Sun Princess Inaugural 2/8/24 cruise canceled

[cr8tiv1]

@DCThunder I respect your post.  Coming from Hawaii....everything is under budgeted and delayed.  I understand that.

 

I don't have anything invested in this inaugural cruise.  It is a huge disappointment.  So much hype.  Princess has enough problems with branding.  Look at the Medallion/Princess App.  4 years and still not supporting all that was promised.  I remember some spokesperson on some "travel agent webair" that they were going to improve wait time for an agent and better customer service.  

 

The list goes on and on.  I am sure Princess isn't the only cruise line that have these issues.  I really don't care.  Princess is my cruise line of choice, but I see room for improvement.

Edited January 26 by cr8tiv1

[nymshowdown]

2 hours ago, DCThunder said:

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?

 

Since you prefaced your post with "not carrying water for Santa Clarita", I will do the same but for RCCL. Tried them twice and did not enjoy both cruises, I'm a Princess loyalist forever (to a fault).  

 

That said, this is a beyond embarrassing situation for Princess, especially in comparison at present moment. Royal Caribbean are launching a new class of ship, the biggest in the history of the industry, and it arrived early. 20+ days of preview sailings and so much positive press from media/bloggers way in advance of the first sailing. It's all the buzz here in Miami and on many online media outlets. 

 

Meanwhile all of us Princess-stans are now in limbo, hoping some CC members/bloggers will be on whatever is actually the inaugural to give us a first look. 

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, cr8tiv1 said:

@DCThunder I respect your post.  Coming from Hawaii....everything is under budgeted and delayed.  I understand that.

 

I don't have anything invested in this inaugural cruise.  It is a huge disappointment.  So much hype.  Princess has enough problems with branding.  Look at the Medallion/Princess App.  4 years and still not supporting all that was promised.  I remember some spokesperson on some "travel agent webair" that they were going to improve wait time for an agent and better customer service.  

 

The list goes on and on.  I am sure Princess isn't the only cruise line that have these issues.  I really don't care.  Princess is my cruise line of choice, but I see room for improvement.

And their big push for the Medallion to breeze on by with check-in. 

[cr8tiv1]

@startedwithamouse

 

Are you tracking me?  lol....Brilliant people think alike.

[startedwithamouse]

Not to mention The Real Love Boat miss.

[ISABELLA]

On 1/24/2024 at 4:35 PM, azbirdmom said:

 

I checked cruises on the Sun through May.  The only ones that don't show sold out are the ones on March 29 & April 17.  There aren't any others that show availability until June.  Has it been like this or is that new?

Our May 18 sailing was showing not available for few months and then as sold out. I hope we will be ok to go.🤞

[MylesS]

I was due to sail on the Inaugural Cruise, I booked it the day it went on sale. I booked it without knowing anything about the ship, and without anyone at Princess telling me anything about it (as they were made aware the same day we were!) - I booked because I was excited about a new ship in its class, and feared it would sell out quickly, or I wouldn't get the cabin I wanted.

I am also booked on Cunard's Queen Anne Maiden Voyage, setting sail in May. For anyone that isn't aware, Queen Anne's Maiden Voyage was also delayed (from Jan this year until May), however, we were inforned at the start of last year, and more importantly, we were automatically booked on "new" Maiden Voyage!

It's upsetting that Princess doesn't realise that for some people, the experience of going for the first time is what is making people book these cruises.

I don't sail with Princess much anymore. This was going to be my first time in 3 years. I don't plan on using the FCC.

Edited January 26 by MylesS

[Esprit]

Sorry if this has already been mentioned.

Fincantieri will not have wanted the handover to Princess delayed unless it was REALLY necessary, as Princess will have a contract clause with significant compensation payable for such an eventuality.

 

The compensation will match the lost revenue but Princess would likely not want the delay either due to the bad press. Something unforeseen has clearly arisen! 

 

Whilst it's unfortunate and upsetting for the inaugural cruisers, the risk of postponement has to be factored in when booking. 

[Grego]

42 minutes ago, Esprit said:

Sorry if this has already been mentioned.

Fincantieri will not have wanted the handover to Princess delayed unless it was REALLY necessary, as Princess will have a contract clause with significant compensation payable for such an eventuality.

