Jump to content

New Ship, old Itinerary


dreadnot
 Share

Recommended Posts

Princess is launching the SKY PRINCESS, and ho hum it will port in Port Everglades where there are more cruise ships than Palmetto bugs. The northeast continues to be ignored as is Bermuda. Princess and MSC should give serious thought to these markets. Princess has a serious design flaw in not having retractable domes for a pool area, that is a problem especially for fall Canada cruises . MSC does. Either of these lines could seriously challenge Celebrity that still sends its' old dog Summit to Bermuda. Been there , done that and while I started cruising years ago on Celebrity , I think there are better lines to cruise ;)on presently

Link to comment
Share on other sites

day 1 - leave PE at 4:00

 

day 2 - at sea (formal night)

 

day 3 - arrive at Bermuda - (overnight stay

 

day 4 - leave Bermuda

 

day 5 - at sea

 

"day" 6 - arrive back at PE at 6 am

 

possible ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

but this would be a new itinerary, not the same old tired Caribbean ports

 

if not, then a double night stayover in Bermuda and an added sea day or even Princess Cay in there somewhere..

 

has Princess ever gone to Bermuda ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Always follow the money. Always.

 

Princess can make more money with Caribbean cruises than Bermuda, etc. Bermuda port charges are relatively high which makes cruising there pretty expensive.

 

The other factor is supply and demand. Demand is higher for the Caribbean than Bermuda. It’s really that simple.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Always follow the money. Always.

 

Princess can make more money with Caribbean cruises than Bermuda, etc. Bermuda port charges are relatively high which makes cruising there pretty expensive.

 

The other factor is supply and demand. Demand is higher for the Caribbean than Bermuda. It’s really that simple.

 

Absolutely. Princess will sail where they think they can make money. The Bermuda idea is only one port...probably turns many people off. HAL has tried the Bermuda idea from various ports a couple of times with their smaller ships. Given it's inconsistent place on HAL's schedule, I assume it is barely break even, or perhaps barely a loss. I wouldn't fly to the East Coast for a 6 day cruise that has only one port.

 

There are lots of threads with lots of ideas for new routes and ports. But the public generally doesn't have the full story of costs, logistics, etc, that the cruise lines constantly monitor. Ideas are great. But without facts or intel, they can be costly facts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Forgot to mention that Bermuda has very limited ship facilities. Only very small ships can dock in Hamilton. The larger ships have to dock at King’s Wharf, quite a distance from Hamilton, the beaches and other sites. I think King’s Wharf can handle only two ships. There’s a very small harbor entrance and it’s very tricky maneuvering. Bermuda has refused to widen or improve facilities to accommodate more or larger ships.

 

Yes, Princess used to sail regular sailings to Bermuda with the original Pacific Princess. Once she left the fleet, there weren’t enough small ships for a regular itinerary to Bermuda.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Absolutely. Princess will sail where they think they can make money. The Bermuda idea is only one port...probably turns many people off. HAL has tried the Bermuda idea from various ports a couple of times with their smaller ships. Given it's inconsistent place on HAL's schedule, I assume it is barely break even, or perhaps barely a loss. I wouldn't fly to the East Coast for a 6 day cruise that has only one port.

 

 

 

There are lots of threads with lots of ideas for new routes and ports. But the public generally doesn't have the full story of costs, logistics, etc, that the cruise lines constantly monitor. Ideas are great. But without facts or intel, they can be costly facts.

 

and we wouldn't fly anywhere now - including the west coast - unless for at least a 10 day land/cruise and a couple of days pre-cruise...

 

after the cruise, I'm ready to come back home..:halo:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Forgot to mention that Bermuda has very limited ship facilities. Only very small ships can dock in Hamilton. The larger ships have to dock at King’s Wharf, quite a distance from Hamilton, the beaches and other sites. I think King’s Wharf can handle only two ships. There’s a very small harbor entrance and it’s very tricky maneuvering. Bermuda has refused to widen or improve facilities to accommodate more or larger ships.

 

Yes, Princess used to sail regular sailings to Bermuda with the original Pacific Princess. Once she left the fleet, there weren’t enough small ships for a regular itinerary to Bermuda.

 

My first cruise to Bermuda was on Pacific Princess. Docked at Hamilton, St. George's and the Dockyard. Widening the cut or dredging for large ships into St. George's or Hamiltion could have serious enviremental consequences. Finding smaller ships for those docks is what is desirable. I have Oceania booked for St. George's and Hamilton next year.

 

Sky Princess could only dock at the Dockyard. Possibly only Heritage Wharf of the two. As it is it will be difficult to pry Celebrity, NCL and RCL out. One of the lines would have to give up a regular slot. Sky Princess could do a one day or one off port call maybe a couple of times a year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the east coast, the money is in 7 day & 10 day sailings from Florida ports. Bermuda is limited to the warm season when there is much more money in Europe. Not much money in the Bermuda itinerary. Canada/NE fares tend to be higher. The market can probably only handle these higher fares for a short season. I think only RCI sails year round from N.J.

