dides Posted August 5, 2020 #1 Share Posted August 5, 2020 Saw this pop up in the news - intrigued where the new destination will be! Princess Cruises has announced it will cancel all sailings aboard the 2,670-passenger Diamond Princess throughout Japan and Asia between October 2021 and April 2022, in favor of redeploying the ship to a new destination. Princess announced the ship will instead set sail for a maiden season in another part of the world, though the company did not specify where that would be. The inclusion of the word "maiden" implies a cruising region not normally visited by the ship, which has spent most of its service career in Asia and Alaska. Princess stated that details of the new voyages would be announced later this month. The cancelled sailings run from the October 24, 2021 voyage to the April 19, 2022 Northern Japan Spring Flowers cruise. Built in 2004 at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard in Nagasaki, Diamond Princess was extensively refitted in 2014 for the Japanese market, to the tune of $30-million dollars. Added features included the first Japanese onsen bathing experience at sea, new food and dining venues, and contemporary Asian motifs throughout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
By The Bay Posted August 5, 2020 #2 Share Posted August 5, 2020 (edited) Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific? I don't think it would be popular with the Port authorities and Governments after the Diamond and Ruby Princess debacle early in the year. Edited August 5, 2020 by By The Bay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getting older slowly Posted August 5, 2020 #3 Share Posted August 5, 2020 It would be nice... now that the Golden has gone... and that the Sapphire which was said to replace it.. has gone back to the US...... but we will get whatever is left over... here in Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Cruisers Posted August 5, 2020 #4 Share Posted August 5, 2020 (edited) Diamond has done cruises in Australia/New Zealand so that would not count as a "maiden market". Wondering if there will be another ship covering Japan or is Princess giving up. We were on the Sun Princess for the inaugural season in Japan and loved it. It's a great way to see a lot of Japan outside of Tokyo and Kyoto. Edited August 5, 2020 by Desert Cruisers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Coral Posted August 5, 2020 #5 Share Posted August 5, 2020 It could mean a maiden season for the specific ship, not for any Princess ship. Just guessing, no insight here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthAltaCruisingFamily Posted August 6, 2020 #6 Share Posted August 6, 2020 (edited) Is it remotely possible that based on the season this will “fill in” the 15 day full transit of the canal? currently Princess is primarily only offering 10 day partial transits. Edited August 6, 2020 by SouthAltaCruisingFamily Correction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoozecrooze Posted August 6, 2020 #7 Share Posted August 6, 2020 3 hours ago, SouthAltaCruisingFamily said: Is it remotely possible that based on the season this will “fill in” the 15 day full transit of the canal? currently Princess is primarily only offering 10 day partial transits. I couldn't wrap my head around where Diamond could be redeployed, but I think you really might have something here. Princess released the Panama Canal marketing materials, but that's never to say everything's set in stone, and since there's a big chunk of 15-day jaunts missing from their usual list of offerings for '21-'22, this is a good prediction. But someone can correct me if Diamond's done Panama Canal voyages before; I'm not too sure if they have. One thing that leaps out, though, is the stigma of the Diamond name, but if "poop cruise" Triumph could last until 2019, then things should be able to be reconciled eventually. And thanks @dides for sharing the article! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise Wonderland Posted August 6, 2020 #8 Share Posted August 6, 2020 Diamond Princess had sailed in the following regions before - Japan - Singapore - Australia and New Zealand - Alaska - US West Coast and Mexican Riviera (in her early years) If Princess Cruises really re-deploy her to a "new" region, we can exclude the above possibilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jow623 Posted August 6, 2020 #9 Share Posted August 6, 2020 We are booked for Oct 2, 2021 for a Cruisetour in Japan on the Diamond...I guess this one won't be cancelled...should I cancel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molecrochip Posted August 6, 2020 #10 Share Posted August 6, 2020 Maiden need not refer to location, they could relaunch the ship under a new name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Roberto256 Posted August 6, 2020 #11 Share Posted August 6, 2020 22 hours ago, dides said: Princess announced the ship will instead set sail for a maiden season in another part of the world, though the company did not specify where that would be. The inclusion of the word "maiden" implies a cruising region not normally visited by the ship, which has spent most of its service career in Asia and Alaska. I think this is subterfuge -- when the real goal is to simply change the ship's name. