It was built in 1998 by Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani in Monfalcone, Italy, with yard number 5956, at a cost of approximately US$450 million.

Grand Princess was the setting for a task in the second series of the UK version of the reality TV show The Apprentice.

On 19 July 2009, the ship was drydocked for 14 days for refurbishments such as boosting Grand Princess's energy and environmental efficiency.

The bow high tendency was specific to Grand Princess and did not affect her sister ships as they were designed with aluminum upper decks.

On 9 August 2017, a dead humpback whale was found stuck on the bow of the ship after it docked in Ketchikan, Alaska.