Diamond Princess cruises from September 1, 2022 through November 13, 2022 booking Cancelled

[Retirement2016]

I just received an email from Princess. our November 13, 2022 Sea of Cortez sailing out of San Diego has been cancelled.  Below is the email:

 

Dear our valued guest,

Over the past year we have operated hundreds of cruises thanks to the tens of thousands of our Princess team members that have rejoined our fleet to deliver exceptional Princess vacations. However, like others in the global travel industry we have experienced some labor challenges.

With rising occupancy levels on the ships that have already returned to service and our commitment to guarantee the Princess experience is exceptional, Princess has made the difficult decision to cancel a limited number of voyages on the Diamond Princess beginning September 1 through November 13, 2022, which regrettably includes your cruise. Click here ❯ for the full details.

 

We are offering you three options to choose from regarding your cancelled booking:

Option 1: Transfer to an equivalent cruise and get $100 onboard spending money per person to spend on the rebooked cruise. We will rebook you, and your cruise fare, incentives and promotions will all be protected. Your new booking will be in the same or equivalent stateroom category, subject to availability. Please Click here ❯ to see your replacement cruise options.

Princess pre- or post-cruise transfers between the airport and the pier will transfer to your new booking. Other non-cruise-fare purchases through Princess, such as Princess EZair, shore excursions, specialty dining, spa or gifts will be refunded to the original form of payment.

Option 2: Future Cruise Credit and $100 onboard spending money per person. Sail with us again by accepting a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) offer of 100% value of cruise fare paid as a refundable FCC, plus $100 onboard spending money per person to go with your future sailing.

• This gives our team a chance to shine at a later date by using the FCC on any voyage booked by and sailed by December 31, 2023.
• FCC may be used as a deposit, for your cruise fare, for taxes, fees and port expenses, or for optional programs or services. You may apply FCCs for yourself or other guests on the same booking. Please see the full terms & conditions ❯
• Money paid to Princess in excess of the cruise fare for Princess Vacation Protection, taxes, fees and port expenses, EZair or hotel packages will be refunded to the original form of payment, as will any prepaid shore excursions and/or special service items.

Option 3: Refund of all monies paid. Money will be refunded to the original method of payment.

Let us know your choice by completing this online form ❯ before September 8, 2022. The form will give you the option to transfer to a replacement cruise, receive a Future Cruise Credit, or request a full refund of all monies paid. If a request is not received by this date, you will automatically receive the Future Cruise Credit option with the $100 onboard spending money.

If any portion of your travel was not booked through Princess Cruises, other booking and cancellation conditions and policies may apply. Please work directly with those operators regarding their charges.

Please note that due to the significant volume of bookings impacted by these changes, we ask for your patience in affording us the time to work through processing rebookings, refunds and FCCs. We are working hard to make sure every booking is handled efficiently. Please allow us the necessary time to process your new booking accurately.

We hope to welcome you on board a Princess cruise soon, and we thank you for your continued understanding and support.

Sincerely, John Padgett President

Edited August 8, 2022 by Retirement2016
added additional info

[MustBCruzn]

I just got the e-mail as well. DH and I were to be on the Sept 25th sailing. What a disappointment. I was concerned that things didn't seem to be falling into place, but I didn't think a cancellation was in the picture.

[Retirement2016]

I was so thrilled that we could leave out of San Diego, 30 minute drive to port.

[Stockjock]

I live in San Diego and had booked Nov. 13th as well.  I accepted the FCC offer, and my deposit was $1 per person, so I suppose I'll have a FCC of $2, lol.  At least $100 OBC goes along with that, if I book something in the future.

Edited August 8, 2022 by Stockjock

[SFOflyguy]

Same here.  

 

[Retirement2016]

1 minute ago, Stockjock said:

I live in San Diego and had booked Nov. 13th as well.  I accepted the FCC offer, and my deposit was $1 per person, so I suppose I'll have a FCC of $2, lol.  At least $100 OBC goes along with that, if I book something in the future.

