Sun Princess can carry 4,300 passengers
IAN STALKER
The cruise company that brought you the Love Boat loves to reminisce about it. A recent Baxter Media webcast had Carmen Roig, Princess’ vice-president of sales, note that the show provided Princess with an international platform, showcasing it on a regular basis.
And Roig added that the cruise industry in general benefited from the long-running series.
“Obviously, when you think of the Love Boat and what that show did for the cruise industry… it put us on the map,” she told webcast viewers.
This is a busy year for Princess, with Roig noting that the company now has 16 ships, including the new Sun Princess, which can carry 4,300 passengers and is Princess’ largest vessel.
“It gives you… the heritage of 59 years of Princess,” Roig said while noting that its features include over 30 restaurants and bars, and the three-deck Piazza.
“We like to say the Sun revolves around you,” she continued.
Another Sun Princess feature is the top deck Dome, which Roig said provides an “infusion of light” that she added creates a “Santorini feel.”
The Dome also has an indoor-outdoor swimming pool.
Roig said Princess this year will have sailings from Boston during the July-October period, some of which will be 17 days in length and work their way as far north as Greenland, with Greenland’s capital of Nuuk among Greenlandic destinations visited.
“It is a big commitment from our end,” Roig said of the Boston sailings.
Next year will see Caribbean sailings from New York that will also visit Bermuda, which Roig noted has historical attractions and pink-sand beaches.
Princess vessels will this year be homeporting at points along the eastern and western U.S. coasts and the Gulf of Mexico, and Vancouver and Quebec City in this country. “It’s really about having convenience from your backyard,” Roig said of the numerous options.
Among U.S. homeports is Port Canaveral, Florida, from which Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises are offered. The Western Caribbean cruises offer the likes of Mexico, Belize and the Honduran island of Roatan.
Hawaii features prominently in Princess’ program, with sailings to that part of the world available from both San Francisco and Los Angeles. Another Los Angeles departure option is the Mexican Riviera.
Meanwhile, Roig used the webcast to tout Princess’ Alaska program, which she said is unequalled, noting Princess has its own Alaskan lodges and will have 7 ships in Alaskan waters.
“We own Alaska. We don’t just visit,” she said. She said the scope of Princess’ Alaska program means repeat sailings can provide different vacations. “Alaska is not a one and done,” Roig continued.
The webcast was also told by CLIA vice-president of trade relations Charles Silvia that 2024 CLIA memberships are now available for agents, adding agents who become members will gain the likes of credibility, expertise in cruising and recognition.
“All of our benefits are designed to help you make money,” he said.
The webcast can be seen here:
