Coming home: Royal Princess (Picture: Princess Cruises)
Royal Princess – the ship launched by the Duchess of Cambridge last year – is returning to Southampton next spring and summer, it was announced tonight.
The 3,600-passenger ship will return from the Caribbean in May to carry out 11 round-Britain sailings from 12 to 27 nights with calls including Liverpool, Edinburgh and Belfast. She will also do a 12-night tour of the Baltics in June, including visits to Copenhagen, Stockholm and St Petersburg.
Paul Ludlow, the MD for UK and Europe, said: ‘The return of Royal Princess will be a special moment, as it is the first time she will be deployed from these shores after being launched by HRH the Duchess of Cambridge. It is particularly fitting that Royal Princess will sail roundtrips of the UK, as it will give people across the country the opportunity to welcome a ship that was so warmly received here last year.’
Caribbean Princess will also spend the summer in Southampton, with sailings to northern Europe and the Med, and offer an ‘all inclusive’ drinks package.
Newcomer Regal Princess, joining the fleet this year, will sail twelve 11-night Scandinavia and Russia cruises in 2015 with the option to join in Copenhagen, Warnemunde or St Petersburg. Ocean Princess will return to Dover while Emerald Princess and Island Princess will be based in the Med.
Princess is cutting deposits to just £99 a person on all European cruises. Ludlow said: ‘2015 is all about choice, as our Europe-based ships will make 150 departures and visit over 120 destinations. European cruises are booming in popularity and as such we’ve provided something for everyone, including destinations and packages to suit a wide range of tastes and budgets.
‘With a £99 deposit there is no reason passengers can’t secure the cruise of their choice right away.’
The 2015 cruises will go on sale on Tuesday, March 11, 2014 at 3pm. The complimentary drinks package and £99 deposit is available on 2015 cruises booked from that time until Monday, June 30, 2014.
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Very interesting esp about drinks package. Do you mean non alcohlic drinks are free?
What do you know about alcoholic drinks prices on the Princess cruises?
Any info on tipping?
Having only cruised once on the all incl. Azamara.
I’m interested in the Black sea area for 2015, Putin permitting!!!!
Hi Cherie, I have asked the Princess press office to answer your questions. I’ll get back to you as soon as I hear from them,
Dave
Hi Cherie, here is the reply from Princess:
Apologies for the delay getting back to you on this. I’ve included full details on the drinks package below and in answer to your reader’s questions- all non-alcoholic drinks are included in this package, in terms of examples of prices on board a bottle of beer starts at $5.25, and wine by the glass starts at $6.75, 15% gratuity is added to the package per person. If they are interested in Black Sea Cruises we have two 14-day itineraries sailing there on Emerald Princess next summer, with departure dates in June and August, further details available at http://www.princess.com/holiday
All-Inclusive Beverage Package:
The Package costs $49 per day (+15% gratuity) per person.
All inclusive package includes:
All cocktails less than $10
All spirits less than $10
All glasses of wine less than $10
All non-alcoholic items (cans, bottles, mocktails, shakes)
All coffee, tea, espresso and specialty drinks
40% discount on any bottled wine less than $100
Any food items included with the coffee card (crepes, gelato, etc.)