 

The compensation will match the lost revenue but Princess would likely not want the delay either due to the bad press. Something unforeseen has clearly arisen! 

 

Whilst it's unfortunate and upsetting for the inaugural cruisers, the risk of postponement has to be factored in when booking. 

I haven't bothered to read all the post either because there is always too much guessing and not enough facts.  Princess is not to be blamed if Fincantieri has not turned the ship over to them for some reason.  The contract was signed with an expectation of an on-time delivery of a completed product and that's what we are living with.

It is surely a major disappointment that those that had booked the planned inaugural voyage are facing now.  Princess has stepped up with the offers of credits and reimbursements as a matter of doing the right thing to help when it wasn't their fault.

Let's hope that the situation is limited to just the loss of the initial voyage and rest of the bookings are still in line for a timely departure......especially our inaugural transatlantic voyage on her in September. 

[HBCcruiser]

The same thing happened to Virgin’s Brilliant Lady also being built by Fincantieri. She was supposed to have her US maiden voyage over Christmas of this year. We were scheduled on the New Years cruise which was canceled after final payment. She is STILL not finished and no date as to when she will have her maiden voyage. I hope the same doesn’t happen to the Sun. 
 

[JGmf]

1 hour ago, Esprit said:

Fincantieri will not have wanted the handover to Princess delayed unless it was REALLY necessary, as Princess will have a contract clause with significant compensation payable for such an eventuality.

 

The compensation will match the lost revenue but Princess would likely not want the delay either due to the bad press. Something unforeseen has clearly arisen! 

 

We don't know the contract, but here's some more conjecture: the contract may indeed have had some financial penalties if Fincantieri didn't deliver on time, but as these things go for any major, complicated design, engineering, construction and materials-intensive project -- the general contractor can very easily extend the schedule with delay claims, meaning, they formally get to extend the schedule due to what they argue are things they didn't cause.

 

Examples include: Princess tweaks the design of some restaurant after materials are already ordered, the engineers do the same to correct some unforeseen mechanical issue, supply chain issues force selection of a different tile vendor, etc., etc. 

 

There's lots of finger-pointing, sometimes scores of entities involved....and the lawyers get rich arguing liability.

[DHP1]

32 minutes ago, HBCcruiser said:

The same thing happened to Virgin’s Brilliant Lady also being built by Fincantieri. She was supposed to have her US maiden voyage over Christmas of this year. We were scheduled on the New Years cruise which was canceled after final payment. She is STILL not finished and no date as to when she will have her maiden voyage. I hope the same doesn’t happen to the Sun. 
 

This is not good news. I guess it could happen to Sun. Wait and see. If they’re going to cancel Feb. 18th cruise we should know in 2 weeks. 

[Cruise Raider]

2 hours ago, DHP1 said:

This is not good news. I guess it could happen to Sun. Wait and see. If they’re going to cancel Feb. 18th cruise we should know in 2 weeks. 

I’m usually a very optimistic but I think there may be at least one more canceled sailing before all is all said and done.  However, Princess does seem to get all their bad news out at one time so, trickling it out in 2 week intervals doesn’t fit their pattern very well.  

[cruiseguy46]

I’m supposed to go nov 5 of this year ,I hope it still sails 

[DHP1]

14 minutes ago, cruiseguy46 said:

I’m supposed to go nov 5 of this year ,I hope it still sails 

According to @HBCcruiser comments (#85) I’m starting on planning a plan “B” for this summer just in case our cruise is cancel. I do expect they will cancel Feb 18th cruise and if they do then I expect other cruises will also be cancel. This is just my opinion. 

[DCThunder]

3 hours ago, HBCcruiser said:

The same thing happened to Virgin’s Brilliant Lady also being built by Fincantieri. She was supposed to have her US maiden voyage over Christmas of this year. We were scheduled on the New Years cruise which was canceled after final payment. She is STILL not finished and no date as to when she will have her maiden voyage. I hope the same doesn’t happen to the Sun. 
 

I posted upthread about a 1 year delay in the delivery of the first guided missile frigate that Fincantieri is building for the Navy at a shipyard in Wisconsin.  And that's for a ship that was originally supposed to be delivered in 2026. Methinks that Fincantieri might be a little "overextended" right now.  And there are rumors that Carnival is about to announce plans to build some "Icon of the Seas" sized ships, although I don't know the shipyard that supposed to build them.

