Princess Cruises has named the four passengers who will ride on its float at next January's Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. They were chosen through the line's "Share Your Princess Story" contest, which asked past guests to submit personal entries about the moments and people that shaped their time sailing with the brand.
The winners are Brent Mack from Coquitlam, British Columbia; Ralph Menzel from Alexandria, Virginia; Jane Moore from Parrish, Florida; and Celeste Niebuhr-Eddleman from Lake Zurich, Illinois. Each receives a trip for two to Pasadena and a place on the float during the 138th Rose Parade, presented by Honda, on January 1, 2027.
It's the second year running that Princess has entered the famous New Year's Day parade. The line's 2027 float stretches 55 feet long and stands 22 feet high, and its design follows the Tournament of Roses theme for the year, which is simply "Welcome."
Princess chief marketing officer Marie Lee said the entries moved the team, describing them as proof of what the cruise line sees itself doing: bringing people together and building memories that last beyond the voyage. Winners and guests will be celebrated on the float as it rolls through Pasadena on New Year's morning.
For travellers, the story is a reminder of how big a deal the Rose Parade is on the US events calendar. The parade draws hundreds of thousands of spectators to the streets of Pasadena, with many camping out along Colorado Boulevard the night before to claim curbside spots. Millions more watch on television. Pairing it with the Rose Bowl college football game later the same day makes January 1 in Pasadena one of the biggest single-day events in American sport and culture.
Anyone who loves cruising may also find the contest itself interesting: cruise lines increasingly lean on guest stories and loyalty programmes, and this one turned customer testimonials into a national TV moment. If Princess returns for a third year, expect another contest ahead of the 2028 parade — a low-stakes way for loyal passengers to land a trip to California.
For everyone else, the takeaway is simple: if you want to see the Rose Parade in person, planning starts months in advance. Grandstand seats along the route sell out early, hotels in Pasadena fill up over the holidays, and the best free viewing requires an overnight stakeout on the sidewalk. The parade steps off at 8am Pacific time on January 1, whatever the weather.
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