Bookings were up by 13% compared to the line’s previous strongest booking day in 2019. The line saw strong demand for its 2023 roundtrip Southampton cruises on Sky Princess alongside an increase in demand for fly-Mediterranean voyages and long-haul destinations such as Alaska, the Caribbean and Australia.
Eithne Williamson, vice president of Princess Cruises UK and Europe, thanked the company’s agent partners for helping the line achieve its record-breaking day.
“It is thanks to their unwavering commitment and hard work that we were able to surpass our previous best booking day and we’re extremely grateful for their continued support,” she added.
“The demand for cruise holidays is evidently back and better than ever and we are sure agents will agree that it is fantastic to see holidaymakers once again being able to plan ahead for future holidays in destinations both close to home and further afield.”
Six months after the restart, Princess Cruises has added a total of eight ships back in service, including the new Enchanted Princess, which welcomed its first guests in November.
Back in Action in the Caribbean, West Coast and Hawaii
Pursuing a phased restart plan, Princess grew its active fleet to eight ships in the past six months.
The premium brand is now offering cruises in the Caribbean, West Coast and Hawaii, sailing from three different homeports.
Here are the details:
Majestic Princess Capacity at 100%: 3,600 Date: In service since July 25, 2021 Region: West Coast Homeport: Los Angeles (United States) Length: 7 nights Itinerary: Mexican Riviera
Regal Princess Capacity at 100%: 3,600 Date: In service since July 31, 2021 Region: Caribbean Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) Length: 5 to 7 nights Itinerary: Eastern and Western Caribbean
Sky Princess Capacity at 100%: 3,600 Date: In service since August 30, 2021 Region: Caribbean Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) Length: 7 nights Itinerary: Western and Eastern Caribbean
Grand Princess Capacity at 100%: 2,600 Date: In service since September 25, 2021 Region: West Coast Homeport: Los Angeles (United States) Length: 10 to 15 nights Itinerary: Mexican Riviera, Sea of Cortez and Hawaii
Emerald Princess Capacity at 100%: 3,100 Date: In service since October 15, 2021 Region: Caribbean Homeport: Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale (United States) Length: 14 and 15 nights Itinerary: Panama Canal and Southern Caribbean
Ruby Princess Capacity at 100%: 3,070 Date: In service since October 31, 2021 Region: West Coast Homeport: San Francisco (United States) Length: 15 nights Itinerary: Hawaii and Panama Canal
Enchanted Princess Capacity at 100%: 3,600 Date: In service since November 10, 2021 Region: Caribbean Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) Length: 10 nights Itinerary: Southern and Eastern Caribbean
Caribbean Princess Capacity at 100%: 3,100 Date: In service since November 28, 2021 Region: Caribbean Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) Length: 7 nights Itinerary: Western and Eastern Caribbean
Most of the Fleet Set to Return by May
As Princess returns to additional destinations in 2022, more vessels are resuming service. According to the company’s current restart plans, most of the fleet is set to be sailing again in May, in time for summer seasons in Alaska and Asia.
Here are the planned service resumption dates:
Discovery Princess Capacity at 100%: 3,660 Date: March 27, 2022 Region: West Coast Homeport: Los Angeles (United States) Length: 7 nights First itinerary: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta
Island Princess Capacity at 100%: 1,950 Date: April 27, 2022 Region: Panama Canal Homeport: Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles (United States) Length: 14 nights First itinerary: Cartagena, Panama Canal (old locks), Puntarenas, San Juan del Sur, Huatulco and Puerto Vallarta
Diamond Princess Capacity at 100%: 2,600 Date: April 28, 2022 Region: Asia Homeport: Yokohama (Japan) Length: 6 nights First itinerary: Nagasaki, Busan and Kagoshima
Royal Princess Capacity at 100%: 3,600 Date: May 2, 2022 Region: Alaska Homeport: Vancouver (Canada) Length: 12 nights First itinerary: Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Sitka, Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan and Victoria
Crown Princess Capacity at 100%: 3,070 Date: May 7, 2022 Region: Alaska Homeport: Seattle (United States) Length: 7 nights First itinerary: Juneau, Glacier Bay Park, Skagway, Ketchikan and Victoria
Sapphire Princess Capacity at 100%: 2,600 Date: August 28, 2022 Region: Asia Homeport: Hong Kong to Fremantle (Australia) Length: 12 nights First itinerary: Nha Trang, Phu My, Singapore and Lombok
Coral Princess Capacity at 100%: 1,950 Date: September 3, 2022 Region: Australia Homeport: Sydney (Australia) Length: 35 nights First itinerary: New Zealand, Hawaii, Tahiti and South Pacific
The Sky Princess is offering a four-night cruise the first in a series of domestic UK cruises, which will run through late September. Along with the Regal Princess, the Sky Princess is now offering scenic voyages and regular cruises around the country, ranging from three to seven nights.
The itineraries include stops in ports such as Liverpool, in England; Belfast, in Northern Ireland; Greenock, in Scotland; and more.
After the UK program, the vessel is set to return to Port Everglades. Starting in November, the ship is sailing three-, five-, seven- and 14-day cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.
A Royal-class ship, the Sky Princess entered service in 2019 and was said to be an evolution to the platform used for previous Royal-class ships, the Royal, Regal and Majestic Princess.
The new and enhanced features include a digitally enhanced escape room called the Phantom Bridge and the Wakeview pool located on the ship’s aft decks. Other changes are a new café, redesigned lounges, additional Jacuzzis, and the new Sky Suites.
Featuring the largest continuous private balconies at sea ever offered by any cruise line, the two Sky Suites have a sleeping capacity for five guests and are located on one of the ship’s highest decks.
The 143,700 ton, 3,660-guest ship was also the first in the fleet to be built from the ground up with the Ocean Guest Experience Platform, powered by Princess’s MedallionClass technology.
With the Sky Princess now in service, three Princess Cruises vessels have resumed guest operations. The first ship to welcome passengers back was the Majestic Princess, which launched a series of Alaska cruises on July 25.
A few days later, on July 31, the Regal Princess started to offer domestic sailings in the UK.
Princess is now preparing its return to the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Hawaii the California Coast. By November 28, a total of eight ships will be sailing to those destinations from Port Everglades, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
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