2010 Europe Announced

[caribill]

Princess Cruises is doing some shortening in its 2010 Europe program, as in shorter cruises. There's a series of five one-week "Interlude" voyages as part of next year's Europe programming.

The seven-night cruises, which will be offered on the 670-passenger Ocean Princess, can be combined with a hotel stay for those who want to explore London and Rome, where the ship will embark. But they also work as a quick trip for those with less time on their hands (or less money for that matter) – the line's roster this year is mostly cruises of 12 nights or more.

The week-long sailings will include the Greek Isles, Western Mediterranean, Scandinavia, Norway and Ireland and Scotland.
Princess will again have six ships in Europe next year – including the newest, Ruby Princess – doing 96 departures. The ships will visit 11 new (for Princess) ports of call, from the Greek Island of Cephalonia to New Castle in Northern England, and including Nice (France) and Tangiers (Morocco).

Bookings open April 9. Launch fares for the seven-night sailings are $1,199, with discounts already being offered for repeat passengers.

Source: [URL]http://www.usatoday.com/travel/cruises/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=64610907.blog&csp=Travel[/URL]

[jfgdbg]

[quote name='lovespositano']Well, Istanbul is our FAVORITE port and we have done the Med 9 times. There is nothing else like it for sheer exotic appeal. Get up early on the day you are sailing in and watch it unfold - talk about a magic carpet ride!![/QUOTE]

I agree. The sail into Istanbul is fantastic. Luckily for us, we were to dock at noon so we had a leisurely sail in all morning long. Wonderful.

[mickeysgal]

[quote name='jfgdbg']I agree. The sail into Istanbul is fantastic. Luckily for us, we were to dock at noon so we had a leisurely sail in all morning long. Wonderful.[/quote]

Awwww...I want to go!! :D

[cruisemom42]

[quote name='mickeysgal']Have a wonderful time! Thank you for the many times you've answered my questions for my upcoming trip.[/quote]


Thanks! I really love the Eastern Mediterranean.... Hope to give some insights when I get back. Two days and counting!!!

[sidari]

LjBerkow ....the Brilliance cruise is 2009 and the price comparison was for this year and not 2010 sorry if you misunderstood...:)

Caribill ..... the place in North East England you mention is Newcastle where the Geordies come from....:D

[hubofhockey]

I don't even understand the pricing in the OP link. If the price is really the first column on the left, then Princess is costs are pretty high and I will wind up on Celebrity Solstice. For some reason, Celebrity prices for 2010 Med are just better than others. I always say that it comes down the itinerary, ship, and price for me (not really the line). Solstice 12-day Med balcony cabin is $2,500. Looks like Ruby is $3,500. That's $2k for my wife and I. That's close to airfare. Makes my decision easy. I can live without anytime dining to save that kind of coin.

[mickeysgal]

I don't even understand the pricing in the OP link. If the price is really the first column on the left, then Princess is costs are pretty high and I will wind up on Celebrity Solstice. For some reason, Celebrity prices for 2010 Med are just better than others. I always say that it comes down the itinerary, ship, and price for me (not really the line). Solstice 12-day Med balcony cabin is $2,500. Looks like Ruby is $3,500. That's $2k for my wife and I. That's close to airfare. Makes my decision easy. I can live without anytime dining to save that kind of coin.

 

I thought they were better overall this year as well.

[metawnny]

I hate to sound dumb but I don't understand the pricing either. The cruise I am interested in is the 16 day TA in Oct on the Ruby. The first column of prices shows a balcony at $3200 and the Agent prices at $1695. That's a huge difference. What should I expect to pay?

[sidari]

In the UK Princess brochures there are usually two pricing columns, one that gives the Brochure fare and one that gives the Actual fare.

 

With regard to the prices people have seen on the PDF files, cruise lines give T.A`s discounts and as you will be aware most if not all T.A`s give a discount also when you book.

 

There is also a very large Disparity in costs between the UK and American markets, 10 nights in a Suite on Ruby Princess in November booked in the UK and including Air Fare and Transfers and Hotel worked out at around £2,000 pp.....booked via a T.A.

 

The Crown Princess in August is doing the British isles on a 12 nighter the cost for the same suite and remember there is No air involved no Transfer and no Hotel ...the price is £2,881 pp ....ok its 2 nights longer than the one above but another £881.....:eek: and with the same T.A.

[hubofhockey]

I hate to sound dumb but I don't understand the pricing either. The cruise I am interested in is the 16 day TA in Oct on the Ruby. The first column of prices shows a balcony at $3200 and the Agent prices at $1695. That's a huge difference. What should I expect to pay?

 

Join me in the dumb club. I will be on the Crown next month and, by then, maybe I'll have a clue on the pricing. As of now, I am not sure if the Ruby Grand Med is pricing me out (expecially when compared to Solstice) or if we're in the ballpark. I guess some people here understand the codes and know what the price would be.

[jrarchambault]

Does any one know what stops are to be discontinued on the 2010 Crown Iceland//Greelan/British Isle. I saw that it is 14 days instead of 18 days in 2009.

I really want to do this cruise and was wondering why it is only14 days. I am wondering if it is no longer a TA cruise.

 

Thanks, Jacquelyn

[SeaTheWorldBySea]

This will be the 2010 Transatlantic for the Crown:

 

3-Sep-2010 Fri 14 day Iceland, Greenland & British Isles Explorer LONDON (SOUTHAMPTON), Cornwall (Falmouth), Dublin, Belfast, Reykjavik, Qaqortoq (Greenland), St. John's (Newfoundland), NEW YORK

 

We are VERY disappointed in this one as compared to the 2009 TA. In fact, we aren't excited about any of the 2010 TAs except the ones done by the Ocean Princess and they are priced out of sight!

 

We wanted to do the British Isles, followed by the TA on the Crown in 2010, but it is just not as good as the 8/24/09 version. Instead our 2010 B2B will be the North Cape/Norwegian Fjords, followed by the British Isles in July.

[jrarchambault]

This will be the 2010 Transatlantic for the Crown:

 

3-Sep-2010 Fri 14 day Iceland, Greenland & British Isles Explorer LONDON (SOUTHAMPTON), Cornwall (Falmouth), Dublin, Belfast, Reykjavik, Qaqortoq (Greenland), St. John's (Newfoundland), NEW YORK

 

We are VERY disappointed in this one as compared to the 2009 TA. In fact, we aren't excited about any of the 2010 TAs except the ones done by the Ocean Princess and they are priced out of sight!

 

We wanted to do the British Isles, followed by the TA on the Crown in 2010, but it is just not as good as the 8/24/09 version. Instead our 2010 B2B will be the North Cape/Norwegian Fjords, followed by the British Isles in July.

 

I am very disappointed too with the 14 day cruise too. Seems like one stop from iceland and greenland are no longer offered on that itinernary. That is why I wanted to do that cruise. Like you, the one on the Ocean was our first choice, but the prices are crazy. Dont understand why Princess shortened the 18 day. I think most people prefer them. I am bummed