Princess Cruises has launched its complete winter/spring 2011/12 cruise programmes, with its Exotic Cruises Worldwide and Caribbean brochures providing cruise travellers the biggest ever selection of itineraries and more flexibility to tailor their package. Cruisers will benefit from the line’s decision to use scheduled flights only with well known airlines, providing them the opportunity to add new pre and post cruise hotel stays in embarkation and disembarkation ports from 1 to 7 nights. The programmes also include attractive cruise only deals to support the demand from independent travellers to make their own travel arrangements.

The new Princess winter/spring programmes offer cruisers the biggest ever choice of itineraries, with seven ships sailing 18 unique itineraries in the Caribbean, ranging from 7 to 22 nights onboard, and new cruises in the South Pacific, through the Panama Canal, to Mexico and around Australia and New Zealand. Many of the Exotic cruises can now also be combined to create a longer itinerary and passengers can add 4 to 8 night pre or post cruise tours to visit other highlights on land.

Excellent early booking deals are available with savings of up to £1,200 per couple, and up to $1,000 free onboard spending money per couple. Great value upgrades from an inside stateroom to a balcony stateroom are also available from as little as £200 per person on bookings made before 30 November 2010.

‘Princess has long been committed to destination cruising with over 330 ports of call around the world, more than any other cruise line, and in 2011/12 we will be offering our biggest ever programme, with plenty of new itineraries. We have also noticed a shift to cruisers wanting to tailor their package to their own personal interests, instead of fitting in with a standard package, and are responding by exclusively using scheduled flights, offering flexible hotel packages, and adding more tours to see major highlights on land before or after the cruise.’ said Pieter van der Schee, head of brand marketing.

Highlights of the Caribbean 2011/12 programme include:
 

• Grand Princess offering an extensive series of 15 night ‘Caribbean Collection’ holidays from Fort Lauderdale, aimed at UK passengers, calling at 9 ports in the Caribbean
•  Caribbean Princess offering popular 15 night fly-cruise itineraries sailing from San Juan to many of the South Caribbean’s most popular islands
•  Emerald Princess returning with 12 night Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries and Island Princess sailing the unique 12 night itinerary featuring a partial transit of the Panama Canal
•  9-night Eastern, Western or Southern Caribbean island itineraries on two of the largest ships in the fleet, Ruby Princess and Crown Princess
• Coral Princess and Island Princess maintaining Princess’s leading offering in the Panama Canal, including two new 16 day full transit itineraries, with the option of a 2-day Panama Canal experience
•  In addition to the 2011/12 winter/spring cruises, Princess is also launching its summer Caribbean 2011 cruises, with a series of 11-night itineraries onboard Caribbean Princess, sailing roundtrip from New York.

Fares start from £1,079 per person for a 9-night ‘Caribbean Dream’ fly-cruise to the Eastern Caribbean onboard Ruby Princess, with cruise only fares starting from as little as £429 per person.  

Highlights of the new Exotic Cruises Worldwide 2011/12 programme include:
 

•  Caribbean Princess and Crown Princess sailing 9 and 11 night holidays along the stunning coastline of Canada & New England
• Diamond Princess returning to Asia, Australia and New Zealand as the largest ship to sail these waters, including cruises between Singapore and Beijing and Sydney and Auckland
• Star Princess doubling the number of voyages on the ‘Cape Horn to Rio’ route and also sailing a new 17-night ‘Brazilian Adventure’ itinerary

The intimate 670-passenger Pacific Princess and Ocean Princess offering small ship cruising with Ocean Princess sailing a collection of connoisseur voyages ranging from 16 to 49 nights visiting unique locations in Australia, Asia, the South Pacific, West Africa, Tahiti and Hawaii, and Pacific Princess cruising along the Amazon as well as offering a fabulous World Cruise taking in the South Pacific, Middle East, Far East and Europe with transits through the Panama and Suez Canals.

•  Sea Princess joining Sun Princess and Dawn Princess to offer cruises around Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, including a new 17-night round trip itinerary from Sydney to a variety of exotic islands including Fiji.
•  Island hopping in Hawaii as Sapphire Princess joins Golden Princess to offer more roundtrips on the popular itinerary from Los Angeles as well as offering new 9-night ‘Mexican Riviera’ cruise holidays.

