Princess Cruises has reduced its capacity in the Mediterranean
this summer and increased its presence in the Caribbean both this
summer and next.
The Los Angeles-based line is pulling the Grand Princess from
the Med and basing it in the Caribbean this summer.
In addition, the 116,000-ton ship scheduled for an April 2004
delivery formerly called Crown Princess has been renamed Caribbean
Princess and will remain in that destination year-round.
“While consumer demand is adequate for one ship in the
Mediterranean, we see stronger demand for closer-to-home cruises,”
said Dean Brown, executive vice president of customer service and
sales at Princess.
“Keeping the Grand Princess in the Caribbean for the summer
supports the booking trends we’re seeing at this time.”
The redeployment of the Grand Princess cancels two
trans-Atlantic and 11 12-day Med cruises that had been scheduled
between May 4 and Sept. 23. Affected passengers are being
automatically rebooked onto the Grand’s sister ship, the Golden
Princess.
“Because the two ships are identical and sailing on identical
12-day itineraries, we hope to minimize any impact on our
passengers’ vacation plans,” Brown said.
The Grand’s Caribbean season will begin May 4. The ship will
alternate weekly eastern and western Caribbean cruises until the
fall, when it will continue its exclusive Western itineraries.
Rates for the Grand Princess’ 2003 summer cruises begin at $499 per
person, double.
In 2004, the new Caribbean Princess will be joined by the Golden
Princess in what the line is calling its first two-ship summer in
the region.
The Caribbean Princess will alternate eastern and western
itineraries from Fort Lauderdale while the Golden Princess will
alternate two southern Caribbean routes from San Juan.
Reservation lines for summer 2004 will open March 3. Rates begin
at $699 while fares for balcony cabins start at $1,099.
