Updated News from Princess Cruises
Caribbean Princess to Debut Early
Line Adds Two New Sailings to Inaugural Schedule
SANTA CLARITA, CA (Nov 24, 2003) Bringing innovations such as Movies Under the Stars to consumers early, Princess upcoming vessel Caribbean Princess will now set sail on her inaugural voyage on April 3, 2004 two weeks sooner than originally announced. The 116,000-ton vessel, currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, will offer two extra Western Caribbean sailings from Ft. Lauderdale, expanding the companys most extensive Caribbean season ever. The new sailings will depart on April 3 and 10, with calls at Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Montego Bay and Princess own private island, Princess Cays. Details in Cruise News
PRINCESS OFFERS MORE ALASKA INSIDE PASSAGE CRUISE OPTIONS IN 2004
New Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess to Sail from Seattle; Regal Princess Returns to San Francisco
Princess will offer more Inside Passage cruising in Alaska in 2004 than ever, with a significantly expanded schedule featuring two of the line's newest and most amenity-filled vessels, Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess, in Seattle as well as the return of Regal Princess to Alaska with cruises from San Francisco. Details in Cruise News
NEW MEXICAN RIVIERA SAILINGS ANNOUNCED BY PRINCESS
Star Princess to Spend This Fall Doing Popular Route from Los Angeles; Itinerary Change Follows Consumer Demand
Princess has announced a new series of roundtrip sailings from Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera on the Star Princess this fall. The ship was originally to have sailed Far East/Asia itineraries during this period. Details in Cruise News
PRINCESS CELEBRATES VALENTINE'S DAY BY ANNOUNCING ITS NEWEST LOVE BOAT' WILL BE BASED YEAR-ROUND IN CARIBBEAN
Caribbean Princess Will Debut in Destination Known for Romance and Fun, Joining Golden Princess for Line's First Two-Ship Summer Season
New Ship to Feature Outdoor "Dive-In Movies" and Largest Number of Balconies of Any Ship Afloat
On this national day of romance, Princess is announcing that its love affair with the Caribbean is expanding. In April 2004 the line will debut a new "Love Boat" named Caribbean Princess, which will sail exclusively in this destination year-round. This new ship will be joined by Golden Princess, significantly expanding Princess' presence there with the company's first two-ship summer of Caribbean cruising. Details in Cruise News
GRAND PRINCESS TO REMAIN IN CARIBBEAN FOR SUMMER SEASON
Citing Higher Consumer Demand for Closer-to-Home Cruises,
Line Makes Deployment Change
2/13/2003 -- Princess Cruises announced a deployment change for Grand Princess that will keep the ship in the Caribbean this summer. The line made this change in response to an anticipated shift in demand from North American passengers toward Caribbean destinations this summer, with lower demand than originally expected for Mediterranean destinations. Details in Cruise News
CORAL PRINCESS DELIVERY POSTPONED
December 24 Cruise Cancelled, New Inaugural Voyage Set to Depart January 3
SANTA CLARITA, CA, Dec. 9, 2002 - The delivery of Princess' upcoming ship Coral Princess has been delayed, necessitating the cancellation of the December 24 sailing. The vessel's inaugural Panama Canal cruise will now depart on January 3, 2003. Passengers on the affected December 24 sailing will receive a full refund, as well as credit toward a future cruise. Details in Cruise News
Princess Cancels Sailings of Fire-Damaged Diamond Princess
Alaska and Mexico Programs Affected
SANTA CLARITA, CA, Oct. 10, 2002 -- Princess Cruises announced today that, due to a fire last week at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard in Japan where the vessel is under construction, it must cancel the Alaska and Mexico cruise programs for Diamond Princess up to the scheduled February 28, 2004 sailing. Details in Cruise News
New Pacific Princess to Set Sail in Alaska
Princess to Base Small Ship in San Francisco for 11-Day Sailings in 2003
SANTA CLARITA, Calif. Sept. 9, 2002 - Princess Cruises announced today that its new Pacific Princess will be joining the company's 2003 Alaska fleet, offering 11-day roundtrip voyages from San Francisco. The small 688-passenger vessel, formerly sailing for Renaissance Cruises, will reposition to Alaska after cruising in French Polynesia and, for sister company P&O Cruises Australia, in the South Pacific. Pacific Princess will offer 10 departures between May 29 and September 5, 2003 on an Inside Passage itinerary that includes calls at Victoria or Vancouver, Ketchikan or Sitka, Skagway and Juneau, plus sailing through the dramatic glaciers, rock walls and waterfalls of Tracy Arm and the twin Sawyer Glaciers. More Details in Cruise News
Princess Expands Alaska Inside Passage Cruise Options in 2003
New Diamond Princess and Star Princess to Sail from Seattle
SANTA CLARITA, CA, May 30, 2002 - Princess will bring a new style of cruising to Alaska's famed Inside Passage in 2003 with a significantly expanded schedule featuring two of the line's newest and most amenity-filled vessels--Star Princess and Diamond Princess. More Details in Cruise News
Princess Twice as "Grand" in Mediterranean for 2003
Both Grand Princess & Golden Princess to Sail on Favorite Barcelona/Venice Itinerary
3/28/2002 - Passengers will have twice as many opportunities to enjoy some of Europe's most romantic ports as Princess deploys two of its largest ships on its famed Grand Mediterranean itinerary in 2003. Not only will Golden Princess return for a third European season, but she will be joined by her sister ship, Grand Princess, which pioneered these immensely popular sailings.
