Will Princess Build Any More Grand-Class Sized Ships?

[Smokeyham]

I wonder if anyone has any knowledge as to whether or not Princess plans to build any more of the '"Grand/Gem Class" size of ships?

 

We really enjoyed our time on Sapphire Princess, and that size (approximately 2,500 passengers) seems ideal for being big enough to have a good variety of restaurants and other amenities, while not being as overwhelming as the 4,000+ passenger ships which are launched.

[paul929207]

No inside info here, but they have used a different design for the Royal and the Regal, so I doubt they will go back to the Grand/Gem design

[Colo Cruiser]

I agree I don't think we will see anymore Grand Class designs.

[Pam in CA]

No inside info here, but they have used a different design for the Royal and the Regal, so I doubt they will go back to the Grand/Gem design

I agree. I doubt Princess would repeat what's consider an "old" design.

[RickEk]

And it might not be possible to go back to that design with the current SOLAS regulations... it does seem that all cruise ships built nowadays feature lifeboats that are hung outside the ship's superstructure...

[caribill]

I agree I don't think we will see anymore Grand Class designs.

 

I agree. I doubt Princess would repeat what's consider an "old" design.

 

OP asked about "Grand class sized" ships, not more grand class design ships.

 

I could see that Princess might build a smaller version of the Royal design in the future, but I certainly have no knowledge that it will happen.

 

If they do, I hope they do make make balconies wider than 4 feet.

Edited January 14, 2014 by caribill

[jean s]

It will be interesting to see what direction the ship builders will towards. To me bigger does not always mean better.

[Smokeyham]

Thanks for all of the responses.

 

Yes, I'm really wondering if they will build more of the "medium" sized ships (i.e. around 2,500 passengers) in the future? I'm not really attracted to the larger ships and am hoping that the medium sized ones (for lack of a better term) will continue to be available.

[ldubs]

Thanks for all of the responses.

 

Yes, I'm really wondering if they will build more of the "medium" sized ships (i.e. around 2,500 passengers) in the future? I'm not really attracted to the larger ships and am hoping that the medium sized ones (for lack of a better term) will continue to be available.

 

I hope that they do build more like the Grand-class of ship. It is my favorite of all lines.

[JLC@SD]

I would doubt Princess would build another copy of 9 ships they have already in the fleet. Unfortunately all cruise lines are going for bigger ships.

[dorisis]

I spoke with the captain on our last cruise and he felt the new ships would be smaller than the Royal and Regal.l

[Smokeyham]

I wonder if a solution will be that they charge a slight premium for people to go on the "smaller" (i.e. ~2,500 passenger) ships. It seems that enough people like the experience on the Grand-class sized ships that the market might bear such a charge.

[Loonbeam]

I could see them maybe building in the 3K pax range, but not much smaller than that. The efficiencies of scale are just not there below about 2200 for the mainline routes under the current pricing model.

[kruisey]

With the present economy cruise lines will not be expanding their fleets.

Feel the market is already saturated.

[JimmyVWine]

I could see them maybe building in the 3K pax range, but not much smaller than that. The efficiencies of scale are just not there below about 2200 for the mainline routes under the current pricing model.

I think this is probably right. Consider.....

 

HAL's most recent ship (2010) = 2100 pax.

Celebrity's most recent ship (2012) = 3050 pax.

 

These are two lines that, like Princess, are not aiming for the Displacement of the Seas style of ship. So I think the range of future builds is probably around 2800-3200 for Princess. That is, unless they embrace the Royal/Regal model as the only way to go, at which point, 3500 would be seen as the low end for the future.

[f-mattox]

I would love to see more Grand Class and Sun Class ships; but I don't like it's going to happen. But I'm about to the point of paying the premium for Pacific Princess and Ocean Princess--I long for the days of the under 1,000 pax ships.

[Sandy Sails]

Royal Carribean is going back to the smaller ships - well, for them that means the size of the Freedom of the Seas versus Oasis of the Seas. I think the new Quantum class is the size of Freedom with the amenities of Oasis.

I agree, smaller is better. But then again, Emerald is the largest ship I've ever been on so what do I know. :o

[mafig]

I'm not sure, but I think Royal Caribbean is still going forward with new Oasis-size ships in the future (Oasis III and IV).

[truckmaker]

It seems to me that I have read on this board in the past that the 'Grand' class are the most fuel in-effieicient ships made thus far, on a per passenger basis.

 

While I think we all like, or are very comfortable with, the Grand design, hull factors may preclude additional copies.

[iceleven]

I would stop cruising if all ships were 4,000+ passenger capacity. Fortunately, that is not likely to happen, at least in my life time. It's more of a safety concern for me than just over crowding. I don't care that they tell you that they always have enough life boats for everyone, it's the time it takes to put all of those people into life boats that concerns me. I'll gladly pay the premium to cruise smaller ships if/when that becomes an issue.

[bdjam]

I seem to remember the same questions when the first wave of the Grand Class came out...and we all got used to the "bigger" ships, especially as they became smaller to medium sized due to the new builds. While the economies of scale are favorable, I think the size of the future depends on what the particular market the cruise line is going after will accept. As long as Princess can sell out the larger ships, they will assume the feelings for them are favorable.

[5:00_Somewhere]

I also highly doubt they'd go "backwards" in terms of size or overall design (though I'm one of those who loves nearly everything about the Grand/Gem Class design), but I can tell you that I do wish they would incorporate into a future design the "stair-step" balcony design of the Grand Class ships. That one design element seems to offer something to please everybody (at least everybody who likes balcony cabins.) I have no doubt it would be a challenge in keeping with the new SOLAS rules, but aren't engineers and designers known to enjoy a good challenge? ;) Just my 2 cents.

Edited January 15, 2014 by 5:00_Somewhere

[Smokeyham]

I'm not sure, but I think Royal Caribbean is still going forward with new Oasis-size ships in the future (Oasis III and IV).

 

How many passengers do the Oasis class ships hold?

[Smokeyham]

I would stop cruising if all ships were 4,000+ passenger capacity. Fortunately, that is not likely to happen, at least in my life time. It's more of a safety concern for me than just over crowding. I don't care that they tell you that they always have enough life boats for everyone, it's the time it takes to put all of those people into life boats that concerns me. I'll gladly pay the premium to cruise smaller ships if/when that becomes an issue.

 

 

It would also seem that there are a limited number of ports which can hand the larger ships, though I see that San Francisco's new terminal is being designed to accommodate larger cruise ships.

[caribill]

How many passengers do the Oasis class ships hold?

 

5,400 passengers at double occupancy 6,296 maximum