Princess Cruises is offering discounts of up to £800 per couple on Grand Princess voyages from Southampton next summer for bookings made during the Wave period from December 28 to January 31, 2010.
Clients booking within that period will also receive up to $200 per couple on-board credit. Either free car parking or coach transfers to and from the ship is offered until February 28 2010.
Head of brand marketing Pieter van der Schee said the discount, which applies to the highest-grade cabins, should encourage a record number of clients to book balcony staterooms.
He said: “As the market is changing, many passengers now expect a private balcony as standard. Balcony staterooms have become much cheaper and our ‘Princess Sale’ is offering massive price reductions, making cruising better value than ever before.”
Upgrades from an oceanview to a balcony cabin on a nine-night Caribbean flycruise on Emerald princess cost from £60 per person, with an upgrade from a balcony cabin to a mini-suite from £95 per person.
Two-week cruises from Southampton to the Mediterranean on Grand Princess start from £1,269 per person, with upgrades from an oceanview to a balcony stateroom from £175 per person. A seven-night cruise from Southampton to Iberia on Grand Princess costs from £649 per person.
Van der Schee said Princess grew its UK business by more than 10% this year and the aim is to achieve more growth in 2010 as a result of the Wave offers. The offers are being backed by a multi-million-pound marketing campaign to drive clients to their travel agent.
Other offers in the January Wave campaign include discounts of up to £400 per cabin for Mediterranean cruises on Ruby Princess. Prices start from £1,399 per person for a 12-night cruise including flights, transfers and up to $200 per couple onboard credit.
Princess is also waiving regional flight supplements for passengers booking a Caribbean cruise on Sea Princess for winter 2010/11 as well as offering discounts of up to £750 per couple. A 15-night cruise costs from £1,469 per person including flights, transfers and $200 onboard credit.
There are discounts of up to £1,000 per couple for a nine-night Alaskan cruises, bringing the lead price to £1,199 per person including flights, transfers and up to $200 per couple onboard credit.