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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