New Embarkation city!

[SimonaD]

My thoughts also. Take on passengers in both L.A. and P.V. for the 7 day cruise. Guadalajara is within driving range and Mexico City is a short flight or long drive. No schedules would have to change, only allocation of cabins.

 

 

 

That’s a good theory, but I see the multi port embarkations working only on longer itineraries? If you’re doing 7 day mex riviera, and you load cabins in PV, then they’re full when you get to LA, unless you reserve half the ship. But you’re never sailing full. The scattered embarkations seem to work to the European itineraries when they’re spread over 2-3 days and the whole cruise is couple of weeks....?

 

 

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Edited July 30, 2018 by SimonaD

[Astro Flyer]

Ok fine. The Puerto Vallarta newspaper is lying. Sheesh, just give them a chance to get it up and running...And, I believe it's mostly Mazatlan that gets removed since that is the state of the Sinaloa Cartel. I've been going to PV for 30 years, it is very safe and always has been.

 

Maybe we should wait and see what happens?

 

Here is a 2nd source

https://heraldodemexico.com.mx/opinion/saldran-cruceros-desde-puerto-vallarta-corporativo/

That is not a 2nd source because the source for the 1st article you posted shows the same information in Spanish.

 

Source: Heraldo de México (Spanish)

 

I don’t believe the PV newspaper is lying but question whether their source is providing completely accurate information.

 

I’ll wait to see what happens but I’m skeptical that PV will be the only embarkation port but if embarking passengers in PV it might be like in the Baltic where there are multiple embarkation ports. The first line of the article makes the information questionable: “The project is an initiative of Princess Cruises and it's expected to start operating in 2019“. Itineraries can change but this would be a major change to begin in 2019.

 

I was unable to locate anything on Ruth Leal who’s the source of the information & maybe she is the initiative for such a change. Maybe she’s like Tara Russell who for years tried to convince CCL to offer social impact cruises. Eventually CCL gave Fathom a try & even on a very popular smaller ship (same as the Pacific Princess) it quickly failed. Maybe this article is part of Leal’s campaign & initiative to convince CCL to have Princess depart from PV which like Fathom don’t think it would succeed.

 

One article is not enough for me to believe that Princess ships will sail from PV. I think it’s premature to have a “New Embarkation City!” title until there’s an official statement by Princess. To me that source is slightly above a rumor but sometimes rumors are proven to be true. Or maybe it’s just wishful thinking by Leal who’s identified as the head of Princess in Latin America.

[Fat Albert]

The article is reporting the tourist industry of PV would like to have a Princess cruise port there and the tax rate for Mexican Business is 30% and that would be too high for any cruise line.

[Astro Flyer]

The article is reporting the tourist industry of PV would like to have a Princess cruise port there and the tax rate for Mexican Business is 30% and that would be too high for any cruise line.

It does appear to be more of a marketing promotion for the possibility of having Princess cruises departing from PV and Teal’s pushing the idea to CCL.

 

I don’t know about the taxes & fees for other ports but to me 30% would be too high.

[TheRabbit]

It does appear to be more of a marketing promotion for the possibility of having Princess cruises departing from PV and Teal’s pushing the idea to CCL.

 

I don’t know about the taxes & fees for other ports but to me 30% would be too high.

I think you are right on the promoting Frank. PV does have a few cruises leaving there in 2019, but none in the CCL family.

[Astro Flyer]

I think you are right on the promoting Frank. PV does have a few cruises leaving there in 2019, but none in the CCL family.

It’s not surprising that the Princess CSR that CJSKIDS talked to had no information about a possible change. Too often CSRs are not kept informed about potential or upcoming changes.

 

I’ve emailed Princess Customer Relations about this possible change because in the past they were much better informed than their CSRs. Also PCR has better resources to check to provide accurate information.

[Coral]

I wonder if this is similar to the Sea Princess being based out of Barbados for UK cruisers. US passengers could book but most didn't.

[lstone19]

That’s a good theory, but I see the multi port embarkations working only on longer itineraries? If you’re doing 7 day mex riviera, and you load cabins in PV, then they’re full when you get to LA, unless you reserve half the ship. But you’re never sailing full. The scattered embarkations seem to work to the European itineraries when they’re spread over 2-3 days and the whole cruise is couple of weeks....?

