Princess "9 Day" cruises from FLL

[caribill]

So we will eventually see what 2017 brings: with the new build deployed to Asia then, possibly a ship will be freed up from that market.

 

When Princess announced that the new build will be based in China, they said it was in addition to what is there now, not a replacement.

 

Of course, if the Chinese cruise market does not develop as Princess has predicted, the number of ships there could change.

[Iamcruzin]

Hi Laurie,

 

Princess was sailing out of Red Hook , Brooklyn for a few years. They included 9/10 day cruises to the Caribbean. I think about 5 years ago they stopped everything except November sails to New England ( too cold) or one sail to the Carib in the late fall( Hurricane season). I was told they couldn't fill the ships, so they tried every other year first and then just stopped.

 

Of course I retired 5 years ago.....there went my plan of just "jumping" on a last minute Princess deal. (takes me 20 minutes to get to the cruise port)

 

I too, didn't care for the newer Royal ship...like them smaller and more pools.

Did a Breakaway sail this July..nice to drive to port, but the ship was too crowded. Two small pools for 4000 people!!

 

Wish we weren't forced to fly south to catch a Caribbean cruise. RCL out of NJ has even larger ships. This will be our first 4/5 day b2b. Just planning to sit, relax and enjoy. Getting off the ship..optional.

 

Chris

 

Chris

 

All I know is that those 9 day cruises out of NY never had those deep discounts like I have seen on the 4 and 5 day itineraries out of Ft Lauderdale. For the last two years they have been literally giving them away buy offering a complete refund of the sailing to be used on another cruise. They were even offering OBC that passengers could have refunded or withdrawn from the casino. So the theory of the short sailings generating more on board spending is just fiction. This is great for Florida residents who just want to get away. It was cheaper than staying home. If they were truly following the money they wouldn't be offering these short itineraries. I see there are others on this thread like myself who are choosing other lines to meet their traveling needs.

 

I have no desire to sail the northeast in the fall. I can watch the leaves change at home. However I would sail that route between June and August.

[Iamcruzin]

Keith, of course you're right, but I was looking for the more specific info that is eluded to by "Caribill's" comments and Shep's description of his Japan trip; these explain a little more about the "where" Princess is going. I find it surprising that they aren't still making a buck in the Caribbean. Leaving Houston makes sense when you read all the info here on CC about the port: it seems challenging for all but people who drive there to get a reasonable flight and hotel combo, it takes more than an hour to get to open ocean, and thus open bars and casinos (think of the $$ lost there!), and there are apparently service problems at the port. It doesn't make sense to me to decrease East coast departures and limit the ship choices from there., but obviously I can't see their finances. If I were to agree that the Royal's prices are competitive, I should still have an option or two to sail smaller ships. Although I agree that Princess has to adjust to a competitive market, I also understand that they have tried to make me a Princess client by incentivizing my loyalty with the frequency perks. If those lures to loyalty are becoming a kick in the face, well then it's a bit if a disappointment to me, the naïve cruiser. I guess I DID expect a little loyalty in return. :rolleyes:

 

Chris, I hope you enjoy your BTB; I'm sure that you'll have a wonderful time. As for me, I'll be branching out. I have my Princess out if Houston cruise in March, but I also have an NCL to Bermuda in June 2016 and a RC to the Caribbean in October (15); I'm going to start looking for alternatives to my Princess "loyalty." :) Thanks everyone! Laurie

 

I reached Platinum but have yet to sail as such. I also opened a Princess credit card hoping to be able to use the points towards a cruise. I wasn't sailing on Princess for the loyalty points I was sailing with them because I truly enjoy their product. Unfortunately their itineraries don't meet my needs and so I cashed in my points from the credit card for credit towards airline tickets.

Edited August 23, 2015 by Iamcruzin

[Tomecruise]

Booked my first Princess cruise on the "9 day" in March. I appreciate the feedback. When you get back to Ft. Lauderdale do you need to get off or do anything with customs, or can you just stay on the ship?

[Iamcruzin]

Beg to differ…depending on dates and flexibility.

