company would not be ordering any new ships for their U.S.-based brands (Princess, Carnival Cruise Line , and Holland America Line) before the economic situation improved. In May 2010, Carnival Corporation & plc signed
7503-433: The class in the fleet with six vessels. In 2020, Princess became the first major cruise line to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic after an outbreak onboard Diamond Princess in February led 712 of the 3,711 people on board to become infected. The ship's outbreak and quarantine in Yokohama elicited global criticism, both for Japan's handling of its mandated quarantine procedures at the time and for Princess after it
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#17328561531677626-545: The country is the Mediterranean Sea. Saint-Jean brook is the longest flowing body of water, around 0.19 km (190 m; 0.12 mi; 620 ft) in length, and Fontvieille is the largest lake, approximately 0.5 ha (1.2 acres) in area. Monaco's most populated quartier is Monte Carlo , and the most populated ward is Larvotto/Bas Moulins . After the expansion of Port Hercules , Monaco's total area grew to 2.08 km (0.80 sq mi) or 208 ha (510 acres); subsequently, new plans were approved to extend
7749-404: The cruise line's Western Caribbean itineraries. The private destination is also shared between sister brands, Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line. The resort suffered from a fire in January 2019 that damaged several buildings along the south side of the island. In the early 1990s, Princess was operating a fleet of mostly second-hand ships, with the majority having been inherited from
7872-513: The cruise line's first private Caribbean destination, Palm Island in the Grenadines . The first P&O Princess Cruises purpose-built cruise ship was Royal Princess, christened by Princess Diana in 1984, she was the largest new British passenger ship in a decade, and one of the first, if not the first, ships to completely dispense with interior cabins. The ship served in P&O Cruises fleet as Artemis until 2011. In 1986, P&O Princess Cruises acquired Tour Alaska, which operated on
7995-427: The development progresses. The name for the new district is Anse du Portier . On 29 February 2020, Monaco announced its first case of COVID-19 , a man who was admitted to the Princess Grace Hospital Centre then transferred to Nice University Hospital in France. On 3 September 2020, the first Monégasque satellite, OSM-1 CICERO, was launched into space from French Guiana aboard a Vega rocket . The satellite
8118-406: The director of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo , helped by the French Resistance , escaped arrest and fled to Switzerland . In August 1944, the Germans executed René Borghini, Joseph-Henri Lajoux and Esther Poggio, who were Resistance leaders. Rainier III , succeeded to the throne on the death of his grandfather, Prince Louis II , in 1949, and ruled until 2005. On 19 April 1956, Prince Rainier married
8241-400: The district of Fontvieille by 0.08 km (0.031 sq mi) or 8 ha (20 acres), with land reclaimed from the Mediterranean Sea. Land reclamation projects include extending the district of Fontvieille. There are two ports in Monaco, Port Hercules and Port Fontvieille. There is a neighbouring French port called Cap d'Ail that is near Monaco. Monaco's only natural resource
8364-513: The early 1970s, when it also began offering family-oriented cruises from North America, marketed as Sitmar Cruises. Briefly from 1972, in Australia SITMAR entered a line voyage marketing agreement with Shaw Savill Line , named Sea Travel Centres. However, this agreement was short-lived as both partners ceased regular circumnavigations in 1974. The name Sitmar Cruises was subsequently also used in Australia, offering full-time Sydney based cruises, with TSS Fairsky and Fairsky (2). The 1980s brought
8487-417: The end of that year for internal fitting-out. As Fairsky (2), the ship joined the Australian migration service from Southampton in May 1958. Eventually Castel Felice – and still later TSS Fairstar , formerly the British troopship Oxfordshire purchased from Bibby Line in 1963 – from 1964 also operated migrant voyages between England and Australia until 1970, when Chandris Lines instead won
8610-495: The engineer resigned his position and reported the discharge to the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency . An investigation launched by the U.S. Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) found that the practice had been taking place on Caribbean Princess and four other Princess ships – Star Princess , Grand Princess , Coral Princess , and Golden Princess – since 2005. In December 2016, Princess agreed to plead guilty to seven felony charges and pay
