Sapphire Princess 2022 deployment?!

[Cali Viajera]

11 minutes ago, beavismom said:

The map here https://www.princess.com/cruise-search/details?voyageCode=A213 shows the Royal and Majestic passing to the west of Vancouver Island. 

Yes, this is the map/itinerary I was referring to.

[AstoriaPreppy]

35 minutes ago, beavismom said:

The map here https://www.princess.com/cruise-search/details?voyageCode=A213 shows the Royal and Majestic passing to the west of Vancouver Island. 

Got it! I think a number of us are on the 2 May 2022, 12 day inside passage (with glacier bay) voyage  which hasn't been updated with a new route map

[John99]

Currently, all Princess Royal Class (Majestic, Royal, Discovery, etc.) sail west of Vancouver Island.  The question of sailing the “Inside Passage” has been discussed many times on Cruise Critic.

 

Chengkp75 commented on large cruise ships using the inside passage many times on CC.  If I remember correctly, the problem with the LARGE Princess ships (Royal Class) is their rudder/propeller configuration. Add to this the fact that Royal class ships (Majestic & Discovery, etc.) have somewhere around 3.1 acres of sail area (the amount of surface exposed to a wind blowing on the side of the vessel), and Southeast Alaska Pilots Association were concerned about getting cruise ships through narrow parts of the Inside Passage. Also, Princess Royal Class ships will "crab" or go sideways at about 8 degrees with a 25 knot wind on her beam.  

 

The Southeast Alaska Pilots Association have used simulators to test both podded propulsion ships and conventional propulsion ships in the Inside Passage, and feel that the Royal Class ships, with their conventional propellers and rudders are less maneuverable at low speed, and therefore they won't allow them into parts of the Inside Passage. 
 

Also, British Columbia, Canada -- made the decision that they would not be allowed the Royal Class ships to transit Seymour Narrows, which meant these very large ships (Majestic, Royal, etc.), have to sail west of Vancouver Island.  Princess Cruise Line has had on and off discussions with the BC Government to lift any restrictions.

 

For me, the “Inside Passage” going south from the southern tip of Alaska uses the Grenville Channel.  The Grenville Channel is possibly the most dramatic part of the Inside Passage.   Large cruise ships do not take this route i.e. Majestic.  The channel narrows to about quarter-mile at mile 518.  Just beautiful!!  The Northern Canyons is especially dramatic 100 mile stretch of the Inside Passage which begins at Boat Bluff Lighthouse.  The almost 90-degree turn is too sharp for large cruise ships like the Majestic and Royal.

John

 

[hapster85]

1 hour ago, John99 said:

Currently, all Princess Royal Class (Majestic, Royal, Discovery, etc.) sail west of Vancouver Island.  The question of sailing the “Inside Passage” has been discussed many times on Cruise Critic.

 

 

 

Including in this thread, since you pretty much made the same post (#44) 3 days ago. 😏

[PACD_JG]

3 hours ago, Dar & Bob said:

Discovery does inside passage and it is Royal class also ?? You know what they say about assumptions 🙂  It would be most disappointing if that adjustment also happens.  

 

Discovery sails the west side of Vancouver Island as well.  You asked about sailing west of Vancouver Island and now you're describing the Inside Passage as Princess Cruises would have you believe it is.  To quote a great philosopher, "you can get a good look at a t-bone by sticking your head up a bull's ass, but I'd rather take the butcher's word for it."

[Don9992]

19 hours ago, PACD_JG said:

Discovery sails the west side of Vancouver Island as well.  You asked about sailing west of Vancouver Island and now you're describing the Inside Passage as Princess Cruises would have you believe it is.  To quote a great philosopher, "you can get a good look at a t-bone by sticking your head up a bull's ass, but I'd rather take the butcher's word for it."

Princess posted a video on Facebook yesterday highlighting its 2022 Alaska fleet.   The vid includes the Royal and also specifically says that the Majestic is going through the Inside Passage. 

 https://www.facebook.com/PrincessCruises/videos/alaska-2022-meet-the-fleet/577816109934825/

Edited September 5, 2021 by Don9992
Word missing

[mreasier]

2 hours ago, Don9992 said:

Princess posted a video on Facebook yesterday highlighting its 2022 Alaska fleet.   The vid includes the Royal and also specifically says that the Majestic is going through the Inside Passage. 

 https://www.facebook.com/PrincessCruises/videos/alaska-2022-meet-the-fleet/577816109934825/

As is the marketing folks really know anything about what actually occurs at sea.  All four Majestic Princess Alaska itineraries on the Princess site clearly show her sailing west of Vancouver Island.

