No more 14 day cruises for the Grand...

[momK]

Sad sad sad. We really enjoyed our 14-day Grand cruise in 1/09, and were looking forward to going 1/12. Oh, well....:(

[Infi]

How disappointing! I was watching the 14 day Caribbean collection for our Christmas cruise next year. 14 days sounded wonderful, a B2B, not so much. The B2B itinerary is pretty uninspiring as well. Now I wish we had chosen the 14 day trip for this year, our 10 day cruise will be available next Dec, but this one won't. :(

 

I can understand the 14 day cruises are harder to sell, most people can't have that much time off, but this change will definitely make me look at another line for our Christmas cruise...I can't imagine that's what Princess wants, either.

[Coral]

One thing to remember - other lines do the same thing when cruises are not selling well. Princess is not alone in this.

 

I have had cruises on other lines cancelled for this same reason.

[MM42]

We are doing a 14 day booked as a BTB from SJU on CB. this Jan. THe only repeat port is St Thomas and SJU of course The itineraries are different That is why we took this cruise I'm not sure if it will be offered this way again but if you are willing to fly to SJU there is an option and 14 days possible, However no seadays just a whole lot of ports ...which is Great!!

Michele

 

I did that cruise twice and loved it but I was hoping to do the 14 day cruise on the Grand. The itineray for the CB will be the same in 2012.

[Salty Dawg]

However I don't think this was due to the itinerary but the fact that people were put off because the ship is in need of some attention and Princess delayed the refurbishment too long. People like newer ships.

 

Have to agree with you. We love the true 14 night cruise and have done several with Princess but quite a few people we know and sail with were waiting for the Grand to have a much needed "face lift" before they booked her again for the longer voyage.

 

The other cruise lines offering the extended sailings will probable see an increase in their bookings. Loyal Princess cruisers like us will now have to explore & experience the competitor's offerings for the pleasure of a 14 day itinerary.

[gertz]

We gave up on the Caribbean years ago. Too crowded and too many ships. We also will not go on the extra deck over crowded one anymore either.

But we have been talking about a 7 day caribbean cruise lately and this now gives us an option we didn't have before and we like the Grand. So not all is bad at least for us.:D

[holidaylover10]

Hi all,

 

Not sure where on the site to post this, Have been checking Princess website in the last few days and noticed the cruise i had booked for april 2012 to the caribbean aboard the Grand Princess had been removed. Also when i tried to log in to my account it would not allow me. I have just phoned my Travel Agent and she informed me the cruise had been cancelled, She said they had recieved a email today and would be phoning around tomorrow to try to sort something out. As far as i can see the Caribbean Collection itinery seems to have been removed for all of 2012.

 

The only other cruise to the Caribbean i could go on with Princess is the following day on the Caribbean Princess, but this is about £100 more each person. Do you think as Princess have cancelled the Cruise that we would be offered that one at the same price as we paid originally. If not i will look at going with Celebrity instead.

To add this is our first Cruise so not sure if this something that happens very often

[Toto2Kansas]

This thread might interested you, we have been discussing it there. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1311634

 

As far as your cancelled cruise, when they are cancelled that far in advance (remember it is only 2010 right now) and 2012 is over a year away, they don't offer anything. You will not receive another cruise at the same price, and no compensation for the cancelled cruise that far in the future. Sorry!

[wadswatcher]

We are doing a 16 day cruise on the Grand which begins May 5, 2011 from Fort Lauderdale to Southampton.

[seastar2]

Now that I have the time to do the 14 day cruises they stop them:(

 

Glad we decided to take the Feb Grand sailing this year.... I idea of a b2b from FLL isn't thrilling but San Jaun might be an option for next year.

 

Hopefully Princess (Carnvial Corp???) will listen and reinstate the longer cruises.

[CrusinAgain]

I'm cancelling my Grand Dec. 2011 booking today, & I'll book the Emerald 10 day as a b2b.

 

Although we will go back to FLL in the middle, at least the ports are good on the Emerald. The itinerary for the Grand is terrible.

 

Glad we've been doing the 14 day Grand Princess Caribbean for the last few years in Dec., & have one last 14 dayer coming up in a few weeks.

 

I think Princess messed up big time on this one.

 

Minette

 

Lucky you! 20 days at sea isn't doable for us. 14 days was just right. We may have to do just the 10 day one.

[Mindy43]

Its too bad that Princess has decided against their 14-day S. Caribbean route. We did this cruise in February '10 and it was so enjoyable and port intensive! We would not consider a similar b2b because of returning to Ft. Lauderdale and two trips to Princess Cays, plus losing a day at Ft. Lauderdale??? Princess just may lose some business because of this!

