HOT OF THE PRESS: Golden to take over Regal sailings

[APH]

According to sources in the company and newly-released itineraries, it has been confirmed that Golden Princess will be sailing in South America for the winter 2006/spring 2007 season. She will make her maiden call in Rio de Janeiro on December 18th 2006.

 

Exciting news!!! :D

[Druke I]

Hope it is not too rough when she goes 'round the Horn.

 

Those flat-bottomed, beamy Grand class ships don't like rough water.

 

I for one would much rather see a Sun class, or even the Pacific Priincess (new) on that run.

[Crowsie]

Hmm...sure will be interesting to see what path the Amazon itineraries take now that the Golden is there.

[Coral]

I am surprised it isn't a Sun Class.

[Aquarian]

Any idea what ship will take her place out of SJ for the Southern Caribbean itineraries?

[spongerob]

I would guess then, that if Golden Princess is to become a globetrotter, that MUTS installation might be permanently on hold. Just speculating.

 

I wonder if this is an experiment, or a long-term proposition.

[aggieastrosfan]

Any idea what ship will take her place out of SJ for the Southern Caribbean itineraries?

 

That was the first question I had when I read this...I'd be curious to find that out as well.

[Druke I]

Crowsie

 

We took the Pacific Princess (old) down the Amazon, and thought it a grand trip.

 

I can not imagine a Grand class ship docking in Manaus, not can I imagine the number of charter flights that will be required to Manaus. The airport there could barely handle the charters to fill Pacific Princess (I think its passenger load was 650 or so).

[derf5585]

Greek Isles - Both Grand Princess and Golden Princess will offer an expanded season of 12 Greek Isles sailings,

from

http://www.princess.com/news/article.jsp?newsArticleId=na730

[kfgarrow]

Ok, I am booked on the Golden for January 2006 and my first thought was that it would affect my cruise. After closer inspection, I had to come back in and edit my post! I guess it won't affect us at all.

[APH]

I wonder, might the new Emerald Princess, due out in early spring 2007, take over the southern caribbean route?

 

As an alternative, it might be Crown Princess when she relocates from the summer season in New York.

 

I guess we'll find out soon!

[LARGIN]

Andy.. Will the Grand do the SF/Alaska/SF run like the Regal??

[APH]

Largin, that is not planned at present. After her 2006 Med run, she will return to Ft Lauderdale in November (NOT GALVESTON i believe).

[Pam in CA]

I can't imagine the Golden to take over more than one or two itineraries for the Regal. It can't go through the Canal (there goes the LAX to FLL itinerary) and like Druke, I don't think that some of the ports can handle twice as many passengers. If it goes around the Horn, where does it go from there? It can't go up the other coast and back through the Canal.

[calikak]

I can't imagine the Golden to take over more than one or two itineraries for the Regal. It can't go through the Canal (there goes the LAX to FLL itinerary) and like Druke, I don't think that some of the ports can handle twice as many passengers. If it goes around the Horn, where does it go from there? It can't go up the other coast and back through the Canal.

 

Good question--maybe she'll stay in the Pacific and take over the sailings out of San Francisco to Alaska in 2007? That would mean adding a repo up the west coast of South America, which would be a new itinerary, wouldn't it? Or, she might sail from Cape Horn over to Tahiti on the way up to California? Or, she might just sail back around Cape Horn and back up the east coast of South America to the Caribbean.

[Crowsie]

Crowsie

 

We took the Pacific Princess (old) down the Amazon, and thought it a grand trip.

 

I can not imagine a Grand class ship docking in Manaus, not can I imagine the number of charter flights that will be required to Manaus. The airport there could barely handle the charters to fill Pacific Princess (I think its passenger load was 650 or so).

 

Michael....We were on the Royal (sad..oh so sad).

Manaus is one thing..but can you imagine Boca DeLavaria (I know I spelled that incorrectly!) If you put 2600 in that village it would collapse!

Heck...I wonder how Rio can handle that size of ship.

 

We ended up doing a fair amount of tendering on the Sapphire because she was too large for many of the Asian ports...she wouldn't find under the bridge in Sydney..and Brisbane...well..yipes.