Star Princess Delayed

[gsmith2424]

Just got this email and it looks like the Star is now coming out later now: 

 

April 19, 2024 Dear Valued Princess Player Advantage Member, We are writing to share an important update regarding the delivery and launch of our second spectacular Sphere Class ship, Star Princess.  Princess Cruises, in collaboration with shipbuilder Fincantieri, has made the difficult decision to postpone the delivery of Star Princess until Fall 2025. Following a thorough evaluation of the remaining construction milestones, both parties have determined it is necessary to adjust the ship’s delivery date from late July 2025 to late September 2025. This has resulted in a change to your voyage.  Your new voyage is now scheduled to depart October 22, 2025, from Barcelona, Spain instead of Southampton, England on October 20, 2025. This change shortens the cruise from a 16-day to a 14-day voyage and as a result, you will automatically receive a two-day pro-rated refund for any funds already paid. The updated itinerary will be available in your Cruise Personalizer by April 30, 2024.  While this decision was not taken lightly, we believe it is essential to ensure that Star Princess’ delivery upholds the impeccable standards expected by our esteemed guests. Other new inaugural sailings include an 11-day voyage on October 4, 2025; and a 7-day journey on October 15, 2025, both departing from Barcelona, Spain. These revised itineraries will open for sale on April 30, 2024.  We understand the inconvenience this may cause and extend our sincerest apologies. Rest assured we are committed to providing you with flexible options. If you decide your new voyage is not suitable for you, we offer you the following:  Future Cruise Credit and Onboard Credit: You have the option to receive a refundable Future Cruise Credit (FCC) in the amount of the nonrefundable deposit paid, along with a $100 per stateroom onboard credit (non-refundable). This FCC can be applied when rebooking any Princess cruise sailing by November 30, 2025, when booked by November 30, 2024. Full Refund: Alternatively, you may choose to cancel your booking and receive a full refund of funds paid.  A Casino Concierge will reach out to you directly to handle your booking.  Star Princess represents the next generation of cruise ships within the Sphere Class – following in the footsteps of her sister ship, Sun Princess, which debuted in February. Mirroring Sun Princess, Star Princess will shine with exciting new features, such as The Dome, the cruise industry’s first geodesic feature on the top deck; and The Sphere, the captivating, suspended glass Sphere Piazza at the heart of the ship, all while retaining the timeless elegance Princess is renowned for.  We appreciate your understanding and patience during this time of adjustment. Our commitment to delivering exceptional experiences remains unwavering, and we eagerly anticipate welcoming you aboard Star Princess as we embark on this remarkable journey together.

Sincerely,  John Padgett  President

[azbirdmom]

It seems like they have learned their lesson from the Sun.  So much better for them to announce this far in advance before folks have made air or other arrangements.  I hope this also means that they are rethinking / changing some of the design features that others have reported are less than desirable.

[PacnGoNow]

Thank you for the update!

 

 I wonder if the regular guests have been advised, or just the casino players at this time?

 

 

 

[FLAlaska]

6 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Thank you for the update!

 

 I wonder if the regular guests have been advised, or just the casino players at this time?

 

 

 

I’m booked on the TA that was scheduled for Oct 20. I just got notice it is now leaving out of Barcelona instead of Southampton and leaving the 22nd, shortening it by 2 nights. Think I might just move to the Nov Sun TA.  Same letter but I’m a regular booking. 

 

 

Edited April 19 by FLAlaska

[dides]

Article in Cruise Industry News covers the same points as above and confirmation that nine inaugural sailings will be cancelled.  

 

Sad that we won't get to see her in Southampton!

 

Edited April 19 by dides

[dog]

1 hour ago, PacnGoNow said:

Thank you for the update!

 

 I wonder if the regular guests have been advised, or just the casino players at this time?

 

 

 

I have the October 20/25 TA  & Nov 10/25 5 day booked .

No email. No casino offer. 
FCD on both.