[Dar & Bob]

53 minutes ago, mreasier said:

As is the marketing folks really know anything about what actually occurs at sea.  All four Majestic Princess Alaska itineraries on the Princess site clearly show her sailing west of Vancouver Island.

I think the confusion comes from the definition of the "Inside Passage".  Uncle Google gives many results including the passages to Skagway and Ketchikan. Travel Alaska shows is as the route to Juneau, Skagway, Sitka etc. having nothing to do with Vancouver Island.  So for us I think we may try to go to one of the smaller ships to possibly have that experience.  I know calling Princess it would not be possible to get a definitive answer.

 

https://www.travelalaska.com/Destinations/Regions/Inside-Passage.aspx

 

Edited September 5, 2021 by Dar & Bob

[Don9992]

7 hours ago, mreasier said:

As is the marketing folks really know anything about what actually occurs at sea.  All four Majestic Princess Alaska itineraries on the Princess site clearly show her sailing west of Vancouver Island.

Very briefly I saw a route map showing the Majestic going up the IP.  Now it's back to showing that ship and the Royal taking the seaward side of Vancouver Island.  Hope sprung eternal only to get squashed.

 

[IDB37]

New to this thread, so many apologies if this has been answered before.

 

Does anyone know where Sapphire is going from May - November 2022 ? 

 

Princess are currently showing the ship completing the trans pacific cruises in April & then nothing until Nov 17th LA to Hawaii, Mexico & back to LA.

 

We are booked on the Auckland to San Francisco cruise from 8th - 29th April 2022, but aren't feeling too confident that it's actually going to happen, unless there's a marked improvement in the situation in NZ.

[Harrieta]

1 hour ago, IDB37 said:

New to this thread, so many apologies if this has been answered before.

 

Does anyone know where Sapphire is going from May - November 2022 ? 

 

Princess are currently showing the ship completing the trans pacific cruises in April & then nothing until Nov 17th LA to Hawaii, Mexico & back to LA.

 

We are booked on the Auckland to San Francisco cruise from 8th - 29th April 2022, but aren't feeling too confident that it's actually going to happen, unless there's a marked improvement in the situation in NZ.

I am able to tell you where it will be at the end of August next year. 
We were due to leave Hong Kong and head to Australia on the Royal and received email notification at the end of last week that the ship has been changed to the Sapphire. 

Edited September 6, 2021 by Harrieta

[dalsnibba]

Good morning everyone, from Italy,
i am new here
Excuse me in advance for my bad English.😀
Like many of you, I had booked my first Alaska cruise for August 2020 on Princess (Coral, north route + south route).
canceled and rebooked for 2021 ... canceled and rebooked for 2022 with Sapphire ... thanks to you I hear about the ship change and (maybe) itinerary modification ...
My travel agency, (in Italy) still hasn't let me know about the change, or Princess, has sent me emails, and no changes in my booking page on princess.com ...
I am undecided whether to book a new one for 2023 directly with Sapphire and then wait for Princess to be canceled ... or just wait ...
However I was monitoring the path of Majestic's new departure with MT .... obviously he can't do the inside passage ..

https://www.marinetraffic.com/it/ais/home/shipid:4033390/zoom:11

 

 

 

[LoriPhil]

We have booked Sapphire for 2023 rather than cruise Royal in 2022.  I had been concerned whether Sapphire would again be diverted, but it looks like the Diamond Princess is back cruising the Asian routes in 2023, so we’re hopeful about our chances.

[MamaFej]

21 hours ago, dalsnibba said:

Good morning everyone, from Italy,
i am new here
Excuse me in advance for my bad English.😀
Like many of you, I had booked my first Alaska cruise for August 2020 on Princess (Coral, north route + south route).
canceled and rebooked for 2021 ... canceled and rebooked for 2022 with Sapphire ... thanks to you I hear about the ship change and (maybe) itinerary modification ...
My travel agency, (in Italy) still hasn't let me know about the change, or Princess, has sent me emails, and no changes in my booking page on princess.com ...
I am undecided whether to book a new one for 2023 directly with Sapphire and then wait for Princess to be canceled ... or just wait ...
However I was monitoring the path of Majestic's new departure with MT .... obviously he can't do the inside passage ..

https://www.marinetraffic.com/it/ais/home/shipid:4033390/zoom:11

 

 

 

Accoglienza! Parlavo abbastanza bene l'italiano, ma è successo qualche decennio fa, quando erio(?) al college. Il mio italiano non è molto buono en questi giorni.

 

 

I wish I could help you. You are correct, the Majestic is too large to navigate the Inside Passage. Nevertheless, I imagine you will have a lovely cruise. 

