Cruise News Daily Newsfile
August 3,, 2006

Princess Announces 2007-08 Caribbean and Panama Canal Programs 

Panama Canal Announcement

Princess Announces 2007-08 Caribbean Line-up
Wide Ranging Program Features Youngest Seven-Day Fleet in the Region

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (July 17, 2006) - The luxurious warm waters and sunny beaches of the Caribbean will once again welcome Princess passengers in the 2007-08 season, as seven of the line's amenity-filled ships present a tempting array of ways to experience the spice and color of this favorite cruise region.

Options abound as vacationers can choose from vessels ranging from 680 to 3,100 passengers - including the youngest seven-day Caribbean fleet in the industry (averaging approximately five years old) - sailing on itineraries that vary from week-long getaways to 16-day explorations of the Caribbean's less-known locales.

In total, Princess offers more than 110 departures on 10 different itineraries next season.  The new Emerald Princess makes her debut in the Caribbean by taking over 10-day sailings to the less-visited ports of the Southern Caribbean.  Crown Princess also explores exotic islands of the Southern Caribbean on two alternating itineraries sailing roundtrip from San Juan, while Caribbean Princess continues to sail on the classic seven-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary.  Grand Princess takes over the popular seven-day Western Caribbean itinerary and Sea Princess returns with her unique 14-day sailings roundtrip from Barbados.

Two special holiday sailings, aboard Coral Princess and the intimate Royal Princess offer the opportunity for a year-end escape, with the latter offering a unique small-ship experience combined with a special 16-day exotic journey visiting a variety of new and more exclusive ports, such as St. Barthelemy and Tobago.

Princess ships will sail to all corners of the Caribbean, with itineraries covering 30 ports, including three new calls also featured on Royal Princess' holiday voyage -- Samaná in the Dominican Republic, a favorite location of nature lovers offering tropical forests and a protected bay; Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, which features unusual "baths" or scenic seaside grottoes; and Bequia, the second largest island in the Grenadines, offering lush hills and secluded beaches.

"Our spectacular Caribbean fleet features all the amenities you would expect on the youngest ships sailing on seven-day cruises," said Jan Swartz, senior vice president of customer service and sales for Princess. "Passengers love the special features that make cruising the Caribbean with Princess so special - such as our poolside movie screens, our array of dining options and our many balconies from which to enjoy this paradise."

Princess' 2007-08 Caribbean season features:

Emerald Princess - The new Emerald Princess makes her Caribbean debut with alternating 10-day sailings roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale - one to the Southern Caribbean and the other to the Eastern Caribbean. The Southern Caribbean Medley itinerary is offered on nine sailings and includes calls at Princess Cays, St. Thomas, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba. The Eastern Caribbean Voyager itinerary is featured on eight sailings and offers calls at Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Kitts, St. Thomas and Princess Cays. Emerald Princess' Caribbean season runs between October 27, 2007 and April 4, 2008.

Crown Princess - Crown Princess will once again be based in San Juan for alternating Saturday departures on seven-day cruises to the Southern Caribbean. The ship offers 14 sailings on a Classic Southern Caribbean itinerary featuring calls at Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, Tortola and St. Thomas. The Southern Caribbean Explorer route meanwhile includes 14 departures with visits to St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba. In addition, Crown Princess begins the season with an Exotic Eastern Caribbean journey from New York to San Juan on October 20, 2007 that features stops at St. Thomas, Antigua, and St. Kitts.  Crown Princess' Caribbean season runs through May 3, 2008.

Caribbean Princess - This ship continues to offer Princess' Classic Eastern Caribbean seven-day roundtrip sailings from Ft. Lauderdale.  The vessel offers Sunday departures for 27 sailings that travel to St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Princess Cays.  Departures run between October 28, 2007 and April 27, 2008.

Grand Princess - Grand Princess repositions to Ft. Lauderdale to take over the seven-day Western Caribbean cruises previously offered on Star Princess.  The vessel departs on Saturdays on an itinerary that calls in Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Princess Cays.  The ship offers 26 sailings on this itinerary between November 3, 2007 and April 26, 2008.