 

We only had the future cruise deposit applied, was planning to pay the balance this week.  Unfortunately, my daughter is starting a new job in December, so this was sort of a "congrat" present.  She can't take any time off until 2024.  We are asking for a refund/reversal of FCD.

[Sea Hag]

We had the November 13 sailing booked. That one was going to the Sea of Cortez, and that was the only reason we booked it.  Not interested in the replacement cruises. We have two cruises booked next year, so we're not in the market for booking another one. We just have a $200 down payment for the canceled cruise, so I guess I'll be requesting a refund of that. This is a bummer, but at least for us it's before final payment, so I suppose I shouldn't complain.

[dog]

If 1/2 cruise paid with FCC that has a December 31/22 expiry date- how is that handled? Will they extend FCC to December 31/23?

Edited August 8, 2022 by dog

[Hazelnut1106]

My Nov 8 cruise was a girls trip. So we will plan to move over to the Nov 5 Cabo cruise. Cruising out of LA is much easier for me but we much preferred the San Francisco itinerary over Cabo. Still plan to have fun with my friend - just will have more spa time rather time off the ship.🙂

[4x4bob]

29 minutes ago, Sea Hag said:

We had the November 13 sailing booked. That one was going to the Sea of Cortez, and that was the only reason we booked it.  Not interested in the replacement cruises. We have two cruises booked next year, so we're not in the market for booking another one. We just have a $200 down payment for the canceled cruise, so I guess I'll be requesting a refund of that. This is a bummer, but at least for us it's before final payment, so I suppose I shouldn't complain.

We also were booked for 13 Nov cruise.  Was also really looking forward to it.  The two offered replacement destinations do not appeal to us since we have been down the Mexican Riviera twice and also the California Coastal twice.  Lucky we had not made final payment as of yet. Will miss the perks that we had stacked up.

Bob

[Sea Hag]

10 minutes ago, dog said:

If 1/2 cruise paid with FCC that has a December 31/22 expiry date- how is that handled? Will they extend FCC to December 31/23?

My cancellation letter says the FCC expires 12/31/23, not 22.

[dog]

Just now, Sea Hag said:

My cancellation letter says the FCC expires 12/31/23, not 22.

Not what I am asking.

I paid for cruise with $750 FCC that expires Dec 31/22.

 

[Sea Hag]

1 minute ago, dog said:

Not what I am asking.

I paid for cruise with $750 FCC that expires Dec 31/22.

 

Ah, that's what it was! Sorry. My mistake. 😀 

 

[candy4040]

I just canceled myself the Nov 13 cruise.  Didn't feel comfortable with monkey pox issues.  Too bad I canceled too early and missed the 100 OBC.

 

[whataboutport]

The OBC incentive is tempting but i'm thinking when the itinerary I want is back up (Sea of cortez) prices will be much higher anyway. I'm opting for the full refund.

[cr8tiv1]

Interesting that Princess would sail the Diamond across the Pacific (she was just in San Pedro) and then cancel all her cruises just a few weeks away.  What will they do with the Diamond?

 

I am sorry for the disappointment in not doing the Sea of Cortez.  Is if one of my favorite West Coast itineraries.  

 

I am booked for a Japan Cruise.  It will be interesting if they sail the Diamond back to Japan and start the cruises when Japan is still struggling to open to tourism.  

 

I'm glad I did not jump on a chance to do a short trip out of San Diego.  Gave it some thought, but nothing seemed to draw me in.  Fares were outstanding.  

[srpilo]

Maybe Princess has only has enough available crew to restart the Diamond or the Sapphire but not both, and they chose the Sapphire to restart next month and postpone the Diamond another 90 days ?

 

 

 

.

Edited August 8, 2022 by srpilo

[azbirdmom]

3 minutes ago, srpilo said:

Maybe Princess has only has enough west coast crew to restart the Diamond or the Sapphire and they chose the Sapphire to restart next month and postpone the Diamond another 90 days ?

