April 2011 San Francisco voyages canceled

[AFT_LOVER]

I do not want to repeat cruises. Favorites maybe then. W Carib has different ports at least between Princess & NCL. But Alaska, Vancouver, are nothing new even after 10 years. And to be hit between the eyes with ridiculous taxes put a NO on them.

 

I want new ports as the world is huge so go visit everywhere.

I want to fly domestic, so I get BOGO with AMEX, as Hawaii from LA is. But S Pacific is a long flight that costs more than the cruise. A 2 weeks cruise from San Diego RT? Even TA RT? Folks love at sea cruises to relax, so more of them instead of repositioning.

 

 

I think Princess is going more global, as are Disney and RCI. And HAL, Celebrity, and even Carnival. Spank me or thank me, but I think the days of the same old-same old days of cruising the same-old same-old Mexican Riviera/E and W Caribbean/Southern Caribbean ports week after week are coming to an end. These ports are basically "over-cruised", and people are wanting something less familiar and more exotic. Ships are even pulling out of Alaska. I'm predicting that cruise lines will leave older ships to do the familiar itineraries, while positioning their newer and larger ships to do the "less-travelled roads". I'm just saying.

[Colo Cruiser]

True. The S/S United States was capable of 35.6 knots (41 mph), pretty darned fast.

 

It was actually capable of alot more then that.

[sultan_sfo]

Not so! Only the voyages to SF and later itinerary are canceled because Star is not going to Alaska but most likely to Europe. The Antarctic and SA voyages for Dec to Feb 2011 are still intact.

 

I am not surprised Star is being pulled out of South America.

...

OUr Captain Kent did not seem to care for being in these rough waters ...was rather negative prior to his vacation on the prospect of returning to South America in 2011 .

...

[Pia1913]

Not so! Only the voyages to SF and later itinerary are canceled because Star is not going to Alaska but most likely to Europe. The Antarctic and SA voyages for Dec to Feb 2011 are still intact.

 

I hope it goes back down to FLL from Rio before it goes to Europe. If so, I'll be on it. :)

[sultan_sfo]

My guess too. Better if it goes all the way to NY! But Rio to Barcelona as a B2B would be fun too!

 

Added Later: Hope Star does not end up doing Caribbean from FLL!

 

I hope it goes back down to FLL from Rio before it goes to Europe. If so, I'll be on it. :)

[Woobstr112G]

Bummer! I want more cruises out of CA ports instead of fewer...:(

 

Me too......So cool to drive to San Pedro or San Diego instead of flying for a day.....

 

Bob

[Colo Cruiser]

Me too......So cool to drive to San Pedro or San Diego instead of flying for a day.....

 

Bob

 

 

:p :p :p

[4cats4me]

I thought this thread was supposed to be dedicated to the fact

that the SF sailings had been canceled, and now the thread is going

off into all sorts of directions, i.e., all around the world;):D

[twocats]

We were booked on the April 30, 2011 cruise to Mex. to replace our canceled trip from the H1N1 scare last year. We have a credit to use on a booking made by 4/11. We enjoy cruising but recently have given up the hassles of flying and so enjoyed SF departures. I am crushed that we are unable to redo the trip we missed. I checked in the Sept. 2010 cruise and found everything waitlisted. Not sure if I want to try anyway and possibly be disappointed once again. Alaska is an option, but we like the heat of the southern trips. Big dilemma, not enough choices, and I am not losing our credits offered by Princess from the last fiasco. I am disappointed in Princess for making changes this way, and sending a letter with no explaination.

[vickie_bernie]

The Star has been in Europe the past few years doing the Baltic during the summer season.

 

not true - she has only been in teh Baltic this past summer -- The Star was in Alaska up until last year, we took her in the fall of 2008 after she finished her Alaskan Season

[4cats4me]

We were booked on the April 30, 2011 cruise to Mex. to replace our canceled trip from the H1N1 scare last year. We have a credit to use on a booking made by 4/11. We enjoy cruising but recently have given up the hassles of flying and so enjoyed SF departures. I am crushed that we are unable to redo the trip we missed. I checked in the Sept. 2010 cruise and found everything waitlisted. Not sure if I want to try anyway and possibly be disappointed once again. Alaska is an option, but we like the heat of the southern trips. Big dilemma, not enough choices, and I am not losing our credits offered by Princess from the last fiasco. I am disappointed in Princess for making changes this way, and sending a letter with no explaination.

 

The Sapphire will have one 10-day cruise departing from L.A. for its

next season because I came across that when I was looking for

alternatives the other night. January 5th, 2011 -- nearly the same itinerary. That way you wouldn't have to

fly. The drive to San Pedro isn't all that bad.

If the 10-day sailing doesn't work for you maybe you'd be inclined

to go on the 7-day out of L.A.?