 

No need to reserve half the ship for the alternate embarkation port. You can make the allocation anything you want - 90% primary, 10% alternate for instance. But if you're not selling one-way cruises, then the rooms allocated to each port stay that way through the entire season.

 

When we we on Regal in the Baltic two years ago, I heard from a member of the CD's staff that the allocation there was 90% Copenhagen, 5% Warnemunde, and 5% St. Petersburg.

[Colo Cruiser]

Doubtful.

[caribill]

 

I was unable to locate anything on Ruth Leal who’s the source of the information & maybe she is the initiative for such a change. Maybe she’s like Tara Russell who for years tried to convince CCL to offer social impact cruises. Eventually CCL gave Fathom a try & even on a very popular smaller ship (same as the Pacific Princess) it quickly failed.

 

It was only a 50% failure. The itineraries that went to Cuba were very popular at relatively high pricing. But they only went to Cuba every other time. The rest of the time they went to the Dominican Republic and they had to practically give the cabins away.

 

I suspect that they could only get permission from Cuba to go there every other sailing. If they could have gone there every sailing I think it would still be in existence today. The Royal Caribbean and Carnival itineraries that go to Cuba only go to one port. The Fathom! itinerary went to four ports if I remember correctly.

[Host CJSKIDS]

It’s not surprising that the Princess CSR that CJSKIDS talked to had no information about a possible change. Too often CSRs are not kept informed about potential or upcoming changes.

 

I’ve emailed Princess Customer Relations about this possible change because in the past they were much better informed than their CSRs. Also PCR has better resources to check to provide accurate information.

 

You are right, CSR aren’t kept informed, that’s why I get better info on here!!!

 

But I actually was on with customer relations!! I needed them to move something for me that CSR couldn’t do.

 

Hope your are well!

[Astro Flyer]

You are right, CSR aren’t kept informed, that’s why I get better info on here!!!

 

But I actually was on with customer relations!! I needed them to move something for me that CSR couldn’t do.

 

Hope your are well!

Sorry about overlooking that you talked to Customer Relations.

 

Hopefully they’ll do some research & If I receive a reply from CR will post the information

 

Doing well & waiting to get all of the results...thanks.

[Skai]

That’s surprising... flights to PVR tend to be on the high end. Not very appealing to us west coasters

 

Not sure where you've priced flights to PVR...

 

They're usually less than they are to any of the U.S. cruise ports that aren't on the West Coast.

 

It's questionable how much truth there is in the above linked article, however, as a West Coaster, you don't speak for me. I would be quite interested in cruises that could mix in some Central American ports, instead of the same ol' Mexican Riviera itineraries.

[Grego]

Interesting thread. We always enjoyed the Mexican Riviera voyages back in the day. Usually sailing out of LA and doing the run down to Acapulco and back. Lots of issues to overcome when they try to do something like that again.

[dobiemom]

If I’m going to go to all the trouble of flying to Puerto Vallarta, then I’m going to stay there for a week instead of boarding a cruise ship when I can do that in Los Angeles or San Francisco

Agreed.

[floridalover5623]

If I’m going to go to all the trouble of flying to Puerto Vallarta, then I’m going to stay there for a week instead of boarding a cruise ship when I can do that in Los Angeles or San Francisco

 

 

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There would have to be one hell of an airfare incentive for me to fly from Florida to Puerto Vallarta instead of LA or San Francisco. ;)

[land lover]

There would have to be one hell of an airfare incentive for me to fly from Florida to Puerto Vallarta instead of LA or San Francisco. ;)

 

I really do not think people living in the States would be the customer base. "Foreigners" who have retired in PV and local Mexicans certainly could fill up a ship.

 

I can see ships being a hot spot for quinceaneras.

 

In the last few years I have met many pax on other cruises who call PV their home.

[neverbeenhere]

I really do not think people living in the States would be the customer base. "Foreigners" who have retired in PV and local Mexicans certainly could fill up a ship.

 

I can see ships being a hot spot for quinceaneras.

 

In the last few years I have met many pax on other cruises who call PV their home.

 

100% agree. Snarky Aside - Yes, Virginia there are others in the world than United States Residents. :evilsmile:

[Kamloops50]

If you do a search CMV and Poiant cruise lines have cruises that leave PV . Poiant has two cruises that go south in 2019 and CMV does 6 cruises roundteip from PV. Princess would be ay least 3 years away from any cruises staring in PV.

