Princess pulling out of Lauderdale?

[Colo Cruiser]

lol!! I just corrected/edited my last post and said the exact same thing. :)

 

By the way, I hope I didn't come off too strong or anything. I FULLY understand Princess' decision to move their ships around. If we didn't enjoy cruising on/with them I wouldn't be complaining about it. ;)

 

They just need a couple extra to fill the gaps but I think that by the time the new ones are built 1 or 2 more will be gone from the fleet.

[Hunwolf]

It's not a question of making money... it's a question of how much money they can make. :) Just because a ship is full doesn't mean it's making money or even breaking even. There was a TV show last year about an RCI ship and how their profit margin is very, very slim.

 

lol!! I just corrected/edited my last post and said the exact same thing. :)

 

By the way, I hope I didn't come off too strong or anything. I FULLY understand Princess' decision to move their ships around. If we didn't enjoy cruising on/with them I wouldn't be complaining about it. ;)

[juggles]

There are cruiselines that do have cruises during the summer. If you've been on one, you'd know that it's hot, sticky and the weather pretty uncomfortable unless you're submerged in water most of the time. Besides, most of the U.S. has pretty nice weather in the summer so the need to go somewhere it's warm isn't the priority it is during the winter months.

 

Princess, and other cruiselines, deploy their ships where they'll make the most money. Yes, demand is a factor but summer Caribbean cruises are not in high demand and cruiselines can't charge much for them. Princess ends their Mexican Riviera cruises out of LA for the same reason. They make a heck of a lot more money in Europe, which is where most of the ships are deployed. They make less money in Alaska which is why there are fewer ships in Alaska this year and next compared to previous years. It's not just Princess but several of the other cruiselines as well.

 

Oh, I didn't know that. being from the UK, we yearn for sticky/humid/hot weather LOL and I would love to cruise the Carib in summer

[lehb]

Here's my 2 cents for better or worse:

The Caribbean cruises in the summer are designed for people to take their kids, since the kids are out of school. Older folks with grown up kids or those with no kids are not as inclined to want to go to the Caribbean in the summer with all those kids around (no way my DH and I would go then). This market will most likely favor the cruise lines that really cater to familie (such as Disney, RC, & Carnival). This means increased business during the summer for those cruise lines in the Caribbean. Increased business means those cruise lines can charge more.

 

The cruise lines that cater to an older demographic (and even though Princess has good kids programs, they are not as kid oriented as those listed above) can either try to compete in that cluttered family market or take their ships somewhere that would have more appeal to more of their demographic. I read in the paper recently that Europe has become the hot spot for American cruise lines, because more Europeans are taking their cruises. So lines are sending more ships to Europe during the summer. As someone already said, it is about profit, and for Princess Europe is certainly more profitable.

[Hunwolf]

Here's my 2 cents for better or worse:

The Caribbean cruises in the summer are designed for people to take their kids, since the kids are out of school. Older folks with grown up kids or those with no kids are not as inclined to want to go to the Caribbean in the summer with all those kids around (no way my DH and I would go then). This market will most likely favor the cruise lines that really cater to familie (such as Disney, RC, & Carnival). This means increased business during the summer for those cruise lines in the Caribbean. Increased business means those cruise lines can charge more.

 

The cruise lines that cater to an older demographic (and even though Princess has good kids programs, they are not as kid oriented as those listed above) can either try to compete in that cluttered family market or take their ships somewhere that would have more appeal to more of their demographic. I read in the paper recently that Europe has become the hot spot for American cruise lines, because more Europeans are taking their cruises. So lines are sending more ships to Europe during the summer. As someone already said, it is about profit, and for Princess Europe is certainly more profitable.

 

I believe this is it in a nutshell.

 

Though...to be fair...our daughter (who turned 9 on the Emerald a few weeks ago) enjoyed the Shockwaves program on Princess just about as much as the kid's program on RCI the year before. There were not as many kids on board (as a ratio) but a fair amount.

[maxxedout2]

Summer Months 2011 no Princess ships out of Port Everglades, FL.

 

RCI will have their (2) Monstrosities of the Seas sailing with 5,400 pax

each.....10,800 souls on 2 ships each week...

maybe too much competition for our beloved Princess admin_folks to deal with?

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/search/vacationSearchResult.do;jsessionid=0000Mmrn0Jd3nhXv9pECJ68ol7Z:12hdhubrs?qvsHome=yes&cS=QVS&date=201105&dest=CARIB&ship=ANY&port=FLL&includeAdjascentPorts=Y&cruiseTourOnly=false&state=&btn_findcruises.x=26&btn_findcruises.y=7

 

Speaking as a Florida DINK (dual income no kids), wife and I

would love to see Princess Cruises have a ship sailing out of

Port Everglades on a 3day/4day Bahama/Caribbean itinerary

similar to RCI's Majesty of the Seas.

We can put 3 or 4 days together easily but not 7 or 10 days...still

working a busy schedule, not retired yet.

 

Until then, DRINK UP ME HEARTIES, YO HO!

[CruisinFinsUp]

Then why does the rate for Caribbean cruises (out of Florida ports) go up across the board in June? I just did a quick search of both Disney and RCI rates out Port Canaveral and Carnival out of Miami next summer and they all increase from May to June.

 

Do a quick scan and compare rates between April-May-June-July from cruises leave FLL or Miami? They all increase their per person rate. ..

 

Simply that the kids are out of school so families can vacation in those months. Supply and demand.

[seamwoman]

As a long time Fort Lauderdale resident I cruised to the Carribbean on other lines many times when I was teaching. As a retiree, I look forward to taking advantage of some Princess cruises out of our Port - perhaps a TransAtlantic so I am happy to hear you response. Thank you. Karen

[DrivesLikeMario]

Princess does not sail from Fort Lauderdale in the summer. They move one ship to New York to sail the Caribbean. :eek:

 

:confused: The Emerald is sailing the Caribbean this summer.