Princess Cruises recently celebrated its return to operations, beginning with its Majestic Princess in Alaska. We had the chance to discuss the resumption with John Chernesky, the line’s senior vice president of North America sales and trade marketing.
How does it feel to see Princess Cruises up and running again?
It’s a great combination of excitement, optimism and enthusiasm to travel once again. And relief.
What is the significance of restarting in Alaska, followed by elsewhere in the U.S., particularly on the West Coast?
When we realized we could operate a shortened season for Alaska out of Seattle, we jumped at the chance. Not only does this support our position as the No. 1 brand operating in Alaska, but we really wanted to give back to our local partners throughout the Alaska communities who depend so much on tourism.
Having just returned from the very first sailing to Alaska on Majestic Princess, the appreciation from every local tour operator and shop owner I encountered was transparent — both in their words and the smiles on their faces.
Having just returned from the very first sailing to Alaska on Majestic Princess, the appreciation from every local tour operator and shop owner I encountered was transparent — both in their words and the smiles on their faces.
It was so nice to enjoy dinner with my family and then see an amazing production show along with the other guests. On the last night, we got to enjoy an incredibly funny comedy show with Carlos Oscar — past winner of the Princess Entertainer of the Year award. Just sitting in a theater full of other guests and laughing together was cathartic.
Right around the corner, we have cruises sailing from the West Coast (Mexico, Hawaii and the California Coast), followed by Caribbean sailings out of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Our operational teams are focused on ensuring we set sail from each homeport as smoothly and safely as possible.
What message do you have for travel agents as the brand resumes operations?
As Princess resumes operations, my message to travel agents is first to say, “Thank you.” These past 17 months have been nothing short of challenging, but you stayed positive and now your clients are either enjoying a cruise vacation with us or they are getting ready to sail very soon.
These past 17 months have been nothing short of challenging, but you stayed positive and now your clients are either enjoying a cruise vacation with us or they are getting ready to sail very soon.]
In addition to the 2021 sailings we’ve announced (for Caribbean, Mexico, Panama Canal, Hawaii, California Coast and, of course, Alaska), we are also seeing great demand for future years (2022 and even 2023). For a product that hasn’t been operating for so long, this strong demand shows the amazing value that a Princess cruise delivers and how much people want to get out there, connect with their loved ones and explore the world with us.
What should advisors know about the fleet-wide implementation of MedallionClass?
The ability for us to deliver MedallionClass on all Princess ships as we return to service means you will see consistency across our brand, so you don’t have to verify if this ship has it or doesn’t.
From a pre-cruise experience, we are offering the ability for guests to customize their journey as much as they’d like, especially when it comes to managing their dinner reservations in Dine My Way. Some people like to plan every detail, and others like to go with the flow — and Dine My Way supports both. What’s even better is that once you’ve made a reservation (either pre-cruise or once onboard), feel free to change it as many times as you’d like — even if you’re off the ship.
My favorite feature of MedallionClass is OceanNow, which allows you to order pretty much anything you could think of, and our crew will deliver it to you, whether you’re on your stateroom balcony or lounging by the pool.
My favorite feature of MedallionClass is OceanNow, which allows you to order pretty much anything you could think of, and our crew will deliver it to you, whether you’re on your stateroom balcony or lounging by the pool. As the unofficial laziest person on planet Earth, the fact I don’t have to leave my lounge chair to get what I want means everything to me!
What can clients expect regarding vaccinations, masks, physical distancing and other COVID-19 health and safety measures as Princess resumes?
For all our confirmed sailings in 2021, Princess is operating each voyage as fully vaccinated, per CDC guidelines. This means every guest and crew must have completed the last dose at least 14 days prior to their cruise with an FDA or WHO-approved vaccine.
There are a number of additional health and safety measures [now including masks in certain situations and pre-cruise testing], and I’d recommend everyone visit princess.com/cruisehealth since we’ve also included a very robust FAQ section.
Is there anything else advisors should be aware of?
If you have clients on the fence about whether to take a cruise, I would argue we are not only still the best value in any vacation option, but we have the most rigorous health and safety standards.
Don’t wait to book since demand is strong, and you don’t want to miss out on the cabin of your choice. With so many trips canceled over the past 17 months, it’s time to get back out there and reconnect with the world. My family and I are already planning our next cruise — hopefully later this year.
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