Sapphire Inaugural Delay Rumor

[pamwinn]

The following was posted on the Inaugural roll call. Does anyone know the board where the original post might be?

 

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Dear new friends who I may not meet. On another website I saw the following that I will follow up with both my agent and Princess tomorrow. They said a conversation with a princess rep. told them that the Sapphire princess was running late and the 6/13 cruise may be canceled. I have non refundable airline tickets so it is panic in river city time. Pamwinn take your time on tickets. Will report back tomorrow. Pray for a positive answer. Call your TA and Princess and tell us what they say. Thanks friend I hope to meet on June 14th.

 

Sapphire Princess Inaugural

[Coral]

Pam - I looked on every website I could think of and couldn't find anything. Keeping fingers crossed for you.

[pamwinn]

Thanks Coral. I've looked everywhere too. Must be somekind of aol thing or Yahoo Group or something. It's really upsetting me though just thinking it might not happen.

 

Sapphire Princess Inaugural

[kimandtim]

Hey Pam - it's Kim. Have you tried calling Princess? Maybe they could reaasure you. I sure hope it works out for you, but if not you and Rex need to give the Caribbean another shot. We're sailing June 5 - y'all come and join us!

I have my fingers crossed for you!!!!!!

Kim

[stepg]

PamWinn and Coral,

I hate to add kindling to the fire here, but when I was speaking to a Princess rep about two weeks ago, she told me that they (the people in the So Cal offices) were hearing rumors about a delay for the Sapphire. Her exact quote was "When a rumor makes it this far (meaning San Clemente, or wherever their offices are) it usually turns out to be right". I didn't want to post then, as I had only heard it from that one source. I have been concerned looking at the progress of the ship on the Nagasaki website. Here is a link to some pictures taken as few as 2 days ago... LINK.

and it looks pretty far from finished to me. I hope for everyone's sake I'm wrong, just putting in my two cents.

 

[Coral]

stepg - I like you and everything, but gosh - I sure hope your sources are wrong. Unfortunately - Princess won't say anything until they know for sure that the need to cancel.

 

Pam - I would make sure that you have insurance purchased to protect your air and hotel (if purchased). Priceline is non-refundable but I have had it covered under insurance before (for cancelling for medical reasons). I have also heard several stories about people emailing priceline and pleading their case and Priceline making "a one time exception" for the situation.

[pamwinn]

If it has any truth, it would be nice if Princess would go ahead and make the announcement. I'd only be out a couple hundred bucks but soon I need to take care of airfare. I was concerned also when I looked at the photos of the Sapphhire. It should not be difficult for the shipyard to determine how many more man hours are necessary to complete the Sapphire since they so recently completed the Diamond.

 

Kim, I'd love to go on the Caribbean Princess this summer. We don't get out of school until the 3rd of June though. That would be rushing it. Do you think I'd look okay in all the fleece and hiking boots? Would you teach me how to play blackjack?

 

Coral, All I have purchased at this point is the precruise hotel for 2 days. I might just try to plead my case with Priceline. I felt like I was booking too soon. I just don't know what to do about the airfare now.

 

Sapphire Princess Inaugural

 

[This message was edited by pamwinn on 04-14-04 at 10:57 PM.]

[Tania]

From personal experience with the cancellation of one of the Coral inaugurals, Princess will not cancel the cruise unless they are positive the cruise will be cancelled.

 

This is where you need a TA like a pit-bull to get all your monetary losses back from Princess as well as a credit for the cancellation. Our TA had the airline change fee refunded to us in addition to the $1,000 future cruise credit for the cancellation of a holiday cruise. Upon presenation of your hotel receipt, if pre-paid on priceline..., should also be refunded.

 

I'd heard awhile ago that the Sapphire was ahead of schedule??? I wonder what happened...the floods and the sewage from the Diamond???

 

Keeping my fingers crossed for y'all!

 

Diamond Princess 03/04

Sun Princess 12/03

Grand Princess 12/02

Royal Princess 08/02

Ocean Princess 08/01

Pacific Princess 12/00

Carla C. 03/83

[Owen]

I don't know if this means anything or not, but we got our pre cruise documents yesterday....not i'm not talking tickets, but immigration forms and tour information.