 

Is Princess already selling cruises for Star Princess in 2025?  People might want to temper their expectations on the first sailings if they are.

[DHP1]

6 minutes ago, DCThunder said:

I posted upthread about a 1 year delay in the delivery of the first guided missile frigate that Fincantieri is building for the Navy at a shipyard in Wisconsin.  And that's for a ship that was originally supposed to be delivered in 2026. Methinks that Fincantieri might be a little "overextended" right now.  And there are rumors that Carnival is about to announce plans to build some "Icon of the Seas" sized ships, although I don't know the shipyard that supposed to build them.

 

Is Princess already selling cruises for Star Princess in 2025?  People might want to temper their expectations on the first sailings if they are.

That is correct Carnival is about to make announcement on another huge/monster ship. Discussions are currently away with Fincantieri. 

https://maritime-executive.com/article/carnival-and-fincantieri-to-break-cruise-order-drought-with-record-5b-deal

Edited January 26 by DHP1

[JGmf]

2 minutes ago, DHP1 said:

That is correct Carnival is about to make announce on another huge/monster ship. Discussions are currently away with Fincantieri. 

 

Looks like the world needs more welders.  It's a great job that pays a lot of money.  My friend's son just graduated from a 2 year community college trade program in welding.  Starting job out of school with about 6 months of trainee experience: $100+k!  (It helps he has a great work ethic).

[HBCcruiser]

1 minute ago, DCThunder said:

s Princess already selling cruises for Star Princess in 2025?  People might want to temper their expectations on the first sailings if they are.

Especially if the ship is being built by Fincantieri. As you can see, Virgin had also delayed the Resilient Lady (ship #3) as well - same builder. Both delays are being blamed on supply chain issues. Let's hope the Sun is further along than we think.

 

https://www.travelandleisure.com/cruises/virgin-voyages-delays-resilient-lady-debut

[HBCcruiser]

4 minutes ago, DHP1 said:

That is correct Carnival is about to make announcement on another huge/monster ship. Discussions are currently away with Fincantieri. 

🤦‍♀️

[DCThunder]

3 minutes ago, JGmf said:

 

Looks like the world needs more welders.  It's a great job that pays a lot of money.  My friend's son just graduated from a 2 year community college trade program in welding.  Starting job out of school with about 6 months of trainee experience: $100+k!  (It helps he has a great work ethic).

And you get to wear a cool visor/helmet!

[DHP1]

1 minute ago, HBCcruiser said:

Especially if the ship is being built by Fincantieri. As you can see, Virgin had also delayed the Resilient Lady (ship #3) as well - same builder. Both delays are being blamed on supply chain issues. Let's hope the Sun is further along than we think.

 

https://www.travelandleisure.com/cruises/virgin-voyages-delays-resilient-lady-debut

Princess should had explain “why” they are cancelling Feb 8th cruise ,instead of leaving us in the dark. Unprofessional like. 

[voljeep]

SUN P had recently undergone sea trials - have any problems been reported that came up during those?  

What about Resilinet Lady - sea trials? 

[rmsmith]

4 minutes ago, HBCcruiser said:

Especially if the ship is being built by Fincantieri. As you can see, Virgin had also delayed the Resilient Lady (ship #3) as well - same builder. Both delays are being blamed on supply chain issues. Let's hope the Sun is further along than we think.

 

https://www.travelandleisure.com/cruises/virgin-voyages-delays-resilient-lady-debut

Let's hope indeed! I would like to think that with the delay being announced so late that they are very close, but just couldn't cross the finish line on time. Or maybe the one day strike due to the accident occurred at a critical path significant item that also requires a heavy reschedule effort.  The other ships I could see having more critical impacts due to being earlier in the build and going through the massive metal fabrication.  But then again I'm no shipbuilding expert.

[HBCcruiser]

1 minute ago, voljeep said:

SUN P had recently undergone sea trials - have any problems been reported that came up during those?  

What about Resilinet Lady - sea trials? 

The Resilient Lady is already sailing, the Brilliant is not. Both cruises were cancelled AFTER the sea trials which seems to be the same case here with the Sun. THIS is why I am concerned.