trabeler Posted November 30, 2014 #1 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Just back from the 11/23 Emerald sailing from Houston. The future cruise consultant announced that Princess will be modifying several 2016 itineraries from Houston to finally do something different than the same old 7 day Roatan/Belize/Cozumel that they have been doing since they returned to Texas. She gave me printouts of four modified sailings that she says will be loaded on the website by mid December. Changes for the Caribbean Princess from Houston will be: 21 Feb 2016 - 7 days - Key West / Freeport / Princess Cays 6 Mar 2016 - 7 days - Key West / Freeport / Princess Cays 20 Mar 2016 - 10 days - Montego Bay / Grand Cayman / Roatan / Belize / Costa Maya / Cozumel 30 Mar 2016 - 11 days - Cartagena / Colon / Limon / Grand Cayman / Cozumel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dudleydog73 Posted November 30, 2014 #2 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Interesting. I wonder how many of those can be reached with a delayed departure which seems to happen often from Bayport. I will keep an eye on this though. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul929207 Posted November 30, 2014 #3 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Thanks for the news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BabsinTX Posted December 1, 2014 #4 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Thanks for the heads up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IECalCruiser Posted December 1, 2014 #5 Share Posted December 1, 2014 (edited) Nice to see some new itineraries. Too bad they are out of Houston. Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app Edited December 1, 2014 by IECalCruiser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Textemale Posted December 1, 2014 #6 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Thanks for the heads up! I agree! Thank you very much! As a fellow Texan, this is great news because this will save us from having to fly to FLL for any of the Eastern islands/ports. Instant savings! I'm doing the happy dance!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamcruzin Posted December 1, 2014 #7 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Too bad they don't change up the itineraries from Ft Lauderdale. I would love to go to the Key West instead of Princess Cays. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Coral Posted December 1, 2014 #8 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Are these actually considered "Eastern Caribbean"? They should be labeled "Bahamas". Too bad they don't make them 10 days and add a few more ports. Key West is a great port. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dplusd Posted December 1, 2014 #9 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I am thrilled to see the expansion of ports and the addition of longer cruises. Key West is great...Princess Cays, not so much. But, unfortunately, I don't really consider these new ports to be Eastern Caribbean ports. For our favorite Islands of St Thomas and Saint Marten, I guess we still have to fly to FL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Paula_MacFan Posted December 1, 2014 #10 Share Posted December 1, 2014 (edited) Thank you for the info! I am excited about having some different ports from a Gulf departure. For those of us in the midwest, it is nice to drive to Texas for departure, but I welcome some new scenery! edit: I just looked on Princess' website for the 2/21/16 sailing, and it looks like a BUNCH of cabins are sold already, which surprised me being so far in the future. Will Princess give passengers already booked on the Costa Maya/Belize/Roatan itinerary the option of cancelling? Edited December 1, 2014 by Paula_MacFan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickEk Posted December 1, 2014 #11 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Thank you for the info! I am excited about having some different ports from a Gulf departure. For those of us in the midwest, it is nice to drive to Texas for departure, but I welcome some new scenery! edit: I just looked on Princess' website for the 2/21/16 sailing, and it looks like a BUNCH of cabins are sold already, which surprised me being so far in the future. Will Princess give passengers already booked on the Costa Maya/Belize/Roatan itinerary the option of cancelling? Yes, since it's so far away, there's no penalty... And, I would think that if someone booked under a non-refundable deposit deal, Princess will take care of them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northender Posted December 1, 2014 #12 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Too bad they don't change up the itineraries from Ft Lauderdale. I would love to go to the Key West instead of Princess Cays. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I totally agree with you.:):) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reney313 Posted December 1, 2014 #13 Share Posted December 1, 2014 The March 30, 2016 looks to be a partial transit of the Panama Canal, right? If so, I would be interested in doing that out of Houston vs. FLL as I can drive to Houston vs. flying to Fort Lauderdale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PenguinLife Posted December 1, 2014 #14 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Reney, I was thinking the same thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickEk Posted December 1, 2014 #15 Share Posted December 1, 2014 The March 30, 2016 looks to be a partial transit of the Panama Canal, right? If so, I would be interested in doing that out of Houston vs. FLL as I can drive to Houston vs. flying to Fort Lauderdale. Ships based out of Houston (so far) are too large to do the partial transit. Maybe after the new locks open... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
