SANTA CLARITA, Calif.,
May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/
-- Following passage of the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act,
work with Alaska government
officials, and recent guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) Princess, is announcing its intent to
return to service in the United
States with a partial season of Alaska sailings from Seattle.
Departing July 25 through September 26,
2021, round-trip Seattle,
seven-day cruises, onboard Majestic Princess, a MedallionClass™
ship, will be open for sale on May 21,
2021. These cruises will visit signature ports, glaciers and
attractions in Alaska
including:
- Glacier Bay National Park – this
3.3-million-acre world-renowned landmark — a UNESCO World Heritage
site features the magnificent Margerie Glacier
- Juneau – the
49th state's capital city, with the chance to see
humpback whales and Mendenhall Glacier
- Skagway – this
Gold Rush-era town is home of the White Pass Scenic Railway
- Ketchikan – this
quaint seaside port is known for its infamous Creek Street and as
the salmon capital of the world
"We have been working towards this moment to return to service
for over a year and starting with our Alaska cruise vacations is incredibly
gratifying. We would like to offer our sincerest appreciation to
Senators Lisa Murkowski and
Dan Sullivan, Congressman
Don Young, and Governor Mike Dunleavy for their tireless efforts on
behalf of the many small businesses that are the backbone of
Alaska tourism," said
Jan Swartz, president of Princess
Cruises. "In addition, we would like to thank our long-standing
partners at the CDC, and in both Alaska and the Port of Seattle who helped make this happen. Our
passion has always been to provide our guests with a truly
remarkable travel experience. We are thrilled to be able to do that
again, safely with confidence."
Plans for these itineraries to fulfill our obligations under the
Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) are expected to be approved as
are final instructions from CDC. Princess is continuing its
return-to-cruising preparation already underway.
Dining, entertainment and shore excursion details are currently
being finalized and will be communicated in the coming weeks.
"The return of the cruise industry to Alaska is great news for anyone hoping to
experience the rugged beauty of the Last Frontier," said
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy. "More importantly, it signals a
hopeful new chapter for the dozens of communities and tens of
thousands of Alaskans who rely on cruise industry partners to help
them share Alaska with the
world."
These Princess cruises to Alaska are available for guests who have
received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least
14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise and have proof of
vaccination. Crew vaccinations will be in accordance with CDC
guidelines.
CRUISE WITH CONFIDENCE
As of now and subject to change
as CDC guidance, medical, and public health guidance evolves, the
line's Cruise Health program provides steps to
enhance public health. Please check regularly, as there will be
updates as new procedures are finalized and existing protocols may
evolve.
Updates to the cruise line's Cruise with
Confidence program are also being implemented, providing
peace of mind for booked guests who may encounter an unexpected
trip cancellation or interruption due to COVID-19. Guests can
cancel for any reason up to 30 days before departure and receive a
Future Cruise Credit for any cancellation fees and a refund of
additional funds received to the original payment method. As
an enhanced benefit, guests may cancel and receive the same Future
Cruise Credit and refund within 30 days all the way to sailing day
if they test positive for COVID-19. Full details can be
found here.
PRINCESS MEDALLIONCLASS VACATION
Majestic Princess
offering TrulyTouchless™ experiences with more ways to support
physical distancing and personalization that simplifies the guest
experience and delivers next-level service supporting new health
protocols.
The cruise line's award-winning OceanMedallion wearable
device replaces the traditional cruise card and pairs with embedded
IoT ("Internet of things") -driven innovative technology to
significantly expand touch-free options and personalization on
board Majestic Princess, including:
- Touchless embarkation and disembarkation
- Keyless stateroom entry
- Completely contactless commerce
- Simplified safety training
- On-demand food, beverages and retail items delivered anywhere
on board
- Guest service requests via mobile device chat
- Location-based gaming and wagering
- Entertainment content via smart devices
Majestic Princess offers the best Wi-Fi at
sea, MedallionNet™, so guests can stay connected to the things
and people they love and share vacation memories with ease.
To accommodate this restart, all remaining roundtrip
Seattle cruises on Emerald
Princess, including Alaska Inside Passage and a Northern California
Coast cruise will be cancelled. For guests booked on a
cancelled Alaska voyage, Princess
will offer to move and give priority for Majestic Princess
cruises departing the next day in 2021. Alternatively,
guests can choose a future cruise credit (FCC) equivalent
to 100% of the cruise fare paid plus an additional non-refundable
bonus FCC equal to 10% of the cruise fare paid (minimum
$25 USD) or a full refund to the original form of
payment. Requests must be received through this online
form by June 30, 2021, or guests will
automatically receive the FCC option. FCCs can be
used on any cruises booked by and sailing by December 31, 2022.
These Alaska cruises start at
$799 per person for Princess Savers and $1,079 for Princess Plus fare that includes
drinks, Wi-Fi and crew incentive, and through June 30, as part of the Indulge at Sea promotion,
guests can receive up to $200 onboard
spending money per stateroom.
Cruises can be booked through a professional travel advisor, by
calling 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237), or by visiting the
company's website at www.princess.com.
About Princess Cruises:
One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is the
world's leading international premium cruise line and tour company
operating a fleet of 14 modern cruise ships, carrying two
million guests each year to 380 destinations around the globe,
including the Caribbean,
Alaska, Panama Canal, Mexican
Riviera, Europe, South America, Australia/New
Zealand, the South Pacific, Hawaii, Asia,
Canada/New
England, Antarctica, and World Cruises. A team of
professional destination experts have curated 170 itineraries,
ranging in length from three to 111 days and Princess Cruises
is continuously recognized as "Best Cruise Line for
Itineraries." In 2017 Princess Cruises, with parent company
Carnival Corporation, introduced MedallionClass Vacations
enabled by the OceanMedallion, the vacation industry's most
advanced wearable device, provided free to each guest sailing on
a MedallionClass ship. The award-winning innovation
offers the fastest way to an effortless personalized vacation
giving guests more time to do the things they love most. The
company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:
CCL; NYSE:CUK).
In line with the latest advice from health officials about
COVID-19, Princess Cruises is currently enhancing health and safety
protocols with input from medical experts and government
bodies and assessing how they may impact
future itineraries. Actual offerings may vary from what is
displayed in marketing materials. Click on the
following links to stay updated on current Cruise
Updates and Health & Safety
protocols.
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SOURCE Princess Cruises