 

My hubby and I are booked on our first Carnival cruise in January, specifically because we wanted to spend a week in Puerto Rico before sailing back to the mainland and this one sails to New Orleans, for considerably less per day than Princess charges for Caribbean routes, not that they even sail a similar itinerary. (OK, it is Carnival, but we booked an inside spa cabin with full spa privileges for not a whole more than just the Sanctuary would cost on Princess.)

 

We're flying from SFO to Fort Lauderdale, since SW doesn't fly directly from here to Puerto Rico. Every date after January 9th, and a couple before that, SW offers FLL-SJU flights starting at $104-114, which, with 4 free pieces of checked luggage, seems eminently non-prohibitive to me. Granted, you'd have to get to FLL, but still….

 

Your signature is loaded with Princess sailings. The fact they you are sailing on Carnival speaks volumes. I have been considering Carnival myself. I have been trying to convince the wife to consider it as well but we can both agree to a Celebrity cruise.

Edited August 23, 2015 by Iamcruzin

[Nan_Sea]

The 9 day b2b are a quick way to reach elite status. After reaching that goal they are of less interest to me.

[caribill]

Booked my first Princess cruise on the "9 day" in March. I appreciate the feedback. When you get back to Ft. Lauderdale do you need to get off or do anything with customs, or can you just stay on the ship?

 

Immigration rules require that every passenger be accounted for which usually means at some point every passenger must be off of the ship.

 

If you do not want to otherwise leave the ship, Princess will notify you in a letter as to what time (usually around 10 AM) and what place to meet so those still on the ship can be led off of the ship, through immigration, and, after usually a short wait, back onto the ship. There are sometimes delays in getting back onto the ship when one or more passengers fails to meet for this.

 

There have been a few times that instead of having to leave the ship, once you have met on the ship immigration has come onto the ship and checked the passports there. But I would count more on having to leave the ship for this.

[shredie]

Your signature is loaded with Princess sailings. The fact they you are sailing on Carnival speaks volumes.

 

Sometimes Carnival is the only choice. I have done my share of Carnival cruises but usually because Princess didn't have what I wanted. Sailing out of Los Angeles, we are limited pretty much to the two lines.

[Iamcruzin]

The 9 day b2b are a quick way to reach elite status. After reaching that goal they are of less interest to me.

 

 

I wouldn't admit to that unless you are willing to receive a tongue lashing from those who made Elite the hard way.

[Nan_Sea]

On the West coast people make elite with one and two day cruises. No guilt here.

[shredie]

I wouldn't admit to that unless you are willing to receive a tongue lashing from those who made Elite the hard way.

 

Haha. :D

[Nezmo]

Booked my first Princess cruise on the "9 day" in March. I appreciate the feedback. When you get back to Ft. Lauderdale do you need to get off or do anything with customs, or can you just stay on the ship?

Off topic but I see you sailed the Seaward the same year I did and the Norway which I did some years later than you. Just thought that was cool. I don't see that often.

[PescadoAmarillo]

The 9 day b2b are a quick way to reach elite status. After reaching that goal they are of less interest to me.

 

Actually, after our 52nd Princess cruise they became more interesting to us. $100 OBC every 4 or 5 days, in addition to all the other OBC, is quite nice. And once you've been to every Caribbean island 20 times, the ports on the shorter cruises are as attractive as those on the longer cruises. They are simple beach days, and, for some people coping with snowy winters, they are an attractive option.

 

But I'll admit that I originally found the thought of even a 7-night cruise quite unattractive, and would never have considered something less. Which just goes to show...I should never dismiss something without trying it at least once.

[Nan_Sea]

I don't expect to live long enough to reach 52 cruises .

[OCruisers]

In 2017 Caribbean Princess has some 8 day roundtrip cruises out of FLL which can conveniently be made into 16 day cruises. :)

 

LuLu

[ljandiernp]

In 2017 Caribbean Princess has some 8 day roundtrip cruises out of FLL which can conveniently be made into 16 day cruises. :)

 

LuLu

 

Good to know, thanks. 2017 will probably be my next cruise year on Princess then; I am going to cancel the March one I have booked currently in favor of a gifted cruise in January on another line. Can't take that much time off to do both unfortunately. Laurie