Key Aspects:
- Princess Cruises celebrated the new year with a Star Princess float in the Rose Parade.
- The float celebrated the debut of the new ship and her inaugural Alaska season.
- The impressive display featured over 300,000 flowers and other natural materials.
Princess Cruises rang in the New Year with a special float in the annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. This event is hosted on the morning of January 1 every year.
The float featured an impressive rendition of Star Princess, the second Sphere-class ship that joined the fleet in November 2025, set against iconic Alaska scenery.
The design celebrated the 4,300-guest ship’s debut and her upcoming inaugural season in Alaska in summer of 2026, during which she will operate 7-night sailings out of Seattle and Vancouver.
“What better way to welcome the new year than on the world-famous Rose Parade stage, celebrating the breathtaking beauty of Alaska and the debut of our remarkable new ship, Star Princess,” said Marie Lee, Princess Cruises Chief Marketing Officer.
“Our float pays homage not only to our passionate Princess crew who bring Alaska voyages to life, but also to the local Alaskans – the storytellers, guides, artists, naturalists, and communities – who welcome our guests each season and make every journey extraordinary,” Lee continued.
A dozen performers also danced their way down the 5.5 mile parade route with the float as the “Love Boat” theme song played, which is a nod to Princess Cruises’ connection with the classic TV show.
As a California-based company, the Rose Parade is also a tradition that is likely very near and dear to the cruise line’s heart.
The parade started in 1890, and was already well-established by the time Princess opened its headquarters in Santa Clarita in 2001.
The Alaska Season to Come
In addition to celebrating the fleet’s newest vessel, the design is inspired by an exciting upcoming Alaska season for the cruise line – which is the biggest ever for the cruise line.
With the addition of the new Star Princess, eight Princess ships (instead of the usual seven) will be deployed to Alaska for the summer season.
Combined, these vessels will offer an impressive 180 departures, call to 19 popular destinations, and include 20 cruisetour options for inland areas and national parks.
The float, which was 55 feet long and 21 feet high, was adorned with more than 300,000 flowers and natural materials to capture the beauty of the young ship and the Alaska scenery.
Perhaps most exciting is that the animals on the float, including a bear, sea otters, soaring eagles, wild moose, and whales, were animated, with their movements really bringing the float to life in an impressive marvel of innovation.
All About the Details
The impressive parade float was designed and constructed by Artistic Entertainment Services, which is a full-service creative, design, and fabrication studio with facilities in both California and Florida.
As the name Rose Parade suggests, every visible surface on floats in the parade must be covered by natural organic materials, with fresh flowers being the most famous.
Textures and tones inspired by Alaska’s rugged coastlines and breathtaking regional scenery were strategically used, and every detail was given careful thought.
The constructors even weaved in Blue Tweedia to symbolize the Alaska state flower, which is the Forget‑Me‑Not.
Read Also: Alaska Cruise Ports – What Are Your Options?
Additional materials included 21-foot trees of pine and spruce to form an authentic forest backdrop and white chrysanthemums, rice, and iridescent everlasting (accented with cool blue tones) to create floral versions of glaciers.
Layered blues and whites to form the water were created using iris, hydrangea, dendrobium orchids, ocean mums, and gypsophila, while animals like moose and bears were crafted from materials like palm fiber, cornsilk, grasses, and seeds.
Gratitude for the Crew
As a somewhat more subtle detail, four Princess teammates also rode in the float as a representation of the cruise line’s appreciation for its crew members.
Two of the representatives came from shoreside operations, while the other two were actual crew members. This was also a natural fit for the parade’s 2026 theme, which was “The Magic In Teamwork.”
“This year’s ‘The Magic in Teamwork’ theme perfectly reflects who we are: an extraordinary team dedicated to delivering unforgettable travel experiences that inspire joy, connection, and moments worth retelling,” Lee added.
Princess currently employs approximately 25,000 crew members from dozens of countries around the world, who have already jumped into providing another year of stellar customer service and facilitating dream cruise vacations.
