Golden Princess is coming to Australia in 2015

Press Release from Princess:

Golden Princess to Debut in Melbourne as Princess Cruises Expands to Five Ships in Australia

 

Princess Cruises has announced it will base a record five ships in Australia next year, with the 2600-guest Golden Princess debuting down under as the biggest ship ever to homeport in Melbourne.

 

Golden Princess’ maiden summer deployment, which will increase Princess Cruises’ capacity in the Victorian capital by more than 20 per cent, is a highlight of the cruise line’s new Golden Anniversary 2015-16 program which reaffirms the cruise line’s leadership in the Australian market.

 

Released today, the program also features Princess Cruises’ first summer season of cruises from Fremantle, doubling the cruise line’s Western Australian offering to give the State its first year-round cruise program, as well as Princess Cruises’ biggest ever presence in Brisbane, with Queenslanders set to enjoy nine months of sailings in 2015-16.

 

As part of the record five-ship program, the 108,000-tonne Golden Princess will join the 116,000-tonne Diamond Princess in Australian waters for the 2015-16 summer, while the 77,000-tonne Sun Princess will remain in Australia next winter, joining sister ships Dawn and Sea Princess in providing cruises year round.

 

Launching the program, Princess Cruises Vice President Australia & New Zealand Stuart Allison said the record fleet would increase the cruise line’s local capacity by 35 per cent in 2015 compared to 2014. The move further consolidates Princess Cruises’ position as Australia’s biggest cruise line with Australians now spending more nights onboard Princess Cruises’ ships than on any other line.

With five of its 18-strong fleet cruising down under, Princess Cruises ranks Australia as its biggest market outside the United States.

 

For the first time, all ships will offer $AUD pricing onboard as they deliver a program of more than 80 cruises from Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Fremantle and Auckland.

 

Mr Allison said Golden Princess would be making her maiden visit to Australia when she arrived in Sydney in October 2015 before moving to Melbourne to become the biggest cruise ship ever to be based outside Sydney. Her five-month season will include holidays to New Zealand, the South Pacific and Tasmania, with fares starting from $1849*pp for a 13-night New Zealand cruise.

 

“Golden Princess’ larger size means she has a host of wonderful features. More than half her staterooms have private balconies, while she also offers a beautiful spa, four swimming pools and 10 restaurants and cafes, so we think she’ll be very popular with Victorians,” Mr Allison said.

 

The program also cements Diamond Princess’ position as the cruise line’s flagship in Sydney, with the stunning superliner offering a record 11 roundtrip itineraries from the city over the 2015-16 summer. Fares will start from $1799*pp for a 13-night Fiji and South Pacific cruise.

 

Meanwhile Fremantle will enjoy its first ever summer of premium cruises, with Sun Princess sailing on a program of 11 cruises to and from Western Australia between October 2015 and March 2016, including the return of the cruise line’s popular 46-night itinerary to India and South Africa, priced from $8839*pp . This means Princess will now offer year round cruising from both the east and west coasts.

 

Brisbane will experience its biggest year of Princess Cruises’ offerings, with Sun Princess sailing from the city from August to November 2015 and Sea Princess offering cruises from November 2015 to April 2016. Both ships will sail on a range of cruises to Papua New Guinea, the South Pacific, Queensland and New Zealand with fares starting from $1119*pp for a seven-night Queensland cruise.

 

For more information and bookings see a licenced travel agent, call 13 24 88 or visit princess.com

*Prices are per person twin share. Subject to availability, conditions apply.

Great news. Ever better will be in Aud currency. Five ships. So much choice.

Princess had to counter its competitor's movements in the Australian market by offering a newer and larger ship. The smaller sun class ships are getting tired and with RCL and X bringing larger and newer ships into the Australian market, Princess's loyalty is being tested.

The Australian cruise market is still going as strong as ever, so such a move by Princess is a no-brainer. Speaking with princess members on recent Australian cruises, the overwhelming thoughts were that the market needed a newer ship to keep pace with its increased competition.

It will now be interesting to see if some of the North American perks currently aboard the ship also find their way to the southern hemisphere whilst cruising our waters, given that they are changing the currency on-board to $AUD.

For US West Coast cruisers we have now lost the Sapphire AND the Golden :( :( :(

As a minor bright side, after sailing her from Valparaiso to LA in the Spring of 2015, we might be able to do her TP to Australia in the Fall of 2015.

Sent from my iPhone using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

Sorry, Aussies, but I am really sorry to hear that you are getting the Golden. Seems like lately Princess has been sending too many of the best ships to be homeported in other parts of the world. We're getting stuck with the new, too big, mega-ships. BOO!!

JMHO

After the 5 month Australia season, where to? Back to L.A./Alaska? We did the Sydney to LA voyage in April 2008 and would do it again.

Sorry, Aussies, but I am really sorry to hear that you are getting the Golden. Seems like lately Princess has been sending too many of the best ships to be homeported in other parts of the world. We're getting stuck with the new, too big, mega-ships. BOO!!

 

JMHO

You could always come down-under and do a cruise on her from here or bring her to Australia :)

Sorry, Aussies, but I am really sorry to hear that you are getting the Golden. Seems like lately Princess has been sending too many of the best ships to be homeported in other parts of the world. We're getting stuck with the new, too big, mega-ships. BOO!!

 

JMHO

Sorry, But its about time Australia got some of the decent ships. For too many years we have been stuck with the Princess castoffs. Now Princess realises that they don't have to discount as much as the USA so they going to send bigger and better ships down here to counteract RCL, Carnival and Celebrity who have sent better newer ships. :D

When does she get to Sydney. I know the announcement says October 2015.

After the 5 month Australia season, where to? Back to L.A./Alaska? We did the Sydney to LA voyage in April 2008 and would do it again.

