Princess Cruises has had two ships named Pacific Princess. The first one was originally made famous by Captain Stubing and the gang back in the 1970s. The ship all of us of a certain age saw on TV every Saturday night was part of the Princess Cruises fleet up until 2002. At that point she was sold off (and eventually dismantled in 2014), and another ship assumed the name.
The 2002 Pacific Princess was in service until 2021, and we got more than one or two emails from people who were a bit cranky that Princess retired her (they loved the small ship size and the resulting intimate onboard experience). The good news is, she didn’t go too far… but more on that in a moment.
Princess ships range between 90,000 and 145,000 tons and carry between 2200 and 3600 guests. Pacific Princess was an anomaly at just 30,000 tons with 680 guests. So, it’s not a huge shock that Pacific Princess left the fleet.
Princess just announced their next class of vessel – Sphere Class — that will debut in 2023. At 175,000 tons, and 4300 guests, these new ships will be almost 6 times larger than the Pacific Princess retired in 2021, and 10 times larger than the original Love Boat you remember from TV.
I (erroneously) made the prediction a couple of weeks ago, that the first Sphere Class ship would be named Pacific Princess and be made flagship of the fleet. Instead, they chose the name Sun Princess – an identity with lots of history in the fleet as well. Most notably, the original Sun Princess was the identical sister ship to the original Pacific Princess (and was also used for filming The Love Boat).
But I digress – what happened to that small boutique Pacific Princess (2002) that so many people loved?
She was bought by Azamara Cruise Lines and now sails as the Azamara Onward. You might not have heard of Azamara – up until the last few years, they only had two ships, and were part of the Royal Caribbean Group. They are now an independent company, and with four identical ships (yep… there are more Pacific Princesses out there), so there are many more itineraries to choose from.
The entire Azamara fleet consists of what are called “R-Class vessels” – all are 30,000 tons, and all hold under 700 passengers. People who love these ships REALLY love them. Oceania also has four R-class vessels, and we have some clients that will only sail on these smaller R-ships.
What Azamara does with its four boutique vessels is quite interesting. They position themselves between the Premium Brands (of which Princess is one), and the luxury small-ship companies (like Seabourn and Silversea). If you’re looking for a moderately priced small-ship experience, then you should be aware of Azamara.
What you get on Azamara:
- Country-intensive itineraries, so you can fully immerse yourself in one country
- More overnight stays and late-night departures, allowing you to enjoy relaxing evenings in ports of call
- Inclusions: Gratuities, bar drinks, and some shore events are included in the fare.
- A small-ship experience
The cabins aren’t as big as what you’ll get on a luxury small ship, but there aren’t many other compromises on Azamara if you’re looking for an upgraded experience.
Here are some ideas if you’d like to give Azamara a try:
Today’s Travel Opportunities
Rome to Barcelona with Azamara, departing May 25, 2023 for 9-nights
- Visit Rome, Livorno, Monte Carlo (overnight), Toulon (Provence, France), Mahon (Spain), Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, Barcelona.
- This voyage includes an overnight in Monte Carlo, if you care to take in the Monaco Grand Prix.
- Veranda rooms starting at $3899 per person. Includes $150 per person on board credit.
South Africa Round-Trip Capetown with Azamara, departing January 27, 2023 for 12-nights.
- Visit Capetown, Port Elizabeth, East London, Maputo (Mozambique), Richards Bay, Durban.
- Do a game drive in Zulu Nayala, a cooking class in Maputo, and/or extend your voyage pre or post in Capetown.
- Veranda rooms starting at $3799 per person.
Ireland Intensive from Dublin to London with Azamara, departing August 29, 2023 for 10-nights.
- Visit Dublin (overnight), Belfast, Londonderry, Donegal, Galway, Foynes, Cork, Southampton.
- See the Giants Causeway (UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Cliffs of Moher, or take advantage of the golf packages available.
- Veranda for Interior Price of $3399 per person.
Auckland to Sydney with Azamara, departing January 21, 2023 for 16 nights.
- Visit Auckland, Bay of Islands, Tauranga, Napier, Wellington, Nelson, Picton, Christchurch, Dunedin, Milford Sound, Hobart, Eden, Sydney. [This is one of the BEST New Zealand itineraries I’ve seen]
- Go sailing in Nelson, Visit New Zealand wineries or take advantage of optional golf packages.
- Ocean View room from $4099 and Verandas from $6899
Remember, all Azamara fares include onboard gratuities, beverages (beer, wine, & spirits), and some shore events.
A note about Oceania
As noted above, Oceania also has four R-Class vessels. If one of their cruises is on your radar, our sources at Oceania tell us that they are scheduling a fare increase for October 1, so it would be worth investigating before the end of the month. Book through us and we can get you free pre-paid gratuities or other exclusive benefits on select Oceania sailings. Details here: https://oceania.gage.com/28virtuoso8
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If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
