Mediterranean Cruise Options Flourish with Princess in 2006
April 20, 2005
Princess Cruises announced an enhanced 2006 Mediterranean Itinerary Monday, offering a nearly 25 percent capacity increase, four additional sailings of the Greek Isles as well as a revival of the cruise lines spectacular cruises to Egypt. While the Mediterranean is already a travelers dream, they are now offered even more opportunities to discover this captivating region and beyond, from exploring the ancient wonder of the Great Pyramids to lounging on an island in the Aegean Sea.
"Our Europe season next year will be our largest deployment ever," said Jan Swartz, Princess' senior vice president of customer service and sales. "The Mediterranean is the heart and soul of this program, and we're very pleased to again offer passengers the opportunity to explore the pyramids of Egypt and even more options for basking in the delights of the Greek Isles."
During the April 15 to November 29, 2006 season, Grand Princess, Golden Princess and Sea Princess will embark on 33 Mediterranean sailings, offering the unbelievable 11 different itinerary options and a new port of call — Elba, Italy - a true fragment of paradise. The three Princess ships share with their entire fleet a modern and innovative design, a wide array of dining choices, fabulous entertainment and amenities provided in an environment of exceptional customer service.
Grand Mediterranean Cruises
The Grand Princess continues her exploration of the best of the modern and classic Mediterranean, a popular 12-day cruise between Barcelona and Venice that includes calls at Marseille (for Provence), Livorno (for Florence/Pisa), Rome (Civitavecchia), Naples, Mykonos, Istanbul, Kusadasi (for Ephesus) and Athens.
Greek Isles Cruises
Grand Princess and Golden Princess will both offer an expanded season of 12 Greek Isles sailings. Two different 12-day itineraries will be available, both options travel between Rome and Venice, stopping in Santorini, Mykonos, Corfu, Athens, Katakolon (for Olympia) and Kusadasi. The Greek Isles option also includes calls at Naples, Rhodes and Dubrovnik, while the Greek Isles/Mediterranean options offers stops at Monte Carlo, Livorno and Naples. Greek Isles sailings begin on May 4, while the Greek Isles/Mediterranean option sails for the first of the season on June 3.
Egypt/Aegean Cruises
Explore ancient wonders in Egypt! The Golden Princess offers opportunities to visit the Great Pyramids and the bustling modern city of Cairo. Embark on a 12-day round trip journey from Rome, stopping in two Egyptian ports, Port Said and Alexandria, plus visits to Naples, Athens, Kusadasi, Istanbul and Mykonos. This sailing departs on November 10.
European Explorer Cruises
Golden Princess also offers an extended European overview cruises, offering two voyages between Rome and Southampton that visit 11 ports and eight different countries in just 14 days. Ports of call include Livorno, Cannes, Barcelona, Gibraltar, Casablanca, Seville, Lisbon, Vigo, Le Havre, Rotterdam and Brussels/Bruges. Sailings depart on June 27 and September 9.
Sea Princess Cruises
Sea Princess offers a series of 14-day roundtrip adventures from Southampton. Mediterranean options include the Mediterranean Medley with calls at Seville, Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Livorno, Rome, Sardinia, Mallorca and Gibraltar. Sailings depart on May 6, July 22 and August 19. The Mediterranean Adventurer sailings include visits to Vigo, Lisbon, Barcelona, Cannes, Rome, Naples, Propriano (Corsica) and Gibraltar, with departures on June 3 and August 5.
Transatlantics
Grand Princess and Golden Princess offer intriguing transatlantic opportunities in 2006 that feature Mediterranean ports of call. In the spring, Grand Princess sails from Galveston (or Ft. Lauderdale) to Rome on April 15 with stops in Madeira, Casablanca, Gibraltar, Alicante, Barcelona, Cannes, Genoa, Livorno and the island of Elba. Golden Princess departs from New York on May 6 for a 16-day sailing to Venice, dropping by in Lisbon, Barcelona, Cannes, Livorno, Rome and Naples.
In the fall, Grand Princess transitions from Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale with a 15-day journey that departs on October 19. Ports include Marseille, Genoa, Livorno, Rome, Lisbon and the Azores Islands (Ponta Delgada).