 

I hope you will continue posting here. We have many posters for whom English is not the first language. Some of them write more clearly than some who have spoken only English. 

[dalsnibba]

2 hours ago, MamaFej said:

Accoglienza! Parlavo abbastanza bene l'italiano, ma è successo qualche prossima fa, quando erio(?) al college. Il mio italiano non è molto buono en questi giorni.

 

 

Vorrei poterti aiutare. Hai ragione, il Majestic è troppo grande per navigare nell'Inside Passage. Tuttavia, immagino che farai una bella crociera. 

 

Spero che continuerai a postare qui. Abbiamo molti poster per i quali l'inglese non è la prima lingua. Alcuni di loro scrivono più chiaramente di alcuni che hanno parlato solo inglese. 

Grazie della tua accoglienza! Non e' per niente male il tuo italiano.
Sicuramente molto meglio del mio inglese... devo migliorare molto!😃

 

This is the Majestic route update, for Juneau ...
it's all out on the open sea ...
I thought that at least the final part was inside, unfortunately not ..
I think I will REbook for 2023 and wait for Princess to cancel this cruise ... (August 6, 2022 Vancouver-Whittier-Vancouver)

 

It's hard for me to be able to come to Alaska often, so for my first cruise to Alaska, I would like to have the best, without compromise.

So maybe it's better to wait ..

So also next year we will most likely stay in Europe ...😃

 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2021 by dalsnibba

[dalsnibba]

update:
I just rebooked the cruise to alaska for 2023 with Sapphire, departure 9th August 2023..15 days
and consequently I booked the one for the summer of 2022
double 11 + 12 days Baltic capitals on Royal ...
I prefer to book as soon as the new ones come out, to choose deck, cabin, etc. etc. and don't wait for the remainder ..
I will therefore wait for Princess's information regarding this with change of ship ...
So I'll have to wait a little longer for Alaska ... it's becoming a dream ...

[Markanddonna]

How do you speculate the Sapphire is going to get from its present location to the west coast?  We are booked on the Sapphire's transpacific sailing April 2 but most everyone feels it will be canceled due to no sailings thus far from Australia. It seems unlikely that Princess will keep their Australia season intact since Australia is closed.

 

Any guesses?

[mtnlvr53]

On 9/4/2021 at 8:50 AM, PACD_JG said:

That is exactly why we are asking the question, Cali Viajera is refering to a map showing the Royal going to the west when for the rest of us it isn't showing on the website 

 

Princess shows the Majestic going west of Vancouver Island.  The Royal is in the same class as the Majestic.  2 and 2, no?

[jack dcruiser]

Anyone speak to Princess on rescheduling their cruise using the 2020 future cruise credits?  Our flights were removed and now the flights are more than what we scheduled for back in February.

[compozer]

52 minutes ago, jack dcruiser said:

  Our flights were removed and now the flights are more than what we scheduled for back in February.

I checked my personalizer as soon as I heard they were switching ships and our flights for June 23 were gone for all four of us.    I have been meaning to call them because flights are $700 more per person - they were first class seats but not worth another $2800.    I will call as soon as I get both booking numbers  and all the (three minute) flight change emails in order.  

[beavismom]

Just cancelled our 5/28/22 cruise.  The Royal doesn't work for us and they won't let us move to the Grand without losing our pricing from 6 months ago.  We will never consider Princess again after this.  I'm sure they don't care, someone else will just book the cabin at a higher fare.  Thanks to the helpful people in this forum for your answers and assistance though!

[hapster85]

Logging in this morning, my cruise listing now says Royal Princess, but can't yet manage the booking. So still don't know the cabin assignment. Soon hopefully.

[PACD_JG]

46 minutes ago, beavismom said:

Just cancelled our 5/28/22 cruise.  The Royal doesn't work for us and they won't let us move to the Grand without losing our pricing from 6 months ago.  We will never consider Princess again after this.  I'm sure they don't care, someone else will just book the cabin at a higher fare.  Thanks to the helpful people in this forum for your answers and assistance though!

Beavismom,

 

I'm on the 06/22/22 cruise, haven't decided what to do yet.  But curious, why does the Royal not work for you but the Grand does?

[GVcruiser]

Beavismom,

 

We we’re also hoping to switch to the Grand with price protection. Our travel agent said Princess said we have to wait until new cabins were assigned on the Royal. Did you talk to Princess directly or did you go through a travel agent? Any additional information you can provide would be appreciated.

[memoak]

3 hours ago, hapster85 said:

Logging in this morning, my cruise listing now says Royal Princess, but can't yet manage the booking. So still don't know the cabin assignment. Soon hopefully.

Same here