Both 2,600-passenger ships will take guests to some of the most renowned ports in the region, sailing between Barcelona and Venice with overnight stays in each city, and calling at Monte Carlo, Livorno (for Florence and Pisa), Naples, Athens, and the Turkish cities of Kusadasi and Istanbul. The two 109,000-ton vessels will each offer 10 departures on this route, with Golden Princess sailing from May 5 through August 21, and Grand Princess sailing between May 14 and August 30. More Details in Cruise News
PRINCESS EXPANDS AUTOMATIC GRATUITY PROGRAM
Convenient Tipping Option Now Includes All Shipboard Service Staff
Jan 25, 2002 - Princess has made it easier than ever for passengers to recognize the waiters, assistant waiters and cabin stewards who serve them during their cruise. The line recently expanded its automatic gratuity program to cover all service staff with a convenient daily charge of $10 per person, which is placed on the passenger's shipboard account. Details in Cruise News
PRINCESS ANNOUNCES REVISED 2002/2003 EXOTICS PROGRAM
Line Debuts New Australia/New Zealand Itinerary and South America Cruisetour
Jan 23, 2002 - Princess continues to lead the way in world-wide cruising in 2002/2003 with an Exotics program that features 17 itineraries to more than 80 exciting ports of call in Australia, New Zealand, the islands of the South Pacific, Asia and South America. In addition, Princess offers the industry's most comprehensive cruisetour options, with land/sea programs available in Australia, China, and, for the first time, South America with a new tour in Argentina.
"Our many years of experience in Exotics destinations enables us to offer passengers the opportunity to see some of the world's most interesting places while also enjoying the comfort and service that sets Princess apart," says Dean Brown, executive vice president of customer service and sales. "With our dozens of itineraries to ports around the world, Princess takes more passengers to more places across the globe than any other line."
Pacific Islands/Asia/Australia:
The 2002/2003 Exotics season begins with the 1,590-passenger Regal Princess as she embarks on a series of cruises throughout the South Pacific, Asia and Australia/New Zealand. First up is a 10-day repositioning cruise from Vancouver to Hawaii, followed by a voyage back through history with a 22-day Pacific Islands cruise that visits some of WWII's most important battle sites.
Regal Princess explores the wonders of Asia with a 12-day cruise between Osaka and Beijing, and a 16-day cruise between Beijing and Bangkok. Both sailings can be combined with Princess' popular China cruisetours that take passengers deeper into this fascinating country. Four different offerings include visits to places such as the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the Terra Cotta Warriors, the Yangtze River and Hong Kong.
Regal Princess also heads "Down Under" for a series of cruises on a new 12-day Australia/ New Zealand itinerary, which can be combined with one of five cruisetour offerings for a land/sea vacation that takes in many of Australia's famed attractions, such as the Great Barrier Reef, Ayers Rock, Alice Springs and the Port Douglas, Dunk Island and Silky Oaks resorts.
For a taste of both the Outback and the Far East, Regal Princess offers an enhanced 18-day Australia/Asia cruise now including Ho Chi Minh City and Darwin, a center of Aboriginal culture and the gateway to Kakadu National Park. In addition, a 19-day Australia/Asia cruise combines Bali and Singapore with the rarely visited Australian cities of Perth and Albany.
Regal Princess finishes the season with a look at these cultures and many others with a 30-day Bangkok to Rome sailing departing April 8, 2003.
