January 2023 World Cruise

[roamerfromtexas]

To my knowledge the Island Princess has never done a world cruise.  The 2020 was on the Pacific and the 2021 was cancelled.  The 2022, if it happens, will be the first on the Island.

[nocl]

8 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

As well as routine cruises, the Coral is doing world cruises out of Australia. I am booked on the 2022 WC and hoping that the world situation allows the cruise to eventuate.

Let me ask this question would if all was equal do you think it would be easier to fill the cruise out of Australia or out of the US?

 

I would suspect the US based upon where most of Princess passengers come from.

 

So they are still putting the Island at the location where there would be more demand.

 

I would fly to Australia form the Coral rather than take the Island from a port I can drive to.

[LACruiser88]

11 hours ago, Cruise Wonderland said:

After Pacific, Sun and Sea were sold, and Coral is deployed to Australia, Island becomes the remaining ship suitable for world cruise (unless Princess chooses a Grand Class vessel for world cruise but it is unlikely...)

As the Island and Coral age, Princess will eventually sell these ships and their only option will be to use a Grand Class or Royal Class ship for WC's.  Unless they specifically build a smaller ship for WC's, which is highly unlikely.  That is probably when we will book another World Cruise...

[nocl]

2 hours ago, LACruiser88 said:

As the Island and Coral age, Princess will eventually sell these ships and their only option will be to use a Grand Class or Royal Class ship for WC's.  Unless they specifically build a smaller ship for WC's, which is highly unlikely.  That is probably when we will book another World Cruise...

The problem with using larger ships it is limits the ports and knocks off some of the more interesting ones that were not on normal itineraries.  Looked at the port list and there are not any  that can not be reached by booking different normal cruises.

Edited January 30, 2021 by nocl

[LACruiser88]

10 minutes ago, nocl said:

The problem with using larger ships it is limits the ports and knocks off some of the more interesting ones that were not on normal itineraries.  Looked at the port list and there are not any  that can not be reached by booking different normal cruises.

This is very true.  Because of this, we will be looking at other cruise lines for our World Cruise fixes.

[mreasier]

14 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

So many Aussies said that the Sea Princess "wasn't suitable for a world cruise" because it was too small. We did half-world cruises a few times on the Sea and had no complaints.

 

I suspect that if the people who said they wouldn't be happy doing a WC on the Island, did a WC on tha ship several yours ago (before the bigger ships) they would have thought it was great.

In my opinion, it is not the size of the ship but the space to passenger ratio, indicating how crowded the ship may feel.  According to one deck plan site I use, the Coral and the dear departed Pacific have a ratio (the higher the better) of around 38.  The "reconfigured" Island is down to about 34.  Could be really important on a long cruise.

[Aus Traveller]

6 hours ago, nocl said:

Let me ask this question would if all was equal do you think it would be easier to fill the cruise out of Australia or out of the US?

I would suspect the US based upon where most of Princess passengers come from.

So they are still putting the Island at the location where there would be more demand.

I would fly to Australia form the Coral rather than take the Island from a port I can drive to.

With the larger population in USA, I agree that it would be easier to fill a WC out of US than out of Australia. However, when the WC on the Coral went on sale in mid September (18 months ahead), there were many bookings, with some categories sold out within a day or two.

 

You mention that you would fly to Australia to join a WC on the Coral. Some US passengers are doing just that. The ones I know of are booked on three of the four segments (from Aust to NYC).

 

The longer Australian-based cruises (WC, 28 night around Australia and 35 night Tahiti/Hawaii) sell well.

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

Glad to hear many here are absolutely, positively, not going to book this.  I will be first in line, and have many in my "cruise group" waiting for the date to book also.  That means more selection available.  Hope you all find a replacement that fits your requirements.

[pocomum]

On 1/28/2021 at 3:24 PM, Syracusefan44 said:

 

Thank you so much for this.was looking for it. Hubby and I were booked on WC 2021...now very much looking forward to booking onto WC 2023. However, so many negative comments about Island Princess..We have been on many Princess ships, but not the Island. Would it be possible for anyone to give reasons why the negative thoughts? Or perhaps direct me to a link where I can update? Many thanks and stay safe everyone:)

 

[Steelers36]

11 hours ago, pocomum said:

Thank you so much for this.was looking for it. Hubby and I were booked on WC 2021...now very much looking forward to booking onto WC 2023. However, so many negative comments about Island Princess..We have been on many Princess ships, but not the Island. Would it be possible for anyone to give reasons why the negative thoughts? Or perhaps direct me to a link where I can update? Many thanks and stay safe everyone:)

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=279

 

[voljeep]

1) Book Island world cruise with a refundable deposit

 

2) as soon as cruising resumes - book a "test cruise" on Island to see if it works

 

3) Decision

 

yes, it's an 'extra cruise' and cost ... but if you can afford a world cruise, well ...🤑

[pocomum]

6 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=279

 

Thank you:)

 

[icat2000]

On 1/30/2021 at 5:11 PM, Cruise Wonderland said:

After Pacific, Sun and Sea were sold, and Coral is deployed to Australia, Island becomes the remaining ship suitable for world cruise (unless Princess chooses a Grand Class vessel for world cruise but it is unlikely...)

The Coral is also doing the WC for 2022 out of Sydney and probably 2023. 

 

This itinerary looks boring. 

[Cruise Wonderland]

1 hour ago, icat2000 said:

The Coral is also doing the WC for 2022 out of Sydney and probably 2023. 

 

This itinerary looks boring. 

