In
total, five ships – including the line’s two newest vessels –
will sail on a variety of cruise itineraries throughout the
Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
A
sister ship to the upcoming Royal Princess, Regal Princess, will
debut on June 2, 2014 with a seven-day inaugural voyage from Venice
to Barcelona – including calls in Kotor (Montenegro), Rome,
Florence/Pisa, and Toulon (France, for Provence). The ship will then
sail on a 10-day Mediterranean & Aegean cruise, followed by a
season of Princess’ signature Grand Mediterranean cruises, with two
itinerary choices.
Other
highlights of the season include Royal Princess sailing on the line’s
popular Scandinavia & Russia cruises, featuring two days in the
dramatic city of St. Petersburg; more sailings than ever before to
the British Isles aboard Ruby Princess and Ocean Princess; and a
variety of seven-day Interlude sailings in the Mediterranean aboard
the intimate Ocean Princess.
“With
Regal Princess’ debut we will have our two newest and largest
vessels sailing on our most popular routes in Europe,” said Jan
Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. “Throughout the
season, whether passengers want to explore the diverse cultures and
expansive history of the Mediterranean, visit the favorite ports of
the Baltic Sea on a Scandinavia and Russia voyage, or conveniently
circle the British Isles, they can do so in an environment of a
relaxing retreat aboard one of our ships.”
The
2014 Europe program features five ships sailing on 94 departures on
48 itineraries to more than 120 destinations:
•
Regal
Princess will debut with Princess’ signature 12-day Grand
Mediterranean itinerary between Venice and Barcelona, with two
itinerary options.
•
Royal
Princess will sail for the first time on the line’s popular 11-day
Scandinavia & Russia cruises, featuring two days in St.
Petersburg, Russia.
•
Ruby
Princess will be based in Southampton for 12-day British Isles
cruises as well as one North Cape & Summer Solstice cruise.
•
Emerald
Princess will also be based in Southampton for sailings to the
Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and the Canary Islands.
•
Small
ship Ocean Princess will feature cruises to both Northern Europe and
the Mediterranean including eight-day British Isles cruises, a series
of seven-day interlude sailings in the Mediterranean, and new Black
Sea and Holy Land voyages, all of which can be combined for a longer
voyage.
Mediterranean
– Passengers
wanting to visit the best of the Mediterranean now have a choice of
two itinerary options on the line’s signature 12-day Grand
Mediterranean cruises aboard Regal Princess – both feature an
overnight stay in Venice, plus calls in Rome, Florence/Pisa, Naples
(for Capri & Pompeii), Athens, Mykonos, Kusadasi (for Ephesus)
and Toulon (for Provence). One version of the cruise features a call
at the intriguing Turkish port of Istanbul and the other calling at
medieval Dubrovnik, Croatia. Additional options in the Mediterranean
include seven-day Interlude voyages aboard the intimate Ocean
Princess, 11-day sailings to the Holy Land or Black Sea on Ocean
Princess, and 14-day Mediterranean Medley cruises from Southampton
aboard Emerald Princess.
Scandinavia/Russia
– Princess’
2-Day Experience in St. Petersburg – featuring two full days and an
overnight stay in the Russian city – will now be is offered on
three different Baltic itineraries – Royal Princess on an 11-day
itinerary from Copenhagen, Emerald Princess with a 14-day Baltic
Heritage route from Southampton and Ocean Princess with a 14-day
Scandinavia & Russia collection cruise from Dover.
British
Isles – Princess
will offer more departures on British Isles sailings than ever before
with two itinerary options – a 12-day route on Ruby Princess from
Southampton and an eight-day option from Dover aboard Ocean Princess.
Five departures will include the option to see the famed Edinburgh
Military Tattoo.
Iceland
& Norway – Several
options will take passengers to the northern reaches with a 16-day
Land of the Midnight Sun cruise and a 14-day Iceland & Norway
journey both aboard the intimate Ocean Princess, as well as a 12-day
North Cape & Summer Solstice cruise on Ruby Princess. Two fall
transatlantic voyages also feature calls in Iceland – Royal
Princess will sail from Copenhagen to New York on a 17-day Iceland &
British Isles Explorer cruise, and Ruby Princess will offer a 15-day
Iceland & Norway Explorer cruise from Southampton to New York.
Transatlantic
Voyages – In
addition, passengers can enjoy a variety of other itineraries that
travel across the Atlantic in spring and fall, including a 17-day
Maiden Passage cruise on Regal Princess from Venice to Ft.
Lauderdale. Royal Princess will sail from Ft. Lauderdale to
Copenhagen in spring on a 15-day Northern Europe Passage. Emerald
Princess will offer a 15-day British Isles Passage from Ft.
Lauderdale to Southampton and a 17-day Western Europe Passage from
Southampton to Houston. Ruby Princess sails on a 14-day Western
Europe Passage from Ft. Lauderdale to Southampton. Ocean Princess
ends its extended Europe season with an 18-day Renaissance Passage
from Rome to Ft. Lauderdale.
New
Ports: Maiden
calls for the season include Alta, Norway; Salerno, Italy; and
Jersey, Channel Islands.
Cruisetours: Princess
also offers a selection of European cruisetours which combine certain
sailings with a fully-escorted land tour, including a new Paris and
the French Countryside vacation option. Passengers can also choose to
explore Ireland’s Ring of Kerry; the imperial treasures in
Budapest, Vienna, Prague and Berlin; or the remarkable Swiss Alps and
Lake Como.
Regal
Princess and sister ship Royal Princess are new-generation ships for
Princess Cruises. Among the special features found on board the
3,600-passenger vessels will be a greatly expanded atrium, the social
hub of the ship; a dramatic over-water SeaWalk, a top-deck
glass-bottomed walkway extending more than 28 feet beyond the edge of
the vessel; plush private poolside cabanas that appear to be floating
on the water; the new Princess Live! television studio; a pastry
shop; a special Chef’s Table Lumiere, a private dining experience
that surrounds diners in a curtain of light; and balconies on all
outside staterooms.