Hawaii/South Pacific:
Idyllic ports of call such as Maui, Kauai, Moorea and Bora Bora, combined with the Personal Choice Cruising options aboard the 1,950-passenger Dawn Princess and Sun Princess, create the perfect atmosphere for exploring the tropics. Dawn Princess offers nine- and 10-day Hawaii cruises, as well as a 12-day Tahiti/Hawaii sailing featuring an overnight stay in Tahiti. Sun Princess offers the convenience of a round-trip voyage from Los Angeles with its two 15-day cruises to the Hawaiian Islands.
South America:
Royal Princess, a long-time passenger favorite, returns to South America for 2002/2003, beginning with a revised Fort Lauderdale to Santiago sailing on December 26. Passengers will enjoy a 16-day voyage to Aruba, Cartagena, the Panama Canal, Quito (Equador), Lima (overnight), Pisco (Peru), Arica (Chile) and La Serena (Chile).
The 1,200-passenger vessel will then offer a series of 14-day Cape Horn/Strait of Magellan cruises between Santiago and Buenos Aires, which feature the dramatic transit around the southern tip of South America. For those who would like to extend their vacation, Princess has added its first South America cruisetour option in conjunction with this voyage. The Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls land option features four days to experience the rhythmic passion of Argentina and the beauty of Iguazu Falls.
Royal Princess' end-of-season sailing on April 17, 2003 reprises its South America/Andes itinerary between Santiago and Fort Lauderdale, and features shore tours to Machu Picchu and the mysterious Nazca lines.
In addition to Princess' extensive cruisetour options, the company's Cruise Plus program also provides passengers with several opportunities to extend their vacations with pre- and post-cruise hotel packages and tours in many port cities, including Sydney, Auckland, Beijing, Bangkok, Osaka, Honolulu, Buenos Aires, and Santiago.
Early booking fares for Exotics sailings begin at $1,595 per person, cruise only. Special group rates are also available.
PRINCESS "MAXIMUM MCKINLEY" TOURS BECOME BEST-SELLERS
New Cruisetours Offer Extra Days at Denali National Park
Jan 21, 2002 - Princess' "Maximum McKinley" cruisetours have so far become the runaway best-sellers of the company's more than 50 land/sea options for the 2002 Alaska season. The top attraction in Alaska, Denali National Park is a perennial favorite among Princess cruisetour passengers. As a result, Princess has added or expanded 27 special itineraries to feature extra time near the park, with two- and three-night stays at the company's two exclusive properties in the Denali area, Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge and Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge.
"Previously, passengers had to choose between our two Denali riverside lodges," said Dean Brown, Princess' executive vice president of customer service and sales. "Now with most of our Maximum McKinley tours, they can stay at both properties, with extra time to really enjoy the best of what the area has to offer. We certainly provide more options in Denali than any other tour company, with the most beautiful properties in the region that also remain true to their wilderness settings."
This extra time in the shadow of the "Great One," Mt. McKinley, not only gives passengers a better opportunity to admire the tallest peak in North America, but also to explore the park's six million acres of wildlife, mountains, tundra and pure wilderness from the comfort of Princess' own lodges.
Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge offers stunning views of its namesake mountain with floor-to-ceiling windows in the dazzling Great Room. Other lodge features include a massive stone fireplace, vaulted ceilings, lobby piano, outdoor hot tubs, children's playground, and nature trails that stretch for miles. Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, located just one mile from the entrance of Denali National Park, features an expansive outdoor deck overlooking the Nenana River and is the perfect base camp for park excursions. The lodge even offers a complimentary shuttle service between the property and the Park Visitor Center for independent explorers.
For those who want to make the most of their time in Denali, each lodge offers an extensive line-up of adventures, including heli-hiking, horseback riding, flightseeing, kayaking, sport fishing, river rafting, hiking, walking on a glacier or park ranger talks.
Maximum McKinley tours also feature travel aboard the company's exclusive Ultra Dome Midnight Sun Express rail cars, and many include stays at the line's other Alaska properties--Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge, Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge and the new Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge. Individually personalized tours are also available through the company's Tour Customization Program.
Princess cruisetours also include a seven-day sailing on the company's famed "Voyage of the Glaciers" Gulf of Alaska itinerary. Passengers can choose to sail on any one of four of the line's ships, including the largest and most amenity-filled vessel to sail in these waters, the new Star Princess.
Fares for Maximum McKinley cruisetours begin at $1,549 per person, based on double occupancy. For more information about these, or other Princess cruisetours, contact the company's cruisetour number, 1-800-426-0442.