 

I do believe Princess ships should have at least one covered pool, even though that would increase the ship's gross tonnage and thus associated port and other fees.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Princess used to have a 9-day itinerary out of NYC to the Caribbean that included a stop in Bermuda. We did two of those cruises and had to miss Bermuda on one of the them because of high winds. As Pam notes, the approach to King's Wharf is long and tricky and prone to being missed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Princess used to have a 9-day itinerary out of NYC to the Caribbean that included a stop in Bermuda. We did two of those cruises and had to miss Bermuda on one of the them because of high winds. As Pam notes, the approach to King's Wharf is long and tricky and prone to being missed.

 

 

 

That is not usual during the regular cruise season which runs end of April to end of October. Most port calls to the Dockyard are not prone to being missed. Hurricane season, September and October is when issues are most likely. Celebrity Summit makes its last Bermuda call first week of September. I think to avoid hurricane season. I have done Bermuda 13 times. One cruise had to leave one day early because of a hurricane. Six times docked at Dockyard and didn’t miss once.

Edited by Charles4515
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One cannot argue with "follow the money" thinking. But, Princess, et al, are missing opportunities for Summer Bermuda cruises. Norfolk would be delighted. I am sure, to be a regular homeport for Bermuda cruises. Boston and New York have underutilized capacity for additional sailings. And, don't forget Charleston, Jacksonville, Port Canaveral, and even Port Everglades. (I'd include Baltimore, but there is a "bridge problem" for too large of a vessel.)

 

 

True, docking in Hamilton would be impossible for most of the current vessels. Docking at King's Wharf is restricted to 2 ships, presently. But, anchoring in the Great Sound is available and using tenders to go to Hamilton or King's Wharf, why is this not an option?

 

(I have been told--true or not--that Bermuda will not allow ship's tenders to be used. Only an official Bermuda tender may be used. Perhaps working with the Bermuda Government might lead to a modification of such a "rule".)

 

Bermuda is such a desirable vacation destination and alternating a Bermuda cruise with a New England/Canada cruise would make a pleasant 2 week vacation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

True, docking in Hamilton would be impossible for most of the current vessels. Docking at King's Wharf is restricted to 2 ships, presently. But, anchoring in the Great Sound is available and using tenders to go to Hamilton or King's Wharf, why is this not an option?

 

(I have been told--true or not--that Bermuda will not allow ship's tenders to be used. Only an official Bermuda tender may be used. Perhaps working with the Bermuda Government might lead to a modification of such a "rule".)

 

 

Tendering 3500 passengers to King's Wharf or Hamilton would not be delightful. That is a very bad proposal. NCL Breakaway had to do it one day, one or two weeks when Heritage Wharf was a a few weeks delayed when it was built. It was a mess. It would be have been even bigger mess if they had used ships tenders. They won't ever regularly schedule Bermuda as a tender port because none should want to book a cruise that tenders 3500 passengers to Bermuda. Given that there are plenty of options to sail to Bermuda and dock why would people choose Princess if they tendered. There is nothing special about Princess. The other cruise lines that do Bermuda regularly are equal and some are better than Princess.

 

The only way Princess is going to get a Royal Class ship to Bermuda regularly is if one of the other lines gives up or loses a slot. Not impossible but that is what would have to happen.

Edited by Charles4515
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did it on Caribbean Princess It was one day on a Caribbean itinerary out of Brooklyn.

 

They started summer of 2006 with 9 days on the Crown leaving from Brooklyn, then the Caribbean Princess. Other ports were Tortola and Old San Juan,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Princess is launching the SKY PRINCESS, and ho hum it will port in Port Everglades where there are more cruise ships than Palmetto bugs. The northeast continues to be ignored as is Bermuda. Princess and MSC should give serious thought to these markets. Princess has a serious design flaw in not having retractable domes for a pool area, that is a problem especially for fall Canada cruises . MSC does. Either of these lines could seriously challenge Celebrity that still sends its' old dog Summit to Bermuda. Been there , done that and while I started cruising years ago on Celebrity , I think there are better lines to cruise ;)on presently

I think the reason Princess doesn't visit Bermuda is the size of the ships they currently have on the east coast. We stopped there 2 yrs ago an EB TA that originated in Houston on the Caribbean Princess so am glad we had that opportunity. We were on the Celebrity Summit for a NE/Canada cruise in 2015 and would never sail on her again (although we did enjoy her to the Panama Canal in 1999, when she was relatively new).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

 

I cruised aboard the original Pacific Princess back in 2002 to Bermuda. This was a seven-day cruise from New York that docked at all three of the main Bermuda ports. The current Pacific Princess is small enough to do a similar itinerary but I an guessing that there are more lucrative itineraries for this ship during the summer.

 

Chuck

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...