Fares start from just £1,199 per person for a 9-night ‘Mexican Riviera’ fly-cruise onboard Sapphire Princess with cruise only fares starting from just £499 per person.

Vessels To Enter Service In 2013 and 2014

4 May 2010 – Princess Cruises, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), today announced that contracts to build two 3,600-passenger ships have been finalised with Italy’s Fincantieri shipyard.

The new ships – which each will have an all-in cost of approximately €155,000 per lower berth – are scheduled to enter service in spring 2013 and spring 2014. At an estimated 141,000 tons, the as-yet-unnamed ships will be the largest in the Princess Cruises fleet.

The ships’ design will be evolutionary, in keeping with the themes of the line’s newest vessels, but with some new features and innovations. For example, all outside cabins will feature balconies, bringing the percentage of balconies on the ships to 80 percent of all staterooms.

The company’s signature Piazza – the ship’s central atrium featuring dining, entertainment and retail – will be expanded, as will the popular Sanctuary, spa, and restaurants.

“We’re pleased that in this challenging economic environment, the order for these new ships is a testament to the confidence in the growth potential of the Princess brand,” said Alan Buckelew, president and CEO of Princess Cruises. “These new ships will include the features from our newest ships that have been so well received, and take them to the next level,” he added.

Giuseppe Bono, chief executive officer of Fincantieri, said, "We are grateful to the Carnival Group for this further vote of confidence in Fincantieri. We are proud to have met the requirements of Princess Cruises, one of Carnival's most prestigious brands, with an innovative design both from a technical and architectural point of view.” Bono continued, "This is a highly important order for us, especially as it comes in a period of economic crisis. We succeeded in securing these orders with assistance and support of the Italian export credit companies, in particular SACE S.p.A.”

Specific amenities and design elements for the new ships will be revealed over the coming months.

-Ends-
 

Reviving a signature tradition from the early days of cruising, Princess Cruises is debuting an innovative, new program giving passengers the opportunity to invite their friends and family aboard their ship on embarkation day to wish them "bon voyage" and get a taste of the onboard experience.

Called the "Bon Voyage Experience(SM)," the program is a new twist on the departure celebration of bygone days, when friends and family would routinely come aboard to see off passengers.  Because of increasingly tighter security procedures, this practice disappeared more than two decades ago, but it's now back – complete with lunch in the dining room and tour of the ship.

Unique in the cruise industry, the Bon Voyage Experience(SM) enables passengers to extend an invitation to their guests to join them onboard during sailing day for a four-course dining room lunch with wine, a ship tour and even a souvenir photo.  Passengers and their guests can enjoy priority embarkation and will be able to spend approximately four hours together on the ship before it sets sail.  The cost for the program is $39 per person, which can be applied toward a future Princess cruise.

The program will debut in March in the ports of Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale, and then roll out to New York, San Francisco and Seattle.

"Long-time cruisers will recall the fun of the bon voyage send-off with their family and friends, and we're excited to re-introduce a new, modern version of this experience," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president.

Cruise passengers will be notified about the program through the pre-cruise emails they receive from Princess as their cruise date approaches.  In-port guests can be booked through a travel agent or by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, beginning 120 days before the cruise and up to six days before the sailing date.  Once registered, guests will be able to input their required security information through the line's Cruise Personalizer.

The number of guests who will be able to participate in the Bon Voyage Experience(SM) on any given embarkation day will be approximately 50.

The roll-out schedule for the launch of the Bon Voyage Experience(SM) is:

    * Sapphire Princess – March 6 in Los Angeles
    * Crown Princess – March 6 in Fort Lauderdale
    * Coral Princess – March 7 in Los Angeles
    * Emerald Princess – March 7 in Fort Lauderdale
    * Island Princess – March 10 in Los Angeles
    * Ruby Princess – March 10 in Fort Lauderdale
    * Golden Princess – March 14 in Los Angeles
    * Royal Princess – March 27 in Fort Lauderdale
    * Star Princess – April 10 in Fort Lauderdale
    * Caribbean Princess – May 18 in New York
    * Sea Princess – June 1 in San Francisco

During the Alaska season, Sapphire Princess, Golden Princess and Royal Princess will offer the program in Seattle, beginning in May.

