A massive new cruise ship is set to be the largest ever to operate in Alaska.

Fans of megaships are about to gain an exciting new choice for an Alaska cruise.

On Wednesday, Princess Cruises revealed that its upcoming giant vessel, the 4,300-passenger Star Princess, will launch its inaugural Alaska season from Seattle next summer.

Planned to launch in October 2025, the ship will start its Alaskan voyages in May 2026, according to the cruise line.

Star Princess will notably be the largest cruise ship to ever travel to Alaska.

Weighing in at approximately 178,000 gross tons, it will surpass the current leader in the Alaskan market, Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Encore, by about 5%. That ship has a gross tonnage of 169,116.

The next largest ships in the Alaskan market are Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas, both measuring 168,666 gross tons.

All three of these ships depart for Alaska from Seattle, which has long been known as the home port for the largest cruise ships heading to the region.

Additionally, two other nearly as large vessels, Norwegian's 168,028-ton Norwegian Bliss and 167,725-ton Norwegian Joy, are set to sail to Alaska from Seattle in 2026.

Consequently, the introduction of Star Princess in Seattle in 2026 will lead to a six-way "battle of the megaships" during the summer of 2026.

Upon its debut, Star Princess will be the second ship in Princess' highly anticipated Sphere Class, which has been in development for over six years and includes the newly revealed Sun Princess.

The Sphere Class vessels are notably larger than previous Princess ships and feature several innovative amenities for the line, such as suites that offer exclusive access to a private restaurant, lounge, and sundeck.

Moreover, these ships feature a groundbreaking design with "cabana cabins" along the extra-wide 10th deck, providing access to a private deck area. The upper decks also include a unique glass-domed pool area that transforms into a nightlife venue after dark, a first for Princess.

On Wednesday, Princess announced that Star Princess will be among eight ships sailing to Alaska for the summer of 2026, marking its largest deployment to the region ever.

Princess has long been a frontrunner in Alaska cruises, alongside its sister company, Holland America.

While the specific itinerary for Star Princess's Alaskan voyages wasn't disclosed on Wednesday, a representative informed TPG that the cruises will consist of seven-night journeys. These itineraries will be available for booking on Princess's website starting August 1.