We'll have to wait and see.

[fredman]

It sure appears that the 14 day Caribbean cruises, after this coming March, will all be two 7 day cruises B2B (which return to Fort Lauderdale mid cruise). That's a real shame, as repeated menus and repeated entertainment is not what many who book 14 day Caribbean sailings are looking for. :(

 

Exactly, also you are waste a day as you have to debark and embark again. If you are lucky to have the same stateroom you won't have to repack.

 

But you pay Government taxes twice on a B2B as opposed to once :eek: on a 14 day.

 

We did a B2B and that debark/embark day was a waste...the only upside was it was Superbowl Sunday! :D

[RickEk]

Now that I have the time to do the 14 day cruises they stop them:(

 

Glad we decided to take the Feb Grand sailing this year.... I idea of a b2b from FLL isn't thrilling but San Jaun might be an option for next year.

 

Hopefully Princess (Carnvial Corp???) will listen and reinstate the longer cruises.

 

Its too bad that Princess has decided against their 14-day S. Caribbean route. We did this cruise in February '10 and it was so enjoyable and port intensive! We would not consider a similar b2b because of returning to Ft. Lauderdale and two trips to Princess Cays, plus losing a day at Ft. Lauderdale??? Princess just may lose some business because of this!

We'll have to wait and see.

 

I'm sure they changed it because they thought the 14/7 day voyages would be more profitable... these kind of drastic itinerary changes aren't made lightly...

[CrusinAgain]

But you pay Government taxes twice on a B2B as opposed to once :eek: on a 14 day.

 

 

I was not aware of this. I have no idea how the taxes are calculated but obviously they are not calculated on the total amount paid since everyone pays the same I noticed on the princess web site.

[caribill]

But you pay Government taxes twice on a B2B as opposed to once :eek: on a 14 day.

 

 

Not really. In both cases you are paying the applicable taxes for 14 days.

 

Of course you will be paying the taxes twice to Port Everglades and twice to the Bahamas, but that is instead of paying them to other ports.

[fredman]

But you pay Government taxes twice on a B2B as opposed to once :eek: on a 14 day.

 

I was not aware of this. I have no idea how the taxes are calculated but obviously they are not calculated on the total amount paid since everyone pays the same I noticed on the princess web site.

 

This past year on the Carnival Freedom B2B, the government tax was charged for each sailing by Carnival as I booked with their agent ....twice for government taxes as indeed they are two separate sailings. Carnival has to charge the government tax per head for every one sailing from the embarkation port. Carnival counts my B2B as two cruises towards their loyalty program.

 

In fact on our B2B we had to close out our first folio, be escorted off the ship, re-processed at the counters and back on. The upside was that we were escorted to the desks before they opened to the other passengers and then right back on the ship. :)

 

So I guess the winner is the tax man!

[davekathy]

We don’t mind the B2B option. The reason we cancelled our 24 March 2012 14 Day Cruise is Princess screwed with the itinerary. It wasn’t as appealing to us as the original 2012 itinerary. We just booked with RCCL doing a 14 Day. Much, much better itinerary. We’ll look at Princess for our 2013 Cruise. We’ve got a Future Cruise Credit we’ve got use by 2014 plus we like Cruising with Princess.

[MM42]

The reason we cancelled our 24 March 2012 14 Day Cruise is Princess screwed with the itinerary. It wasn’t as appealing to us as the original 2012 itinerary.

 

My thought also. I was booked on the February 2012 14 day cruise. I cancelled my Princess cruise and I am now booked on a 14 day cruise with Celebrity.

 

What I don't understand is that my travel agent told me that 14 day cruises are easy to sell and she had a lot of clients who were waiting for the Grand's 'New look' before booking.

[Woobstr112G]

Was thinking of returning to the Caribbean after a long absence, but not now.....:(:(:(

 

Bob

[CrusinAgain]

This past year on the Carnival Freedom B2B, the government tax was charged for each sailing by Carnival as I booked with their agent ....twice for government taxes as indeed they are two separate sailings. Carnival has to charge the government tax per head for every one sailing from the embarkation port. Carnival counts my B2B as two cruises towards their loyalty program.

 

In fact on our B2B we had to close out our first folio, be escorted off the ship, re-processed at the counters and back on. The upside was that we were escorted to the desks before they opened to the other passengers and then right back on the ship. :)

 

So I guess the winner is the tax man!