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pms4104 Posted August 7, 2020 #12 Share Posted August 7, 2020 Based on the fall to spring season, perhaps southern hemisphere ... Africa itineraries from South Africa? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise Wonderland Posted August 7, 2020 #13 Share Posted August 7, 2020 (edited) And a deployment summary until today for Princess Cruises' vessels in 2021-2022 winter season (or summer season in the Southern Hemisphere): ROYAL: ??? REGAL: ??? MAJESTIC: US West Coast SKY: Caribbean ENCHANTED: Caribbean DISCOVERY: South America, US West Coast, Caribbean CARIBBEAN: Caribbean CROWN: Caribbean, Panama Canal EMERALD: ??? RUBY: US West Coast, Panama Canal, Hawaii SAPPHIRE: South America, US West Coast, Hawaii DIAMOND: ??? GRAND: US West Coast, Hawaii CORAL: ??? ISLAND: World Cruise, Caribbean, Panama Canal SUN: ??? SEA: ??? PACIFIC: South Pacific Regions without any ships yet: Australia & New Zealand / Singapore / Japan (?) Ships without itineraries yet: Royal / Regal / Emerald / Diamond / Coral / Sun / Sea Edited August 7, 2020 by Cruise Wonderland 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
By The Bay Posted August 7, 2020 #14 Share Posted August 7, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Cruise Wonderland said: And a deployment summary until today for Princess Cruises' vessels in 2021-2022 winter season (or summer season in the Southern Hemisphere): ROYAL: ??? REGAL: ??? MAJESTIC: US West Coast SKY: Caribbean ENCHANTED: Caribbean DISCOVERY: South America, US West Coast, Caribbean CARIBBEAN: Caribbean CROWN: Caribbean, Panama Canal EMERALD: ??? RUBY: US West Coast, Panama Canal, Hawaii SAPPHIRE: South America, US West Coast, Hawaii DIAMOND: ??? GRAND: US West Coast, Hawaii CORAL: ??? ISLAND: World Cruise, Caribbean, Panama Canal SUN: ??? SEA: ??? PACIFIC: South Pacific Regions without any ships yet: Australia & New Zealand / Singapore / Japan (?) Ships without itineraries yet: Royal / Regal / Emerald / Diamond / Coral / Sun / Sea Thanks for your detailed summary. The word, from a Princess Holiday Planner in a telephone conversation two weeks ago, was that the Australian/NZ itineraries would be released mid-August. After the release we should be able to fill in some of the ??? Edited August 7, 2020 by By The Bay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise Wonderland Posted August 7, 2020 #15 Share Posted August 7, 2020 5 minutes ago, By The Bay said: Thanks for your detailed summary. The word, from a Princess Holiday Planner in a telephone conversation two weeks ago, was that the Australian/NZ itineraries would be released mid-August. After the release will should be able to fill in some of the ??? And after the release, we may know whether Sun and Sea will still remain the fleet. 2 hours ago, pms4104 said: Based on the fall to spring season, perhaps southern hemisphere ... Africa itineraries from South Africa? This is possible, or I also think of Indian Ocean itineraries in which Costa Cruises already has such routes for several years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise Wonderland Posted August 18, 2020 #16 Share Posted August 18, 2020 The answer of Diamond Princess' new destination is... SOUTH AMERICA! Princess Cruises just announces today. She will replace the itineraries originally sailed by Sapphire Princess! So the updated deployment for 2021-2022 season changes as below: ROYAL: ??? REGAL: ??? MAJESTIC: US West Coast SKY: Caribbean ENCHANTED: Caribbean DISCOVERY: South America, US West Coast, Caribbean CARIBBEAN: Caribbean CROWN: Caribbean, Panama Canal EMERALD: ??? RUBY: US West Coast, Panama Canal, Hawaii SAPPHIRE: ??? DIAMOND: South America GRAND: US West Coast, Hawaii CORAL: ??? ISLAND: World Cruise, Caribbean, Panama Canal SUN: ??? SEA: ??? PACIFIC: South Pacific Regions without any ships yet: Australia & New Zealand / Singapore / Japan (?) Ships without itineraries yet: Royal / Regal / Emerald / Sapphire / Coral / Sun / Sea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astro Flyer Posted August 18, 2020 #17 Share Posted August 18, 2020 Princess Cruises Announces Diamond Princess Maiden Season in South America and Antarctica SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (August 18, 2020) – Princess Cruises announced today a maiden season for Diamond Princess, sailing to South America and Antarctica in fall 2021 and spring 2022, replacing Sapphire Princess on the same deployment from December