Pacific Princess Sold!

[TeaBag]

1 hour ago, blackie50 said:

As the Pacific Princess leaves Princess cruise lines, so do I.  After sailing on her a few times I have been spoiled and will no longer sail the larger ships.  Now looking to Oceania, Crystal, and other lines with smaller ships.  Of all the ships that I have sailed, she was my favorite for so many reasons.

Maybe you should add Azamara to the list also.  She will have 4 of them when things get organized.

[cruisequeen4ever]

It’s nice it’s at least going to a good home vs being scrapped, but I question the Sycamore’s ability to start a cruise line amidst the pandemic. I’d feel better about a major cruise line overseeing it. This is fresh off an old Princess ship being bought by the company intending to offer a floating condo experience off the shore of Panama, going through the selling of staterooms to people, and then announcing it had failed to receive approval and shut down.

[snoozecrooze]

30 minutes ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

It’s nice it’s at least going to a good home vs being scrapped, but I question the Sycamore’s ability to start a cruise line amidst the pandemic. I’d feel better about a major cruise line overseeing it. This is fresh off an old Princess ship being bought by the company intending to offer a floating condo experience off the shore of Panama, going through the selling of staterooms to people, and then announcing it had failed to receive approval and shut down.

I'm in agreement here with your skepticism. I'm no expert, and these are just my thoughts. I want to first walk back my words earlier about Pacific not going to Sycamore, as I had expressed reservations about the equity firm's desire for massive investments from the get-go, but I stand corrected. I also read in the news that they also gave the retailer Express a huge loan so clearly this firm is not in the singular interest of pursuing cost-cutting over anything just yet. Additionally, former HAL president Orlando Ashford actually joined Sycamore as an advisor in September 2020, which I'm sure most of us didn't pay attention to, so it's clear Sycamore's interest in the cruise industry has been festering all along. 

 

But regardless, in terms of Ashford, he did not seem like a good fit for the cruise industry and has an infamous reputation over on the HAL boards. To me, he was more of a disrupter that was met with mixed success (more or less, depending on who you ask), and so I view Sycamore's purchase of Azamara still with skepticism, since it isn't a cruise line whose business model is more akin to Carnival, but more akin to Oceania. But because the stakes are higher, Azamara also has a chance to redefine itself among the increasingly competitive premium/luxury lines sphere, and if done successfully, it could really take off. It's possible, after all, that it might have been getting suffocated within RCG's leadership. So I'm willing to wait and see where it goes from here.

[ECCruise]

10 hours ago, Coral said:

I read several boards that indicated such. I guess it depends on where you read.

Not seeing it.  And we have a bunch of Azamara sailings booked.  I did see 2 people who cancelled some sailings (1 of which has changed their mind and maintained their booking).

I think you are seeing what you want to see.  And LOTS has changed since the initial announcement and the purchase of PP.

[CaribbeanIsland]

4 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

Not seeing it.  And we have a bunch of Azamara sailings booked.  I did see 2 people who cancelled some sailings (1 of which has changed their mind and maintained their booking).

I think you are seeing what you want to see.  And LOTS has changed since the initial announcement and the purchase of PP.

I spoke with my travel agent and she indicated her office has been kept busy with cancellations. They don't trust the new company.

[ECCruise]

25 minutes ago, CaribbeanIsland said:

I spoke with my travel agent and she indicated her office has been kept busy with cancellations. They don't trust the new company.

That is their right, of course.

Maybe lots of new cabins will open up, because on all of our bookings, there are no new cabins available from the week before (we are looking to move location on a couple of them),

[caribill]

13 hours ago, blackie50 said:

As the Pacific Princess leaves Princess cruise lines, so do I.  After sailing on her a few times I have been spoiled and will no longer sail the larger ships.   Of all the ships that I have sailed, she was my favorite for so many reasons.

Just one of my favorites. I also liked the Ocean (nee Tahitian) Princess and the previous Royal Princess.

[AF-1]

Sad day for those of you who sailed the Pacific Princess.   I never sailed her; but I've read all the great reviews.  I don't think I ever read a bad review about this ship.

[cruisequeen4ever]

20 hours ago, snoozecrooze said:

I'm in agreement here with your skepticism. I'm no expert, and these are just my thoughts. I want to first walk back my words earlier about Pacific not going to Sycamore, as I had expressed reservations about the equity firm's desire for massive investments from the get-go, but I stand corrected. I also read in the news that they also gave the retailer Express a huge loan so clearly this firm is not in the singular interest of pursuing cost-cutting over anything just yet. Additionally, former HAL president Orlando Ashford actually joined Sycamore as an advisor in September 2020, which I'm sure most of us didn't pay attention to, so it's clear Sycamore's interest in the cruise industry has been festering all along. 