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.

About Princess Cruises:

One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is a global cruise and tour company operating a fleet of 17 modern ships renowned for their innovative design and wide array of choices in dining, entertainment and amenities, all provided in an environment of exceptional customer service. A recognized leader in worldwide cruising, Princess offers its passengers the opportunity to escape to the top destinations around the globe, with sailings to all seven continents, ranging in length from seven to 107 days. The company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:CCL; NYSE:CUK).

Princess Cruises is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises and The Yachts of Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest, and a commitment to quality and value, our member lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets. Together we offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.

Princess can also be found on:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PrincessCruises
Twitter: http://twitter.com/PrincessCruises
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/princesscruises
News, background information and photography are always available in our online newsroom.

SOURCE Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises has announced it will introduce a new array of digital documents in the UK designed to transform the way passengers prepare for their upcoming cruise. The new electronic format will deliver more information about their cruise than ever before, arriving conveniently by email from the time of booking and continuing until departure.

The digital documents include a series of emails filled with personalised pre-cruise information, personalised online luggage tags, customised shore excursion eBooks and a downloadable Princess Countdown Connection widget that delivers fun information to a passenger's computer. The change from printed information to fully digital documents applies from 1st March 2010 to all UK passengers on cruises departing on or after 22nd May 2010.
"We are delighted to be the first cruise line to offer our passengers such comprehensive and personalised online information.  This is yet another example of our commitment to service innovation and this example is likely to set a new industry standard." said Pieter van der Schee, head of brand marketing, Princess Cruises.

Princess's new digital documents include:

Personalised Pre-Cruise Emails
As soon as passengers book their cruise, they will begin to receive a series of four emails. Replacing a printed Cruise Answer Book, the emails include the passenger booking details and interactive content that gives passengers a helpful, engaging way to learn more about the amenities and activities they will experience on their ship.
The information will be customised to the itinerary and the ship the passenger is sailing on, and greetings are featured from some of the senior officers who will be sailing on their cruise. An array of links is also provided to such things as ship videos and virtual tours, bridge cams, dining options, entertainment choices, shipboard features and amenities, travel logistics, weather information, packing tips, frequently asked questions, Princess Captain's Circle benefits, important notices and reminders and how to stay connected to family and friends while onboard.

Personalised Online Luggage Tags
Passengers will also be able to print their own personalised luggage tags. These new tags not only include the passenger's name, but also feature their Princess Captain's Circle membership status, cabin number and embarkation information. Passengers will be able to print as many tags as needed to ensure all of their luggage is properly marked prior to boarding the ship. Generic luggage tags will continue to be available at the port for passengers who may need them.

Shore Excursion eBooks
In addition to the existing online search and booking facility for shore excursion, passengers can also print their own personalised shore excursion eBook for their cruise. Using this innovative tool, passengers are able to select their favourite excursions from the wide array offered in each port, and create their own customised eBook of shoreside experiences.

Princess Countdown Connection
To help passengers anticipate and prepare for their upcoming sailing, the innovative Princess Countdown Connection widget is an eye-catching online clock that ticks down the days, hours and minutes until their cruise departs. The new application, which can be downloaded from the pre-cruise emails, can be displayed on a passenger's computer desktop and will automatically deliver an array of personalised information to them about their upcoming sailing.

Princess Cruises is celebrating the new name of its ship ‘Ocean Princess’ (formerly Tahitian Princess) by extending an open invitation to anyone wishing to become an honorary godparent for the vessel, with the first-ever virtual christening.

In a new twist on the time-honoured tradition, the naming ceremony will occur completely online, at www.princess.com/oceanvirtualchristening. Each new godparent will trigger a $1 donation from Princess to the New England Aquarium, a global leader in ocean exploration and marine conservation, up to $25,000.
 

One of the smaller, boutique-style ships of the Princess fleet and fresh out of a two-week dry-dock, Ocean Princess departed Singapore yesterday on her first voyage with her new name. The virtual christening will run throughout the ship’s 19-night Taste of the Orient cruise holiday ending on 19 December.

