Sun Princess and missed port Montenegro

[cr2000]

So what’s the truth on this port? Is it really just an issue with tenders like Santorini, or is there a miscalculation by Princess on the ships ability (due to size and LNG requirements) to call on this port? Anyone onboard have the real story? Any truth to this port being pulled permanently from Sun Princess itineraries?

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

I doubt they will tell us the real reason but we get on the ship tomorrow so we will see. We still port in Montenegro but we will be going to Bar instead of Kotor 

[OzKiwiJJ]

Ships have to pass through a very narrow channel to get to the anchorages near Kotor. Perhaps Sun is just too big to safely navigate this channel.

[EDVM96]

8 hours ago, cr2000 said:

So what’s the truth on this port? Is it really just an issue with tenders like Santorini, or is there a miscalculation by Princess on the ships ability (due to size and LNG requirements) to call on this port?

 

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Ships have to pass through a very narrow channel to get to the anchorages near Kotor. Perhaps Sun is just too big to safely navigate this channel.

 

The biggest ship that stopped in Kotor so far was the Norwegian Epic (330 m long, 40.6 m wide). That's pretty much the size of the Royal Class ships.

 

Sun Princess is 345 m long and 47 m wide. So yes, the Sun may be too big for the channel.

 

[Chusquer Xerez]

In September, the Enchanted Princess could not enter either, although the truth is that it was quite windy that day, at least the night the ship approached Kotor.

[OzKiwiJJ]

31 minutes ago, EDVM96 said:

 

 

The biggest ship that stopped in Kotor so far was the Norwegian Epic (330 m long, 40.6 m wide). That's pretty much the size of the Royal Class ships.

 

Sun Princess is 345 m long and 47 m wide. So yes, the Sun may be too big for the channel.

 

We were on Royal Princess when we went there and it did seem to be very narrow. 

 

They also have to allow for the effect of wind hitting the ship which may cause it to drift to one side or the other. The hills either side of the channel are quite steep so there could be some interesting wind effects at times.

Edited April 7 by OzKiwiJJ

[EDVM96]

3 hours ago, Sox Fan Cruiser said:

I doubt they will tell us the real reason but we get on the ship tomorrow so we will see. We still port in Montenegro but we will be going to Bar instead of Kotor 

Princess Cruises - Port - Bar, Montenegro

 

Princess has shore excursions for this port, including Kotor... 😁

That's odd, how long has Bar Montenegro been in the list of Princess shore excursions?

 

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

They just told us yesterday and since we are getting on the ship tomorrow, we can’t book shore excursions at this time. It’s going to be a mad house for those trying to get excursions. We never book through the ship so we don’t care. We are working with our private tour guide to see if we can do something with her. 

[cr2000]

Bar is a lousy port compared to Kotor, not even a close second or third. They could have continued just a bit further up and substituted Dubrovnik, but even that doesn't match what it's like to sail into Kotor. I'm betting this is NOT a tender issue rather it's a channel size issue which means they will pull Kotor from all itineraries - the question is whether they are honest and do it upfront, or tell people last minute on each cruise. There's no way Princess is just figuring this out now, it's false advertising on their itineraries to get people to book imo. They are already screwing people on Santorini and now they are doing it on Kotor as well. The next scheduled stop in Kotor is May 6th, if they "miss" that stop or pull it from itineraries I'm cancelling my cruise for later this year. So many epic fails on the rollout of Sun Princess, someone ought to be fired at corporate.

[cynbar]

Oh my. We're scheduled for Kotor on our June cruise and I've been looking forward to it. Not much offered in the way of excursions in Bar, I hope that changes if it becomes a regular stop. For those of you on the next cruise, please report back on whether there is anything to do close to the port (or tender drop off, would this be a tender port also?).

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

It is a docked port. My private tour guide also said that Bar is a sad replacement for Kotor. We will just stay on the ship. If you look at videos on YouTube, it shows it being a 10 minute shuttle ride from the dock to the town. I’ll report back this week. 

Edited April 7 by Sox Fan Cruiser

[cr2000]

I'd be curious what you find out when onboard with regards to the real reason they cancelled out of Kotor. I wouldn't take anything a crew member says as true, but if you have access to one of the ships officers they might be willing to be upfront about the situation. Not sure how open Princess is with offering tour access to the bridge, but that's also another way to speak with some of the ships officers and get the real scoop.

