Princess Cruises has announced its 2017 European itineraries, including the inaugural cruises of the company's newest ship, the Majestic Princess. The European season features six ships, including the fleet's three most recent additions. Princess will sail to 119 different destinations, from every corner of the Mediterranean to the northernmost tip of Europe.
Passengers can choose from 64 unique itineraries on 153 trips visiting 27 countries.
The Majestic Princess, with a capacity of 3,560 passengers, will be launched in April 2017. Its inaugural season will begin with cruises ranging from 5 to 28 days on a Mediterranean voyage from Barcelona, visiting Athens and Rome. From July 2017, the Majestic Princess will move to its year-round homeport in China.
The Crown Princess, with a capacity of 3,080 passengers, will be based in Southampton from April to September. The ship will offer 7- and 14-night cruises throughout Europe, including the Mediterranean and the Scandinavian countries.
The two newest ships in the fleet, the Royal Princess and Regal Princess, will be based in Europe. The Royal Princess, which was christened by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge in 2013, will operate the 11-day Grand Mediterranean and 10-day Western Mediterranean cruises. These can be combined to form the 21-day Grand Mediterranean Collection. Seven-, 14-, 21-, and 28-day Mediterranean cruises will also be available.
The Regal Princess, launched last year, returns to Northern Europe for cruises to Scandinavia and Russia, including an overnight stay in St. Petersburg.
Additionally, the company will have its longest season in the British Isles with 12 sailings aboard the 3,140-passenger Caribbean Princess, which includes Edinburgh's Military Tattoo parade on the farewell night on some itineraries. The 12-day British Isles cruise includes a stop in Belfast and the option of an overnight stay in Dublin on some departures from Southampton.
Finally, the Pacific Princess will sail from Dover from June to September. The company's smallest ship, with a capacity of 680 passengers, will offer several Northern European itineraries, visiting destinations off the beaten track, including ports in Iceland and the Shetland Islands. It will also offer cruises around the British Isles and a transatlantic passage through Iceland, crossing the land of fire and ice.
Both the Crown Princess and the Pacific Princess will offer voyages to the North Cape and the Arctic Circle during the peak of the midnight sun around the summer solstice.
Reservations will be available starting Thursday, December 3, 2015 at 4:00 PM.
Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises, stated, “Princess is known for offering the finest cruise itineraries around the world, and our 2017 European season is sure to inspire our guests to experience our new, magnificent ships in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. We are thrilled to introduce the Majestic Princess to the Mediterranean before it officially sets sail for Asia for its China cruise season.”
With the “More Destination” program, Princess offers guests more time in select destinations, whether through late-night departures (9 p.m. or later), overnight stays, or two-day experiences. Highlights of the “More Destination” program include overnight stays in Dublin and St. Petersburg on select voyages and extended stays in more than 15 countries.
