Princess Cruises Exotics sailings cover six continents

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 28 May 2013 28 May 2013

Just open for sale today, Princess Cruises' 2014-15 Exotics program offers a world of options for globetrotting travelers. The line's global itineraries will take passengers to the colorful ports of Asia & Africa, Australia & New Zealand, Tahiti & the South Pacific, and South America - plus even a special connoisseur itinerary in the Caribbean.

The lineup also includes Princess' first-ever World Cruise sailing roundtrip from North America and additional capacity in Tahiti & the South Pacific. In Australia, Princess will continue to offer the biggest choice of ships, homeports and itineraries with four ships deployed in the region. The West Africa itinerary, returning to the lineup due to popular demand, will add a new port to Princess' roster of more than 300 around the world, with a maiden call to the island nation of São Tomé.

In total, the fall 2014 to spring 2015 program spans six continents and calls to more than 145 worldwide destinations. Eight ships will cover the globe with 114 departures of 37 itinerary options.

"Worldwide cruising has long been a Princess specialty," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. "Our expertise in these exciting destinations offers passengers the perfect way to check that 'must-see' place off their bucket list."

Princess' 2014-15 Exotics program includes:

Asia & Africa
Sapphire Princess in Asia - Sailing between Beijing and Bangkok or Singapore, the 17-day Grand Asia itinerary is the line's most popular Asia cruise. Sapphire Princess will offer three departures in fall 2014 - each including an overnight stay in spectacular Hong Kong as well as calls to Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City, Busan, and Nagasaki. Cruise departures run from October 7 to November 10, 2014.

Ocean Princess to Asia and Africa - Small ship Ocean Princess sails through the Indian Ocean along the coast of West Africa in spring 2015. The ship's 32-day Singapore to Cape Town voyage is followed by a 30-day Cape Town to London (Dover) voyage featuring visits to a number of intriguing destinations in West Africa. True world travelers can combine these voyages for a 62-day cruise to a variety of exotic calls such as Ghana, Togo, Namibia, Senegal, and Princess' maiden call to the island nation of São Tomé. Sailings depart April 3 and May 5, 2015.

Land & Sea Vacations - In Asia, passengers can add to their cruise with a land tour to the top attractions in China - including UNESCO sites like Beijing's Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, The Great Wall, Xian and the Terra Cotta Warriors - as well as three nights on a Yangtze River cruise.

Australia & New Zealand
Diamond Princess in Australia & New Zealand - The ship once again sails on this favorite itinerary between Sydney and Auckland. The 12- or 13-day voyages include calls in both countries, and spectacular cruising through the dramatic Fiordland National Park. Departures run from December 16, 2014 through February 15, 2015.

Diamond Princess Round Australia - For the first time, Diamond Princess offer a full 28-day circumnavigation of the Australian continent. Featuring Princess' largest ship ever on this route, the Sydney to Sydney voyage offers two departures - November 18, 2014 and February 27, 2015.

Australia Homeport Cruising - Sun Princess, Sea Princess and Dawn Princess will offer sailings from three homeports - Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne - on a series of New Zealand, Fiji, South Pacific and Tasmania cruises geared especially for local tastes.

Australia & Asia - Diamond Princess and Ocean Princess offer Australia & Asia departures between Sydney and Singapore featuring the Northern Territory, Queensland as well as ports in Vietnam and Indonesia.

Land & Sea Vacations - Travelers can add more of the wonders of Australia with land tours that visit iconic UNESCO sites such as Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kakadu National Park in the Outback, the Great Barrier Reef, and cosmopolitan Sydney.

Tahiti & South Pacific
Small Ship Cruising in French Polynesia - Princess returns to the blue waters of Tahiti & Polynesia with two ships for increased capacity in to this beautiful destination. Intimate sister ships Pacific Princess and Ocean Princess offer the small ship cruising experience in fall and spring on a 10-day Tahiti & French Polynesia itinerary roundtrip from Tahiti (Papeete). Each departure includes two full days in Bora Bora as well as Moorea, Rangiroa, Raiatea, Huahine - all selected in Condé Nast Traveler's 10 best islands in the South Pacific. Sailings depart between October 9, 2014 and February 16, 2015.

Pacific Princess to Marquesas & Polynesia - Pacific Princess will also feature three departures of a 10-day Marquesas & Polynesia itinerary featuring the remote island of Nuku Hiva - famed as the island where Herman Melville penned his first book, Typee, about life on a Polynesian island. Departures are offered on October 29, November 28 and December 28, 2014.

South America & the Caribbean
Golden Princess in South America - Two itineraries aboard Golden Princess offer passengers the best of Southern Hemisphere cruising. Sailing between Santiago (Valparaiso) and either Rio de Janeiro or Buenos Aires, the Cape Horn & Strait of Magellan or Route to Rio itineraries each include the dramatic cruising of the southernmost tip of South America and the Chilean Fjords. Sailings depart between December 20, 2014 and February 28, 2015.