8733-400: The famous name of the ship featured on The Love Boat . P&O Princess Cruises merged with Carnival Corporation on April 17, 2003, to form the world's largest cruise operating company in a deal worth US$ 5.4 billion. As a result of the merger, Carnival Corporation and P&O Princess were integrated to form Carnival Corporation & plc , with a portfolio of eleven cruise ship brands. It
8856-465: The first "mega-ship" to operate from the West Coast on a full-time basis. In June 2002, Crown Princess was transferred to P&O Princess's new start-up brand, A'Rosa Cruises , to be the only cruise ship in A'Rosa's fleet to help launch the brand. In 2002 the Pacific Princess , famous as the ship from The Love Boat , left the Princess fleet after 27 years of service with the line, and last of
8979-468: The first in the fleet to run on LNG. The final contract was signed in March 2019, ushering in the development of the ships. Princess unveiled the names of the lead vessel and second ship as Sun Princess and Star Princess in September 2022 and May 2023, respectively, with both being the third ships in the fleet's history to bear their respective names. Sun Princess made its debut in February 2024 after
9102-439: The first two Grand -class vessels to exit the fleet. Throughout the pause, Princess staffed all ships with skeleton crew who had been onboard for months longer than anticipated after the hiatus extended beyond original expectations. Princess resumed operations in July 2021 with a week-long voyage to Alaska from Seattle aboard Majestic Princess . In a bid to rebuild consumer confidence, all guests were required to have received
9225-441: The former Sitmar Fairsky became Princess's Sky Princess . The first of the three new Sitmar ships came into the Princess brand in 1989 as Star Princess , the largest British exclusively cruising ship. Two 70,000 GT cruise ships designed originally by famed architect Renzo Piano entered service in 1990 as Crown Princess and Regal Princess , bringing Princess's fleet up to ten deluxe cruise ships. This greatly enlarged
9348-609: The hands of the Holy Roman Empire , which gave it to the Genoese. An ousted branch of a Genoese family, the Grimaldi , contested it for a hundred years before gaining control. Though the Republic of Genoa would last until the 19th century, they allowed the Grimaldi family to keep Monaco, and, likewise, both France and Spain left it alone for hundreds of years. France did not annex it until
9471-578: The high-level part of La Condamine, is generally seen today as an effective fifth Quartier of Monaco, having a very distinct atmosphere and topography when compared with low-level La Condamine. For town planning purposes, a sovereign ordinance in 1966 divided the principality into reserved sectors, "whose current character must be preserved", and wards . The number and boundaries of these sectors and wards have been modified several times. The latest division dates from 2013 and created two reserved sectors and seven wards. A new 6-hectare district, Le Portier ,
9594-513: The introduction of Port Canaveral to its network with Caribbean Princess to mark Princess's debut at the port in November 2024. In July 2018, Princess signed a memorandum of agreement with Fincantieri for the construction of two new 175,000 GT ships to be primarily powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The ships would become the largest vessels built in Italy and commissioned for Princess as well as
9717-497: The land grant came to be integrated piecemeal into other states. Between 1346 and 1355, Monaco annexed the towns of Menton and Roquebrune , increasing its territory by almost ten times. In 1419, the Grimaldi family purchased Monaco from the Crown of Aragon and became the official and undisputed rulers of "the Rock of Monaco". In 1612, Honoré II began to style himself "Prince" of Monaco. In
9840-574: The larger Jardin Exotique ward . An additional ward was planned by new land reclamation to be settled beginning in 2014 but Prince Albert II announced in his 2009 New Year Speech that he had ended plans due to the economic climate at the time. Prince Albert II in mid-2010 firmly restarted the programme. In 2015, a new development called Anse du Portier was announced. The four traditional quartiers of Monaco are Monaco-Ville , La Condamine , Monte Carlo and Fontvieille . The suburb of Moneghetti ,
