Princess charts most extensive Europe season yet

[LoraJ]

I hope they have this up on their website soon. This year, they have 1 7-day sailing. I was hoping they would do this again for next year, but don't see it listed. We don't have enough vacation days to do more than that. :(

[Cruise Junky]

I hope they have this up on their website soon. This year, they have 1 7-day sailing. I was hoping they would do this again for next year, but don't see it listed. We don't have enough vacation days to do more than that. :(

 

They have this one listed that's a week....

 

Iberian Interlude -- A week-long Spanish option from Southampton aboard Grand Princess with calls at Vigo (for Santiago de Compostela), Lisbon, La Rochelle (for Cognac) and Brittany (Brest), departing on May 23.

 

Great picture with BNL :)

[LoraJ]

They have this one listed that's a week....

 

Iberian Interlude -- A week-long Spanish option from Southampton aboard Grand Princess with calls at Vigo (for Santiago de Compostela), Lisbon, La Rochelle (for Cognac) and Brittany (Brest), departing on May 23.

 

Great picture with BNL :)

 

 

 

Oh great!! Sign me up!!! My 40th birthday-palooza :)

 

and Thanks :)

 

 

Now I just have to put together a presentation to present to my DH.

Although I may give the option of one of the RCCL ones out of Barcelono with a couple of days there. Hmmmm...

[Rouge Wave]

While there are some very interesting looking itineraries, I am disappointed that they are putting three of the "super" grand class ships in Europe. While I have sailed on the Golden and Star I prefer the mid sized ships like the Sun class. I don't really care to sail on a Grand class ship with an extra 500 people onboard. I would like to try one of the former R-class ships but since I usually cruise with my mother and we like the anytime dining I have had a hard time convincing her to cruise on these ships and settle for fixed dining. I wish they would put more Sun class or Coral/Island ships in Europe.

 

Although I agree with your point I in no way want to see the Coral/Island leave for Europe. And about the Sun class, I am none to happy the Dawn is leaving San Diego.

Over all I think none of this bodes very well for Princess in North America. .. sure feels like abandonment of the North American Market by Princess. Ok, so they are moving yet another ship out of the fleet and have no truly new ships in the pipeline… Hmmmm

And if a petition is ever started for Princess to go ahead an build the other two Coral/Island sisters, rest assured my name will be on that petition. They are truly wonderful cruise ships.. Not too big, not too small, JUST RIGHT!

So with the FCC’s I have, I guess I wait until the 2010’s come out and book the Panama Canal again. The Caribbean…... Snoooooze. Med/Europe, nope, no interest at this time. South America, not very much offered, certainly nothing extraordinary. (Seems HAL is far more adventurous in that regard) yes, Asia, Australia does have some potential but the air hassles to get there truly suck.

Anyway, as much as I truly dislike the idea, I contend the worst is yet to come as far as North America offerings from Princess.

[Rouge Wave]

Heck - I wish they would build more ships that size!!

 

I think the problem is that the Coral and Island are going to be in Alaska (I assume). The Sea Princess will also be in Alaska. I think the Sun and Dawn will both be in Australia..... No more small ships :(

 

Maybe we can get a petition to bring back the Ocean Princess?

 

Does anyone know where the Pacific Princess will be?

 

Indeed, at one time there were... two more in fact...

Some idiots pulled the plug...

 

There is SO much to love about the Island/Coral. Truly wonderful ships.

[Cruise Junky]

[i wait until the 2010’s come out and book the Panama Canal again. The Caribbean…... Snoooooze. Med/Europe, nope, no interest at this time. South America, not very much offered, certainly nothing extraordinary. (Seems HAL is far more adventurous in that regard) yes, Asia, Australia does have some potential but the air hassles to get there truly suck.

 

Aren't you writing off 2009 a little prematurely seeing as the schedules aren't out yet? Are you just assuming they'll be bad because another ship is moving to Europe?

[Ethel5]

Over all I think none of this bodes very well for Princess in North America. .. sure feels like abandonment of the North American Market by Princess. Ok, so they are moving yet another ship out of the fleet and have no truly new ships in the pipeline… Anyway, as much as I truly dislike the idea, I contend the worst is yet to come as far as North America offerings from Princess.

 

You've been preaching this "doom and gloom" for a week now! Do you have INSIDE information or are you just a pessimist? In the past, Princess hasn't had Caribbean sailings in the summer. They are positioning their ships in Europe and Alaska because that's where people cruise during the summer months!

[spongerob]

I agree, Ethel, the summer experiment in the Caribbean was (predictably) a failure, when there are so many better alternatives out there.

 

As for "some idiot" not ordering two more of the Coral class as originally envisioned, the problems encountered with Chantiers with the first two ships they built was the reasoning behind Princess not picking up the option to build the other two.

 

I think it's a smart move to have an extensive European itinerary. People in Europe get more vacation time, don't have to travel as far, and have seen an increase in their standard of living in recent years, all of which make cruising more popular over there.

 

I personally believe that the market segment that has fueled the growth of the US market over the last several years is going to be the same segment impacted most by tightened credit rules, bad mortgage practices, and increasing costs. I expect that there will be little or no growth in the US cruise market, and perhaps even a decline.

[Cruise Junky]

 

I think it's a smart move to have an extensive European itinerary. People in Europe get more vacation time, don't have to travel as far, and have seen an increase in their standard of living in recent years, all of which make cruising more popular over there.

 

 

Good point! I was very surprised to read in the recent Cruise Critic article at Europeans now make up 23% of the global cruising market.

[CrusinAgain]

Does anyone know from previous itineraries from SF to Alaska if those ships go to Glacier Bay? I am within driving distance to Seattle but they don't go to Glacier Bay. And it appears the roundtrips from Vancouver are a thing of the past. I would like to stay with Princess on the Alaska trip but don't want to pay an arm and a leg for airfare going to one city and leaving from another.

[DougH]

I was on the first Dawn cruise of the year out of SF in May last year and we did stop in Glacier Bay. After that they all switched to Tracy Arm instead. I think it has to do with the number of permits they have and once all the ships arrive for the summer there is not enough to go around. That said I'm on the last sailing of the Dawn this fall and we still visit Tracy Arm.

[FritzG]

We stopped at our AAA agency this afternoon, and our agent called Princess to see if she could get any info on the 2009 European season. They wouldn't tell her anything. However, she said their Princess rep stops by often so she's hoping to get some news from her. I'll post if I hear anything before March 14th. We're seriously looking at the Ruby Ft. Lauderdale to Barcelona repositioning. We love the sea days!

[West Coast]

We're seriously looking at the Ruby Ft. Lauderdale to Barcelona repositioning. We love the sea days!

 

Yes, this is a great itinerary:

 

4/18/09 FT. LAUDERDALE, Madeira (Funchal), Seville (Cadiz), Gibraltar, Sardinia (Cagliari), Rome (Civitavecchia), Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Monte Carlo, BARCELONA

 

 

Keep in mind that if you are doing a repo cruise, the prices usually drop considerably just past final payment. It's tough for so many people to get the time off needed to do this type of trip. If you can wait, you'll save some serious money over booking now (err, March 14).

[margord]

Looks good. Can't wait to book one.