 

[vwlmember]

1 hour ago, PacnGoNow said:

Thank you for the update!

 

 I wonder if the regular guests have been advised, or just the casino players at this time?

 

 

 

I just received the notification and am not a casino player. Guess I will go back to Royal since they seem to have their act together.

 

[dog]

5 minutes ago, dog said:

I have the October 20/25 TA  & Nov 10/25 5 day booked .

No email. No casino offer. 
FCD on both.

 

Just received it but it is different from above. Gives 3 options. Form to fill in.

[voljeep]

5 minutes ago, vwlmember said:

I just received the notification and am not a casino player. Guess I will go back to Royal since they seem to have their act together.

 

Good call - if anything you have learned from the SUN P and now STAR P about booking

cruises when they first start sailing...

[Mark_K]

29 minutes ago, vwlmember said:

I just received the notification and am not a casino player. Guess I will go back to Royal since they seem to have their act together.

 

FYI

 

March 7, 2024 - Royal Caribbean International has announced a delay in the debut of its new ship, Star of the Seas, leading to the cancellation of its first two sailings scheduled for 17 & 24 August 2025.

 

Currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, the second Icon-Class vessel is now expected to enter revenue service on 31 August 2025.

The cruise line expressed regret over the impact on booked guests' vacation plans and provided options such as transferring bookings to the rescheduled inaugural cruise or opting for other ships.

Star of the Seas, powered by LNG, will operate year-round from Port Canaveral, offering seven-night cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas, with its maiden voyage featuring Western Caribbean destinations.

[ian441672]

I was booked on the inaugural 19 day B2B in a Penthouse suite so am a bit disappointed to read this. Although it is better to find out this far in advance rather than a week or so. I will see what’s on offer for the end of September and decide whether to try my luck once more. A bit gutted though, but I’d rather have a ship that has everything working and ready, than only half of the things working and available and have that daily disappointment. 
 

Oh well……

[vwlmember]

5 minutes ago, Mark_K said:

FYI

 

March 7, 2024 - Royal Caribbean International has announced a delay in the debut of its new ship, Star of the Seas, leading to the cancellation of its first two sailings scheduled for 17 & 24 August 2025.

 

Currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, the second Icon-Class vessel is now expected to enter revenue service on 31 August 2025.

The cruise line expressed regret over the impact on booked guests' vacation plans and provided options such as transferring bookings to the rescheduled inaugural cruise or opting for other ships.

Star of the Seas, powered by LNG, will operate year-round from Port Canaveral, offering seven-night cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas, with its maiden voyage featuring Western Caribbean destinations.

Let's see........Icon was ready a month early and had multiple unpaid cruises and a transatlantic so she was well prepared before the inaugural. Utopia of the Seas will be ready three days early. Star will be two weeks late with a year's notice to cruisers.

 

Princess screwed up the Sun launch in spectacular fashion at the last possible moment. Now they cancel 11 cruises on Star. Granted it is with considerable notice, but two in a row is not confidence building.

 

I will still give Royal the win.

[vwlmember]

5 minutes ago, ian441672 said:

I was booked on the inaugural 19 day B2B in a Penthouse suite so am a bit disappointed to read this. Although it is better to find out this far in advance rather than a week or so. I will see what’s on offer for the end of September and decide whether to try my luck once more. A bit gutted though, but I’d rather have a ship that has everything working and ready, than only half of the things working and available and have that daily disappointment. 
 

Oh well……

The new inaugural sailings of Star Princess will sail roundtrip from Barcelona and include an 11-day Mediterranean voyage on October 4, 2025, and a 7-day Mediterranean voyage on October 15, 2025, that precede a 14-day transatlantic crossing to Fort Lauderdale on October 22, 2025, for the ship’s first Caribbean season. These three new cruises will open for sale on April 30, 2024.

 

September is a no go.

[dog]

36 minutes ago, voljeep said:

Good call - if anything you have learned from the SUN P and now STAR P about booking

cruises when they first start sailing...