9963-404: The late 1960s and given a major rebuilding. Almost immediately after completion, the ship was chartered to Princess, and it was on board the ship, which was marketed as, but again not officially renamed, Princess Carla , that Jeraldine Saunders wrote the first chapters of her nonfiction book The Love Boats. Britain's Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O), which by 1960
10086-490: The mid-1980s, but still under construction when P&O bought the cruise line. Built by Fincantieri at Monfalcone , Italy , to external designs by Renzo Piano , these vessels entered service as Crown Princess (July 1990) and Regal Princess (August 1991). Both then operated for P&O Cruises Australia , the former as Pacific Jewel and the latter as Pacific Dawn . Pacific Jewel would sail briefly as Karnika before being sold for scrap in 2020. While Pacific Dawn
10209-550: The migrant contract. In 1968 Vlasov purchased the Cunard liners Carinthia and Sylvania , intending for them to replace Castel Felice and Fairsea (1). However, after 15 years' continuous service, SITMAR's bid to retain the 1970 UK-Australia migration contract was unsuccessful. The two former Cunarders, since renamed Fairland and Fairwind , were laid-up at Southampton until reactivated prior to refurbishment in late 1970 and early 1971. The pair received major refits in tandem at
10332-403: The militarised, armed fire and civil defence corps ( Sapeurs-Pompiers ) it forms Monaco's total forces. The Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince was created by Prince Honoré IV in 1817 for the protection of the principality and the princely family. The company numbers exactly 116 officers and men; while the non-commissioned officers and soldiers are local, the officers have generally served in
10455-527: The neighbouring authorities women, men and a child who had taken refuge with us to escape the persecutions they had suffered in France," Albert said at a ceremony in which a monument to the victims was unveiled at the Monaco cemetery. "In distress, they came specifically to take shelter with us, thinking they would find neutrality." In 2015, Monaco unanimously approved a modest land reclamation expansion intended primarily to accommodate desperately needed housing and
10578-505: The occupation lasted for just a short time, it resulted in the deportation of the Jewish population and execution of several French Resistance members from Monaco. Since then Monaco has been independent. It has taken some steps towards integration with the European Union . Following a grant of land from Emperor Henry VI in 1191, Monaco was refounded in 1215 as a colony of Genoa. Monaco
10701-409: The order was place for the third ship, the new FairMajesty at Chantiers d'Atlantique in France. This ship was scheduled to debut before the other two Italian built sisters. Renderings showed he ship adopting the lines new livery and Swan logo, and have the name prefix Sitmar FairMajesty. In November 1987, Boris Vlasov died, while a deal being formed to sell Sitmar Cruises to P&O. Sitmar at this time
10824-399: The orders of the first new ships for Sitmar. In 1984 the lines first newbuild Fairsky debuted. Later in the year, Sitmar would begin negotiations for 3 additional new ships. In December 1985, a letter of intent was signed for two new 798 passenger ships to be built at Fincantieri. Boris Vlasov would take active role in the new ships designs, pulling from his years of experience. In June 1986
10947-519: The original Princess fleet. In 2002 and 2003 Princess debuted two panamax ships, the Coral Princess and Island Princess . Built to be the maximized sized ships to transit the Panama Canal, they were assigned for longer Southern Caribbean and Panama Canal cruises. They would also incorporate the ship engineering trend of the time of having additional gas turbine engines. This was emphasized in
11070-536: The other five members of the Council of Government . Until 2002, the Prime Minister was a French citizen appointed by the prince from among candidates proposed by the Government of France; since a constitutional amendment in 2002, the Prime Minister can be French or Monégasque. On 2 September 2024, Prince Albert II appointed a French citizen, Didier Guillaume , to the office. Under the 1962 Constitution of Monaco ,
11193-461: The pandemic-induced hiatus. Amid the operational pause in 2020, Princess parted ways with four ships in advance of their initially projected timelines after increased speculation about a sale surrounded the brand's oldest ships. This came after Carnival Corporation revealed its goals to reduce overall fleet tonnage in a bid to reduce costs. In September, Princess sold its remaining two Sun -class ships, Sun Princess and Sea Princess. Sun Princess
