Princess Cruises has announced its 2022 European deployment which includes basing Sky Princess in Southampton – the newest and biggest ship it has ever had sailing from the British port.
Sky Princess, which carries 3,660 guests, will also operate the longest-ever summer season from March to October – a total of 215 days which is a month longer than anything operated previously. This means it will offer more school holiday sailings than ever before.
UK & Europe vice-president Tony Roberts said these would include a 14-night sailing to Spain, France and Portugal for the Easter Holidays and a half-term sailing, which, with the recently announced extended bank holiday for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, would mean taking only three days’ holiday. He predicted this would be very attractive.
The programme also includes the return of Princess’ “hugely popular” 25-night round-trip from Southampton to Canada and New England in September 2022, with an overnight in New York.
Speaking on a webinar for trade partners, Roberts said: “My goal has always been to bring the best ships to Europe which is why I am so delighted to announce we are bringing Sky Princess to Southampton as our homeport ship, devoted to the UK market.”
Also sailing from Southampton will be Crown Princess offering British Isles cruises with more time ashore in Dublin and Belfast and the option to see the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, and Island Princess offering some of the line’s ‘discovery itineraries’ , such as a sailing to Hamburg for Oktoberfest.
Meanwhile, Regal Princess will be based in the Mediterranean offering seven, 14 and 21-night cruises departing from Rome, Barcelona and Athens, while Princess’ newest-ship, Enchanted Princess, will sail from Copenhagen on 11-night sailings to Scandinavia and Russia.
Roberts said: “We are really pleased with demand. There is a lot of pent-up demand for 2021 and 22. We have a lot of people sitting on Future Cruise Credits but we are also seeing a lot of new business. It’s mainly past cruisers but not necessarily people who have cruised with Princess before.”
Roberts said Princess would not be following Celebrity in making all fares all-inclusive.
“We want to give guests the choice. We will always have a great fare, plus the ability to move to an inclusive fare if the guests want. But we want to give them the choice and not force them down a certain route,” he said.
“Princess guests can take advantage of our all-inclusive added value package ‘Princess Plus’, which includes premium drinks, the best Wi-Fi at sea and gratuities. With lots of options available, we are confident that every guest will find a great holiday that they can look forward to in 2022.”
All Europe 2022 voyages go on sale on December 2. Princess’ Elite guests are able to book from December 1 at 2pm.