Wll Princess ever come back to NYC with Caribbean itineary

[Tatka]

We are sailing this Saturday on Grand out of Southampton. :) Price was cheaper than what RCCL or Carnival this summer.

[jrzebird]

I'm confused. Princess has SEVERAL cruises scheduled for next September and October (and this year as well) out of or into NY (Brooklyn) to New England and Canada. Some round trip, some longer and one way. Granted, none that I've seen go to the Caribbean, but they definitely sail from NYC. In fact, I'm planning to book at least one of them while on board in a couple of months. I am disappointed that they have moved to Galveston, because I have a feeling I'd be reluctant to travel there.

[caribill]

I am disappointed that they have moved to Galveston, because I have a feeling I'd be reluctant to travel there.

 

I, on the other hand, living just 30 miles from the pier, am overjoyed they are back again in Galveston.

[azdmelani]

I'm confused. Princess has SEVERAL cruises scheduled for next September and October (and this year as well) out of or into NY (Brooklyn) to New England and Canada. Some round trip, some longer and one way. Granted, none that I've seen go to the Caribbean, but they definitely sail from NYC. In fact, I'm planning to book at least one of them while on board in a couple of months. I am disappointed that they have moved to Galveston, because I have a feeling I'd be reluctant to travel there.

 

A few years back Princess offered 9 day Caribbean cruises from NY from May-September, then stopped. Now all they offer out of NY is the NE/Canada cruises (which are not my cup of tea) and there is a shorter cruise to bermuda in October.

 

I would rather do the 9 day from Princess from NY without flying than a 7 day from Fort Lauderdale.

[cruisin42]

My wife and I were on the CP 10 day caribbean cruise that departed Memorial Day 2008. It was one of our more enjoyable cruises of about 8 we took on Princess. Albeit the casino probably got the airfare savings.

Would do it again if they came back.

[jrzebird]

A few years back Princess offered 9 day Caribbean cruises from NY from May-September, then stopped. Now all they offer out of NY is the NE/Canada cruises (which are not my cup of tea) and there is a shorter cruise to bermuda in October.

 

I would rather do the 9 day from Princess from NY without flying than a 7 day from Fort Lauderdale.

 

Have you done a NE/Canada sailing? I was very surprised to find that I LOVED the Canada/NE cruises. I thought they'd be cold and boring. Was I ever wrong. I normally sail solo and being in familiar territory also made me feel much safter.

 

I'm not going this year because I'm going to Bermuda and then down to the Eastern Caribbean on the CB. But next year, I'm looking at the 14 day that goes from Canada down the coast (including Charleston) to Ft. Lauderdale. No Caribbean, but very desirable to me. Repos are fun and generally more reasonable.

 

I do agree with you about the 9 (or 11) day from NY being MUCH better than flying. I loved sailing HAL from Manhattan when they did the 11 day to the Caribbean. Miss those cruises.

[Hlitner]

"Ever" is a long time. But the NYC market has lots of issues for the cruise lines. The Caribbean market is primarily cruises 10 days or shorter because many potential cruisers do not want to take more then 1 week off of work. Cruising out of NYC in the winter means that 4 days are spent just getting to and from warm weather and the Caribbean itineraries are very limited unless they go for 12 days (or longer). In addition, the extra fuel that must be burned to simply get to the Caribbean is expensive which means they must either charge more for the cruise or take a loss. Princess is not the only line that has pulled out of the Northeast - Caribbean market as Celebrity has also stopped their cruises out of Bayonne (a real pity). The cost of fuel cannot be over emphasized. Cruise lines have done everything possible to reduce fuel consumption by reducing the miles cruised or slowing down the ships. For example, a TA crossing which should only take 5 days can now take 7 days or longer. On some itineraries the lines have reduced their hours in port so that they can cruise at a slower speed to the next port (slow cruising saves tons of fuel).

 

Hank

[kendon]

Perhaps there were regional problems such as unions or local operating

costs....?

[BruceMuzz]

People just don't get it.

It's ALWAYS about the money.

 

Cruise lines do NOT make money selling cruises.

Most cabins are sold at cost, just to fill them up.

We only make money selling things to people ON cruises.