11316-412: The price of the contract, less than $ 232,000. On August 26, 2013, the crew of Caribbean Princess deliberately discharged 4,227 gallons of oil-contaminated waste off the southern coast of England. The discharge involved the illegal modification of the vessel's on-board pollution control systems, and was photographed by a newly hired engineer. When the ship subsequently berthed at Southampton ,
11439-474: The prince shares his veto power with the unicameral National Council . The 24 members of the National Council are elected for five-year terms; 16 are chosen through a majority electoral system and 8 by proportional representation. All legislation requires the approval of the National Council. Following the 2023 Monegasque general election , all 24 seats are held by the pro-monarchist Monegasque National Union . The principality's city affairs are managed by
11562-456: The reentry of Diamond Princess . After the success of the initial phased rollout of its resumption in the United States and amid the lingering uncertainty surrounding international travel restrictions related to the pandemic, in March 2022, Princess announced it would redeploy several ships from their originally scheduled distant homeports back to those in the United States. As a part of the redeployment, Princess revealed it would also return to
11685-471: The same time Princess began transferring some of its older ships to parent company P&O Cruises and their subsidiaries P&O Australia . The Dawn Princess left the fleet in 1993, Sea Princess in 1995, Golden Princess , 1996, Fair Princess in 1997, Island Princess in 1999. Princess unveiled its first Grand -class vessel in 1998, the Grand Princess , which debuted on May 26, and
11808-679: The seasonal tourist trade between Europe , the United States and Canada . The Central and South America services, also the North Atlantic summer services, were abandoned by 1957. SITMAR then sold its nominally last cargo vessel, the reefer Fairsky (1), while other V companies such as Silver Line, Italpacific and the Alva Steamship Co maintained the group's extensive cargo ship and oil tanker operations. SITMAR then concentrated on passenger services between Europe and Australasia until
11931-407: The ship. Shortly before the disease was declared a pandemic, and with over 2700 passengers on board, Ruby Princess sailed into international waters despite a global increase of confirmed cases of COVID-19. By mid April, there were 852 confirmed cases among Australian passengers alone, and 21 deaths. The subsequent discharge of infected passengers into Australia worsened the national pandemic in
12054-457: The ships design with giant decorative faux turbines on each side of the funnel. Princess eventually acquired two former Renaissance ships for the line starting in 2002. They were deployed for longer and more exotic destination cruises. The ships joining the fleet were Tahitian Princess , which was first based in Tahiti before being later renamed Ocean Princess , and Pacific Princess , reviving
12177-412: The wealthiest and most expensive places in the world. The official language is French ; Monégasque , English and Italian are spoken and understood by many residents. With an area of 2.08 km (0.80 sq mi), Monaco is the second-smallest sovereign state in the world, after Vatican City . Its population of 38,367 in 2023 makes it the most densely populated sovereign state. Monaco has
12300-430: The world's shortest coastline: 3.83 km (2.38 mi). The principality is about 15 km (9.3 mi) from the border with Italy and consists of nine administrative wards, the largest of which is Monte Carlo . The principality is governed under a form of constitutional monarchy , with Prince Albert II as head of state , who wields political power despite his constitutional status. The prime minister , who
12423-508: The world. Its police includes a special unit which operates patrol and surveillance boats jointly with the military. Police forces in Monaco are commanded by a French officer. There is also a small military force . This consists of a bodyguard unit for the prince and his palace in Monaco-Ville called the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (Prince's Company of Carabiniers); together with
12546-485: Was built in Monaco by Orbital Solutions Monaco. In July 2024, Monaco hosted the start line for final 33 km stage of the 111th Tour de France bicycle race for the first time in 15 years. Monaco has been governed under a constitutional monarchy since 1911, with the Sovereign Prince of Monaco as head of state . The executive branch consists of a Prime Minister as the head of government , who presides over