Sea Princess - Sea Princess will offer a series of 14-day Caribbean adventures from Barbados, featuring two alternating itineraries.  Six sailings of the Grand Caribbean Islander route feature calls at Dominica, Antigua, Tortola, St. Thomas, Grand Turk, Montego Bay, Curaçao, Bonaire, Isla Margarita, Grenada and Trinidad.  The ship will also offer six sailings on a Grand Caribbean Adventurer itinerary that features stops at St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Grand Turk, Montego Bay, Grand Cayman, Aruba, Bonaire, Caracas and Grenada.  Sea Princess sails these routes between October 27, 2007 and March 29, 2008.

Coral Princess - Coral Princess will join the Caribbean fleet for a special holiday Eastern Caribbean sailing on December 20, 2007.  This seven-day escape features visits to St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Princess' own Princess Cays.

Royal Princess - The intimate Royal Princess also offers a unique holiday option with an unusual 16-day Southern Caribbean Sojourn that sails roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale and includes three new ports of call for Princess -- Samaná, Virgin Gorda and Bequia.  The full itinerary includes Samaná (Dominican Republic), Virgin Gorda, Dominica, Bequia (The Genadines), Tobago, Devil's Island (Île Royale), Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Barthélemy.  Royal Princess sets sail on December 22, 2007.

Regardless of which itinerary passengers choose, they will enjoy some of the most amenity-filled vessels in the Princess fleet, with such distinctive features as the line's signature Personal Choice Dining, Lotus Spa, extensive children and teen centers, wedding chapels, internet centers, and a diverse array of entertainment options and venues, all in an intimately designed, personalized environment.  Emerald Princess, Crown Princess and Caribbean Princess also offer features perfect for island cruising, such as the poolside "Movies Under the Stars" movie screen, a Caribbean-themed alternative restaurant, and nearly 900 cabins with balconies -- more than on any other cruise ships sailing year-round in the Caribbean.

Early booking fares for Princess' Caribbean sailings begin at $599 per person, based on double occupancy, for seven-day sailings.

Additional information is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com.

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Princess Celebrates 40 Years of Panama Canal Cruising in 2007-08
Sister Ships Coral Princess and Island Princess Offer Nine Itinerary Choices Through Dramatic Engineering Marvel

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (July 19, 2006) - When Princess transits the locks of the Panama Canal in 2007, it will mark the 40th year that the company has been cruising through this modern-day engineering wonder.  The Panama Canal has been called one of the greatest achievements of the 20th Century, and in 2007-08 Princess will offer nine itinerary options for passengers to this 'must see' marvel, including a variety of shorter transits that pack a port-intensive itinerary into a more convenient time frame than a traditional longer sailing.

Passengers will be able to travel between the two oceans aboard sister ships Coral Princess and Island Princess, offering full Canal transit voyages and convenient roundtrip partial transits.  Purpose-built for the Canal, these ships will together offer nearly 40 departures, carrying more passengers to the Panama Canal than any other cruise line.  Each ship also offers vacationers more opportunities to enjoy a balcony stateroom than any other vessel in the destination - the perfect vantage point for passengers to take a close-up look at the workings of the Canal's fascinating locks, which raise and lower the vessel a total of 170 feet.

Highlighting the program are Coral Princess' convenient 10-day roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale partial Canal sailings on a new itinerary, Island  Princess' 10- and 11-day full transits between San Juan and Acapulco, plus two new itineraries between Ft. Lauderdale and Acapulco.  Island Princess will also offer longer 15-day full transits as well as two sailings of a special 19-day Pacific Panama Canal cruise roundtrip from Los Angeles that has proven to be a passenger favorite.

"Princess' 40 years of history in this destination means we know it well and we combine our knowledge of the region with a variety of innovative itineraries," said Jan Swartz, senior vice president of customer service and sales for Princess.  "We pioneered regularly scheduled Panama Canal sailings, and we continue to add a variety of options for passengers who wish to combine this fascinating engineering wonder with the best of the Caribbean and Mexican Riviera."

Coral Princess returns to the Canal to once again offer a series of popular roundtrip voyages from Ft. Lauderdale.  In addition, passengers will enjoy two full Canal transits.