Yeah,

I’ll let them hold onto my FCD and give me some FCC to use on a different sailing. Not going to Barcelona.

[NightOne]

We got the same e-mail last Friday nd I called today an was told to wait for:

 

"A Casino Concierge will reach out to you directly to handle your booking. "

 

so I guess we wait 🙂

 

 

[dog]

2 hours ago, NightOne said:

We got the same e-mail last Friday nd I called today an was told to wait for:

 

"A Casino Concierge will reach out to you directly to handle your booking. "

 

so I guess we wait 🙂

 

 

I filled in the form.

 

 

[FancyPants21]

Some people say they don't mind the delay if it means that everything is working on the ship. Be realistic... it is an inaugural sailing. It is 100% certain that whenever it is delivered it won't have everything 100% working. That is just how it is.

 

Personally, I see no attraction at all to sailing on inaugural cruises or any cruise within 3 months of them. Better to let things settle down and bed in and get the teething issues sorted.

 

Rest assured that this delay is not to get the teething troubles sorted. It is quite likely that it is because of delays at the shipyard and very little to do with Princess. I wouldn't be surprised to see further delays and further cruise cancellations of the early cruises.

[NightOne]

On 4/22/2024 at 5:12 PM, dog said:

I filled in the form.

 

 

 

What form?

 

We still haven't heard from a casino concierge

[dog]

56 minutes ago, NightOne said:

 

What form?

 

We still haven't heard from a casino concierge

I don’t have a casino booking.

The email I received had a link to a form giving me 3 choices.

My FCD and goodwill FCC are already showing up in my Personalizer.

[FLAlaska]

2 hours ago, dog said:

I don’t have a casino booking.

The email I received had a link to a form giving me 3 choices.

My FCD and goodwill FCC are already showing up in my Personalizer.

Mine too

[ProfMHC]

Transatlantic was auto rebooked for us. Not much of a date change (depart 2 days later—same return date). Naturally way too early to have booked anything else. However, the promised price reduction didn’t show up in personalizer. Sent in a ??? —- let’s see how Princess responds 

[vjmatty]

9 hours ago, ProfMHC said:

Transatlantic was auto rebooked for us. Not much of a date change (depart 2 days later—same return date). Naturally way too early to have booked anything else. However, the promised price reduction didn’t show up in personalizer. Sent in a ??? —- let’s see how Princess responds 

Here is the new itinerary:

 

Oct 22 Depart 6:00PM Barcelona

Oct 23 Mallorca (Palma) 8am to 6pm

Oct 25 Gibraltar 7am to 6pm

Oct 28 Azores Islands (Ponta Delgada), 9am to 6pm

Nov 5 Ft. Lauderdale, Arrive 6pm

 

All the rest are sea days.

 

ETA: Subject to change of course.

 

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 10:21 AM by vjmatty
ETA

[ProfMHC]

46 minutes ago, vjmatty said:

Here is the new itinerary:

 

Oct 22 Depart 6:00PM Barcelona

Oct 23 Mallorca (Palma) 8am to 6pm

Oct 25 Gibraltar 7am to 6pm

Oct 28 Azores Islands (Ponta Delgada), 9am to 6pm

Nov 5 Ft. Lauderdale, Arrive 6pm

 

All the rest are sea days.

 

ETA: Subject to change of course.

 

 

 

Nov 5 Fort Lauderdale, arrive 6 AM

[Coral]

On 4/19/2024 at 12:19 PM, vwlmember said:

I just received the notification and am not a casino player. Guess I will go back to Royal since they seem to have their act together.

 

It is the shipyard that is delayed, not the cruise line. 

[vwlmember]

3 minutes ago, Coral said:

It is the shipyard that is delayed, not the cruise line. 

Directly from their email.....

"Princess Cruises, in collaboration with shipbuilder Fincantieri, has made the difficult decision to postpone the delivery of Star Princess until Fall 2025."