I had a press release in from Princess cruises yesterday relating to two new mini cruises that will be going on sale soon. You can see the press release below................
Princess Cruises has announced two preview cruises on board Royal Princess, giving passengers an opportunity to get a taste of the new ship before the official maiden voyage on June 16. The June 9 and June 14 cruises will sail roundtrip from Southampton on a two-night itinerary featuring a call in St. Peter Port, on the island of Guernsey.
Passengers on the short sailings will be able to sample the many ground-breaking features, including SeaWalk, Princess Live! television studio and new poolside cabanas before the ship’s inaugural sailing.
Both voyages will go on sale on Tuesday January 29 at 2pm to passengers already booked on the maiden voyage, and Wednesday January 30 at 2pm to all other customers. Fares start from £349pp for a balcony stateroom.
Paul Ludlow, Princess Cruises UK director, said “Passengers and agents have shown great interest in these preview cruises and have been eagerly awaiting the chance to book. Therefore, we are delighted to be offering them the opportunity to experience Royal Princess on these two sailings.”
The 3,600-passenger Royal Princess is a new-generation ship for Princess Cruises. Among the special features found on board will be a greatly expanded atrium, the social hub of the ship; SeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway extending over the water more than 28 feet beyond the edge of the vessel; private poolside cabanas that appear to be floating on the water; the new Princess Live! television studio; a pastry shop; a special Chef’s Table Lumiere, a private dining experience that surrounds diners in a curtain of light; and balconies on all outside staterooms. The ship’s 2013 maiden season will include cruises on the line’s signature Grand Mediterranean itinerary throughout the summer, followed by Eastern Caribbean cruises beginning in the Autumn.
The balcony cabins and suites, (which will be on sale for a lead in price of £369 per person), are the only cabins on sale, the inside cabins being held back at the moment.
Not only are a lot of regular cruisers shocked at the price for a mini cruise, Princess cruises may have annoyed some of their regular cruisers.
Why you ask?
Many people who cruise regularly like to book passage on a new ships maiden voyage when one is first launched. Knowing this, quite often the cruise lines will charge a slightly higher fare for the maiden voyage. The problem is that there a lot of people on the Royal Princess original 'maiden voyage', (16th June), who will now find themselves of being in the position that rather than being the first cruisers on the ship, they'll be on the ships third cruise.
What do you think?
If you'd booked a cruise on a maiden voyage would you be annoyed if the cruise line then added voyages before yours?
Let me know what you think here....................
Happy cruising
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