 

But regardless, in terms of Ashford, he did not seem like a good fit for the cruise industry and has an infamous reputation over on the HAL boards. To me, he was more of a disrupter that was met with mixed success (more or less, depending on who you ask), and so I view Sycamore's purchase of Azamara still with skepticism, since it isn't a cruise line whose business model is more akin to Carnival, but more akin to Oceania. But because the stakes are higher, Azamara also has a chance to redefine itself among the increasingly competitive premium/luxury lines sphere, and if done successfully, it could really take off. It's possible, after all, that it might have been getting suffocated within RCG's leadership. So I'm willing to wait and see where it goes from here.

Finding out that the former HAL president is advising Sycamore actually makes me a little more confident in their ability to be successful. At least there’s some cruise line operating expertise. Time will tell I guess and probably a lot of it, since the pandemic rages on.

[Astro Flyer]

Here’s a photo I took while cruising the Med on the Sky Princess in November 2019 while docked next to the Pacific Princess in Genoa...quite a difference in size!

 

We never sailed on the recently sold Pacific Princess but in 1992 sailed a 5 day transpacific on the original Love Boat Pacific Princess from Ensenada to Honolulu. That ship was about a third smaller but both ships carried 600+ passengers.

 

Edited January 28, 2021 by Astro Flyer

[snoozecrooze]

9 hours ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

Finding out that the former HAL president is advising Sycamore actually makes me a little more confident in their ability to be successful. At least there’s some cruise line operating expertise. Time will tell I guess and probably a lot of it, since the pandemic rages on.

Hey you know, speaking of Ashford, it turns out he is now Exec Chairman of Azamara. The news came out earlier today. To me, this means Sycamore and Ashford were both trying to scratch their cruise itch (especially after he departed HAL). Again, we'll see how Azamara evolves post-COVID and I agree with you that an exec with former cruise experience is better than none, so it should be in good hands for now. 

[AF-1]

11 hours ago, Astro Flyer said:

Here’s a photo I took while cruising the Med on the Sky Princess in November 2019 while docked next to the Pacific Princess in Genoa...quite a difference in size!

 

We never sailed on the recently sold Pacific Princess but in 1992 sailed a 5 day transpacific on the original Love Boat Pacific Princess from Ensenada to Honolulu. That ship was about a third smaller but both ships carried 600+ passengers.

 

wow look at the difference in size.  thanks for sharing this pic

[SoBaycruiser]

I’m afraid this closes our chapter with Princess cruises.  We took many a trip on her R ships. We had one planned in April of this year that was cancelled.  It’s too bad as we will have to give up some credits but the only cruise we ever didn’t enjoy was on a larger ship and I think it was only 2200 passengers.  Each to there own. I know others love the big ships.  Adios cruisers!

[bennybear]

We saw the Pacific Princess  in Kona a year ago sailing into the sunset.   At the time we were so excited as we were to be sailing on her in Tahiti this past October.  
 

 

 

Edited January 28, 2021 by bennybear

[TeaBag]

Beautiful picture bennybear.

[bennybear]

Thanks!  A few more, from a year ago!  

[MamaFej]

Thank you, @bennybear. It always makes me happy to see another cruise ship at sea. It's a nice reminder that there are other people enjoying the pleasures of cruising. 

[cruisequeen4ever]

17 hours ago, snoozecrooze said:

Hey you know, speaking of Ashford, it turns out he is now Exec Chairman of Azamara. The news came out earlier today. To me, this means Sycamore and Ashford were both trying to scratch their cruise itch (especially after he departed HAL). Again, we'll see how Azamara evolves post-COVID and I agree with you that an exec with former cruise experience is better than none, so it should be in good hands for now. 

More interesting news; thank you! 

[cruisequeen4ever]

21 hours ago, Astro Flyer said:

Here’s a photo I took while cruising the Med on the Sky Princess in November 2019 while docked next to the Pacific Princess in Genoa...quite a difference in size!

 

We never sailed on the recently sold Pacific Princess but in 1992 sailed a 5 day transpacific on the original Love Boat Pacific Princess from Ensenada to Honolulu. That ship was about a third smaller but both ships carried 600+ passengers.

 

That’s a fun dichotomy! I love the Royal class ships, but the Pacific accomplishes what the Royal class can’t. 

[Ride-The-Waves]

Pacific Princess anchored at Devil's island in 2012.  Following refurbishment she will make a good addition to Azamara fleet of four ships.  Have sailed both lines and the service and condition of the AZ ships was a cut above Princess in 2012.  These small ships may be the future of cruising following the pandemic.