 

When ships sail at top speed over heavy seas between NYC and Florida, they not only burn plenty fuel, but they also get beaten up, and all the seasick passengers onboard spend very little money. It just does not make financial sense to do it.

 

The fuel bill to sail a Princess ship from NYC down to the Caribbean and back is over $1 Million. Then the ship pays another $1 million for fuel to sail around the Caribbean.

 

Cut out NYC, force the passengers to pay for the fuel to get themselves down to the Caribbean to join the ship, and we save $1 Million every cruise.

I think this is quite easy to understand.

[JPEvans]

People just don't get it.

It's ALWAYS about the money.

 

Cruise lines do NOT make money selling cruises.

Most cabins are sold at cost, just to fill them up.

We only make money selling things to people ON cruises.

 

When ships sail at top speed over heavy seas between NYC and Florida, they not only burn plenty fuel, but they also get beaten up, and all the seasick passengers onboard spend very little money. It just does not make financial sense to do it.

 

The fuel bill to sail a Princess ship from NYC down to the Caribbean and back is over $1 Million. Then the ship pays another $1 million for fuel to sail around the Caribbean.

 

Cut out NYC, force the passengers to pay for the fuel to get themselves down to the Caribbean to join the ship, and we save $1 Million every cruise.

I think this is quite easy to understand.

 

If that is the case, why does NCL, Royal Caribbean and Carnival(parent of Princess) all have ships that sail from NYC year round. NCL has two.

[Iamcruzin]

People just don't get it.

It's ALWAYS about the money.

 

Cruise lines do NOT make money selling cruises.

Most cabins are sold at cost, just to fill them up.

We only make money selling things to people ON cruises.

 

When ships sail at top speed over heavy seas between NYC and Florida, they not only burn plenty fuel, but they also get beaten up, and all the seasick passengers onboard spend very little money. It just does not make financial sense to do it.

 

The fuel bill to sail a Princess ship from NYC down to the Caribbean and back is over $1 Million. Then the ship pays another $1 million for fuel to sail around the Caribbean.

 

Cut out NYC, force the passengers to pay for the fuel to get themselves down to the Caribbean to join the ship, and we save $1 Million every cruise.

I think this is quite easy to understand.

Well I guess Carnival, NCL, and Royal Caribbean don't pay for fuel.

[Iamcruzin]

If that is the case, why does NCL, Royal Caribbean and Carnival(parent of Princess) all have ships that sail from NYC year round. NCL has two.

We must have posted at the same time...LOL

I also want to add if they are only selling cabins at cost and fuel is such an issue which I agree that it is, why are they building ships bigger and bigger?

[AAAAmerican]

Dear jrzebird,

 

Your so very correct too.

 

R/T from NJ/NYC is great. The best. Ever since the attacks on 09/11/2001. We do not want to fly to cruise.

 

Having Three major Cruise Ports and now a Fourth in planning provides all living near here 12% of the US Population within 12 miles.

 

You may well know the City of Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey used to have HOLLAND AMERICA Cruise Line Ships almost daily coming and going to , the best Island Chain in the World.. yes BERMUDA. :D That's one reason why Self Elected Mayor Michael Bloomberg owns two houses in Bermuda /\.

 

That was and is the most profitable cruise too for the firms to do. Now with the double pier on N. Ireland Island ( Dockyard ) in Bermuda these mega ships may be docked .

 

Going from here to Canada and new England is great.

Quality is what we like too. Which those Ship Trips are.

 

 

The cruise lines IMHO do not want to Compete is the reason why more ships are not again going on more cruises from here.

 

If they wanted too they would.

 

This is the most competitive commerce place in the world. Bergen County now is the most populated of our 21 Counties.

 

 

 

Have you done a NE/Canada sailing? I was very surprised to find that I LOVED the Canada/NE cruises. I thought they'd be cold and boring. Was I ever wrong. I normally sail solo and being in familiar territory also made me feel much safter.

 

I'm not going this year because I'm going to Bermuda and then down to the Eastern Caribbean on the CB. But next year, I'm looking at the 14 day that goes from Canada down the coast (including Charleston) to Ft. Lauderdale. No Caribbean, but very desirable to me. Repos are fun and generally more reasonable.

 

I do agree with you about the 9 (or 11) day from NY being MUCH better than flying. I loved sailing HAL from Manhattan when they did the 11 day to the Caribbean. Miss those cruises.

