By Tracy Morin
Touting hand-stretched dough and “time-honored Italian techniques perfected at sea,” Princess Cruises announced that its Alfredo’s Pizzeria, aboard the Sun Princess and Star Princess ships, has been awarded the prestigious Ospitalità Italiana Certification. This global recognition awards authentic Italian cuisine and hospitality.
This recognition comes in the wake of Princess Cruises’ partnership with chef Tony Gemignani, the mastermind behind Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, Slice House by Tony Gemignani and other pizza brands. He teamed up with the company in a multiyear deal, creating several specialty pies for its onboard menu. The cruise line kicked off the collaboration with a Guinness World Record-breaking event for the largest multiple-venue pizza party on July 12, 2024.
The Ospitalità Italiana Certification “affirms Princess Cruises’ commitment to delivering genuine Italian flavors at sea using fresh ingredients, preservation of traditional culinary techniques and the highest standards of service,” the company announced. “Recognized worldwide as a symbol of excellence and authenticity, the Ospitalità Italiana Certification is awarded only to dining establishments that uphold Italy’s rich culinary heritage. This achievement reinforces Princess Cruises as a destination for true Italian dining, ensuring guests authentic Neapolitan-style pizza, made to order, hand-stretched, and baked in a stone Moretti Forni oven using fresh ingredients and traditional techniques by skilled onboard chefs.”
Related: Tony Gemignani Inspires a New World Record Aboard a Fleet of ‘Love Boats’
Princess Cruises celebrated this milestone alongside National Pizza Day on February 9 while spotlighting its partnership with 13-time World Pizza Champion Gemignani, who brought his expertise and passion for authentic Italian pizza to Alfredo’s Pizzeria.
“Earning the Ospitalità Italiana Certification is a meaningful validation of our dedication to authentic Italian culinary excellence,” says Sami Kohen, Princess Cruises’ vice president of food and beverage. “As we celebrate National Pizza Day, we’re proud to recognize this achievement and our partnership with chef Tony Gemignani to showcase how we bring our guests closer to the tastes, traditions and hospitality of Italy, one perfectly crafted pizza at a time.”
Gemignani has created five unique pizzas for Princess—served across the fleet of 17 ships—each with a memorable blend of savory flavors and premium ingredients, from soppressata sausage and hot honey to Gorgonzola and sweet fig preserves. The pies, no doubt, played a major role in Princess Cruises’ recognition by USA Today as offering the “Best Pizza at Sea.”
Princess Cruises, known as The Love Boat and part of Carnival Corporation, bills itself as “the world’s most iconic cruise brand that delivers dream vacations to millions of guests every year in the most sought-after destinations on the largest ships.” The cruises travel globally—in the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Europe, South America, Australia/New Zealand, the South Pacific, Hawaii, Asia, Canada/New England, Antarctica and around the world. The ships that include Alfredo’s Pizzeria are Star Princess, the brand’s newest ship, launched in October 2025, and the Sun Princess, named Condé Nast Traveler Mega Ship of the Year for two years in a row.