“We have developed an innovative way to involve our fans worldwide to be a part of Ocean Princess’s inaugural celebration.” said Pieter van der Schee, head of brand marketing, Princess Cruises UK. Through our unique virtual christening we’re entertaining people with this fun approach as well as prompting people into thinking about our oceans and supporting the important work of the New England Aquarium”.

In addition to virtually christening the ship and becoming an honorary godparent, participants will be able explore the following areas online including the Ocean Princess webcam and itineraries, a real-time collection of the names of Ocean Princess’s honorary godparents, a photo journal of her dry-dock as well as information about the New England Aquarium. People will also be able to share their virtual Ocean Princess experience with friends and family, and encourage them to participate through send-to-friend and Facebook functions.

During the ships recent dry-dock at the Keppel Shipyard in Singapore, Ocean Princess name was placed on the bow and throughout the vessel. The ship also received new fuel-efficient silicone paint on its hull, and interior enhancements including new upholstery, carpet and flooring. The ship was renamed Ocean Princess to more accurately represent her global range of itineraries.

Following her series of cruises in the Far East, Ocean Princess will offer a season of unique Asia, India and African sailings, before arriving into Europe for two 7-night roundtrip voyages from Dover to the Norwegian Fjords as well as her sailings in the Mediterranean including a new 7-night itinerary roundtrip from Rome calling at Sorrento, Barcelona, Nice, Portofino and Florence/Pisa.

Family cruise holiday adds value with discounted fares

Families have the opportunity to explore the wilderness of Alaska with special savings as part of Princess Cruises’ new initiative for the 2010 summer season.

The 12 night cruise tour includes a seven night Grandeur of the Glaciers cruise onboard Diamond Princess or Coral Princess from Vancouver to Whittier and a five night post cruise landtour. The landtour includes stays at Mt. McKinley and Denali Princess Wilderness Lodges, travel on a jetboat and the chance to pan for gold. In addition, passengers can experience Alaska’s sub zero winter temperatures - during the mild summer months with special technology used for an ‘Arctic Blast’. At sea families can take advantage of Princess’s many onboard programmes designed especially for children, including a Junior Ranger programme in Glacier Bay National Park where kids complete challenges for an official park ranger badge.

The cruisetour is offered at better value than ever before in line with Princess’s special offers on selected departures.

Included in the package are;

Direct-to-the-Wilderness Rail Service with Lunch – Princess’s acclaimed Direct-to-the-Wilderness rail service gets families straight from the ship to their wilderness lodge in the same afternoon, and includes lunch onboard the train.

Three Rivers Jetboat Tour (Mt. McKinley) – An exhilarating journey to Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, this tour travels from Talkeetna to the lodge by jetboat, with stops along the river to view historic encampments and learn about the native wildlife.

Arctic Blast (Denali) – Family members can experience winter in Alaska – in the summertime. This special chamber is chilled to wintertime temperatures, so visitors can find out what conditions are like in Alaska when temperatures are below zero.

Music of Denali Dinner Theatre (Denali) – This musical comedy tells the legend of the first expedition to the summit of Mt. McKinley, accompanied by a hearty meal featuring smokehouse ribs and Alaska salmon.

Experience Alaska with Alaska Geographic Tour (Denali) – A more intimate tour of Denali National Park, this special experience includes a variety of interactive experiences, including an enhanced view of the Denali ecosystem and current research taking place.

Denali Sourdough Expedition Breakfast (Denali) – While fuelling up for the day with an Alaskan roadhouse-style breakfast, guests experience an unforgettable journey up Denali through breathtaking images in Laurent Dick's Climb Denali.

Riverboat Cruise and El Dorado Goldmine Tour (Fairbanks) – Families can enjoy travelling on an authentic sternwheeler for a fully-narrated cruise along the Chena River and try their hands at panning for gold.

Princess Cruises head of brand marketing, Pieter van der Schee says “Alaska is a wonderful travel destination with kids. Our expertise in cruise holidays and land tours in the region has enabled us to put together a fascinating itinerary that will appeal to families of all ages at better value than ever before.”

The package is on sale now and fares for the Alaska Family Cruisetour start at £2,619 per adult and £1,729 per child.