[califgary]

Hey there - good to know about that 10 day on the Sapphire wish we could do that one its just to early on in the year darn it! Ive tentatively reserved the 7 day week of 4/9 in hopes of being able to switch to whatever Princess comes up with later - assuming of course there will be anything offerred! This is the pits ain't it?

[4cats4me]

Hey there - good to know about that 10 day on the Sapphire wish we could do that one its just to early on in the year darn it! Ive tentatively reserved the 7 day week of 4/9 in hopes of being able to switch to whatever Princess comes up with later - assuming of course there will be anything offerred! This is the pits ain't it?

 

Yeah, it's a bummer. I just received my official notice about the cancellation.

[here2cruise]

this is terrible. we just booked this cruise too. waiting to get a call back from our TA..so Sapphire has a 10 day Mex next year out of San Pedro? Maybe all us West Coasters should start contacting Princess and give them a piece of our minds... I am so bummed! I love going out of SF as it is so nice to not have that long drive to San Pedro!

[califgary]

We feel your pain here2cruise - BTW Im in Antioch as well - isnt it nice just heading over the bridge to get on board and there are so few good cruises offerred out of SF - which compounds the disappointment when they take these away from us....

 

Boo to Princess.

[here2cruise]

yes Califgary it is wonderful to have such a short drive and we are there....I ahve a call into my TA and I also emailed Princess....I sure hope they bring the Grand or Emerald to save the day....it is interesting that they cancelled those 2 cruises on those ships in April 2011....i sure hope we will still get to go! Nice to see someone from Antioch :)

[califgary]

ditto! Yes after discovering that the Grand and Emerald have some canceled Caribbean itineraries as well, I am hoping against hope that somehow one of those ships will be sent our way since Star will stay in Europe.

 

Come on Princess throw us a bone our money is just as good over here on the West Coast! PLEEEEEASE!

[Phamer55]

ditto! Yes after discovering that the Grand and Emerald have some canceled Caribbean itineraries as well, I am hoping against hope that somehow one of those ships will be sent our way since Star will stay in Europe.

 

Come on Princess throw us a bone our money is just as good over here on the West Coast! PLEEEEEASE!

 

The Grand and Emerald are off to Europe in 2011 as well. The Grand leaves on May 5, 2011 and the Emerald leaves on April 27, 2011. The Emerald will be do a new 11-day Scandinavia & Russia itinerary there in Europe.

[califgary]

We can't seem to get a break!!!! That's it then.....I guess this horse is dead! Time to get over it - Good luck to all in your travels.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

I know I am talking about RCI here on a Princess forum, but I got an interesting e-mail from RCI the other day. It was a "port survey" on ports we recently visited in the MR. When asked what itineraries we would be interested in the future I checked the Mexican Riviera once again, along with a PNW itinerary. They gave me a list of ports I would be interested in visiting. In it was included the Sea of Cortez ports that HAL is doing along with PNW ports such as Astoria and ports along the CA coast, Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria.

 

I am probably reading too much into the survey, but the mere inclusion of these ports, especially the Sea of Cortez ports makes me think that RCI at least has not completely abandoned the idea of sailing out of the left coast, and are possibly looking into expanded or different itineraries. I hope so! Then maybe Princess would join in and give us more variety from which to choose.

[DrivesLikeMario]

On May 3, the Star Princess will be doing a 27 day Med. and Egypt Grand Adventure. It departs from FLL goes to the Canary Islands, Spain, Italy, Egypt, Turkey, Greece and ends in Rome. It can also be booked as a 15 night Roman Passage cruise from FLL to Rome departing May 3rd.

 

So, it looks like the Star will do a cruise from So. Am. up to FLL beforehand.

[here2cruise]

well it looks like there is no hope for us West Coasters

[DrivesLikeMario]

I totally empathize. It's always a bummer when we lose a good ship out here. :(

[4cats4me]

And something to keep in mind: There's no way Princess would bring

the Grand or Emerald over here because they weren't built to

fit through the Panama Canal. Therefore, to get here they'd have to

go around the horn of S.A. and we all know that those cruises

will be history as of the end of March 2011.

The Coral and the Island were built to go through the Canal, so if Princess

were to consider sailings out of SF I would imagine that they would

bring these ships over through the canal, or, we might luck out and

get a bone here and there when the finish the Asian/Hawaii sailings

sometime.

Heck, last time we sailed out of SF in 2007 not only was it us on the

Golden Princess, but the Dawn Princess left the same day as us, both

out of San Fran!

[Pia1913]

On May 3, the Star Princess will be doing a 27 day Med. and Egypt Grand Adventure. It departs from FLL goes to the Canary Islands, Spain, Italy, Egypt, Turkey, Greece and ends in Rome. It can also be booked as a 15 night Roman Passage cruise from FLL to Rome departing May 3rd.

 

So, it looks like the Star will do a cruise from So. Am. up to FLL beforehand.

 

That's exactly what I assumed. Since I'm already booked on the 2/23 sailing from Santiago to Rio, I'm waiting to see what will be offered from Rio to probably FLL.