We cruise June 20 on the Sapphire.

We went with Princess air and are flying out a week early, so have not done anything about reservations.

I read the article almost a week ago somewhere.

[pamwinn]

Owen, are you talking about the original post talking about the delay? My TA told me my precruise docs are in the mail as well. She called Princess immediately after I read the above post and they told her everything is still on. I wish I could simply forget about it and I would if your cruise had room for me but it doesn't unless Princess wants to give me a suite8^). Hopefully, we will find out some more information today.

 

Sapphire Princess Inaugural

[bappo]

I received my pre cruise documents for the sapphire sailing on the 20th of June yesterday, as well. What happens if they cancel the cruise? Do we get the amount which had to be paid in full with my ta in March back, or a credit for a future cruise? I certainly hope they tell us very soon.

[bappo]

I just spoke with a princess representative about 5 minutes ago, She had just gotten into work and logged on to their computers. So far,no delays on the Sapphire have been reported. ASked her what would happen if they cancelled the cruise and to those of us with non-refundable air? She told me that they would probablay move us to another date, and in the past the air situation has either been worked out or the ticket amount refunded by princess.

[WillB]

I really don't understand any travel agent not warning clients that inaugural cruises are frequently cancelled. Why anyone would buy non-cancellable air for an inaugural cruise is beyond me.

 

If you must take the inaugural cruise, you have to take the cruise air so when they cancel your cruise you can be made whole.

[Toto2Kansas]

Definitely well said WillB. Booking these inaugural cruises is very risky and the only way to go is to book the cruise line air. Ships are delayed half of the time and it stops most of the frustration as Princess takes care of everything for you when you have it all booked with them.

We have never booked an inaugural cruise and probably never will, for this very reason, just too nerve racking for me. When I wait that long to cruise, the last thing I need is for it to be postponed or cancelled.

But best of luck to all that are booked, I hope this one comes out on schedule!

 

Tahitian October 14th,2004

[Coral]

Having seen Pam on these boards for a while now, I have no doubt she was aware of the possibility of the cruise cancelled. Even going in knowing that - it still would be a disappointment having the cruise cancelled.

 

If I remember correctly, this was not the original Sapphire inaugural date - I believe it was supposedly in May and later got pushed back (need to double check on that). So it is possible she didn't even book the inaugural.

 

I booked an inaugural that was cancelled 8 months before sailing. Obviously I had time to make other arrangements and was not out anything monetary, but I was definitely disappointed.

 

Due to Pam's time constraints with the sailing in less then 60 days, I am hoping that these are just rumors and that the ship is delivered on time.

[pamwinn]

That's right Coral. The original inaugural was scheduled for May. Booking Princess Air was not a good option for me as it's cost was way out of line.(Very close to what it would cost to book an extra week on the Sapphire). Plus, I suffer from Jet Lag and didn't want to sleep away my first day of the cruise like I did last time. The flight schedules offered by Princess are not always what one would choose. They only thing I stand to lose at this point is a couple of hundred dollars for the Hotel and I can probably recoup that from Princess. They are very kind to passengers of cancelled cruises.

 

Also, my husband and I are teachers. We can go the next week or the next week or the next week. I am in Grad school and had already begged out of classes with the Profs I will have at that time but I don't think they'd have a problem with my dates changing.

 

Sapphire Princess Inaugural

[Toto2Kansas]

That is definitely a plus with Princess, when they do have to cancel a cruise, they are very considerate of their passengers and the expenses they incur.

I know when our Star cruise from Sydney to Bangkok was cancelled far in advance last year, they offered the same ship, longer sailing, even better ports at a less expensive price to take it's place, plus a lot more shipboard credits to cushion the blow.

I guess maybe that is why we love Princess so much, they seem to value their passengers more then some of the other lines.

Personally, I don't take disappointment well though and I think that is part of the reason we have never looked into any of the very first cruises on a new ship.