[Astro Flyer]

I just received a call from Customer Relations who first contacted Ruth Leal for information. The CR rep confirmed that there’s a proposal to use PV as a second embarkation/disembarkation port for cruises beginning at the earliest in late 2019 to early 2020. The cruises would start in LA & would be similar to Baltic cruises with more than one port to begin & end a cruise.

 

Since she repeatedly referred to this as a proposal that means it has not been approved. Upper level management may receive many proposals that are researched to determine their viability. Based on what I was told this proposal is being researched & if approved wouldn’t begin for about 18 months.

 

So the title of the article that “Cruises Will Depart From Puerto Vallarta” and was used as the source for this New Embarkation City! thread is premature because it’s still in the proposal stage & is yet to be determined whether it will become a reality or not. She didn’t share any additional details of the proposal which could change during the research phase. I am thankful for her diligence by contacting Ms Leal from international sales to learn that it’s in fact being proposed but it has not been implemented.

[Host CJSKIDS]

I just received a call from Customer Relations who first contacted Ruth Leal for information. The CR rep confirmed that there’s a proposal to use PV as a second embarkation/disembarkation port for cruises beginning at the earliest in late 2019 to early 2020. The cruises would start in LA & would be similar to Baltic cruises with more than one port to begin & end a cruise.

 

Since she repeatedly referred to this as a proposal that means it has not been approved. Upper level management may receive many proposals that are researched to determine their viability. Based on what I was told this proposal is being researched & if approved wouldn’t begin for about 18 months.

 

So the title of the article that “Cruises Will Depart From Puerto Vallarta” and was used as the source for this New Embarkation City! thread is premature because it’s still in the proposal stage & is yet to be determined whether it will become a reality or not. She didn’t share any additional details of the proposal which could change during the research phase. I am thankful for her diligence by contacting Ms Leal from international sales to learn that it’s in fact being proposed but it has not been implemented.

 

Wow Frank, why to get to the bottom of it!! Thanks for getting so much information. And it’s amazing that Princess followed up with you so quickly.

 

It’s certainly interesting!

[Astro Flyer]

If you do a search CMV and Poiant cruise lines have cruises that leave PV . Poiant has two cruises that go south in 2019 and CMV does 6 cruises roundteip from PV. Princess would be ay least 3 years away from any cruises staring in PV.

Based on the information I received from Princess if the proposal is implemented it could begin as early as in about 18 months & not at least 3 years away...how did you determine that earliest implementation date? :confused:

[Astro Flyer]

Wow Frank, why to get to the bottom of it!! Thanks for getting so much information. And it’s amazing that Princess followed up with you so quickly.

 

It’s certainly interesting!

It was surprising that they could gather information so quickly & to call to share the results. Throughout the years I have received calls as a result of emailing Customer Relations. I think they generally do an excellent job of quickly providing input to questions.

 

It will be interesting to learn if this proposal will be implemented or not. There are probably many details that need to be approved before Princess would announce such a change. Things such as whether it would be allowed as a one-way cruise between the ports of LA & PV. Don’t think that such cruises would violate any rules however they might not be economically viable for Princess. And maybe like Copenhagen for Baltic cruises, LA would have the large majority of available cabins with PV having many fewer available cabins.

 

There are probably many details of this proposal that need to be researched before Princess decides if these cruises will in fact become a reality or not.

[beckntom]

I'm impressed, Frank. You now will be the go-to person on the Princess CC board when we want an official answer. Thanks for getting this clarified!

[lstone19]

There are probably many details of this proposal that need to be researched before Princess decides if these cruises will in fact become a reality or not.

 

One big issue is that the schedules as currently announced for Royal Princess for 2019-20 do not have it going to PV every week. Some weeks it does California Coastal, some times 5 nights to Cabo and back, and some other times, a short 4 night cruise (two 5 nights plus a four night equals 14 nights and gets it back on the regular departure day for 7 night cruises).

 

The alternate embarkation ports can work when a ship does the same thing cruise after cruise such as Regal Princess in the Baltic. Princess works in and out of the Baltic schedule by offering the Transatlantic cruise to/from all three (four in 2019) Baltic ports used for embarkation.

 

 

If Princess were to do this with PV, I'd expect one-ways would be available at beginning and end of season to work in and out of the schedule. How much demand there might be for one-ways is a different matter.