Sapphire Princess Staying In OZ Winter 2020?

[springaussie]

While checking a few port bookings around Australia I noticed that Princess appear to be sending Sapphire Princess to Australia instead of Asia. Looks like home ports of Fremantle in July and Sydney in August and September as home ports. Has a few days booked at Cairns and Eden also. 

Corona Virus Redeployment I assume.

Edited February 11, 2020 by springaussie

[MMDown Under]

34 minutes ago, springaussie said:

While checking a few port bookings around Australia I noticed that Princess appear to be sending Sapphire Princess to Australia instead of Asia. Looks like home ports of Fremantle in July and Sydney in August and September as home ports. Has a few days booked at Cairns and Eden also. 

Corona Virus Redeployment I assume.

 

Yes smart of them to book berths in ports, whilst they are still available.  I suspect Sapphire Princess won't be the only cruise ship redeployed to Australia as a result of the current virus epidemic. 

 

I hope the ship cruises north in July, August and September.  Cairns is good in winter, but my dream is to cruise further north to Darwin in winter,  like I did during the SARS crisis.

Edited February 11, 2020 by MMDown Under

[MicCanberra]

Good news, I agree it may not be the only ship heading this way.

[cheznandy]

Sounds good, I guess they will have put some itineraries out soon being under 6 months away.

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[Dobby_The_Ship_Elf]

24 minutes ago, cheznandy said:

Sounds good, I guess they will have put some itineraries out soon being under 6 months away.

 

 

Following

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Sounds good ....but.......

after all the publicity of passengers being shut away in their cabins they will have a big battle with the public to get bookings....

no matter what price.

The public will need massive assurance that the ships are not bringing the virus with them.

 

 

 

[MMDown Under]

Just now, Kiwi Kruzer said:

Sounds good ....but.......

after all the publicity of passengers being shut away in their cabins they will have a big battle with the public to get bookings....

no matter what price.

The public will need massive assurance that the ships are not bringing the virus with them.

 

 

 

I suspect inside and ocean view cabins will be at bargain rates!  Balconies will be at a premium!

[MicCanberra]

Mini suites and suites even more so.

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

Mini suites and suites even more so.

Yes.  However, I don't even dream so high!

[MicCanberra]

34 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Yes.  However, I don't even dream so high!

Sometimes the price is right and very close to the cost of a balcony anyway.

[springaussie]

Port of Brisbane now has Sapphire Princess bookings. They did not yesterday. 

[MMDown Under]

9 minutes ago, springaussie said:

Port of Brisbane now has Sapphire Princess bookings. They did not yesterday. 

Well spotted.  What date/s?

[springaussie]

4 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Well spotted.  What date/s?

During Winter.

They appear to be just day visits.

 https://www.portbris.com.au/Operations-and-Trade/Shipping-Schedule/

Not turn arounds.

 

 

 

[MMDown Under]

1 minute ago, springaussie said:

During Winter.

They appear to be just day visits.

 https://www.portbris.com.au/Operations-and-Trade/Shipping-Schedule/

Not turn arounds.

 

 

 

I had a look at the Grain Terminal Ports Schedule and there are some longer cruises, such as "over the top", as well as shorter cruises.  Will be lovely to have some winter cruise options at long last. 

[Busy Mum]

3 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

I had a look at the Grain Terminal Ports Schedule and there are some longer cruises, such as "over the top", as well as shorter cruises.  Will be lovely to have some winter cruise options at long last. 

That would be fantastic! Wonder when the itineraries will be released? 🤔🤷‍♀️ 

[MMDown Under]

5 minutes ago, Busy Mum said:

That would be fantastic! Wonder when the itineraries will be released? 🤔🤷‍♀️ 

They are on Princess website now. 

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Wasn’t there talk a while back that Sapphire and Diamond would end up in Australia as replacements for the Sun class ships ?

[Busy Mum]

12 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

They are on Princess website now. 

Sorry, but I can’t see them on the Princess site. What is see is from around October this year for some Aussie cruises - am I missing something? 🤔🙄🚢

[MMDown Under]

4 minutes ago, Busy Mum said:

Sorry, but I can’t see them on the Princess site. What is see is from around October this year for some Aussie cruises - am I missing something? 🤔🙄🚢

Sorry I got carried away with all the cruises listed and didn't realise there were no winter dates.  Must be still coming. 

Edited February 14, 2020 by MMDown Under

[Busy Mum]

Just now, MMDown Under said:

Sorry I got carried away with all the cruises listed and didn't realise there were no winter dates.  Must be still coming. 

Thought I was going MAD - that is of course still possible!! 🙄🤣🤣🚢

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Bridge cam shows Sapphire currently in dry dock in Singapore .

[cheznandy]

On 2/16/2020 at 7:07 AM, Kiwi Kruzer said:

Bridge cam shows Sapphire currently in dry dock in Singapore .

Getting Medallion I guess??

 

Staff onboard Majestic said Sapphire was coming to OZ early, lots of bookings in most ports in OZ.

If it does come here early, what will it do between dry dock and June?

I guess Princess has it's hands full with loads of changes.

[woodscruise]

Princess Cruises adds 44 new cruises from the major Australian cities of Sydney, Perth (Fremantle), Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Princess Cruises has announced plans to redeploy its 2,670-guest Sapphire Princess from homeports in Singapore and Shanghai to Australia from 01 May - six months earlier than scheduled.

The line revealed the early deployment will add a sizable 44 new cruises from five major Australian cities, including 171 port calls.

Princess Cruises Senior Vice President Asia Pacific Stuart Allison said Sapphire would add a much-needed boost to Australia’s domestic tourism.

“With the ongoing uncertainty of travel restrictions and port closures in Asia impacting our cruise operations in the region, we hope that this extended deployment in Australia will benefit local tourism, particularly in regional areas with 102 visits to regional ports around country during her year-long deployment,” he said.

Sales for the new Sapphire cruises will go on sale from 27 February.

Source Travel daily and Cruise Weekly 18 Feb

[cheznandy]

Thanks Woodscruise, I just posted on the other thread.

 

At least we know what it is doing from May!! Straight out of dry dock with Medallion to OZ.

Wonder if Majestic will return after dry dock as well, its due back here in September.

Edited February 18, 2020 by cheznandy

[NSWP]

My favourite ship is Sapphire, was on board her mid 2018 - Baltics and Scandinavia.  Good size, good bars and a real prom deck, unlike Royal Class.