Edited April 7 by cr2000

[OzKiwiJJ]

Of course it may not be Princess that caused the cancellation per se, it could be that the local port authorities aren't happy about a ship that size going through that channel. The channel has roads either side and damage to one of those could be serious, particularly on the western side where there doesn't appear to be an easy alternative route. 

 

But Princess should have done its homework before releasing itineraries that included Kotor unless, of course, it was a last minute local decision. 

[cr2000]

22 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Of course it may not be Princess that caused the cancellation per se, it could be that the local port authorities aren't happy about a ship that size going through that channel. The channel has roads either side and damage to one of those could be serious, particularly on the western side where there doesn't appear to be an easy alternative route. 

 

But Princess should have done its homework before releasing itineraries that included Kotor unless, of course, it was a last minute local decision. 

Looking at the satellite maps it does appear to be pretty narrow, but to your point, Princess should have done their homework. Hopefully Princess does the right thing and clarifies this for future trips and gives customers the option to cancel/change. If Bar is going to be the new stop, then the itineary becomes far less desirable and they should adjust the market value as such. Just another item in a list of mishaps on this ships less than stellar launch.

[OzKiwiJJ]

This is the entrance to the channel from the Kotor side. There was a reasonable amount of space for Royal to go through but it was a calm evening so no problems with wind.

 

[Amy G]

How many times has the port been canceled so far? I was really hoping to go to Kotor this July.

[cr2000]

2 minutes ago, Amy G said:

How many times has the port been canceled so far? I was really hoping to go to Kotor this July.

I believe the Sun Princess Maiden visit to Kotor was scheduled for April 11th. So this would be the first time it's been cancelled. The next scheduled stop in Kotor is early May.

[Amy G]

Thanks.  I thought it was being hit every two weeks, but I was not sure.

[Arizona Wildcat]

Have been on cruises scheduled for Kotor three times.  Docked twice.  The other time was on M class Celebrity ship (smaller) on a windy day.  The channel is indeed very narrow.

[capriccio]

13 hours ago, Sox Fan Cruiser said:

It is a docked port. 

In 2017 on the Royal Princess Kotor was a tender port.  According to the current Princess Excrusions Listing (https://www.princess.com/ports-excursions/kotor-montenegro-excursions) "Kotor is an anchorage port. Passengers transfer to shore via ship's tender."

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

2 hours ago, capriccio said:

In 2017 on the Royal Princess Kotor was a tender port.  According to the current Princess Excrusions Listing (https://www.princess.com/ports-excursions/kotor-montenegro-excursions) "Kotor is an anchorage port. Passengers transfer to shore via ship's tender."

The whole point of this thread is that we are no longer going to Kotor and instead going to Bar. Bar is a docked port.

[Tranquility Base]

According to the internet.....

 

"Verige Strait.

Name comes from old slavonic word veriga, "chain".

The legend says, in 1381, defenders of the Bay held a massive chain here to prevent the passage of Venetian ships to Kotor."

 

[Esprit]

8 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Of course it may not be Princess that caused the cancellation per se, it could be that the local port authorities aren't happy about a ship that size going through that channel. The channel has roads either side and damage to one of those could be serious, particularly on the western side where there doesn't appear to be an easy alternative route. 

 

But Princess should have done its homework before releasing itineraries that included Kotor unless, of course, it was a last minute local decision. 

The roads are well clear of the waterline. There is also ample parking for the locals to wave the ships by. 

I have been to Kotor four times (two with Princess and twice with Celebrity). The Solstice and Royal class ships are too big to berth so we have always tendered to the quayside. We are due to return aboard the Sun this August and do not believe it will be cancelled IMHO

[capriccio]

6 hours ago, Sox Fan Cruiser said:

The whole point of this thread is that we are no longer going to Kotor and instead going to Bar. Bar is a docked port.

Sorry I misinterpreted your comment as referring to Kotor.  I would be very disappointed too since the sail in/sail out of the bay is beautiful as is the old town.

[ISABELLA]

Kotor is still on our May 18 (14days) cruise. And excursions are listed for booking. Will watch what Princess do. Seems that several things are not happening since inauguration. Don't think I will ever book a new ship in the first 6-8 months of sailing.