Diamond Princess (ship)

Diamond Princess docked in Hobart, Australia
History
Name	Diamond Princess
Owner	Carnival Corporation & plc
Operator	Princess Cruises
Port of registry	2004-2014 Hamilton, Bermuda 2014-present London, England
Route	Asia, Australia and New Zealand
Builder	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Cost	US$500 million
Yard number	2181
Christened	2004
Completed	February 2004
Maiden voyage	2004
In service	March 2004
Identification	Callsign: ZCDF8 IMO number: 9228198 MMSI number: 310404000
Status	In service
Notes
General characteristics
Class and type	Gem class Cruise ship
Tonnage	115,875 GT
Length	290.2 m (952 ft)
Beam	37.49 m (123.0 ft)
Decks	13
Installed power	Wärtsilä 46 series common rail engines
Propulsion	Twin propellers
Speed	22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Capacity	2,670 passengers
Crew	1,100 crew
Notes

Diamond Princess is a cruise ship owned and operated by Princess Cruises. She began operation in March 2004 and primarily cruises in Alaska during the summer and Asia in the winter along with Australia cruises. She is a subclassed Grand Class ship,which is also known as a Gem Class ship. Diamond Princess and her sister ship, Sapphire Princess, are the largest subclass of Grand-class ships, as they have a 37.5 m (123 ft) beam while all other Grand Class ships have a beam of 36 m (118 ft). Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess were both were built in Nagasaki, Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Construction

The ship's hull was originally christened Sapphire Princess. However, construction was delayed when fire swept through the original decks of Diamond Princess during construction. Because completion would be delayed for some time, her sister ship, which was also under construction, was changed to Diamond. The name swap helped to keep the delivery date of Diamond Princess on time. She was the first Princess Cruises ship to be built in a Japanese shipyard and lacks the "wing" or "spoiler" across the rear which can be seen on Caribbean Princess.

Machinery

The diesel-electric plant of Diamond Princess has four diesel generators and a gas turbine generator. The diesel generators are Wärtsilä 46 series common rail engines, two of the straight 9-cylinder configuration (9L46), and two of the straight 8-cylinder configuration (8L46). The 8- and 9-cylinder engines can produce approximately 8,500 kW (11,400 hp) and 9,500 kW (12,700 hp) of power respectively. These engines are fueled with heavy fuel oil (HFO or bunker c) and marine gas oil (MGO) depending on the local regulations regarding emissions, as MGO produces much lower emissions but is much more expensive. The gas turbine generator is a General Electric LM2500, producing a peak of 25,000 kW (34,000 hp) of power and being fueled by MGO. This generator is much more expensive to run than the diesel generators, and is used mostly in areas, such as Alaska, where the emissions regulations are strict. It is also used when top speed is required to make it to a port in a short time period. There are two propulsion electric motors which drive fixed-pitch prop'ellers and six thrusters used during maneuvering; three bow and three stern. The propulsion electric motors (PEMs), are conventional synchronous motors made by Alstom Motors. The two motors are each rated to 20 MW and have a maximum speed of 154 rpm. (Rated speed of 0-145 rpm.)

==Ports of call==

Theatre

Prior to 2014, Diamond Princess sailed alternating north- and southbound voyage of the glacier cruises during the northern summer months. In the southern summer, she sails from Australia and New Zealand, and cruises around Asia. In the northern summer of 2014, she will sail Japan cruises from Tokyo, Japan, joining Sun Princess which will sail from Kobe and Otaru, Hokkaido at that time.

External links

• Diamond Princess - Princess Cruises
• Diamond Princess bridge cam - live