through March. The itineraries in the maiden season include: December 1, 2021 Andes & South America December 1, 2021 Antarctica, Andes & Cape Horn Grand Adventure December 19, 2021 Antarctica & Cape Horn January 4 and 20, 2022 Antarctica & Cape Horn February 5, 19 and March 5, 2022 Cape Horn & Strait of Magellan March 5, 2022 Andes & Cape Horn Grand Adventure March 19, 2022 Andes & South America In addition, Diamond Princess will sail on two new Pacific Crossings to and from Asia in fall 2021 and spring 2022 and sail the North Pacific Ocean with either Southeast Asia and Hawaii or Hawaii and Japan. These sailings are between Los Angeles and either Singapore or Yokohama (Tokyo). As a result of this change, three Sapphire Princess Baja Peninsula & Sea of Cortez cruises and three Hawaiian Islands cruises in fall 2021 and spring 2022 will be cancelled. https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/princess-cruises-announces-diamond-princess-maiden-season-south Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waltd Posted August 18, 2020 #18 Share Posted August 18, 2020 Well that is interesting. Jak and I are booked on the 34 day Sapphire Princess Dec.1 2021. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astro Flyer Posted August 18, 2020 #19 Share Posted August 18, 2020 4 minutes ago, waltd said: Well that is interesting. Jak and I are booked on the 34 day Sapphire Princess Dec.1 2021. Joe...now you’ll have the Asian modified version of the Sapphire. Those changes were not desirable for me but hopefully they work well for both of you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waltd Posted August 18, 2020 #20 Share Posted August 18, 2020 1 minute ago, Astro Flyer said: Joe...now you’ll have the Asian modified version of the Sapphire. Those changes were not desirable for me but hopefully they work well for both of you. Frank that's right. I forgot about that. Hey it's something new to experience. Hopefully all goes well with the cruise. Thanks Frank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Coral Posted August 18, 2020 #21 Share Posted August 18, 2020 (edited) 3 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said: Joe...now you’ll have the Asian modified version of the Sapphire. Those changes were not desirable for me but hopefully they work well for both of you. Do you think they will change the modifications before now and then? Edited August 18, 2020 by Coral Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astro Flyer Posted August 18, 2020 #22 Share Posted August 18, 2020 (edited) 10 minutes ago, waltd said: Frank that's right. I forgot about that. Hey it's something new to experience. Hopefully all goes well with the cruise. Thanks Frank. Enjoy the new experience...as I recall it was more spa experiences & high tech cabin toilets. 9 minutes ago, Coral said: Do you think they will change the modifications? I would be surprised if they made changes for one season away from Asia. I don’t think they made any major changes (a few name or menu changes?) to the Asian designed Majestic when it redeployed to Australia & soon to the West Coast. With their cash flow problems it’s doubtful to me that they would make any major changes. Edited August 18, 2020 by Astro Flyer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Coral Posted August 18, 2020 #23 Share Posted August 18, 2020 (edited) 7 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said: Enjoy the new experience...as I recall it was more spa experiences & high tech cabin toilets. I would be surprised if they made changes for one season away from Asia. I don’t think they made any major changes (a few name or menu changes?) to the Asian designed Majestic when it redeployed to Australia & soon to the West Coast. With their cash flow problems it’s doubtful to me that they would make any major changes. I didn't know if it was going to be one season or more permanently. We had high class toilets on our river cruise - they are pretty cool! Not sure if I would like the spa experience though. Edited August 18, 2020 by Coral Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astro Flyer Posted August 18, 2020 #24 Share Posted August 18, 2020 Just now, Coral said: I didn't know if it was going to be one season or more permanently. We had high class toilets on our river cruise - they are pretty cool! Not sure if I would like the spa experience though. My guess is that even Princess doesn’t know how long the Diamond will be away from the Asian market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Coral Posted August 18, 2020 #25 Share Posted August 18, 2020 4 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said: My guess is that even Princess doesn’t know how long the Diamond will be away from the Asian market. I think you are right!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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