Dissapointed with Summer 2012 Offerings

[bugsy43]

We just finished taking a look at the summer 2012 options from pricess and were quite dissapointed to see that there are no sailings other than Europe, Alaska and Australia. We were hoping to make our plans for next summer but don't really find any of their offerings appealing as we just did the Med last summer and Alaska 2 years before that.

 

Sadly, at least for our Summer 2012, it looks like we won't be doing our annual Princess Summer Cruise.

 

What do others think of this?

[redrocks07]

Where did you see the offerings? It's our understanding that next summer's offerings won't be posted until later this week?

[geoherb]

Princess sends ships to where it can make the most money. People are willing to pay more for cruises to Alaska, Europe, and Australia than to the Caribbean. But I don't think the whole schedule is set for summer 2012, so there's still a possibility that there will be a ship left on the East Coast.

[kywildcatfanone]

I would tend to agree. We have been cruising for the past 5 years, and my wife is a teacher, so summer would be our best time to take a cruise. However, we don't want to do Alaska or Europe, so I guess if we do decide to do a summer cruise, it will not be on Princess.

However, I'm sure these decisions are driven by the profitability of the itinerary and my assumption would be Alaska and Europe are where the money is for summer itineraries. They have had a couple of options for the Caribbean in the past, but I guess it wasn't worth continuing, at least for now.

 

Mike

[bugsy43]

Where did you see the offerings? It's our understanding that next summer's offerings won't be posted until later this week?

 

They came out today - March 17th and are now available for booking.

[Cuizer2]

They came out today - March 17th and are now available for booking.

 

What part of the world are you in? Here in North America, right now, it is still Wednesday, March 16.

 

I know the Caribbean Princess is sailing the Caribbean from New York.

 

I just checked the Princess website. The only thing showing for June & July 2012 is Dawn Princess in Asia. Now unless Princess is planning a very long dry dock for the rest of its fleet, I would say the summer of 2012 schedule is not out yet.

[Loonbeam]

Some of the catalog is out, but the cruise search has very limited listings so not sure if these are final for example, nothing for August on the Princess site. That said, the Caribbean is so oversaturated with capacity now, especially with the mega-ships, that I guess Princess doesn't see a need for a lot of investment of time in the area. I suspect that will continue until the new Royal comes out, I expect one of those two new ships to do the Carribean to compete with the Oasis class behemoths.

[hubofhockey]

Princess is already down a ship this summer and next with the transfer of the Royal Princess. The increased demand for the Med also motivated them to move the Crown Princess there. So, until the new Royal Princess comes on line in 2013, something had to give.

[loliola]

I got the sailing schedule via email from princess earlier this week....

[Maraprince]

Some of the catalog is out, but the cruise search has very limited listings so not sure if these are final for example, nothing for August on the Princess site. That said, the Caribbean is so oversaturated with capacity now, especially with the mega-ships, that I guess Princess doesn't see a need for a lot of investment of time in the area. I suspect that will continue until the new Royal comes out, I expect one of those two new ships to do the Carribean to compete with the Oasis class behemoths.

 

 

 

Not exactly correct. The mega ships of RCI are very limited in the ports that they can dock at and most passengers do not even leave the ship.

 

There will be some duplication of ports like St. Thomas and San Juan, but there are far more ports available that offer passengers a choice if they do not want to go on a mega ship or have to fly to Europe, Asia or Alaska to take a summer cruise.

 

Hopefully, more sailings will be added for 2012 so we do not have to look to another line for a sailing out of the NY area.

 

 

MARAPRINCE

[jonikal]

They came out today - March 17th and are now available for booking.

 

Perhaps you are located in Asia? We're still March 16, Wednesday.:confused:

[dog]

Where did you see the offerings? It's our understanding that next summer's offerings won't be posted until later this week?

Hello friends,

last week one of the travel agents posted these links on the Princess board:

 

 

http://content.princess.com/pcan/ima...3_overview.pdf

 

 

http://content.princess.com/pcan/ima...lItinFares.pdf

[Loonbeam]

I was thinking not so much in terms of ports as passenger capacity. The pricing margin on the Carribbean is so low due to the excess capacity it has to be made up in volume (more people also means more ancilliary revenue). Some of the relatively smaller ships in the fleet simply don't generate enough money per head to make it worthwhile down there right now.

 

Not exactly correct. The mega ships of RCI are very limited in the ports that they can dock at and most passengers do not even leave the ship.

