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Princess Cruises' newest fleet member has a lot to boast about.

Not only does the Regal Princess, which welcomed passengers on its maiden voyage in Venice last week, have 1,780 staterooms, 17 decks, 16 bars and restaurants and a luxury spa - she also measures longer than the the UK's largest building, the Shard, is tall.

The sister ship to Royal Princess, which was launched last year by HRH, The Duchess of Cambridge, is the 18th in the Princess Cruises fleet, and has capacity for 3,500 guests.

New girl: The 3,500-guest Regal Princess embarked on her maiden voyage last week

The ship also includes several signature Princess Cruises' features including SeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway that extends 28 feet over the edge of the ship, and Princess Live, a television studio with on board programming throughout the day.

At a length of 1,083 feet, Regal Princess is longer than the height of the Shard, the tallest building in the UK.

Infographic: The new ship measures 1,083ft, 79ft longer than the Shard is tall

And at 217 feet high she is taller than 15 double-decker London buses stacked on top of one another.

Regal Princess' seven-day inaugural cruise includes stops in Corfu, Mykonos and an overnight call in Istanbul. She will continue to sail across the Mediterranean throughout the summer.

In November her naming ceremony will take place in the US, followed by a season of Eastern Caribbean cruises.

Luxurious: Regal Princess is kitted out with 16 bars and restaurants and a spa and fitness centre

Paul Ludlow, Princess Cruises' managing director UK and Europe, said: 'Regal Princess is a magnificent ship and it's a pleasure to welcome her into our fleet.

'The variety of on board options means guests will be spoilt for choice when they take a cruise, from being pampered in the luxury spa, to dining in the specialty restaurants to taking a dip in the fresh water pools.

'If you're planning your summer holiday and want to combine the Mediterranean summer sun with everything Regal Princess has to offer, now is the time to book up.'