 

Yes indeed. There were also world cruises out of Sydney on Sea Princess in recent years.

 

To make it clear, my point is "Island Princess is the remaining smaller ship that can be used for the typical world cruise departing from US in January." 😉

[muggo11]

On 1/30/2021 at 2:05 PM, Aus Traveller said:

With the larger population in USA, I agree that it would be easier to fill a WC out of US than out of Australia. However, when the WC on the Coral went on sale in mid September (18 months ahead), there were many bookings, with some categories sold out within a day or two.

 

You mention that you would fly to Australia to join a WC on the Coral. Some US passengers are doing just that. The ones I know of are booked on three of the four segments (from Aust to NYC).

 

The longer Australian-based cruises (WC, 28 night around Australia and 35 night Tahiti/Hawaii) sell well.

Yes, we are Americans flying to Australia and then taking Emerald Princess from Sydney to Auckland to take 2022 Coral WC (Auckland to Auckland). Fingers crossed. 

[Aus Traveller]

25 minutes ago, muggo11 said:

Yes, we are Americans flying to Australia and then taking Emerald Princess from Sydney to Auckland to take 2022 Coral WC (Auckland to Auckland). Fingers crossed. 

I hope that by April/May 2022 the international situation re COVID will be vastly improved compared with what it is now. 🤞

[nocl]

On 1/30/2021 at 8:31 PM, pocomum said:

Thank you so much for this.was looking for it. Hubby and I were booked on WC 2021...now very much looking forward to booking onto WC 2023. However, so many negative comments about Island Princess..We have been on many Princess ships, but not the Island. Would it be possible for anyone to give reasons why the negative thoughts? Or perhaps direct me to a link where I can update? Many thanks and stay safe everyone:)

 

If you have been on the Coral, the ships started out the same.

 

Go in and look at the floor plans for each ship and you can see the difference.  The major differences are

 

1. The Universe Lounge of Decks 6 and 7 have been removed on the Island and replaced with additional staterooms.

2. the Gym has been moved from the stern area of Deck 14 to a totally  inside space on Deck 6. Which is quite miserable if you are a person that likes working out on a long trip.  No view, poor ventilation.

3. Where the Gym was on deck 14 they added more staterooms.

 

So in a nutshell they increased guest capacity from the original 2000 to 2200, while at the same time removing the Universe lounge one of main public areas from the ship.

[nocl]

8 hours ago, CarelessAndConfused said:

 

Thanks for the detail.  I wouldn't book the Island anyway but for those that may have liked it before, it doesn't seem all that much different.  Losing one lounge and the gym now not having a view.  I could live with that, at least on a newer, preferably larger ship.  If the Royal Princess did something similar, I'd gladly still book.

 

 

Keep in mind with the removal of second largest public space (second in size to the theater). they also increased the number of passengers by 10%. 

[voljeep]

wasn't the production show "On The Bayou" held in the Universe Lounge ?

 

by far, that's the best show on any princess ship

[waltd]

Has anyone found out yet if Princess will be selling segments on day one yet?

Thanks

[Syracusefan44]

30 minutes ago, waltd said:

Has anyone found out yet if Princess will be selling segments on day one yet?

Thanks

My Princess vacation planner said they have not been told if the segments will be available on day.  

[waltd]

19 minutes ago, Syracusefan44 said:

My Princess vacation planner said they have not been told if the segments will be available on day.  

Thanks for the information. 🙂

[pocomum]

16 hours ago, nocl said:

If you have been on the Coral, the ships started out the same.

 

Go in and look at the floor plans for each ship and you can see the difference.  The major differences are

 

1. The Universe Lounge of Decks 6 and 7 have been removed on the Island and replaced with additional staterooms.

2. the Gym has been moved from the stern area of Deck 14 to a totally  inside space on Deck 6. Which is quite miserable if you are a person that likes working out on a long trip.  No view, poor ventilation.

3. Where the Gym was on deck 14 they added more staterooms.

 

So in a nutshell they increased guest capacity from the original 2000 to 2200, while at the same time removing the Universe lounge one of main public areas from the ship.

Thank you for your input. Interestingly, we have not sailed on neither the Island nor Coral..though we have sailed lots of other Princess ships, some twice.  Thinking if we had never know "before", wouldn't be disappointed with "after". Increasing guest capacity while reducing public space does seem a little counter intuitive on Princess' behalf...And as another poster pointed out, if there's lots of people who will refuse to sail on Island, better choices for those of us who want to sail!!

[nocl]

9 minutes ago, pocomum said:

Thank you for your input. Interestingly, we have not sailed on neither the Island nor Coral..though we have sailed lots of other Princess ships, some twice.  Thinking if we had never know "before", wouldn't be disappointed with "after". Increasing guest capacity while reducing public space does seem a little counter intuitive on Princess' behalf...And as another poster pointed out, if there's lots of people who will refuse to sail on Island, better choices for those of us who want to sail!!

It largely comes down to if you use the gym during a long cruise, and how much you attend the various entertainment activities which are normally spread out over 3 venues on Princess ships, now being restricted to the theater and explorers, with no third activity going on.  If you don't use the gym and don't go to the entertainment much, no problem. We found it much harder to find a seat at those activities on the Island than on any other Princess ship (R Class, Coral, Grand class or Royal class).

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

Lot's of naysayers here.  Have been on Coral, as well as "old" island, and the original island, as well as the new "ruined" island.  Yes, pre renovation was better, but post is still great.  Still much smaller than new builds.