Princess Offers West Coast Cruises

Carnival Cruise Lines Resumes Port Calls in Mexico

Pearl Seas Cruises Ship in Outfitting

(c) 2009 Larry Fox & Barbara Radin Fox

 

 Princess Offers West Coast Cruises

 

Each year Princess offers passengers the opportunity to sample the line's product with short "coastal" sailings. These West Coast cruises range from overnight to a week in length, offering a great way for travelers to explore North America's Pacific coastline while enjoying a taste of Princess' amenity-filled vessels and renowned service.

For the 2009-10 season, passengers can choose from short escapes of one to four nights in the spring and fall, plus three longer sailings. These special cruises include a weeklong Coastal Wine Region sailing with special wine-related tours, programs and special guests; a seven-day British Columbia and West Coast cruise showcasing a variety of ports along the coast; and a five-day West Coast Escape.

"We enjoy giving passengers these yearly opportunities to add a short getaway to their schedule," said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. "And many new passengers use these sailings to get a taste of what Princess is all about - whether they choose to sail overnight or spend a week exploring the West Coast's fabulous wine regions."

Princess Coastal Sailings for 2009-10 include:

Wine Country Coastal - A seven-day opportunity for passengers to steep themselves in the California wine regions of Santa Barbara and the San Francisco area as well as the microbreweries of Astoria, Oregon. Passengers can explore the world of food and wine with themed excursions as well as special onboard presentations from a guest wine expert and guest chef who will offer demonstrations, wine tastings and special meals. The cruise aboard Sapphire Princess departs from Los Angeles on May 8, 2010, sailing to Vancouver with calls at Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Astoria, Seattle and Victoria.

British Columbia and West Coast Coastal - This weeklong voyage explores the west coast from the fall foliage of British Columbia to the shores of Southern California. The Vancouver to Los Angeles cruise calls at Nanaimo, Victoria, San Francisco, Catalina Island and San Diego. Golden Princess sets sail on September 20, 2009.

West Coast Escape - A five-day escape from Los Angeles to Vancouver, this Golden Princess sailing offers the opportunity to visit Catalina Island, San Francisco and Victoria. Golden Princess sets sail on May 9, 2010.

San Francisco/Vancouver - These two-day journeys sail between the "City by the Bay" and British Columbia's largest city. Offered on Star Princess on September 21, 2009 and May 6, 2010, as well as on Island Princess on September 14, 2009.

Los Angeles/Vancouver - A choice of three-night getaways between Los Angeles and Vancouver, are offered on Coral Princess on September 21, 2009 and Island Princess on May 14, 2010. Coral Princess also offers a four-day voyage on May 6, 2010 offering a call in Victoria.

Seattle/Vancouver - These overnight escapes between Seattle and Vancouver give passengers a taste of life aboard, with departures on Golden Princess on September 19, 2009 and May 14, 2010; Star Princess on September 20, 2009 and May 8, 2010; and Pacific Princess on September 17, 2009.

Costal sailings are available for booking. Escape Fares for overnight sailings start at $99 per person, based on double occupancy. Past Princess passengers are eligible for $10 to $50 in Captain's Circle Launch Savings on bookings made by Dec. 31, 2008 

Princess has also announced a new season of cruises to the sun swept Caribbean and Mexican Riviera. These relaxing, seven- to 14 day voyages offer passengers the opportunity to experience these colorful ports filled with dramatic scenery, diverse cultures, white sand beaches and ancient ruins, while enjoying the youngest fleet in the Caribbean and some of the largest and most amenity-filled vessels sailing the Mexican Riviera.

 
In the Caribbean, Princess will sail six ships on 13 itineraries with 129 departures visiting more than 25 ports in these fabled islands. Ruby Princess will take over the line's 10-day Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries, offering some of the less-visited ports in the region. Emerald Princess sails on the line's Eastern Caribbean itinerary and Crown Princess will feature the Western Caribbean with an enhanced itinerary now featuring the lovely island of Roatan, Honduras. Caribbean Princess continues to sail on alternating seven day Southern Caribbean sailings from San Juan. Grand Princess returns with an extensive 14-day Caribbean Collection route and Sea Princess will again sail on 14-day voyages from Barbados.


