Cruise line west coast itinerary roster to feature variety, including Mexico
At a time when other cruise lines have repositioned ships to more profitable and popular waters, cruisers who want to sample the Pacific Coast or sail from a West Coast port have options with Princess Cruises in 2012-13. Princess was one of the first to limit or cancel calls to Mexico in a manner consistent with the cruise industry mantra: Passenger safety is number one. Now, Princess will feature more Pacific coast cruises than ever before, including an enhanced seven-day California Coastal itinerary to the best of the Golden State and calls to Mexico.
Coastal cruises have become increasingly popular with our passengers, so much so that were featuring more of our new California Coast itinerary than ever before, said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. And the California ports of Los Angeles and San Francisco are great bases from which to enjoy a variety of destinations and experiences.
Not long ago, Princess and other major lines put ports in Mexico on notice: clean up crime or you wont be seeing us anytime soon. Indeed, the new Pacific Coast sailing menu Princess has for 2012-13 (see below) feature a number of sailings that do not include a trip south of the border.
The lines northern-focused schedule of fall and spring season coastal voyages ranges from quick overnight cruises to week-long journeys, all designed to provide passengers with a convenient way to sample the Princess cruise experience as they explore the Pacific coastline.
New this season is a round-trip California Coastal itinerary with an added visit to Catalina and an overnight in San Francisco. Other coastal itinerary options include a wine country cruise with popular themed onboard presentations, plus four- and five-day samplers of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, and shorter sailings of one to three nights.
Additionally, cruisers can set sail for further-flung destinations, heading for Hawaii, the Panama Canal or across the ocean to explore the South Pacific. Mexico has not been forgotten though.
Sapphire Princess will sail south of the border from Los Angeles to Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas on six sailings between November 17, 2012 and April 20, 2013 that include once-skipped Mazatlan where we will be traveling to later this month to check the situation on the ground firs-hand. Stay tuned for updates on one of the star attractions of Mexico that has received a lot of attention lately as it struggles to emerge from a barrage of bad press.
Grand Princess and Star Princess will also sail to Mazatlan, each offering a sailing roundtrip from San Francisco with calls at Catalina, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas and San Diego too. Star Princess sails on Sept 26, 2012 and Grand Princess departs March 31, 2013
The full roster of Princess Coastal voyages in the 2012-13 season include:
California Coastals: Roundtrip Los Angeles Sapphire Princess will sail on new departures of a seven-day California Coastal itinerary cruising roundtrip from Los Angeles. Passengers can enjoy an overnight in San Francisco, plus calls in Santa Barbara, Catalina, San Diego, and Ensenada. Sailings depart on October 8 and October 13, 2012; March 30, April 6, April 13, April 27 and May 4, 2013.
Wine Country Coastal: Los Angeles to Vancouver A special seven-day sailing offered with wine lovers in mind, this sailing will offer the chance to explore the California wine regions of Santa Barbara and San Francisco as well as visit the microbreweries of Astoria, Oregon. Themed excursions will be available in many ports to enhance the local wine focus. In addition, onboard presentations from guest experts will showcase the world of food and wine with demonstrations, tastings and special meals. The cruise aboard Sapphire Princess will depart from Los Angeles on May 11, 2013, sailing to Vancouver with calls at Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Astoria, Seattle and Victoria.
British Columbia and West Coast Coastal This week-long voyage explores the west coast from the fall foliage of British Columbia to the shores of Southern California. The Vancouver to Los Angeles cruise calls at Nanaimo, Victoria, San Francisco and San Diego. Sapphire Princess sets sail on September 29, 2012.
Pacific Coastal: Los Angeles/Vancouver Passengers can choose to travel between Vancouver and Los Angeles in five or three days with two coastal itinerary options. The five-day journey between the City of Angels and Vancouver features calls in San Francisco and Victoria, departing on May 9, 2012 aboard Coral Princess. The three-day option features two leisurely days of cruising the Pacific Coast with a variety of sailing dates aboard Golden Princess, Coral Princess, Island Princess and Star Princess.
Pacific Coastal: San Francisco/Vancouver Two ships will travel between San Franciscos legendary Golden Gate and picturesque Vancouver on a two-day cruise. Island Princess departs on September 26, 2012 and Star Princess sets sail on May 13 and September 24, 2012.
Pacific Coastal: Vancouver/Seattle For a quick getaway, overnight sailings between Vancouver and Seattle offer the perfect opportunity for a taste of Princess hospitality. Golden Princess will sail September 22, 2012 and May 11, 2013; while Star Princess sails on September 23, 2012 and May 11, 2013.
In addition to sailing along the Pacific Coast, passengers can also choose to visit a variety of destinations from the West Coast ports of Los Angeles and San Francisco.
From Los Angeles:
Hawaii Golden Princess and Sapphire Princess offer 14-day cruises, departing on Wednesdays and Saturdays, respectively, to the volcanic wonder of the Big Island (Hilo), the capital city of Honolulu on Oahu, the beautiful beaches of Maui (Lahaina) and the lush Garden Isle of Kauai (Nawiliwili). The season runs between September 26, 2012 and April 24, 2013.
Hawaii, Tahiti & Samoa For those looking for a longer tropical vacation, this 28-day itinerary offers the opportunity to sail not only to Hawaii, but also visit the South Pacific islands of Pago Pago, Apia, Bora Bora, Moorea, and Tahiti. These cruises sail round-trip from Los Angeles, aboard Sapphire Princess on October 20, 2012 and on Star Princess on March 26, 2013.
Panama Canal Coral Princess and Island Princess offer a variety of Panama Canal transit itineraries that begin or end in Los Angeles. These sailings include a full transit of one of the worlds wonders of engineering plus Princess signature 2-day experience in Panama for extra time to explore the country. Cruises also include visits to a variety of sunny Caribbean ports as well as calls in Mexico and Central America. Sailings run between September 20, 2011 and May 4, 2013.
From San Francisco:
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