Just venting: No Caribbean sailings this late spring/summer

[nattie]

I am so bummed... I really wanted to do Princess cruise this summer.

 

I know this topic has been discussed already, so I am just venting.

 

It just feels like Princess completely abandoned its customers that are not interested in Alaska (I HATE cold, I am Russian and growing up in cold climate you want your vacations to be warm) and don't want to fly all the way to Europe. I have a 3 yo DS and 83 yo grandma, so the flight and all the walking required is out of the question. So after looking at all the options, I ended up booking Carnival. I guess any cruise is good cruise, right?

 

Very Disappointed Princess Cheerleader (still...)

[RickEk]

I am so bummed... I really wanted to do Princess cruise this summer.

 

I know this topic has been discussed already, so I am just venting.

 

It just feels like Princess completely abandoned its customers that are not interested in Alaska (I HATE cold, I am Russian and growing up in cold climate you want your vacations to be warm) and don't want to fly all the way to Europe. I have a 3 yo DS and 83 yo grandma, so the flight and all the walking required is out of the question. So after looking at all the options, I ended up booking Carnival. I guess any cruise is good cruise, right?

 

Very Disappointed Princess Cheerleader (still...)

 

I believe that next year, they will have a ship in the Caribbean again for the summer...

[Sillyjilly]

What about Hawaii, cruising the West Coast, or Mexico?

[paul929207]

Like all businesses, it comes down to money. Princess can charge much higher fares in other parts of the world.

[Pia1913]

I am so bummed... I really wanted to do Princess cruise this summer.

 

I know this topic has been discussed already, so I am just venting.

 

It just feels like Princess completely abandoned its customers that are not interested in Alaska (I HATE cold, I am Russian and growing up in cold climate you want your vacations to be warm) and don't want to fly all the way to Europe. I have a 3 yo DS and 83 yo grandma, so the flight and all the walking required is out of the question. So after looking at all the options, I ended up booking Carnival. I guess any cruise is good cruise, right?

 

Very Disappointed Princess Cheerleader (still...)

 

There was a ship in the Caribbean in 2007 (Caribbean) and in 2010 (Emerald). 2008, 2009, 2011 and as you stated 2012 not. If they use the same format of putting one back every three years, expect to see one during the summer of 2013.

[roe2ship]

There was a ship in the Caribbean in 2007 (Caribbean) and in 2010 (Emerald). 2008, 2009, 2011 and as you stated 2012 not. If they use the same format of putting one back every three years, expect to see one during the summer of 2013.

Actually,the CB was in the Caribbean (leaving from NY) in the Summer years 2008 - 2011.

[Pam in CA]

Princess (and Carnival Corporation) is a "for profit" company. Demand for some itineraries at certain times of the year isn't high enough to fill the ship. This means Princess has to have flash sales and discounted prices to fill the ship. Good for the cruiser but bad for the corporate bottom line. So, ships are repositioned elsewhere where demand is high and no sale is needed to fill the ship.

 

It all comes down to supply and demand. That's the bottom line.

[Pia1913]

Actually,the CB was in the Caribbean (leaving from NY) in the Summer years 2008 - 2011.

 

I don't count NY; only Florida. I guess it's because I live here. ;)

[nattie]

Well, they will not have Caribbean itineraries in summer 2013 either, but at least next year they will have something decent at the end of April (10 day eastern on Ruby).

 

I normally travel with my 83 yo grandmother (she loves traveling and leaving most of her life in USSR she didn't get a lot of opportunities for that) and my DS (almost 3yo), so long flights are out of the question. We might try Mexican Riviera, but it is pretty long flight from DC too. FL or any East Coast itineraries are ideal.

 

I just can't believe it is so hard to keep one ship on east coast. I mean look at all the 1/2 off sales for Europe now. It looks like Europe is new Hawaii when NCL had 3 ships there and couldn't keep them filled.

 

I guess my biggest quip is, I feel like Princess completely doesn't care about younger US based people (read under 50 with young kids) as customers. Yea, people without young kids probably have more disposable income, etc., but we will be there someday too (hopefully)...

[beshears]

I did not read all your responses, but I like you like warm/HOT weather. Now, this year is an "exception" for Missouri, which is great.:) Normally we have FREEZING/COLD/ICE/snow weather. Up till now from the first of the year, we have nothing to talk about. That is why I "always" liked going to the Caribbean. I have gone to Mexico a couple times to on Princess ships, and it was good.

 

I do like Princess ships, but I have done several Caribbean cruises on Carnival, and LOVED them. As the express goes, "Try it, you might like it.":) Now, if you try Carnival and you don't like it, then you can always go back to Princess or another cruise line.

[jbobst]

I typically don't cruise in the summer, but now that my kids are older, we can no longer take them out of school to cruise. Since the summertime is when most American families take vacation, why is it that so many cruise ships aren't available in the summer months doing the "normal" cruises? I realize Alaska is the big draw, and many ships go there, but trying to get a Mexico cruise is pretty much impossible in the summer unless you want to do Carnival, which we don't (have done it and want to stick with other cruise lines). I didn't realize the Caribbean was the same way. Looks like just the expensive Mega ships (Allure/Oasis/Freedom) are pretty much the only thing available other than Carnival. I can't imagine that American's wouldn't want to take a cruise in the summer time, but if economics is driving the cruise industry, I guess they see there isn't a demand. Carnival must see a demand, because all of there cruise ships are still in place everywhere. Very frustrating for a non-Carnival fan.

[west coast cruiser]

I think a lot of it has to do with weather. Summer time is Hurricane Season in the Carribbean and no one wants to go to Alaska in the winter, they want to go in the Summer.

