A Princess Changing Kingdoms
April 08, 2005
The cruise line known as "the cruise for people who don't do cruises" is getting a little help from its big sister. In October, 2006, Princess Cruises is transferring its ship, Regal Princess, to one of its sister companies, the UK-based Ocean Village. This move comes fourteen years after Regal Princess entered Princess' service in 1991.
Designed by the highly respected and world renowned Italian architect, Renzo Piano, Regal Princess is a member of Princess' Explorer Class of vessels. The 70,000-ton, 1,590-passenger cruise ship currently takes guests on cruises to Alaska's Inside Passage, the Mexican Riviera, the Panama Canal, South America, and Antarctica.
The transfer of the Regal Princess will have a multi-fold effect. For one, it will give Princess Cruises the most modern fleet in the cruise industry, with the average age of its ships only 5.7 years old. Peter Ratcliffe, CEO of P&O Princess Cruises International foresees that their fleet of young ships, as well as their "highly desirable balcony cabins, [the] flexible 'Anytime Dining' program, and array of entertainment venues" will give them an edge over their competitors.
The other effect the transfer will be the doubling of Ocean Village's fleet, which has already been having lots of success with families, first-time cruisers, and younger people. And, although the company hasn't yet disclosed where its new ship will travel, it is highly possible that it will visit destinations other than the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, the two places to which their current ship, the self-titled Ocean Village, sails. If that is the case, Ocean Village would not only increase the number of potential passengers, but also the ports of call to which it can take them.
Within the first two years of operation, Ocean Village has taken over 150,000 bookings, over half of which are from first-time cruisers. Launched in 2003, the future looks promising for this young company that has touted their cruises as an informal and active vacation experience. They must be doing something right; Ocean Village was recently awarded the "Best in Class" in the rapidly growing mainstream British cruise market. Looks like this Princess will feel right at home.
Michael Gloss Jr.Book your cruise online
