There’s a lot of new developments at Princess Cruises, from the line’s next generation of ships — dubbed the Sphere Class — to a new all-inclusive package and a modern-day “The Love Boat” reboot.
The new reality television show will take inspiration from “The Love Boat” classic television series. Starting production this summer and set to broadcast on CBS later in the year, “The Real Love Boat” will gather singles looking for love on a Mediterranean cruise and send them on destination dates while challenging their compatibility and chemistry along the way. Guiding the matchmaking process will be crew characters such as the “captain” and “cruise director,” taking further cues from the original series.
After a month at sea, only one couple will be victorious, winning a cash prize and a trip courtesy of Princess.
Even more exciting for the line is its upcoming Sphere Class. More will be revealed in early June, when the first vessel is set to have its keel laying, but Princess president John Padgett teased a bit about it when we were recently onboard Discovery Princess for its christening ceremony.
“It has more of everything you love and includes a little bit of edgy modernism that pushes us a couple steps further,” Padgett said.
The bigger ship, which will be the first for the line to be fueled by liquefied natural gas, will also take MedallionClass to 2.0, featuring the latest iteration of the technology.
Here, Padgett shares his vision for Princess’ future.
What is your overarching vision for the future of the Princess brand?
I think it's the best vacation lifestyle brand that there is that's dealing in authentic experiences.
The more I can take away the hassle and treat you personally is priceless. People talk about personalization, but no one does it because they can't. They don't have the technology. They don't have awareness of who you are, what your preferences are in real time — any place, anywhere on a ship.
That's what we do. That's the backbone of every single service we deliver. So, whether it's food or it's beverage, whether it's entertainment, whether it's just guest service — it’s all intended to be personalized to you.
The cool thing about bigger cruise ships is there are more things to do, but the bigger they get, the personalization decreases ... We're the only people in the world who can deliver this personalization at scale.
When you think about cruise ships, everyone builds bigger cruise ships. That's not really innovation. The cool thing about bigger cruise ships is there are more things to do, but the bigger they get, the personalization decreases. You get value from more stuff, but you reduce your value because it becomes frustrating.
We're the only people in the world who can deliver this personalization at scale. That's my focus. The DNA to it is personalization at scale, and I'm going to keep pushing that.
How does your background at Disney influence your approach to programming at Princess?
I learned a lot of things at Disney. A big thing was about business thriving on scale and brand loyalty, adoption and quality. So, you will not see us do anything but the highest-level branded integrations, such as our Porsche Club of America partnership.
That is what I want to do because I think the principles that Princess stand for transcend the ships. We have lodges, we have the motorcoaches and we have Alaska and our destinations.
It’s almost the reverse of how Disney was land and went to sea; we’re sea into the destinations, and we do it in a way that embraces the local community, so that they can participate.
What should advisors know about Princess' Sphere Class?
The Sphere Class will have our latest platform. There's no doubt about that. And it will have the next level of precision. So, when you think about the level of experience you have here, think about that as standard definition TV. When we get to the Sphere Class, it’s everything the same, but in ultra-high definition. So, it's more precise service, more contactless things.
So, when you think about the level of experience you have here, think about that as standard definition TV. When we get to the Sphere Class, it’s everything the same, but in ultra-high definition.
We're also going to maximize the value. I want to make sure you can consume as many experiences as you possibly can in that time, so you maximize your value. If you do that, no one else can compare, and you stick with us.
What message do you have for travel agents as the pandemic wanes and cruising comes back?
One is a message of appreciation. Travel advisors went through as much of a challenge as we did because of the starts and stops of the industry, the bookings, the cancellations, the movement of the ships to new ports and all the itinerary changes. Travel agents are truly unsung heroes of the industry.
If I were a travel agent, I would start to get my guests booked up, because I do anticipate an ultra-strong 2023 and a solid wrap-up to 2022 as bookings go along. If I was giving a travel agent advice, I would say book now, book on Princess for great value and secure those 2023 bookings.
Princess Premier All-Inclusive Tier
Adding to its optional Princess Plus value-add package, Princess Cruises just announced it will be introducing a Princess Premier tier for an even greater list of vacation inclusions.
Once it goes on sale on May 25, 2022, for sailings June 25, 2022, and thereafter, there will be three levels of available Princess cruise experiences.
- Princess Standard will still include all of the brand’s complimentary offerings, such as the MedallionClass experience.
- Then, for $50 per person, per day (discounted at $40 per person, per day until May 25), Princess Plus will add in a basic beverage package, unlimited Wi-Fi access for one device and gratuities.
- Or, for $75 per person, per day, Princess Premier will up that even further to a top-shelf beverage package (including drinks at the interactive Good Spirits bar, for example), Wi-Fi for four devices, two specialty dining opportunities, a photo package and Princess Prizes. The latter is a new sweepstakes program that enters guests to win up to $100,000 in cash prizes and even a free cruise for two every year for the next decade.
- The prize promotion — in which an entry is granted via Medallion tech every time a guest enters their cabin — can also be purchased separately for $20 per day, per stateroom.
