Stylish American line Princess Cruises is deploying its biggest fleet ever in Europe in 2009.

The company’s biggest superliners will be based in European waters next summer offering a wide variety of cruises.

The 2,600-passenger Grand Princess replaces smaller Sea Princess on Southampton departures to the Mediterranean, increasing the number of cabins available by more than 40% over this year.

The ship, which has more than 670 balcony cabins, will run eight 14-night Mediterranean itineraries and three seven-night cruises to Spain and Scandinavia.

The 3,110-passenger Crown Princess will also depart regularly from Southampton in 2009 with voyages around the British Isles and to Iceland and the Norwegian Fjords.

Princess’s newest superliner, Ruby Princess, will operate its first summer season next year offering 12-night fly-cruises in the Mediterranean, offered with flights from London and Manchester.

Emerald Princess, launched in 2007, will be the biggest ship based in the Baltic Sea, operating 10-night fly-cruises from Copenhagen.

Princess will also position two small vessels in Europe in 2009.

The 670-passenger Royal Princess will run 12-night fly-cruises in the Mediterranean and sister ship Tahitian Princess will come to Europe for the first time to sail a range of cruises in Northern Europe, including sailings from Dover to Greenland.

Princess also has one of the biggest cruise programmes in Alaska and is the leading line for British passengers going in search of glaciers, stunning scenery and wildlife.

The number of British passengers taking an exotic cruise with Princess has more than trebled in five years, cruising as far afield as Australasia, South Pacific and the Far East.