Golden Princess Andes & South America - At the beginning and end of the season, Golden Princess will also sail between two continents and cross the Equator on two departures of a Andes & South America itinerary between Los Angeles and Santiago, featuring calls in Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica and an optional overland tour to magnificent Machu Picchu. Departures are offered on December 3, 2014 and March 14, 2015.

Ocean Princess Caribbean Connoisseur - A special 14-day Caribbean Connoisseur voyage aboard Ocean Princess over the holidays adds a new sailing choice from Ft. Lauderdale. A unique opportunity to enjoy small ship-cruising in the Caribbean, this voyage includes calls at small gems such as St. Barts, Martinique and Virgin Gorda. Ocean Princess departs on December 19, 2014.

Land & Sea Vacations - Land tour options offer the opportunity to explore dramatic UNESCO sites like Iguazu Falls on the Brazilian-Argentine border or mysterious Machu Picchu in the Andes in addition to a South America cruise.

World Cruise
World Cruise on Pacific Princess - For the first time, Princess' World Cruise will depart and return from North America. The 111-day voyage aboard Pacific Princess sails roundtrip from Los Angeles, with an option for a 94-day itinerary from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale. Spanning six continents and featuring more than 34 destinations to 25 countries, this unique World Cruise includes four overnight calls in Sydney, Hong Kong, Dubai and Barcelona. Overland excursions and day excursions will be available to see some of the most iconic destinations such as Sydney Harbour, Cambodia's Angkor Wat, the Taj Mahal and Mexico's Copper Canyon. Pacific Princess sets sail on January 23, 2015.

Quantum of the Seas to offer Southampton-Cape Liberty voyage in November 2014

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 28 May 2013 28 May 2013

Royal Caribbean International’s new ship Quantum of the Seas is to operate its first cruise from Southampton, Travel Weekly said in a daily newsletter.

“An eight-night transatlantic sailing to Cape Liberty in New Jersey has been scheduled for November 2, 2014,” the newsletter said. General booking for the new vessel is due to open on June 4.

The 167,000 gross ton ship that will be built at the Meyer Werft in Germany, is due to sail via the UK before entering into service on an eight-night cruise to the Bahamas on November 23, 2014 following two short sampler sailings.

“No mention of the Southampton sailing is made in information on the ship’s inaugural season to the Bahamas and Caribbean but details appear on a sales flyer detailing cruises through to April 2015,” the report said.

Royal Caribbean cancels also Grandeur's May 31 sailing

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 28 May 2013 28 May 2013

Royal Caribbean International announced today that the May 31, 2013 sailing of Grandeur of the Seas from Baltimore, Maryland, will be cancelled to allow for repairs to damages sustained as a result of a fire. Guests booked on the May 31 sailing will be provided a full refund of the cruise fare paid for their sailing. Royal Caribbean also will provide these guests with the opportunity to sail in the future by providing a future cruise certificate for 50 percent of the cruise fare paid for the May 31, 2013, Grandeur of the Seas sailing.

Guests who booked air transportation through Royal Caribbean International will receive a full refund for air costs. If they did not purchase air transportation through Royal Caribbean International, the cruise line will pay for their airline change fees.

A dedicated telephone hotline has been established for guests on these two sailings. Guests may call us at 1-888-824-0012 in the U.S. or +1-408-916-9000 internationally.

Grandeur of the Seas was en route to CocoCay, The Bahamas, when the ship experienced a fire in the mooring area in the aft of the ship at approximately 2:50 a.m. today. The ship was redirected to Freeport, The Bahamas, where it will remain this evening.

Grandeur of the Seas is part of Royal Caribbean International's fleet of 21 cruise ships. The ship was launched in December 1996 and recently refurbished in May 2012. Grandeur of the Seas has a maximum capacity of 2,446 guests; measures 916 ft. long and 105.6 ft. in width; and has a cruising speed of 19 knots.

Royal Caribbean cancels Grandeur of the Seas cruise after fire onboard

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 27 May 2013 27 May 2013

Royal Caribbean statement on the Grandeur of the Seas fire: "Unfortunately, the damage caused by the fire on Grandeur of the Seas will require us to cancel the rest of the current sailing. We are currently working on making the necessary arrangements to return all guests to Baltimore, Maryland.

Royal Caribbean International is deeply sorry for this unexpected development in our guests’ vacation. We understand that this may have been a very stressful time for them. And we also know that it has significantly impacted their vacation experience. We appreciate their patience and cooperation in dealing with this unfortunate situation.

A dedicated telephone hotline has been established for family members of guests at 1-888-824-0012 or internationally at +1-408-916-9000. The cruise line requests that only families of guests use the telephone numbers in order to help ease call volume and ensure that they can receive information as quickly as possible.

We continue to assess the situation onboard Grandeur of the Seas and gather the necessary information in order to make a decision regarding the next voyage. Assessment such as these can be complicated, and all facts must be gathered before a decision can be reached. We do not take any decision lightly that may impact our guests’ vacations.

We encourage guests on the May 31, 2013, sailing of Grandeur of the Seas monitor this website or our Twitter handle @RoyalCaribbean for an update on your voyage by 8:00 p.m. tonight."