Hang in there, all is not lost unless you get that phone call. Crossing fingers for you.

 

Tahitian October 14th,2004

[Cabledon]

Here's an added issue to the timing of the Sapphire delivery: This was the ship that burned last year in the shipyard. When things like that happen, it is much more difficult for the shipyard (and Princess as well) to estimate a delivery date as accurately as they could building from scratch. It is for this reason (and the uncertainty over being on a ship which had been damaged by fire and might have hidden problems) which led to my decision (as as cruise agency owner) NOT to book the Sapphire and to concentrate on the Diamond for the Alaska season. So far, this is looking like the correct decision.

 

23 cruises and counting:

Upcoming:

Diamond Princess April 24

Voyager of the Seas May 2004

Carnival Miracle August 2004

Explorer of the Seas Dec 2004

[Commodore Suzy]

I think that would be a little overboard, avoiding Sapphire for the whole season? Since they postponed from May to June, I would think that at the time they did that they were pretty confident in June.

 

IF something has come up since then, they will take care of thier inconvenienced passengers. As Toto said, they are really good about that. For Pam, its great she could go a different week if needed. Lets just hope she doesn't have to.

 

The sailing is still in the booking system this morning Pam! Keep up those positive thoughts!

 

Suzy

 

NEXT --> Diamond Princess 5/1/04 Coastal Who's with me?

Monarch family weekend 10/15/04 & Grand Galveston 12/11/04

Star Princess 10/18/03 -- Wind Star Honeymoon 11/14/03

Star Princess Wedding 9/24/03 -- Mercury 10/5/03

Vision of the Seas 10/28/02 -- Amsterdam 4/22/03

Sun Princess 5/10/02 -- Star Princess 6/15/02

Carnival Holiday 9/8/00

[pamwinn]

I went to the Nagasaki site and noticed they posted yet another picture today. It doesn't really look that far from finished to my untrained eye. Thanks for checking again Suzy!

 

Sapphire Princess Inaugural

[nycruise]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Cabledon:

Here's an added issue to the timing of the Sapphire delivery: This was the ship that burned last year in the shipyard. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

The fire on the Sapphire occured in October 2002, I'm sure they are long past delays due to the fire. I'm booked in October, so I wouldn't think delays would be much of a factor.

 

On that note, I was booked for a May sailing of the Pride of America and as you know, we missed that sailing. Hopefully the Sapphire will not dissapoint.

[Captain Rhone]

I saw the pictures ofSappire over the past days...When Diamond was 1 month from completion she looked finished already with minor stuff left(exterior wise).Sapphire looks 2-3 months from completion currently,I figured this out the other day...It is probably like 60/100 that she will be delayed.A while ago it seemed she was on time but now it seems to be a different story.Now one's for certain yet though...

 

http://www.princess.com/inaugurals/images/video_image_c.jpg

[bappo]

My question is this: how much notice do you get that your sailing is going to be cancelled? If the rumors are true, then it could effect everyone who is sailing in June. Hopefully, they will give everyone enough notice so they will be able to change their vacation dates and amke new flight arrangements. I went to the Nagasaki site too, and I agree with pamwinn the sapphire looks okay to me. We can only hope that all goes as planned and we have a great vacation in Alaska.

[Guest]

Does anyone know when the ship was scheduled to be handed over to Princess? Looking at the pictures posted on the Nagasaki website today, she looks like there's still a good deal of exterior work to do...?

 

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Sun Princess, 03/2004; Pacific Princess, 07/2003; Star Princess, 05/2003; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Sun Princess, 05/2001; Sun Princess, 04/2001; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Regal Princess, 10/1999; Sun Princess, 08/1998; Holiday, 05/1998; Westerdam, 09/1997; Regal Princess, 11/1996; Royal Odyssey, 09/1995; Starward, 11/1993

 

 

[Captain Rhone]

It should be about May 25th or so.She is due in Seattle on June 09th.It probably will take about 10-14 days at most I would say to go there.I don't think it'll finish on time.If it does they are lucky...

 

http://www.princess.com/inaugurals/images/video_image_c.jpg