Sun Princess Inaugural 2/8/24 cruise canceled

[kywildcatfanone]

Is this because Princess is increasing prices on every thing so much, that they have ran out of ink to create updated pricing sheets?

[DHP1]

Unbelievable. Princess staff didn’t know the cruise was cancel. 
 

Edited January 25 by DHP1

[Cruise Wonderland]

8 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Does anyone have data on how many inaugural cruises have been cancelled by cruise lines?  Is this expected or out of the norm?

 

It is not unexpected for new ships to be delayed. But when it is announced just 15 days before the maiden voyage, I totally understand how disappointed the passengers will be.

 

 

Comparing with other new cruise ships' delay recently:

 

Silversea' Silver Ray first two voyages in June 2024 are cancelled. This was announced in November 2023, eight months before the guests depart.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2972450-inaugural-silver-ray-voyage-cancellations/

 

Oceania's Allura cancels first few sailings in June and July 2025. This was just announced last week, 1.5 years in advance.

[DCThunder]

Fincantieri Marinette Marine is also building new guided missile frigates for the US Navy at a shipyard in Wisconsin.  It was just announced earlier this month that the delivery of the first ship the USS Constellation, will be delayed a year into 2027 because they can't hire enough welders and other shipyard workers.

 

First Constellation Frigate Delayed At Least a Year, Schedule Assessment ‘Ongoing’ - USNI News

[DHP1]

17 hours ago, LACruiser88 said:

Currently the ship is showing "Sold Out" until the March 29th sailing.  Not a good sign. 🤷‍♂️

Until June now. 

Edited January 25 by DHP1

[AZjohn]

15 hours ago, JGmf said:

I'm saddened for the disappointment that these inaugural cruisers must feel.

 

That said, there's a risk to being the first for anything that involves facilities, engineering, construction,  logistics and service staff: opening night/week of a restaurant, bar, hotel...the first month in a new office building....buying a new car in its first model year, etc. 

 

Operational downtime, on-the-fly fixes, learning-as-they-go, and, yes, construction and delivery delays are bound to happen.  

 

Anyway, I'm not shocked.  I hope those who booked it did indeed buy travel insurance.

 

I don't know, me?  I'd never do an inaugural cruise.  Need at least six months to iron things out...

Exactly!

Not one inaugural of any cruise line went without some type of hitch.

 

I am very sensitive to the passengers that are effected by this (and the next few cruises) but, for season cruisers they know the first set of cruises on any new ship will not be an optimum experience (for several reasons).

 

Hoping bumped customers get a chance to cruise this ship once all the bugs are worked out.

 

Cheers

[DHP1]

Ben T Syncro

Author

More bad news bears. I just spoke to the Maitre’D here on the Crown. He showed me the corporate message sent to officers. 100% refund, plus 50% discount on future cruise. Plus $200 for airplane inconveniences. None of which will apply to us.

The worst part is they are saying cruise #2 & #3 may also now be in jeopardy. We can’t even schedule a new inaugural.

Edited January 25 by DHP1

[cr8tiv1]

13 minutes ago, AZjohn said:

Exactly!

Not one inaugural of any cruise line went without some type of hitch.

 

I am very sensitive to the passengers that are effected by this (and the next few cruises) but, for season cruisers they know the first set of cruises on any new ship will not be an optimum experience (for several reasons).

 

Hoping bumped customers get a chance to cruise this ship once all the bugs are worked out.

 

Cheers

I agree that there is some risk involved in booking an inaugural cruise.  But just a few weeks notice?   Some lucky cruiser booked down the line will unexpectedly be on the inaugural cruise.

[startedwithamouse]

8 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I agree that there is some risk involved in booking an inaugural cruise.  But just a few weeks notice?   Some lucky cruiser booked down the line will unexpectedly be on the inaugural cruise.

That was us a couple years ago on Discovery Princess!

 

 

 

[startedwithamouse]

20 minutes ago, DHP1 said:

Ben T Syncro

Author

More bad news bears. I just spoke to the Maitre’D here on the Crown. He showed me the corporate message sent to officers. 100% refund, plus 50% discount on future cruise. Plus $200 for airplane inconveniences. None of which will apply to us.

The worst part is they are saying cruise #2 & #3 may also now be in jeopardy. We can’t even schedule a new inaugural.

Wouldn't the bold item be hearsay? 

[Cruise Raider]

21 minutes ago, DHP1 said:

Ben T Syncro

Author

More bad news bears. I just spoke to the Maitre’D here on the Crown. He showed me the corporate message sent to officers. 100% refund, plus 50% discount on future cruise. Plus $200 for airplane inconveniences. None of which will apply to us.

The worst part is they are saying cruise #2 & #3 may also now be in jeopardy. We can’t even schedule a new inaugural.

While I am empathetic to all of those whose plans were canceled on such short notice, I’m sure we would all rather sail on a ship that passes all their inspections with flying colors.  I know I would.  

[DHP1]

6 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Wouldn't the bold item be hearsay? 

If they are going to cancel #2 cruise, we won’t know until early February. Princess won’t say anything until then. In the meantime, it’s all hearsay. Trusting it will be good news.  

[jennybenny]

1 hour ago, DHP1 said:

Until June now. 

That was fast!! 😲

[azbirdmom]

1 hour ago, DHP1 said:

Until June now. 

 

The two late March / early April cruises that I mentioned yesterday are still showing availability, all others until June are sold out.

 

[ChutChut]

7 hours ago, teddyd33 said:

People are mentioning that travel insurance will protect you for the loss of air fares due to the cancellation, but what travel insurance covers for cancelled flight protection because the cruise ship isn't ready on time?