12669-692: Was christened by Olivia de Havilland . At the time, the $ 450 million Fincantieri -built vessel was the largest passenger ship ever commissioned and completed. Two more ships in the class, Golden Princess and Star Princess , followed, pioneering the design that carried on through the following six vessels in the class, with the last ship delivered in 2008. On October 23, 2000, the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) spun-off its passenger division to form an independent company, P&O Princess Cruises. In 2001, Princess Cruises headquarters moved from Century City to Santa Clarita , near
12792-522: Was continuing its rebranding, introducing a new livery, abandoning the "V" logo on the funnel and replacing it with a blue funnel and white "S" swan logo, along with hull art. This new color scheme only ended up being fully applied to the Fairwind while in service, while the FairMajesty and Fairstar only received partial application on the funnel. In July 1988, Sitmar Cruises' name and ships were purchased by
12915-449: Was evicted a few years later by the Genoese forces, and the struggle over "the Rock" continued for another century. The Grimaldi family was Genoese and the struggle was something of a family feud. The Genoese engaged in other conflicts, and in the late 1300s Genoa lost Monaco after fighting the Crown of Aragon over Corsica . Aragon eventually became part of a united Spain, and other parts of
13038-500: Was first ruled by a member of the House of Grimaldi in 1297, when Francesco Grimaldi , known as " Malizia " (translated from Italian either as "The Malicious One" or "The Cunning One"), and his men captured the fortress protecting the Rock of Monaco while dressed as Franciscan friars – a monaco in Italian – although this is a coincidence as the area was already known by this name. Francesco
13161-508: Was initially based in Australia as a P&O ship until 1981 when her role there was taken over by Oriana . After that, she alternated between P&O and Princess colours as she moved between fleets. Sea Princess returned to the P&;O UK fleet permanently and in 1995 and was renamed MV Victoria to allow a then-new Princess ship to be named Sea Princess . In 1981, Princess began calling at
13284-502: Was intended to sail as Amy Johnson for Cruise & Maritime Voyages , those plans would fall through and was resold to become a floating residence, named Satoshi . Those plans also fell through, and the ship became the Ambience for Ambassador Cruise Line, and is the last operating ship designed for the former SITMAR line. Monaco in Europe (dark grey) Monaco , officially
13407-443: Was intended to sail as Amy Johnson for Cruise & Maritime Voyages, those plans would fall through and was resold to become a floating residence, named Satoshi . Those plans also fell through, and the ship became the Ambience for Ambassador Cruise Line, the last operating ship of the former brand SITMAR. Never entering service for Sitmar Cruises The Vlasov Group, now renamed V-Ships , helped found Silversea Cruises in 1994 by
13530-463: Was later acquired by Peace Boat to become its largest ship and subsequently renamed Pacific World . Sea Princess was acquired by Chinese start-up Sanya International Cruise Development and renamed Charming . The following month, in October, Princess announced the official transfer of Golden Princess and accelerated transfer of Star Princess to sister brand P&O Cruises Australia, marking
13653-422: Was marketed as "every castaway's first choice," primarily featured on the cruise line's Caribbean itineraries from San Juan, Puerto Rico , but is now no longer a Princess private resort. P&O Princess Cruises acquired Sitmar Line in 1988 and transferred all of its major tonnage to Princess, including three cruise ships then under construction. Dawn Princess and Fair Princess were both ex-Cunard, and
13776-585: Was quickly followed by Regal Princess in 2014. In 2017, Princess further invested in China via the delivery of their third Royal -class ship, Majestic Princess , which was designed for the Chinese -speaking market and scheduled to homeport in Shanghai . Following the delivery of Sky Princess in October 2019, Princess received two more Royal -class ships ( Enchanted Princess and Discovery Princess ) to complete
13899-508: Was reported Princess had initially assumed there was only minimal risk and had only initiated the lowest-level protocols for any outbreaks prior to the quarantine. Subsequent large-scale outbreaks onboard several more Princess vessels, including Ruby Princess in Australia and Grand Princess in California , accelerated Princess's suspension of operations as the broader industry proceeded into