On the Pacific side, Princess again returns to its "south of the border" cruising roots with two ships - Sapphire Princess sailing on the classic seven-day Mexican Riviera route from Los Angeles and Star Princess cruising on 10-day voyages from San Francisco.

"The Caribbean and Mexican Riviera both offer the delightful sense of fun and make for a wonderful warm weather escape," said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. "And passengers will also be able to enjoy an array of fantastic ships on these routes, including Caribbean Princess and Star Princess with brand new piazza-style atriums and a number of new features."

Princess' Caribbean and Mexican Riviera itineraries for 2009-10 include:

 Emerald Princess - Emerald Princess sails to the Eastern Caribbean, with roundtrip cruises from Ft. Lauderdale on Sundays. The itinerary features calls in line's own Princess Cays, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Grand Turk. Emerald Princess offers 28 sailings between October 11, 2009 and May 2, 2010.

 Crown Princess - Crown Princess takes over the line's roundtrip seven-day sailings to the Western Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale with an enhanced itinerary that now offers calls in Roatan. The ship will sail on 27 Saturday departures with stops at Grand Cayman, Roatan, Cozumel and Princess Cays. Crown Princess' season will run from November 7, 2009 through May 8, 2010.

 Caribbean Princess - Caribbean Princess sails from San Juan on two alternating seven-day itineraries. The Classic Southern Caribbean route features 14 sailings to the ports of St. Thomas, Tortola, Antigua, Barbados and St. Lucia, while 14 Southern Caribbean Explorer sailings travel to St. Thomas, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba. Cruises depart between November 1, 2009 and May 9, 2010. Caribbean Princess will also offer one eight-day Bermuda & Eastern Caribbean sailing from New York to San Juan calling at Bermuda, St. Kitts, Antigua and St. Thomas, departing October 24, 2009.

Ruby Princess - Ruby Princess offers a set of alternating 10-day sailings roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale - one to the Southern Caribbean and the other to the Eastern Caribbean. The Southern Caribbean Medley itinerary, offered on 10 sailings, includes calls at Princess Cays, St. Thomas, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba. The Eastern Caribbean Voyager itinerary, featured on nine sailings, offers calls at Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Kitts, St. Thomas and Princess Cays. Emerald Princess' Caribbean season runs between October 25, 2009 and April 29, 2010.

Grand Princess - Grand Princess offers more time to explore the islands with a 14-day Caribbean Collection itinerary roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale. The ship sails to Grand Turk, La Romana, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, St. Vincent, Barbados, Trinidad, Curaçao and Aruba. Grand Princess offers nine departures between December 21, 2009 and April 23, 2010. The ship also offers a new 11-day Grand Southern Caribbean sailing on January 4, 2010, calling at Princess Cays, St. Thomas, Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba.

 Sea Princess - Sea Princess will offer a series of alternating 14 day Caribbean voyages from Barbados. Seven sailings of the Grand Caribbean Islander route feature calls at St. Lucia, Trinidad, Grenada, Bonaire, Curaçao, Montego Bay, Samaná, Tortola, St. Maarten, Antigua and Dominica. The ship will also offer seven sailings on a Grand Caribbean Adventurer itinerary that features stops at St. Vincent, Grenada, Bonaire, Aruba, Grand Cayman, Montego Bay, Samaná, Tortola, St. Kitts, Antigua and Dominica. To begin her season, Sea Princess offers a seven-day Southern Caribbean sailing from Ft. Lauderdale to Barbados featuring calls at Princess Cays, Tortola, St. Maarten, Antigua and St. Lucia. In spring the ship sails back to Ft. Lauderdale from Barbados with a six-day sailing to Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba. Sea Princess sails between October 10, 2009 and May 1, 2010.