 

I have had a look at my travel insurance and there is nothing that mentions anything around that type of situation.

Mine may cover it in pre-departure cancellation benefit. This situation might be (in my policy) an "Other Covered Event." I would receive any non-refundable monies ("Payments & Deposits") paid as long as the cancellation occurred prior to the departure of my "Trip." Now - there is a question whether this is a "mechanical breakdown" or whether the ship is "uninhabitable" given it's not "finished" yet. 

[MTNest93]

18 hours ago, DHP1 said:

If you purchase a non refundable ticket then you can not make a change or cancel. So what then? These people are out thousand of dollars if they don’t have insurance. Stay tune I guess. 

Those people learn a valuable lesson to always book a refundable ticket and/or purchase travel insurance.  We as travelers need to control the things that are in our control.  Booking non-refundable flights or hotels is on the traveler, not Princess.

[startedwithamouse]

6 minutes ago, MTNest93 said:

Those people learn a valuable lesson to always book a refundable ticket and/or purchase travel insurance.  We as travelers need to control the things that are in our control.  Booking non-refundable flights or hotels is on the traveler, not Princess.

Yes, they CHOOSE not to purchase the travel insurance and book the cheap non-cancel option for the hotel and airfare. 

[cruisinsince75]

I feel for everyone booked on the SP on the inaugural cruise as well as subsequent cruises.  You plan that far in advance and two weeks before you find out it isn't happening.  

 

We have had two cruises canceled before, but at least they were several months out.  

[Princessfan20]

Not sure what all the excitement is about being on a Princess Inaugural Cruise.  We have been on two, Regal and Majestic, and as far as we could tell it was absolutely a non-event.  Nothing special really happened, we were not given any special souvenirs and it seems just like a regular sailing.  

 

Sorry about the short notice cancellation though because that does create major headaches for many passengers.  Princess should have been more transparent but that seems to be lacking these days with them.

[cr8tiv1]

4 hours ago, MTNest93 said:

Those people learn a valuable lesson to always book a refundable ticket and/or purchase travel insurance.  We as travelers need to control the things that are in our control.  Booking non-refundable flights or hotels is on the traveler, not Princess.

 

I am not on the Sun Princess, but do have a cruise booked this year.  Currently have:

 

4 hotels held on points or member refundable rates

EZ Air flexible fare

PVP travel insurance

Excursions not prepaid and can cancel 24 hours prior

Transfer car service paid in advance but refundable

 

The only thing that will "cost" me if I don't go is the country money that I will purchase before leaving the US.  Will lose service charge and then have to convert back to US $, probably for less.

 

Princess is definitely at fault here.  Feb 8 cruise should never have waited until now to cancel.  

 

 

[DCThunder]

4 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Princess is definitely at fault here.  Feb 8 cruise should never have waited until now to cancel.  

I'm not carrying water for Santa Clarita, but do you seriously think the wailing and gnashing of teeth would have been any less is this cruise was cancelled on January 1st?  Or December 15th 2023?

 

The lead ship of a new class is always going to be delayed.  That's the way of the world.  Does any massive project come in on time and under budget?   I know it's impossible to compare naval warships with cruise ships, but look at the issues the USN had with getting the USS Gerald R Ford super carrier up and operating properly.  Sun Princess isn't nuclear powered or have electromagnetic catapults, but LNG ships are relatively new technology, and this is the first Princess ship with Azipods not to mention all the whoop-de-do stuff for entertainment.

 

A better question to ask is should Princess have scheduled the Inaugural Cruise on Feb. 8th or waited until March 1st or some other date to give themselves more leeway for the inevitable delays. 

[So_Tweetie]

Don posted a Video on his YouTube channel saying he was supposed to be on the inaugural sailing and there was this interesting exchange in the comments: 

[JGmf]

We don't know the details, but two weeks notice is not bad for such things. 

 

There are literally thousands of moving parts, logistics, whatever, and any one of them may have created a critical path delay in construction, delivery, staffing, sourcing, testing, training, inspection, etc. of the ship.  Plans are on paper; and then any one thing on the project management flow chart could have gone off course.  I've dealt with this for a lifetime at work for very critical construction projects.  They don't pull the plug unless they have to.

[reedprincess]

3 hours ago, Princessfan20 said:

Not sure what all the excitement is about being on a Princess Inaugural Cruise.  We have been on two, Regal and Majestic, and as far as we could tell it was absolutely a non-event.  Nothing special really happened, we were not given any special souvenirs and it seems just like a regular sailing.  

 

Sorry about the short notice cancellation though because that does create major headaches for many passengers.  Princess should have been more transparent but that seems to be lacking these days with them.

Neither of those ships were the lead ship in brand new class of ship for the line. They were 2 and 3, respectively.

The Royal Princess launch and inaugurals has plenty of "hoopla" and fun as people explored brand new venues, new experiences, etc.

That's the same for Sun. Those booked for the 8rh expected to be the first - firsts to see the new spaces, cabins, venues,. Restaurants, shows and so forth.  

Star won't be anywhere near the hoopla as it's the second ship in the class. People will already be familiar with the venues, layout, etc as it's not new anymore... 

[kathy49]

On 1/24/2024 at 3:45 PM, charliedalrymple said:

This is incredibly disappointing for passengers, but perhaps not devastating for retirees or others for whom timing is not an issue.  However, many passengers (like us) plan cruises well in advance and make arrangements for time off of work, which makes this particularly hard to swallow.

 

I wonder what Princess will do when it comes to non-refundable airline tickets, hotels, and other sunk costs.  (Actually, I don't wonder--I'm pretty sure their attitude is "tough luck.")

That is what insurance covers. Anyone booking these FEb. departures had to know there was a risk.