The Princess Kaguya: 1,640 Feet Long.....370,000 Tons.....8,400 Passengers!!

[Jason]

Yes, you read that correctly....a cruise ship of 8,400 passengers and 4,000 crew members! The Princess Kaguya, within the planning stage, is set to become an "International Urban Cruise Ship," with delivery as early as 2012.

Motor Boats Monthly first covered this story, and the article is as follows:

Eager to read more about this story, I checked out the official website for the ship (http://www.princesskaguya.com/), and highlighted some of the ship features. Pretty amazing stuff, huh?

-Hotels

This cruise ship is practically a hotel above the water. "Princess Kaguya" is a floating city that has three independent hotels on board. Each hotel has an entrance hall facing the main street, and its own check-in counter. Getting on board to visit "the city" is different from merely checking in at a hotel. The current plan is to have an operation agreement with an existing hotel group for each of the three different class hotels.

-Residence

A plan to let some rooms of the hotels for sale as residential suites with full hotel services has been considered.

The owner of the room can rent the room back to the hotel when he/she does not use it to receive a portion of the room charge. The room can be used as an office as well, and this "cruising resort residence/office will be as valuable as having several of them at different ports.

-Restaurants

Each hotel has 5 restaurants, 15 altogether. Additional 20 restaurants are available for the passengers with western, Chinese, Japanese and Asian styles. Another 20 restaurants and large food courts are prepared for our visitors. The wide variety of restaurants gives the choice one would expect being in a city.

-Shopping Mall

The shopping mall is a 300 meter long, 16 meter wide, 18 meter high atrium. The floor space is just as big as a multi story department store. The items being sold in the shops will be tax free, which comes as a benefit for the retailers, however the shopping while docked in a harbor will not be tax free.

-Convention Hall

The floor space is 7,000 square meters. Any kind of event including trade show, international meeting, etc.,

will be possible to be held. The hall can be utilized together in conjunction with the hotels and the restaurants.

The ship itself can be regarded as an isolated area, which will make it easier to maintain security.

-Sport events

In the hall any type of indoor sport event can be held. The organizing countries for such events nowadays tend to be

developed countries, but the Princess Kaguya will bring the event to any country if requested.

The TV exposure will cover the event by satellite from anywhere the ship may be.

-Concert hall

We are aiming at achieving a real acoustic concert hall on the ship by the generous use of wooden materials to cover the hall. If we can make possible what was previously impossible, we will have real orchestra concerts on board.

-Other play zones

The "Princess Kaguya" will also have a "Cruising Amusement Park". We are able to allocate enough space for entertainment facilities, thanks to the grand size of the ship.

[jacketwatch]

I am too stunned to even comment. Unbelievable.

[rogue]

Where in the world can that thing dock? I would love to tour it if and when it'sactually built.

[JoeyandDavid]

WOW.. I may like to tour it ......but I don't think i would want to cruise it!

[sailingrose]

Definately TOO big!

[Spikesgirl]

I'm at a loss to see why anyone would want to be on a ship so large that you feel like you're on land. Sort of defeats the purprose it you ask me. Think I'll stick with the smaller ships.

Charlie

[zebra]

I'm at a loss for words - it had to happen sooner or later!!!!

[Bathfizzy]

That is a very large ship. It sounds more like you can live on there for at least a couple of months. I don't quite get the concept of the hotels in the ship. This is probably suited for travelling around the world between the different countries.

[TheSkipper]

I'm sure the hotel concept is being done to fit different price ranges. Kind of bringing First, Second and Third Class sailings.

I have my doubts that this will get off the drawing board. But if she were docked in San Diego you could walk to Mexico before she sailed.

[radiofreebcj]

Unreal, truly unreal.

It's like the ship Royal Caribbean has planned. The Obesity of the Seas ;)