I would bet that she'll only be in Australia for the winter (their summer) and will be back again for Alaska. But who knows... maybe the Royal or the Regal will be in Alaska for 2016... :confused:

including the return of the cruise line’s popular 46-night itinerary to India and South Africa, priced from $8839*pp . This means Princess will now offer year round cruising from both the east and west coasts.

What was this itinerary. Can someone shed some light.

For me it is great news after just getting off the Golden Princess after 31 nights around South America it is a fantastic ship and cant wait to see it down here.

I am so glad we are getting the likes of Golden and Diamond over those ridiculous Crown, Emerald, Ruby and Caribbean variants as they are just too crowded with extra decks slapped on top and no extra public rooms.

These older Princess ships like the Golden, Grand, Star are the true great ships of the Princess fleet. I have not tried Royal or Regal yet so will have to wait before passing judgement on them, but as for me I am really glad to have the Golden Princess come to Australia.

Sorry, But its about time Australia got some of the decent ships. For too many years we have been stuck with the Princess castoffs. Now Princess realises that they don't have to discount as much as the USA so they going to send bigger and better ships down here to counteract RCL, Carnival and Celebrity who have sent better newer ships. :D

I agree. That's the way many of us American West Coasters have felt for years. We always get the "left overs" - the ships no one else wants. Princess seems to be changing that a little now with the Crown coming soon.

Where will Golden Princess sail to ex-Sydney? NZ or South Pacific?

Where will Golden Princess sail to ex-Sydney? NZ or South Pacific?

It is sailing out of Melbourne not Sydney. It will basically do 13 night round-trips to New Zealand as well as a couple of shorter Tasmanian cruises and maybe a few South Pacific cruises.

Melbourne averages higher fares than Sydney due to the lack of direct competition. It will be interesting to see if RCI or Carnival also decide to homeport a ship there for a summer season.

I agree. That's the way many of us American West Coasters have felt for years. We always get the "left overs" - the ships no one else wants. Princess seems to be changing that a little now with the Crown coming soon.

Crown is not a better option. It's newer for sure. But it has a full additional deck of passengers for exactly the same amount of public space. :mad::mad::mad:

Sorry, Aussies, but I am really sorry to hear that you are getting the Golden. Seems like lately Princess has been sending too many of the best ships to be homeported in other parts of the world. We're getting stuck with the new, too big, mega-ships. BOO!!

 

JMHO

That's exactly how I feel. :( I'm happy for the Aussies and Kiwis, but sad for us up here. I'd like to trade Royal for Diamond or Sapphire!! Meanwhile, I'm going to give a few other lines a try. I just don't like the crowds on the ships with too many passenger decks.

I agree. That's the way many of us American West Coasters have felt for years. We always get the "left overs" - the ships no one else wants. Princess seems to be changing that a little now with the Crown coming soon.

Don't get your hopes up on the Crown. Despite its age it is a far worst ship to be on than the Grand, Golden and Star Princess.

The entire Crown class from including Emerald and Ruby and even Caribbean Princess are terrible ships to be on. Exactly the same as Grand class but with one extra deck, no more deck space and hoards of people in your way. It gets worst on tenders and embarkation and disembarkation in every single tour port is a nightmare.

Does anyone know anything about the transatlantic they have planned for the Golden Princess?

To answer an earlier question directly . Princess are to offer again ex Fremantle (the port city of Perth, Western Australia) the Circle Indian Ocean itinerary. Basically this round trip itinerary ex Fremantle goes up the West Australian coast via Bali to Singapore, then up the Straits of Malacca calling at Penang, Phuket then over to ports in Sri Lanka, India then over to Dubai, Amman, and down the African Coast various ports then back across the Indian Ocean to Fremantle . 30 nights plus .

Just wondering if this means they will re-evaluate the drink packages for Australia based ships

And I'm wondering what the cruise being in"Aussie dollars" will mean to those of us booking from the US?

Higher fares?

No discounts?

:confused:

Crown is not a better option. It's newer for sure. But it has a full additional deck of passengers for exactly the same amount of public space. :mad::mad::mad:

The Crown cruise I was on was the worst cruise I have ever been on. I have never encountered so many crowds, I just can't bring myself to try her or her sisters again. It was the most frustrating cruise, ever.

The vast majority of my last cruises have been from the West coast (mostly Sapphire Princess) due to this. I agree with kath00 - these Grand class ships definitely are better than the Grand plus class.

I think with Princess sending away the Sapphire, Diamond and now some of the other Grand class ships, my desire to sail Princess is diminished.

The space ratio is better on the Royal Princess but I will miss the covered pools and promenade deck if I sail them as I really like these items on the older ships.

We also find this disappointing as Princess is getting rid of the ships that we like.

We sailed on the Crown once and it was very crowded. We have never encountered so many crowds waiting for an elevator, waiting to get a table for dinner or simply walking in the atrium. We are not opposed to large ships, just crowded ships.

I find it somewhat ironic that people sail on the Royal Princess make the comment that it is not crowded at all. I look at their cruise history and they are comparing the Royal Princess and the crowding issues to the Crown, Ruby and Emerald Princess. Many of these people are newer cruises and have never experienced the original Grand Class or even the Coral or Island Princess to know how spacious they felt.

I guess this may be a good opportunity to see Australia.

Marketing 101. "Don't turn away from your base."

"[/size]Very few things we don't like about cruising. We hardly ever complain. Well we did complain a little about 30 min shows. And the space ratio on the new ships is not mush better.But if it is too bad we just never go back.

2006 Sailed on this new ship the Caribbean Princess for the 1st and last time. Really bad, just too many people.

We have only sailed on Princess, but. IT IS GETTING VERY CLOSE TO BEING TOO BAD.