Waiting for the Other Shoe (Email) to Drop

[Sunset329]

It is difficult to get excited about a cruise which, according to rumors, will be cancelled. We are scheduled on the 15 day cruise to Hawaii on the Sapphire Princess in October. The cruises on the Diamond Princess were recently cancelled through November 17, 2022 due to lack of adequate staffing. The Sapphire Princess probably faces the same fate. The staffing issues will not improve in a month, and all cruises on the Sapphire through November are described as "currently unavailable" on the Princess site. Like others, we have had several cruises cancelled. We were hoping we would finally be able to sail in October. Are there any optimistic thoughts regarding the sailing of the Sapphire in October? We really want to get excited for this cruise and make final port plans.

[dobiemom]

I heard that the Diamond crew will be transferred to the Sapphire. 🤞

[pathi]

Watching this also. Sailing Sapphire 9/24.... Maybe.

[srpilo]

14 minutes ago, dobiemom said:

I heard that the Diamond crew will be transferred to the Sapphire. 🤞

 

Thats what been bantered about, and probably makes the sense. Unlike the Diamond the Sapphire has a almost guaranteed South America season starting Dec 3rd, which IMO bodes well for Sapphire's restart as scheduled on 9-24- 22 to bring her up to speed before deployment to SA, where as the whole 2023 Asian season looks unlikely for the Diamond at this point, and to be fair the 7 day San Diego sailings through January looked from the very start to be "filler" cruises while awaiting her permanent re-stationing in Asia....

 

At this point, I won't be surprised if a completely new schedule will be published for the Diamond sending here elsewhere even before the new return date at the end of Nov.

[Aggie83]

On 8/12/2022 at 2:44 PM, dobiemom said:

I heard that the Diamond crew will be transferred to the Sapphire. 🤞

Not sure the timing works out for that, therefore seems unlikely.  If that occurs, then the restart of the Diamond will be postponed and more cancelled cruises.  I won't be surprised if the restart of the Sapphire is postponed, and that Princess tries to hang on to the South America cruises.

[donswife]

I think the Sapphire is a more popular ship than the Diamond since it has the International cafe and Alfredo pizza, and does not bear the stigma of being the original covid ship. 

[JoRoy218]

34 minutes ago, donswife said:

I think the Sapphire is a more popular ship than the Diamond since it has the International cafe and Alfredo pizza, and does not bear the stigma of being the original covid ship. 

I agree with you on both counts! We were supposed to be on the Sept. 1 Diamond cruise. I had concerns ever since I made the reservations. Have been wondering if there is a “stigma” attached to the Diamond due to the Covid tragedy they experienced. I surely won’t reserve a cruise on her again. Maybe they should scrap her. 😳 Sad. 

[suzyed]

1 hour ago, JoRoy218 said:

I agree with you on both counts! We were supposed to be on the Sept. 1 Diamond cruise. I had concerns ever since I made the reservations. Have been wondering if there is a “stigma” attached to the Diamond due to the Covid tragedy they experienced. I surely won’t reserve a cruise on her again. Maybe they should scrap her. 😳 Sad. 

Do you think the Coral has a "stigma" attached to it?

[donswife]

2 minutes ago, suzyed said:

Do you think the Coral has a "stigma" attached to it?

No, it wasn't in the media crosshairs the way Diamond was 

[suzyed]

Just now, donswife said:

No, it wasn't in the media crosshairs the way Diamond was 

That may be true but there were deaths on the Coral.....I know probably fewer though.

[cr8tiv1]

I love the Grand and she had similar "COVID" issues.  I'll take her over the newer ships any day.  The virus would have lasted 2.5 years.  The Diamond is safe to cruise.  

[tonit964]

On 8/12/2022 at 11:57 AM, Sunset329 said:

It is difficult to get excited about a cruise which, according to rumors, will be cancelled. We are scheduled on the 15 day cruise to Hawaii on the Sapphire Princess in October. The cruises on the Diamond Princess were recently cancelled through November 17, 2022 due to lack of adequate staffing. The Sapphire Princess probably faces the same fate. The staffing issues will not improve in a month, and all cruises on the Sapphire through November are described as "currently unavailable" on the Princess site. Like others, we have had several cruises cancelled. We were hoping we would finally be able to sail in October. Are there any optimistic thoughts regarding the sailing of the Sapphire in October? We really want to get excited for this cruise and make final port plans.

Sadly, I’m almost certain the Sapphire sailings are going to be canceled. I’m on the 9/24 cruise which is the first one back from the previous cancellations.

 

These cruises have been showing as ‘currently not available’ for close to a month now and they weren’t even close to being sold out, just prior to that.

That was the same thing with the Diamond cruises right before they were canceled. So, all of these sailings are ‘sold out’ ? No way.

 

The Sapphire was not offered as an alternate cruise for the Diamond cancellations. 

 

[caribill]

Has anyone asked Princess why the cruises in question are listed as unavailable?

[fpsphil]

8 hours ago, Aggie83 said:

Not sure the timing works out for that, therefore seems unlikely.  If that occurs, then the restart of the Diamond will be postponed and more cancelled cruises.  I won't be surprised if the restart of the Sapphire is postponed, and that Princess tries to hang on to the South America cruises.

Still buys princess 2 extra months to get more crew together. All those already on the way here for the diamond restart can actually be working instead of sitting waiting for a restart

[tonit964]

6 hours ago, caribill said:

Has anyone asked Princess why the cruises in question are listed as unavailable?

They said the cruises are ‘ sold out’ but you can be put on a waitlist for $100 pp refundable deposit. 
Princess is doing fantastic with so many ‘ sold out’ cruises recently. 🙄

[tonit964]

4 hours ago, fpsphil said:

Still buys princess 2 extra months to get more crew together. All those already on the way here for the diamond restart can actually be working instead of sitting waiting for a restart

We are all assuming there was crew on board the Diamond.
Do we know they actually had crew on board? By crew I mean sufficient crew, not the regular operational crew to get the ship here.

[latebloomer56]

7 hours ago, caribill said:

Has anyone asked Princess why the cruises in question are listed as unavailable?

My TA checked when they changed our return flight the week before last when I saw this on our roll call I was nervous as well. Princess said we were sailing Oct. 4th. So will keep planning until told otherwise by Princess. I do have a back up plan in place through and it will not be a cruise. Fingers crossed looking forward to visiting Hawaii again.

[Vexorg]

As of right now the October 23rd Sapphire Princess cruise (10 night Baja Peninsula/Sea of Cortez) still has availability in most categories.

[fpsphil]

3 hours ago, tonit964 said:

We are all assuming there was crew on board the Diamond.
Do we know they actually had crew on board? By crew I mean sufficient crew, not the regular operational crew to get the ship here.

There still would have already been crew in route and I believe they picked up operational crew in Manila on the way over. Both ships stopped there for a day before continuing across the pacific

[pathi]

My question is will Princess give us at least 30 days notice?

[Cruise Raider]

On 8/14/2022 at 7:40 PM, tonit964 said:

Sadly, I’m almost certain the Sapphire sailings are going to be canceled. I’m on the 9/24 cruise which is the first one back from the previous cancellations.

 

These cruises have been showing as ‘currently not available’ for close to a month now and they weren’t even close to being sold out, just prior to that.

That was the same thing with the Diamond cruises right before they were canceled. So, all of these sailings are ‘sold out’ ? No way.

 

The Sapphire was not offered as an alternate cruise for the Diamond cancellations. 

 

I am also booked on a sailing that is showing ‘Currently Not Available’ for the last month.  However the difference is it is on the Royal Princess, which has already been out to see for at least a year.  I think in the case of the Royal, it based on not having a sufficient number of crew.  
I do still think there is a chance your itinerary is safe.  I will keep my fingers crossed for you.  

[tonit964]

7 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

I am also booked on a sailing that is showing ‘Currently Not Available’ for the last month.  However the difference is it is on the Royal Princess, which has already been out to see for at least a year.  I think in the case of the Royal, it based on not having a sufficient number of crew.  
I do still think there is a chance your itinerary is safe.  I will keep my fingers crossed for you.  

I hope you're right, thank you!

[tonit964]

1 hour ago, pathi said:

My question is will Princess give us at least 30 days notice?

Well, they gave the Diamond passengers about 3 weeks. Notice came on 8/8 for the first sailing of 9/1.

I suspect it will be 9/1 or when Sapphire arrives on San Pedro on 8/20. 

ETA: I'm checking the website each day for updates.

 

Edited August 16, 2022 by tonit964

[suzyed]

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

I am also booked on a sailing that is showing ‘Currently Not Available’ for the last month.  However the difference is it is on the Royal Princess, which has already been out to see for at least a year.  I think in the case of the Royal, it based on not having a sufficient number of crew.  
I do still think there is a chance your itinerary is safe.  I will keep my fingers crossed for you.  

I would be very surprised if our Caribbean Princess sailing is cancelled.  I think while it might not be technically sold out (cabins may still be available) but it is at capacity passenger wise.   
Time will tell.

[san diego sue]

I have final payment coming soon this month for our 20 day Diamond cruise Nov 27th. Not a small chunk of change and hate to pay then wait for my money to come back. If this cruise is in jeopardy Princess should postpone final payment until sure they will let this cruise sail.