[BruceMuzz]

We must have posted at the same time...LOL

I also want to add if they are only selling cabins at cost and fuel is such an issue which I agree that it is, why are they building ships bigger and bigger?

 

Because it is ALWAYS about the money.

 

The new Royal Princess at 140,000 tons will carry more passengers than the smaller Ruby Princess, have more onboard Revenue opportunuties than the smaller Ruby Princess, have only a slightly higher number of crew than the smaller Ruby Princess - and more importantly - burn far less fuel than the smaller Ruby Princess.

 

Economics 101 - Economy of Scale

Larger ships have more people to pay the bills, more people to spend money that translates to profits, just a few extra crew to take care of them, and far more fuel efficient engines to keep major operating costs down.

 

A mass market cruise ship can only make a healthy profit when the cost of building the vessel, divided by the total number of cabins, yields a number in the $350,000 range or below.

The larger the vessel, the lower the cost per cabin to build it = higher profitability.

[BruceMuzz]

If that is the case, why does NCL, Royal Caribbean and Carnival(parent of Princess) all have ships that sail from NYC year round. NCL has two.

 

Remember that it is ALWAYS about the money.

With today's business model, mass market ships cannot make much profit unless they are ALWAYS full with people spending money onboard.

 

Successful mass market cruise lines generally only have to pick the low hanging fruit. I work for one of those lines. We have no need to beat up our ships on the East Coast and take chances on possibly risky itineraries that may or may not make us any profit - just to fill our ships.

Our ships are ALWAYS full, so we keep them in more profitable and "safe" markets.

 

NCL is currently having challenges filling their ships. They are forced to take chances in possibly less profitable, higher cost markets in order to guarantee full capacity every cruise.

 

Royal Caribbean and Carnival have a different challenge. Both have too many big ships that are stuck forever in the Caribbean. These two companies are battling to the death for dominance in the Caribbean Market. If they keep their ships exclusively in the Caribbean, the price wars and heavy discounting required to fill those ships 12 months a year will wipe out all or most profits.

They are forced to base their Caribbean ships in riskier markets on the East Coast and Gulf Coast in order to reduce capacity out of FLL, Miami, Tampa, and Canaveral, and attract a higher number of people who cannot or will not afford to fly to Florida to cruise. This is making money the hard way, but guarantees the ships will be full, and it allows them to keep fares a bit higher out of Florida (due to lower capacity there).

[Clutterlady]

Although I understand the economics of cruising from NYC, it's still a shame. Loved only having to drive 1 1/2 hrs. to port. Spent the airfare money on the ship! We always did 2 cruises a year and the last few years with Princess. We still will do one with Princess and one from another line sailing from NYC. Perhaps Princess will eventually realize their loss and hopefully come back:)

[jrzebird]

I agree, it is all about the money. When HAL pulled out of NY a few years back, we had a M&G with the Captain during the cruise and he was very blunt about why .. the cost of fuel and wear and tear on the ship just didn't justify staying there. This was when the cost of oil had just started to get out of control. I'm sure that Princess has the same answer.

 

I was thinking about this today. While some changes by the lines are made for some mysterious reasons, sometimes if the passenger base lets the line know their displeasure they will reverse or amend changes. However, when it comes to the bottom line and whether or not the share holders will sink or swim, we don't get a say. Probably it's a good thing, because very few of us have all of the information needed to make these decisions.

 

Anyway, that was just a little rumination I had today.

 

Maureen

[caribill]

I agree, it is all about the money.

 

 

I was thinking about this today. While some changes by the lines are made for some mysterious reasons, sometimes if the passenger base lets the line know their displeasure they will reverse or amend changes. However, when it comes to the bottom line and whether or not the share holders will sink or swim, we don't get a say.

 

Pretty much the same thing (bottom line) they have done with the sailings out of Galveston.

 

When first announced, the Crown was going to have four ports during a week while the competition only had three.

 

Princess then dropped a port ("operational reasons" -- in other words, "if we do not sail as fast, we use less fuel"). Now the itinerary is identical to what is offered by two or three other cruise lines.

 

The itinerary is now a commodity, and will see out on the cruise line that charges the least. People may have been willing to pay more for an additional port, but not for the same three ports as the competition.