Princess Cruises to add outdoor movie screens fleetwide

[mercedes]

Fans of those big outdoor movie screens that have been popping up on cruise ships in recent years -- and there are a lot of you out there -- got some good news today from Princess Cruises.

The line that pioneered the "Movies Under the Stars" concept in 2004 says it plans to take the monster screens fleetwide over the next three years in a big expansion.

Princess already has the 300-square-foot screens on the top decks of seven of its newest vessels -- the

Caribbean Princess (where it all began), Crown Princess, Emerald Princess, Grand Princess, Star Princess, Sea Princess and soon-to-debut Ruby Princess. Over the next three years the line will add them to seven more ships.

The rollout will begin on the Golden Princess next May, followed by the Dawn Princess (June 2009), Coral Princess (October 2009), Sun Princess (April 2010), Island Princess (October 2010), Diamond Princess (November 2010) and Sapphire Princess (2011).

Princess uses the high-tech, LED screens day and night to show movies, sporting events such as the Super Bowl and concerts by the likes of Tina Turner and Elton John. The line even has been known to offer midnight showings of cult classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

This month, meanwhile, the line plans to broadcast an exclusive-to-the-cruise-industry concert by top-selling recording artist Josh Groban.

[zebra]

Wish I was there to see the Josh Groban concert!

[GottaCruz]

That sounds heavenly, watching a movie on a lounge chair in the dark with the ocean breeze. Doesn't get much better than that. I would certainly want my blankie for that.

[coloradocruisers]

Well, that's got to cost some $$$$$.