Sun Princess to enter the Japanese market

[cassarina]

Originally Posted by am1984

An local online T/A site now shows the last return cruise of the Sun Princess leaving Brisbane on the 18th March 2013 & returning 29th March 2013.

All future cruises after this time including the 2013 Pacific World Cruise as now showing as unavailable

I guess that she will either leave Brisbane on the 29th March 2013 for Japan or maybe have a quick dry dock visit before leaving for her first cruise there on 27th April 2013.

We will have to wait & see if she returns back for the Australian 2013-14 Spring & Summer sailings.

We are very disappointed we were booked on the Sun Princess April 2013 for the South Pacific Cruise to Fiji and it looks like Princess will not be doing these cruises in 2013 and we have looked at Carnival Spirit and it looks like the ship is aimed at Families also their cruises are shorter any ideas for a cruise of 14 days to Fiji out of Sydney

[rkmw]

Originally Posted by cassarina

We are very disappointed we were booked on the Sun Princess April 2013 for the South Pacific Cruise to Fiji and it looks like Princess will not be doing these cruises in 2013 and we have looked at Carnival Spirit and it looks like the ship is aimed at Families also their cruises are shorter any ideas for a cruise of 14 days to Fiji out of Sydney

the Sea Princess is doing a 14 nighter to Fiji on the 25/1/13 or the Pacific Pearl is doing a 14 nighter on the 14/2/13 if they are suitable dates......if you havent been on the Pearl the cabins are much bigger than the other cruise ships and they are a mixed crowd,we have been on both and we dont mind p&o

we did the Sea Princess to Fiji this february and we had a good time, didnt miss any ports and always on time

[Sandielle]

Sun Princess is cruising to Fiji from Brisbane on 18 March 2013. That's 14 days.

[rkmw]

Originally Posted by Sandielle

Sun Princess is cruising to Fiji from Brisbane on 18 March 2013. That's 14 days.

Sandie they have the Sun P as 11 nights out of Brisbane on the 18/3/13

[Sandielle]

Bob, you're correct. Sorry. My mind was wandering to other places. It is only 11 days!

[rugbypopsie]

I wonder if they will change the smoking rules for the Japanese market?

Sue

[rkmw]

Originally Posted by rugbypopsie

I wonder if they will change the smoking rules for the Japanese market?

Sue

why should they do that as its only another cruise

[Witchymob]

It seems Princess are going to a lot of trouble to customise Sun Princess for Japan, I note that cruises for 2013 in August and September now show sold out, so maybe they plan to extend the Japan season. No mention anywhere of what has happened to the circle pacific cruise Sun was scheduled to do. What has happened to anyone who had booked that? Seems world cruises are getting harder to sell, P&O UK also cancelled Azura's proposed world cruise for 2013. Just hoping Fremantle isn't abandoned, although I note the cost of the cruises has risen substantially since Princess first started doing its seasons in 2008.

[packetau]

just saw a message on the roll call that the 2013 pacific circle cruise is officially cancelled...

[Kiwi Kruzer]

This is also on the Princess board...
Looks like Sun may be staying up there if all goes well.


http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1607916

Princess created a new division, Princess Japan, and will base a ship there (the Sun) and market it in Japan. Staff will be bi-lingual in Japanese and onboard accounts will be in Yen. The ship will be modified to Japanese tastes, as will be the food.

[rugbypopsie]

Originally Posted by rkmw

why should they do that as its only another cruise

It depends...the new Princess smoking rules are partly due to OH & S, but if they are adapting for the local (Japanese) market then...smoking is far more prevalent in Asia than other markets.

Just wondering especially if Sun Princess is remaining in Japan permanently and it looks likely that is what is happening.

I loved Japan and would consider flying to Japan to cruise more ports there but the smoking would be something for me to consider.

Sue

[rkmw]

Originally Posted by rugbypopsie

It depends...the new Princess smoking rules are partly due to OH & S, but if they are adapting for the local (Japanese) market then...smoking is far more prevalent in Asia than other markets.

Just wondering especially if Sun Princess is remaining in Japan permanently and it looks likely that is what is happening.

I loved Japan and would consider flying to Japan to cruise more ports there but the smoking would be something for me to consider.

Sue

if the new smoking rule is ok for everyone else why should the Japanese be different....surely there maybe other international visitors on the cruises too

[thied]

Originally Posted by rkmw

if the new smoking rule is ok for everyone else why should the Japanese be different....surely there maybe other international visitors on the cruises too

I can not see them changing the smoking rules for the Japan market in light of the cruise fires we have had just in this year alone.

[rugbypopsie]

I am not suggesting they should just wondering if they would to suit the local market...

Sue

[rkmw]

princess changed their policy to only allow smoking in designated areas so Japan should follow suit

[finetuneit]

Hmmm, does anyone else think it's no coincidence that Sun Princess leaves Australia/commences sailing in Japan in April 2013, and a month later the new Royal Princess starts sailing? Do you think they'll just shuffle the fleet so they can enter a new market with their oldest ship (Japan), and they might move a bigger ship here to replace her (and to take on the impending competition from RCCI and Celebrity)? Diamond Princess has always been popular here. Grand Princess is the same age as Sea Princess and at 109,000 tonnes, it could be Princess's answer to the competition...

[Kiwi Kruzer]

I dont think its coincidence, rather the business evolving.
Princess are putting their "toe in the water" for the Japanese market to see how it goes. They have access to better port facilities up there now and Diamond has been doing a lot of Asian cruising. With the new terminals in China, Hong Kong and Singapore coming on line , Princess could very well base Daimond and Sapphire in Asia, while leaving the Australian market to tough it out and tender ashore in Sydney .
There is all ready a cruising base in Japan eg Asuka, but it is more of an upmarket product. It will be interesting to see if the Japanese flock to the mass market style of cruising as we have .

[Sandielle]

Originally Posted by finetuneit

Hmmm, does anyone else think it's no coincidence that Sun Princess leaves Australia/commences sailing in Japan in April 2013, and a month later the new Royal Princess starts sailing? Do you think they'll just shuffle the fleet so they can enter a new market with their oldest ship (Japan), and they might move a bigger ship here to replace her (and to take on the impending competition from RCCI and Celebrity)? Diamond Princess has always been popular here. Grand Princess is the same age as Sea Princess and at 109,000 tonnes, it could be Princess's answer to the competition...

I hope you're right,finetuneit! And they can base it in Brisbane! LOL.

[finetuneit]

Originally Posted by Sandielle

I hope you're right,finetuneit! And they can base it in Brisbane! LOL.

Well, it might be the answer to that TBA booking at the OPT in Sydney. Of course, this is purely speculation on my part (that booking could be anything).