 

I understand what you are saying and being counted as two cruises instead of one is about the best part of a B2B cruise as we make out better with the internet and on board credit from our FCC's on a 14 day one though. Of course I don't think Carnival has the benefits of the internet credit does it?

[fredman]

Of course I don't think Carnival has the benefits of the internet credit does it?

 

You are right Platinum Guests (10 or more cruises) don't receive internet credits. Which is unfortunate as it seems more and more people are using the internet during their cruise vacation to share their experiences.

 

This will be our first cruise with Princess and we chose it mainly because of the 14 day itinerary as it is more affordable than a B2B in terms of taxes, and one less day spent in Port Everglades or Miami.

 

That turnaround day is an unproductive day as the spa isn't open. The one really neat thing about embarkation day on your turnaround though is you get to see all the new guests come aboard especially newbies and watching their jaws drop, wide big eyes and a huge big grin! :D

[maxxedout2]

The new itineraries are now on the Princess site for the 2011-2012 Caribbean season for the Grand and the ship will only do 7 day cruises. For a 14 day cruise we will now have to do a back-to-back. Bad news... bad bad news....

 

Really.

 

So, now it's going to be two (separate) 7-day cruises, running

concurrently? Ya, their accountant$ won that one, but then

they always win. :confused:

 

:D PROs: ...anybody....?

 

:( CONs: Out of 14 days there are 2 days at Princess Cays and

2 wasted sea travel days to get back-and-forth to FLL?

 

There is no friggin' way we would want to do this,

living here in Ft. Lauderdale.

Jeeeezzz....

 

Hey Princess, "Hello".

 

Testing, testing.

 

"Hello Princess".

 

How 'bout a 10-day Eastern from FLL

(once at PCays)?

Followed by a 4-day Key West/Cayman cruise?

 

...just wondering.

 

:cool::cool:

[Coral]

I actually booked a B2B on the new itinerary. I am not sure if I will keep it but I did book it. I welcome having a original Grand Class ship sailing from FLL as I am not a fan of the newer ships with the extra deck.

 

I love Princess Cays - so 2 days there is fine with me. I wouldn't mind having 2 days there during a 7 night week. Disney often does this on their itineraries. Some of us don't live near a beach (I am probably 20 hours from one) so I welcome going there 2x.

 

As far as being in FLL on turnaround day, not a big deal. I consider it a pool day and will have the pools to myself for a few hours. I don't mind sea days either.

 

Maybe those of you from FL don't like this but this specific itinerary was not sailing well and Princess made a change. I have a hard time believing people were waiting to see what it looked "post dry dock" as the Golden and Star have already gone through dry dock and I am sure the Grand is going to look pretty similar.

[maxxedout2]

I actually booked a B2B on the new itinerary. I am not sure if I will keep it but I did book it. I welcome having a original Grand Class ship sailing from FLL as I am not a fan of the newer ships with the extra deck.

 

I love Princess Cays - so 2 days there is fine with me. I wouldn't mind having 2 days there during a 7 night week. Disney often does this on their itineraries. Some of us don't live near a beach (I am probably 20 hours from one) so I welcome going there 2x.

 

As far as being in FLL on turnaround day, not a big deal. I consider it a pool day and will have the pools to myself for a few hours. I don't mind sea days either.

 

Maybe those of you from FL don't like this but this specific itinerary was not sailing well and Princess made a change. I have a hard time believing people were waiting to see what it looked "post dry dock" as the Golden and Star have already gone through dry dock and I am sure the Grand is going to look pretty similar.

 

 

Every situation is a little different. I know what you mean, we have

to travel far to go ice fishing and snowmobiling.

 

After 30 years in FL, boating, diving and BBQing, I'll pass on 2 days at

Princess Cays. It is a scenic place, no question; we would just as

soon use those days to cruise to a more distant Island. Like those sea days.

 

...just can't reconcile the turn-around-day in FLL (for me).

 

Wait. Maybe I could walk home and do some yard work, splash in

my pool, BBQ some ribs, have a Mango Daiquiri or three, then

get back to the ship for the sail away party. :D

 

...if it is unavoidable, I may enjoy that turn-around-day after all.

 

Hehehe, maybe Princess could make a 'Walking Turn-Around Excursion'

to my yard? Competition style BBQ, ice cold draft beer or real homegrown

Mango Daiquiris and a personal floating pool lounger...sign up at the Pursers desk. Only kidding.

 

Enjoy your cruises.

 

:cool::cool: