PRINCESS Cruises is to boost its capacity in the Caribbean by retaining its largest ship, Grand Princess, in the region for summer 2001.
The 109,000-ton Grand Princess will operate alternating one-week itineraries out of Miami until September 2001, rather than transferring to the Mediterranean in the spring as it is scheduled to do this summer.
The move will increase the cruiseline’s capacity in the Caribbean by 35% in summer 2001.
Princess marketing manager Gill Haynes admitted that the Caribbean market was crowded but she is confident the company can fill the ship.
“It’s the right ship and it’s the right time,” she said. “We know there is demand from different quarters of the market.”
Haynes believes British passengers could take up to 30% of the capacity on Grand Princess in summer 2001 – the same proportion they take up on Dawn Princess, which operates out of San Juan.
The changes to Princess’ Caribbean programme appear in the newly published second edition of its Caribbean and Worldwide 2000/2001 brochure. Prices start at £1,196 for a nine-night fly cruise on Grand Princess.
Princess has not yet finalised which ships it will deploy in Europe in summer 2001.