 

I'm wondering if that is only part of the issue.  I've listened in on some of the Princess marketing webinars with TAs and on more than one occasion the Princess folks were urging TAs to book their clients on San Diego cruises since there was lots of availability.  So maybe demand wasn't enough to keep these early cruises.  There are still more later cruises from San Diego so we shall see,

[sunsetme]

so disappointing, I am going for full refund

[cr8tiv1]

34 minutes ago, srpilo said:

Maybe Princess has only has enough available crew to restart the Diamond or the Sapphire but not both, and they chose the Sapphire to restart next month and postpone the Diamond another 90 days ?

 

Here's the entire list of cancellations.  The Diamond was just the tip of the iceberg.  I wonder if the Diamond will do the repositioning back to Japan in February 2023.

 

Sapphire Princess West Coast Cruises Departing through September 17, 2022

View Details & List of Affected Cruises (PDF)

---

• Diamond Princess Cruises in Japan and Singapore Departing through March 3, 2023

• Select Cruises in Australia, New Zealand, & the South Pacific on the Following Ships:
  Majestic Princess from February 2023 through May 2023
  Royal Princess from September 2022 through March 4, 2023

• Ruby Princess Panama Canal Cruises Departing in February 2023

View Details & List of Affected Cruise (PDF)

---

Sapphire Princess Cruises in Asia and Australia Departing through October 29, 2022

View Details & List of Affected Cruises (PDF)

[fpsphil]

The summer Sapphire seasons was already canceled months ago. Crossing fingers this doesn't affect the Sapphire's runs in October as we have our Sea of Cortez run

[polmcs]

I was booked on the Sep 6 5 day Cabo cruise. I was soooo Looking forward to being able to jump in an Uber and go cruising out of my own port. I’m tempted to transfer to one of the replacement itineraries later in the year out of San Pedro as those fares on the Discovery are about 30% higher than what I paid for the Diamond cruise. 

 

I booked through a big warehouse travel agent, so who knows how many hoops I will have to jump through to switch.

[Papa Yoda]

seriously!?!

 

We had the Nov 8th cruise almost paid for with FCC, and had tacked on the 13th for a nice b2b.  I did snag a cabin on the Nov 20 SoC cruise, but am also looking at rebooking for the 3rd time the Nov 17 HI out of LA on Sapphire.  I'm not optimistic about the 11/20 cruise.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Just my opinion they have known for a while if there was a problem getting crew here they would have known. I personnally think they figured out the ship was not in as good a shape as they expected. I know she was in Dry Dock in January but that really was only to install Medallion Net I think when she got here last week they took a good look at her and realized there was no way she could sail and they would not be close to providing the experience of the other Princess ships. But they are giving excuse of staff shortage. I am sure that could be some of it but I think there is a lot more to this.

I also personally do not think Japan will be ready this next April for tourist from outside of Japan so doubt she will be heading back there any time soon. But that is just my personal opinion.

 

 

[kiwimum]

16 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Here's the entire list of cancellations.  The Diamond was just the tip of the iceberg.  I wonder if the Diamond will do the repositioning back to Japan in February 2023.

 

Sapphire Princess West Coast Cruises Departing through September 17, 2022

View Details & List of Affected Cruises (PDF)

---

• Diamond Princess Cruises in Japan and Singapore Departing through March 3, 2023

• Select Cruises in Australia, New Zealand, & the South Pacific on the Following Ships:
  Majestic Princess from February 2023 through May 2023
  Royal Princess from September 2022 through March 4, 2023

• Ruby Princess Panama Canal Cruises Departing in February 2023

View Details & List of Affected Cruise (PDF)

---

Sapphire Princess Cruises in Asia and Australia Departing through October 29, 2022

View Details & List of Affected Cruises (PDF)

These cruises were cancelled months ago.  The only new announcement was the Diamond.   Hopefully they will be able to fully staff the Sapphire for her LA and South America season.