Roundtrip Panama Canal - Coral Princess returns to again offer a series of roundtrip voyages from Ft. Lauderdale, with a revised itinerary that includes a return to historic Cartagena and the island of Aruba.  The ship will offer 19 departures on this 10-night itinerary which includes Aruba, Cartagena, the Panama Canal partial transit, Cristobal, Limon (Costa Rica), and Ocho Rios.  Coral Princess will depart between October 11, 2007 and April 15, 2008.

Grand Panama Canal - Coral Princess also offers two full Grand Canal 15- and 17-day transits between Ft. Lauderdale and San Francisco or Vancouver with calls at Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Huatulco, Costa Rica (Puntarenas), Panama Canal, Cartagena and Aruba.  Sailings depart on September 24, 2007 and April 25, 2008.

Island Princess joins her sister ship for a series of full canal transit options, including 10-, 11- and 15-day cruises, plus a unique 19-day west coast itinerary.

Panama Canal Explorer - Island Princess sails between Acapulco and San Juan on a 10- or 11-day transit that includes calls at Huatulco, Guatemala (Puerto Quetzal), Nicaragua (Puerto Corinto or San Juan del Sur), Costa Rica (Puntarenas), Panama Canal, Cartagena and Aruba.  The 11-day option also includes a call in Curacao.  The ship offers four sailings of each option between November 3, 2007 and January 15, 2008.

Panama Canal Adventurer - Two sailings between Ft. Lauderdale and Acapulco offer a choice between a 10-day option on October 24, 2007 with calls at Ocho Rios, Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador, Costa Rica (Puntarenas), Nicaragua (San Juan del Sur), Guatemala (Puerto Quetzal), and Huatulco.  An 11-day itinerary on January 26, 2008 stops at Huatulco, Guatemala (Puerto Quetzal), Nicaragua (Puerto Corinto), Costa Rica (Puntarenas), Panama Canal, Cartagena and Aruba.

Exotic Panama Canal - A 15-day journey between Los Angeles and Ft. Lauderdale featuring calls at Huatulco, Guatemala (Puerto Quetzal), Nicaragua (Puerto Corinto or San Juan del Sur), Costa Rica (Puntarenas), Panama Canal, Cartagena, Aruba, Montego Bay or Ocho Rios.  Island Princess offers six sailings on this route, on October 9, 2007 and between February 6 and April 6, 2008.

Pacific Panama Canal - Two roundtrip voyages from Los Angeles call at Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Huatulco, Costa Rica (Puntarenas), Panama Canal (overnight at Gatun Lake), Fuerte Amador, Nicaragua (Puerto Corinto), Guatemala (Puerto Quetzal), Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, and Puerto Vallarta.  These special 19-day sailings feature an overnight in the Canal.  Cruises depart on September 20, 2007 and April 21, 2008.

Coastal Voyages - Several Princess ships also offer a variety of shorter West Coast voyages perfect as a way to sample Princess' acclaimed service and onboard amenities.

San Francisco/Vancouver - A two-day journey between the "City by the Bay" and British Columbia's largest city.  Offered on Coral Princess on September 24, 2007 and May 10, 2008; as well as Golden Princess on May 2, 2007.

Los Angeles/Vancouver - Several options are available for passengers traveling between Los Angeles and Vancouver.  A three-day itinerary is offered aboard Island Princess on September 17, 2007 and May 16, 2008; Diamond Princess on May 7, 2008; and Sapphire Princess on May 14, 2008.  A four-day version with a call at Victoria sails on Diamond Princess on September 15, 2007.  An extended six-day sailing on Golden Princess features calls at Victoria, San Francisco, Catalina, San Diego, and is offered on September 23, 2007 and May 3, 2008.

Seattle/Vancouver - These overnight sailings between Seattle and Vancouver give passengers a taste of life aboard Golden Princess, with departures on May 4, 2007, September 22, 2007 and May 9, 2008.

Early booking fares for Princess' Panama Canal sailings begin at $1,199 per person, based on double occupancy, for 10-day sailings.

Additional information is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com.

Please note: This article was published on the date shown above. The information on this page is not updated after publication.

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