Bookings can be made by calling into your local ACE travel agent, calling Princess Reservations on 0845 3 555 800 or online at www.princess.com
 

The world’s highest and longest zipline, an Alaska seafood culinary feast and an exhilarating bike ride through the Tongass National Forest highlight the 21 new tours Princess Cruises is debuting this summer Alaska season. Whether visitors are interested in the adrenaline rush of an exciting adventure, delving deeper into local culture, enjoying authentic Alaska flavours or organizing their own private fishing expedition, Princess’ Adventures Ashore programme features new choices to help passengers make the most of their time in port.

The new tours join Princess’s extensive Alaska shore excursion programme, which offers 222 options this summer. Among the new choices are a variety of activities in Icy Strait Point, as this season Princess begins calling regularly at this uniquely Alaskan port near the state’s largest Tlingit community.

Among the new activities passengers can enjoy this summer are:

Alpine Zip and Glacier Adventure (Juneau) – Passengers can fly through the trees in a scenic alpine rainforest, plus visit Juneau’s breathtaking Mendenhall Glacier. Participants will have a bird’s-eye view as they take a thrilling ride from tree to tree over multiple zip lines surrounded by snow-capped mountains.

Bike and Tram Elevation Sensation (Juneau) – Visitors can combine the exhilaration of a bike ride descending 1,200 feet through the Tongass National Forest with an effortless 1,800-foot ascent on the Mount Roberts Tramway.

Private Salmon Fishing and Wildlife Cruise (Juneau) – The unique opportunity to relax on a private, all-inclusive marine adventure that can include fishing, whale watching and sightseeing, depending on what passengers wish to do. Up to six passengers can enjoy this personalized VIP experience.

Coastal Wildlife Cruise (Ketchikan) – A high-speed boat ride into the wilderness to search for black bears, orcas, eagles, humpback whales and other wildlife on the move. Specially designed for wildlife viewing, the boat provides a prime bear-watching venue.

Taste of Skagway (Skagway) – The unique flavours of the “Gateway to the Klondike” offer up a gourmet delight with a tour that takes passengers to Jewell Gardens for a taste of delicacies made from the garden’s own organic ingredients as well as the opportunity to sip fine Alaska wines. At the Gold Rush Brewery, visitors can sample three locally brewed beers and “gold nugget” appetizers – corn fritters with honey butter.

Tribal Dance and Cultural Legends (Icy Strait Point) – An opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the local Tlingit culture at an interactive performance showcasing the rich heritage of the original inhabitants of Glacier Bay.
 

Wild Alaska Culinary Extravaganza (Icy Strait Point) – A culinary demonstration and hands-on cooking course where visitors can learn about the local seafood, with guidance on filleting and cooking fish such as salmon and halibut as well as how to cook, crack, clean and eat a crab with style. The excursion concludes with a family-style feast.

Remote Wildlife and Brown Bear Search (Icy Strait Point) – A trip to explore the wilds of Chichagof Island in search of the Alaska coastal brown bear – otherwise known as the grizzly bear – and other local wildlife.

Ziprider Adventure (Icy Strait Point) – At 5,330 feet, the Ziprider cable ride is the highest zip line in the world. Six riders can zip at the same time on parallel cables, so it’s a race to the bottom on an exhilarating ride at speeds up to 60 mph.

Hoonah Bike Trek (Icy Strait Point) – An eight-mile ride through Alaska’s largest Tlingit settlement, with experienced guides to lead riders through the scenic coast and rainforest, and explain local life as visitors pedal through the village of Hoonah.

Glacier Bay Flightseeing (Icy Strait Point) – Passengers can get a bird’s-eye view of the majesty of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, one of the state’s most dramatic attractions. Visitors will fly past waterfalls, lakes, deep crevasses and the azure blue meltwater pools that make up the park, as well as the mighty Brady Glacier.

All Alaska Adventures Ashore® excursions are currently available for pre-reservation. Passengers who are already booked on an Alaska cruise can reserve their shore excursions by logging on to the ‘Cruise Personaliser’ on www.princess.com, to ensure they get the excursions of their choice. As many tours fill up quickly, passengers are encouraged to make selections as early as possible.