satxdiver Posted December 1, 2014 #16 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Thanks for the good news. I had heard about part of the changes (Key West etc) but not the longer cruises. It means we sail out of a local port instead of the long drive to port everglades. I do believe a sailing out of Houston is in our future in 2016. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Paula_MacFan Posted December 1, 2014 #17 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Ships based out of Houston (so far) are too large to do the partial transit. Maybe after the new locks open... So would there just be a port stop in Colon? I was thinking 'partial transit' as well, but hadn't thought it through regarding the ship size. I haven't been there before and when I looked on Princess' website, it said there were no sample excursions available to browse for that port. I am definitely excited about having some new port options though!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishywood Posted December 1, 2014 #18 Share Posted December 1, 2014 (edited) The March 30, 2016 looks to be a partial transit of the Panama Canal, right? If so, I would be interested in doing that out of Houston vs. FLL as I can drive to Houston vs. flying to Fort Lauderdale. Ships based out of Houston (so far) are too large to do the partial transit. Maybe after the new locks open... Around 10 or so years ago Grand Princess did a one-off in-name-only partial Panama Canal cruise from either Galveston or New Orleans. Ship docked in Colon and offered a pricey excursion through the canal on smaller local boats. Surprised they waited so long to try this again since making their long-term commitment to Houston. Edited December 1, 2014 by fishywood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willtravel8090 Posted December 1, 2014 #19 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Key West sounds great. I'm excited to try something new! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wehwalt Posted December 1, 2014 #20 Share Posted December 1, 2014 (edited) So would there just be a port stop in Colon? I was thinking 'partial transit' as well, but hadn't thought it through regarding the ship size. I haven't been there before and when I looked on Princess' website, it said there were no sample excursions available to browse for that port. I am definitely excited about having some new port options though!! The usual deal on partial transits is they go through Gatun Locks into Gatun Lake Excursion passengers are disembarked by tender, and you have to be on a Princess excursion to go ashore then. In the afternoon, the ship goes back through the Gatun Locks and docks in Colon and picks up the passengers. There is usually a three hour stop and the passengers who weren't on excursions can go ashore. You would be strongly advised to stay within the secured port area, where there are big duty free shops. Colon is very unsafe indeed. The only four Princess ships that can go through the Canal (even through Gatun Locks) are the Pacific, Ocean, Coral, and Island. That will change when the new locks open. I've done Key West on Norwegian. We were there with three ships in port. You could not walk on the sidewalks, it was so mobbed. Edited December 1, 2014 by Wehwalt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caribill Posted December 2, 2014 #21 Share Posted December 2, 2014 The March 30, 2016 looks to be a partial transit of the Panama Canal, right? Nope. But excursions will be offered so you can see some of the Canal from land. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZbeachboy Posted December 2, 2014 #22 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I am thrilled to see the expansion of ports and the addition of longer cruises. Key West is great...Princess Cays, not so much. But, unfortunately, I don't really consider these new ports to be Eastern Caribbean ports. For our favorite Islands of St Thomas and Saint Marten, I guess we still have to fly to FL. I am with you. I love to go to Houston to cruise; one I get past West Texas that is. I was hoping to see St Marten on the list. The longer cruises are still more like a Western Carribean. Although I like most of those ports, it would be good to forget Grand Cayman and have another day at sea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caribill Posted December 2, 2014 #23 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Carnival (out of Galveston) is offering three sailings of about 21-days in two segments that go to San Juan and return to Galveston, repeating only one port during the two segments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wehwalt Posted December 2, 2014 #24 Share Posted December 2, 2014 (edited) I am with you. I love to go to Houston to cruise; one I get past West Texas that is. I was hoping to see St Marten on the list. The longer cruises are still more like a Western Carribean. Although I like most of those ports, it would be good to forget Grand Cayman and have another day at sea. Avoid the tender embarkation area. Wish granted. I did that once in Grand Cayman, I think on Royal Caribbean. I had been to GC before enough so I did not care to go ashore. At the milkshake bar they told me that there were less than 200 passengers on board. Edited December 2, 2014 by Wehwalt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pablo222 Posted December 2, 2014 #25 Share Posted December 2, 2014 A At the milkshake bar they told me that there were less than 200 passengers on board. I can honestly say, I had never considered this location for a source of ship-board information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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