April 16, 2003 - Diamond Princess, being built for Princess Cruises in Japan, has been floated out from the shipyard during ceremonies in Nagasaki.
The ceremony included the traditional breaking of the champagne bottle against the bow of the vessel, as the ship's horn was sounded and a shower of streamers was released.
The ship originally slated to become Diamond Princess was almost destroyed by fire at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard, and will now be the Sapphire Princess when she arrives in May 2004.
Diamond Princess will debut in March 2004 with a series of seven-day Mexican Riviera sailings roundtrip from Los Angeles, before beginning her maiden Alaska season from Seattle in the summer.
