Itinerary questions

[Lulubelle45]

Who decides itineraries? I went on a 4 day Alaska Sampler cruise round trip from Vancouver this past May on the Coral and LOVED it. My first on Princess. The ship was sold out. I was looking to see if it's offered again next year as so many of my friends heard about it and want to go too. I don't see it on any Princess ships. I'm hoping they will through it in there somewhere last minute as I found this one quite by chance. 4 days is perfect for a quick getaway and for newbie cruisers. Thoughts???

[caribill]

When there is a short sampler cruise like that, it is because the ship has done a repositioning to that port and has a few days before the regular schedule from that port starts.

 

The sampler allows the ship to not be idle for those few days.

 

If you do not see a similar cruise on the future schedule, it is because the ship's initial arrival is timed so it can start its regular itineraries with no intervening days.

 

As an example, for three years Princess has had a ship in Houston. After arriving from its relocation trip it had (or will have):

2013: a four day special cruise

2014: a five day special cruise

2015: a four day special cruise

 

After these cruises, the regular 7 day cruises start.

[SadieN]

Look for short cruises ending in Vancouver at the beginning of Alaska season and cruises staring in Vancouver at the end of Alaska season. They usually go down the coast to California. Some will do a Hawaii run instead of a west coast run.

[fishywood]

There used to be more of these every year, in both Alaska and the Caribbean at the start of their respective seasons. Were necessary to fill the gap of 3 to 5 days between which day of the week the repositioning cruise arrives and the regular turn-around day for the next few months. I remember several times my mom taking such cruises in the fall on Star Princess between the Transatlantic and first seven day sailing. (Will get her to Elite before the rest of the family). But nowadays the deployment schedules are more fine-tuned reducing the necessity for such short cruises.

[skynight]

Who decides itineraries? Thoughts???

Itineraries are decided up to two years in advance at the Princess headquarters office in Santa Clarita. Imagine the schedules are a joint effort between the marketing and operations departments. There are no short Princess RT Vancouver cruises currently on the Princess schedule through May of 2017. There are some shorter cruises that go one way to San Francisco or L.A. Maybe look at some other cruise line.

[skf]

You can find the short cruises on the Princess booking page...

1) Plan a cruise

2) Destinations

3) Getaways (3-5 days). This is where you find them, not by clicking on Alaska or Caribbean or whatever. I hope you find something you like.

Steve