14022-548: Was signed, providing for limited French protection over Monaco. The treaty, endorsed in 1919 by the Treaty of Versailles , established that Monégasque international policy would be aligned with French political, military and economic interests. It also resolved the Monaco succession crisis . In 1943, the Italian Army invaded and occupied Monaco , forming a fascist administration. In September 1943, after Mussolini's fall from power,
14145-539: Was sold for scrap in 2013, being its 29th year. A second new build was ordered and built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique , at their shipyard in Saint-Nazaire , France , and launched in 1988 as Sitmar Fair Majesty . Originally ordered for Sitmar Cruises, however with the merger of Sitmar Cruises into Princess, she first entered service with Princess Cruises as Star Princess in 1989. A pair of approximately 70,000 GT cruise ships were also ordered by SITMAR in
14268-674: Was sold in 1977 after a collision, so the company sought a larger vessel to replace it. SITMAR failed to secure the Queen Anna Maria , which was bought by Carnival Cruise Lines . In 1979 SITMAR instead bought the Portuguese ship Principe Perfeito and renamed it Fairsky (3), intending to convert the vessel in Spain. However, the conversion was deemed uneconomic and the ship was sold in 1982 to John Latsis . SITMAR who had traditional converted older passenger ships, decided on its first new-build,
14391-538: Was sold to the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O). After the sale, most of the former SITMAR ships were transferred to the fleet of P&O subsidiary Princess Cruises , while one, TSS Fairstar , became the sole vessel of the newly created P&O-Sitmar Cruises (later P&O Holidays). The only ship originally ordered by SITMAR still sailing, is the MS Ambience for Ambassador Cruise Line. SITMAR began when Alexandre Vlasov carried coal in
14514-440: Was subdivided into three municipalities: The municipalities were merged into one in 1917, and they were accorded the status of Wards or Quartiers thereafter. Subsequently, three additional wards were created, but then again were dissolved in 2013: Most of Saint Michel became part of Monte Carlo again in 2013. La Colle and Les Révoires were merged the same year as part of a redistricting process, where they became part of
14637-536: Was the Castelbianco. Amongst the many companies contracted to carry displaced people, SITMAR's vessels were noted for providing higher quality accommodation and food. During the 1950s, SITMAR became a major passenger shipping company. It offered regular services between Europe and Australia for migrants and full-fare paying passengers. For several years, the company operated voyages between Europe , Central America and South America . Periodically SITMAR also engaged in
14760-448: Was the world's largest shipping company, with 320 oceangoing vessels, acquired Princess Cruise Lines in 1974 and their Spirit of London (originally to have been Norwegian Cruise Line's Seaward ) was transferred to the Princess fleet, becoming the first Sun Princess . The two ships that were to be featured heavily in the television series The Love Boat were built in 1971 at Nordseewerke for Flagship Cruises and originally named
14883-475: Was too ill to exercise his duties, relinquished them to his only son and heir, Albert. He died six days later, after a reign of 56 years, with his son succeeding him as Albert II , Sovereign Prince of Monaco . Following a period of official mourning, Prince Albert II formally assumed the princely crown on 12 July 2005, in a celebration that began with a solemn Mass at Saint Nicholas Cathedral , where his father had been buried three months earlier. His accession to
15006-516: Was unrest in Menton and Roquebrune , where the townspeople had become weary of heavy taxation by the Grimaldi family. They declared their independence as the Free Cities of Menton and Roquebrune , hoping for annexation by Sardinia. France protested. The unrest continued until Charles III of Monaco gave up his claim to the two mainland towns (some 95% of the principality at the time) that had been ruled by
15129-583: Was used for a series of IRO and other refugee organisations' charters, including voyages to Australia and North America. Another passenger vessel, Castel Felice – completed in 1931 as SS Kenya for the British-India Steam Navigation Company – was acquired in the late 1940s and after refurbishment joined the SITMAR fleet in 1952, seeing duty in a number of markets. From 1955 until 1970 SITMAR won successive five-year contracts from
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