Galveston Gets another Ship in 2012

[vettecruiser1]

Maybe this is old news and I know this is the Carnival site, but since they own Princess it is still Carnival news. USA Today is reporting that the Crown Princess will sail out of Galveston starting 12/2012. 7 day sailings on a Saturday. Galveston is about to get busy again with cruise traffic.

 

I love it!!!!!!!

 

Never been on a Princess cruise but after I try out the Magic, I guess now I have another ship to try.

[ztacruisnmommy]

that sounds great! i wonder what ports?

[firefly333]

I read this just now on the Gulf Departures board ...whoo hooo, good news to me too.

 

I have said I became platinum accidently due to living in TX and so few choices out of Galveston.

 

I did the Grand Princess once out of Galveston, before it got moved, just as I was starting to cruise.

[douglinc@msn.com]

That's great news, would like to see several ships in Galveston/Houston.

 

Doug

[vettecruiser1]

that sounds great! i wonder what ports?

 

 

Ports will be:

 

Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico

 

Starting Dec 22, 2012 7 day cruise with Saturday departures.

[firefly333]

Great ports to me, not the usual Jamaica and Caymans.

 

thanks

[falkcor]

this is awesome - great news for galveston!

 

and crown pricess is a pretty awesome looking ship! it says a lot that they're placing such a relatively new 'biggest and best' ship and not an older ship...

[firefly333]

Is the Crown Princess like the Caribbean Princess?? If so, then it is a great ship.

[sewut]

Do Carnival Platinum VIP perks transfer over to Princess? How about Past Guest rates?

 

Sewut

[falkcor]

Is the Crown Princess like the Caribbean Princess?? If so, then it is a great ship.

 

yup, they appear to be of the same class - caribbean at 113K built in 2004, with crown the next build of the grand class in 2006

 

beyond that though - i don't know of what differences if any - i'm no princess expert :)

[falkcor]

Do Carnival Platinum VIP perks transfer over to Princess? How about Past Guest rates?

 

Sewut

 

vip perks no, but you should be able to get a past guest rate

[firefly333]

Do Carnival Platinum VIP perks transfer over to Princess? How about Past Guest rates?

 

Sewut

 

platinum not transferable...but I think you can get a past guest rate.

 

At 6th cruise I think on Princess, you get free internet package. Seems like for 2 of us together it was like $100 toward the internet package. I love that perk.

 

Im no Princess expert either, Carnival has been more convenient to TX.

[DebJ14]

Now all we need is for Celebrity to come back and do the longer cruises out of Galveston or have Royal Caribbean reinstate the 10 and 11 night cruises (partial Canal transit) that they offered when the Splendour was here along with the Rhapsody.

[Gecko7]

I love competition! it means more options for the rest of us. Driving to GAL is much better than flying to anywhere else to cruise.:D

[scchasgal]

Hopefully for you lovers of Galveston the prices will get really competitive with another additional to the Galveston departures.

 

I agree with fire great itinerary did the same one out of Port Canaveral last year and loved it, especially Roatan.

[JRock59]

So excited for Princess to return! :D

[Madame B]

Is the Crown Princess like the Caribbean Princess?? If so, then it is a great ship.

Great news! Yes, they are almost identical. We were on the Caribbean last fall to tour the NE and the Crown in '09 to tour the Mediterranean. Large ships (3k+ passengers) and in great shape.

[Texas Teen]

Very exciting news!!!!!

[CruizenSusan]

I agree....this is very exciting! :)

[deborahjo]

Good. Now a back to back out of Galveston sounds good to me.

[aggieastrosfan]

Excellent news! I loved my two Grand cruises, especially the different itineraries. I may just have to return to Princess for a trip, that itinerary looks great.

[hughdm]

Crown Princess was our first Princess cruise. Some complain she has too many pax, but we found her beautiful and had a great time.

[firefly333]

Your Carnival stock, you still get the same OBC if you cruise on Princess as with Carnival.

[dane225]

This is fabulous news!! I have never been on Princess, but will definately go now!!!:)

[vettecruiser1]

I think the key here is more cabins usually equals better prices. I know our Texas cruises usually sail full and discounts are hard to come by. Every cruise I have priced since everyone pulled out has been a couple hundred dollars more expensive. Of course that does not justify flying to florida just to save $200 when airfare is more then that, but this should help bring the prices down a little.