 Sapphire Princess - Sapphire Princess will again set sail from the Port of Los Angeles on 32 departures to the sunny Mexican Riviera. This favorite seven-day roundtrip route takes in the prime ports of call of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas. Sapphire Princess will depart on Saturdays between September 26, 2009 and May 1, 2010.

 Star Princess - Star Princess will a offer a longer, 10-day roundrip Mexican Riviera voyage from San Francisco featuring calls at Acapulco, Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas. The ship will sail on two cruises on April 16 and 26, 2010.

Caribbean and Mexican Riviera cruises are now available for booking. Escape Fares for seven-day sailings start at $599 per person, based on double occupancy. Past Princess passengers are eligible for up to $50 in Captain's Circle Launch Savings on bookings made by Dec. 31, 2008. Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com.

 

Carnival Cruise Lines Resumes Port Calls in Mexico

 Carnival Cruise Lines will resume visits to Mexican ports of call based on the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, which is no longer recommending against non-essential travel to Mexico. Once all voyages with previously modified itineraries are completed, those vessels will revert to their original routes featuring stops in Mexico.  Most itineraries were modified through mid-June with the exception of the Holiday which was modified through late May. A ship-by-ship listing including dates for when each vessel will resume its original itinerary is available at http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/cruise_control/itinerary_updates.aspx.

“We are very pleased to resume our previous itineraries to Mexico, one of the cruise industry’s most popular destinations, and we thank those guests who were impacted by the modified schedules in recent weeks for their understanding and patience,” said Gerry Cahill, president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines.

 Cahill added, “The health and well being of our guests and crew is our highest priority and we are returning to Mexico after careful evaluation and consultation with the CDC.  It is important to note that the concentration of H1N1 flu cases in Mexico has been inland rather than in the coastal resort areas where our ships visit.”  

Cahill also noted that the cruise industry works closely with U.S. public health officials in the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program in developing and complying with extensive policies and procedures that are effective in mitigating illness aboard cruise ships.  Carnival will continue to follow CDC guidelines for cruise ships which include pre-boarding health questionnaires for all guests and crew, along with secondary screening by shipboard medical professionals as necessary.  Additionally, all Carnival ships stock influenza test kits and anti-viral medications for treating type A influenzas.

 “Mexico has so many wonderful sites and attractions and feedback from our customers suggests that the majority support a resumption of port calls in Mexico. We know that they and our port destination partners are very much looking forward to our return,” he added.

 Carnival Cruise Lines is the largest and most popular cruise line in the world, with 22 “Fun Ships” operating voyages ranging from three to 16 days in length to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Panama Canal, Canada, New England, Europe and Bermuda.  The line currently has two new ships scheduled for delivery between now and 2011.  The first of those, the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream, is set to debut Sept. 21, 2009.

For additional information or reservations on the “Fun Ship” vacation experience, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit http://www.carnival.com.

Pearl Seas Cruises Ship in Outfitting


Pearl Seas Cruises has  announced  that their first ship, which was launched in March, is in its outfitting stage. "It is progressing with over 150 people working on the ship daily at Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax, Nova Scotia" said Vice President Tim Beebe. The joiner work and the electrical installation are being completed at this time. Pearl Seas Cruises expects the first ship to be delivered in the first quarter of 2009.

The new ship will carry 210 passengers and have international cruises in the Canadian Maritimes, St Lawrence Seaway, Great Lakes, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, New England, and in the Caribbean.

The ships' spacious suites (each measuring 302-580 square feet) will all have private balconies with large opening picture windows. All staterooms will also feature flat-screen satellite TV's, DVD players, have individual climate control and Internet access.

For more information, visit www.pearlseascruises.com

(c) 2009 Larry Fox & Barbara Radin Fox