 

There will be some duplication of ports like St. Thomas and San Juan, but there are far more ports available that offer passengers a choice if they do not want to go on a mega ship or have to fly to Europe, Asia or Alaska to take a summer cruise.

 

Hopefully, more sailings will be added for 2012 so we do not have to look to another line for a sailing out of the NY area.

 

 

MARAPRINCE

[jbrambach]

Hello friends,

last week one of the travel agents posted these links on the Princess board:

 

 

http://content.princess.com/pcan/ima...3_overview.pdf

 

 

http://content.princess.com/pcan/ima...lItinFares.pdf

Thanks for posting these links

[YaddaBest]

Its odd that Princess for the second time in three years will not have a single ship in Florida or the Caribbean outside of the Caribbean princess making its run from Brooklyn. I have found that you can get a much better deal going to the caribbean during the peak season..because of all the ships in port. has anyone seen the prices on inside cabins on the ten day sailings on the Star and Emerald??? The 14 day sailings are cheap on the march 28th sailing on the Grand but heard that many common areas will be closed due to its going to dry dock for a refit.

 

Love princess next cruise will be number 50

[King Neptune]

Hello friends,

last week one of the travel agents posted these links on the Princess board:

 

 

http://content.princess.com/pcan/ima...3_overview.pdf

 

 

http://content.princess.com/pcan/ima...lItinFares.pdf

 

This is great info, thanks.

[loribelle1]

I love the Cruise Critic boards! This was the exact information I came here looking to find. Thanks so much!

[Pam in CA]

Its odd that Princess for the second time in three years will not have a single ship in Florida or the Caribbean outside of the Caribbean princess making its run from Brooklyn.

The aberration has been a Princess ship sailing the Caribbean in the summer. They didn't for a long time and now have repositioned to Europe. The market for cruises in Europe is very strong and since Princess often cruises in regions where Americans are in the minority, it makes business sense for them to cruise there. I was on a Princess cruise out of Southampton a few years ago where only 12% of the passengers were American. Princess goes where the money and passengers are, not necessarily where Americans are.

[kahluatoo]

Alaska is one of their biggest selling?! I can't imagine having to wear a coat on a cruise :P I'd go if I won one, but can't see myself paying for it although it looks gorgeous.

[Jacqueline]

I hope that as more of us have done multiple European Cruises, that Princess will offer more varied ports and itineraries. I did Barcelona to Istanbul back in the day when the Grand was one of the few ships doing that route!

[Cruise Junky]

Alaska is one of their biggest selling?! I can't imagine having to wear a coat on a cruise :P I'd go if I won one, but can't see myself paying for it although it looks gorgeous.

 

We resisted Alaska for the longest time even though we live in the departure port. We loved Alaska. You might just be surprised :)

[JanetAlice]

Very dissapointed that there will be no New England Cruises in August. I was planning a trip for my husband's 60 birthday with our grown children and their significant others. I am not sure what I will do now. I can't afford 6 airplane flights. September is too late.

[Hlitner]

We are a little confused by the OPs post. What kind of itinerary would you prefer for the Summer of 2012?

 

Hank

[Budget Queen]

We just finished taking a look at the summer 2012 options from pricess and were quite dissapointed to see that there are no sailings other than Europe, Alaska and Australia. We were hoping to make our plans for next summer but don't really find any of their offerings appealing as we just did the Med last summer and Alaska 2 years before that.

 

Sadly, at least for our Summer 2012, it looks like we won't be doing our annual Princess Summer Cruise.

 

What do others think of this?

 

Australia doesn't sail in summer?????????

 

Have you sailed the Baltics?? Is there a reason why you can't choose another cruiseline??

[Maraprince]

We done the Europe and Med. sailings multiple times as well as the Northern route of the Vikings, Scandanavia & Russia. I myself have been to Alaska 4 times and that's more than enough. Coming from the east coast with the air fare and having to book a pre-cruise hotel, it tends to get expensive. Then there are all the shore excursions you need to book since most ports in Europe are at least 2-3 hours drive from the main cities. Plus, several times heavy clothing was needed to even go out on deck and in some of the ports and this was in the warmer summer months!

 

No longer are we so gung ho to hop on a plane and cross the ocean. We are very happy to go wherever the ship goes as long as we are not flying to get to the ship.

 

MARAPRINCE