So there is probably not that big a demand for the Carribbean in the Summer.

Just a thought.

[stoneharborlady]

I don't count NY; only Florida. I guess it's because I live here. ;)

 

HA! Me too Pia. I dont live in Florida, but prefer leaving Ft. Lauderdale over NY anyday. I can pre-cruise on the beach, and not deal with the craziness of New York. No meanness intended , I grew up in NY, just not my idea of a great way to start a cruise.

 

Karen

[Pia1913]

I think a lot of it has to do with weather. Summer time is Hurricane Season in the Carribbean and no one wants to go to Alaska in the winter, they want to go in the Summer.

So there is probably not that big a demand for the Carribbean in the Summer.

Just a thought.

 

Oh yes there are. Hurricanes don't come that often; cruises go out almost every day. In the past 30 years, FLL area has had only 4 hurricanes; I don't count 1992 Andrew because that one was Miami. You guys have earthquakes all the time. :p

[compozer]

we take vacations in the winter to get away from the cold so I would never do a Caribbean cruise in the summer. It is the low season down there so I imagine many people like us don't go there in the summer - that's way it is called the Low Season and Princess probably had to almost give away cabins. Can't blame them

[stoneharborlady]

we take vacations in the winter to get away from the cold so I would never do a Caribbean cruise in the summer. It is the low season down there so I imagine many people like us don't go there in the summer - that's way it is called the Low Season and Princess probably had to almost give away cabins. Can't blame them

 

I cannot agree. Both my Caribbean cruises were in July, on Princess, and neither one were low priced.

 

Karen

[Iamcruzin]

I prefer May to early June for the Caribbean. I feel like summer is extended and going for a week in Feb to get away from the cold is just a tease. Plus a bad snow storm can just cancel your trip altogether. If Princess doesn't come back to NY next Summer I think I will look into Royal Caribbean out of Cape Liberty. With rising fuel costs it’s going to get more expensive to fly which pretty much eliminates Europe for us and we don't want to go to Alaska.

[kywildcatfanone]

I cannot agree. Both my Caribbean cruises were in July, on Princess, and neither one were low priced.

 

Karen

 

I agree. I looked at the Emerald in 2010 and it was much more expensive than my spring/fall cruises I have taken in the past. It was too pricey even up to a couple of weeks before sailing as I was willing to go then too.

 

Mike

[Habs_Fan]

I was also disappointed that there were no summer Caribbean cruises this year. We really enjoy Princess and have only sailed that line (although my wife sailed Royal once). We ended up selecting the California/Mexican Riviera cruise in late September this year but I think there are a lot of cruisers that would just opt to cruise with another line and go to the Caribbean.

 

I'm surprised they don't keep 1 ship there just to have a presence as I'm sure they could easily fill up 1 ship during the summer if Royal and Carnival can.

 

Some people may only be able to afford the Caribbean and only take time off during the summer so they would have to go with another line that is there. So not having ships there Princess is potentially losing on revenue for not only that cruise, but potentially future cruises if those people happen to like another line better.

 

We are going to try to save up enough to go to Europe next year, but if we can't or other circumstances prohibit us, than we will go to the Caribbean. If Princess isn't in the Caribbean next year, we will likely try some other line that is which certainly isn't a bad thing for us, but perhaps it could be for Princess if we like them better.

[sueandkent]

Interesting...when we were booking our November 2012 cruise I had questioned the TA about how booked up the cruises (we were looking at 3 different Princess ones) were already and we had not run into that in the past. She commented that Princess is not starting their Caribbean sailings until later this year and have forced alot of October pax to look at November. This must be a result also of not having a ship in the Caribbean all summer and repositioning from Europe and Alaska happening in October. As others have said, it always comes down to money.

[roe2ship]

I just can't believe it is so hard to keep one ship on east coast. I mean look at all the 1/2 off sales for Europe now. It looks like Europe is new Hawaii when NCL had 3 ships there and couldn't keep them filled.

 

..

While the demand is there for Europe, I think they "over supplied" their ships in the area.....there seems to always be sales, I get quite a few e-mails from Princess with sales in Europe.

 

we take vacations in the winter to get away from the cold so I would never do a Caribbean cruise in the summer. It is the low season down there so I imagine many people like us don't go there in the summer - that's way it is called the Low Season and Princess probably had to almost give away cabins. Can't blame them

Low season??? Hardly! Summer is peak season for many itineraries, Caribbean included....most families with kids cruise that time of year and fares are at a premium. Most times I pay for a seven day Caribbean cruise in the Summer that is more than a 10 day Caribbean cruise in January or other slow off peak times.

[Sanibel*Gal]

Living in SWF we would love to see Princess keep a ship in FLL year round.:)

The port facility at Port Everglades is nice, close to not only FLL airport but Miami and a few others. Like others have said most families with kids can only vacation in the summer & Princess should keep a ship here too.

So, if they do read these boards, they might consider having summer cruises in the Caribbean again!!;)

[lexyplexy]

My DH's theory was that there was a lot of cruises in Europe this year because of the Olympics. He believed they were trying to cash in on some of the Olympic crowd. Maybe planning a cruise package with land based vacation. That was his thought for what is is worth.

[compozer]

I have never priced a summer Caribbean cruise. We did do Alaska in May a couple years ago and I thought it was expensive - more than some winter Caribbean cruises so I imagine they figure they can make more money by switching to Alaska and isn't that what the business is all about - the good old dollar!

 

Do any lines cruise the caribbean in the summer?? If it is the slow time there, I would think they would give the ships great prices on docking fees, etc. so people would come and spend money in their country.

[Croooser]

Another option would be Royal Caribbean. They have 4 ships with summer sailings from either Florida or Bayonne.