Princess Cruises offloads another ship

Princess Cruises offloads another ship

Princess Cruises has announced the sale of Pacific Princess to an undisclosed buyer.

The ship is the latest to be sold by the cruise line, having offloaded Sun Princess and Sea Princess last year.

The sale is also in line with parent company Carnival Corporation’s plan to accelerate the removal of “less-efficient” ships from its fleet.

Pacific Princess first joined the Princess Cruises fleet in 2002, and originally entered service in 1999 as R3 for Renaissance Cruises.

The boutique-style ship offered an intimate cruising environment, with a total of just 670 passengers, but incorporated many of the dining and entertainment options available on the Princess Cruises’ larger vessels.

Pacific Princess sailed more than 1.6 million nautical miles, 11 world cruises and offered distinctive itineraries to sought-after destinations all over the world.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons/Bengt Nyman

In fact, The Love Boat’s ‘Captain Stubing’ and Princess Cruises ambassador Gavin MacLeod was on the ship’s navigation bridge as it sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge for the first time to kick off the inaugural season sailing to Alaska from San Francisco in May 2003.

Another historic moment for Pacific Princess was sailing a throwback cruise, recreating the cruise line’s very first itinerary to the iconic Mexican Riviera in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Princess Cruises in 2015.

Attending this special cruise included the cast of The Love Boat who, together with the guests, celebrated the role the show played in Princess Cruises’ five-decade-long history introducing the cruise line – and cruise vacations – to millions of people around the world.

Princess Cruises president Jan Swartz said: “Pacific Princess holds so many memories and cherished experiences to all who sailed upon her.

Pacific Princess offered a traditional style of cruising to unique destinations. While it’s difficult to say goodbye to our ‘Love Boat’, our world cruise and exotic itineraries continue on board our Medallion Class-enabled Island Princess and Coral Princess, featuring the best WiFi at sea, allowing guests to keep in touch with loved ones and share vacation memories along the way.”

The cruise line said guests with bookings for Pacific Princess will be notified and, along with their travel agents, will receive information on how to book another Princess Cruise when operations resume.

“Guests who prefer a refund will be accommodated,” it added.


Featured image source: Casey Rodgers/Invision for Princess Cruises/AP Images

Latest News

  • Famil

TravHost launches expert hosting service to transform industry famils

TravHost offers a pioneering service bridging the gap between media professionals, travel agents and tourism organisations, addressing the demand for exceptional famil hosts. Founded by seasoned travel media professionals Fiona Harper and Carolyne Jasinski, TravHost is poised to revolutionise the way tourism organisations and travel companies approach famils. With decades of experience in tourism and […]

  • Tour Operators
  • Travel Agents

Book big and bag a spot of the TTC Tour Brand’s Top Achievers’ Famil

TTC Tour Brands’ Top Achievers Famil incentive is back, rewarding top-selling agents with the chance to embark on an unforgettable trip to a destination that remains a secret – for now. Agents who have sold any Luxury Gold, Insight Vacations, Trafalgar, Costsaver and Contiki, from 1 December 2024 to 14 March 2025, go into the […]

  • Business Travel
  • Conferences

New Zealand International Convention Centre to open in February 2026

The New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) has announced it is opening its doors to New Zealand and world conferences and events in February 2026. The long-awaited NZICC is set to transform New Zealand’s conference and events industry, boosting visitation and the wider economy with its world-class facilities. Located in the heart of Auckland’s CBD, […]

  • Cruise
  • Events

AmaWaterways invites AU/NZ travel trade to An Evening with AmaWaterways events

AmaWaterways has announced the dates of its upcoming An Evening with AmaWaterways events for travel advisors, just over a year after it entered the Australian and New Zealand markets. Dedicated to travel advisors, the events will be held in six cities and will be hosted by AmaWaterways’ regional sales managers, plus feature a presentation from […]

  • Destinations
  • Tourism

Mooloolaba cruise season boosts Sunshine Coast tourism and trade

Mooloolaba is set to welcome a series of cruise ships through February and March 2025, significantly boosting local businesses and tourism to the Sunshine Coast. Their arrival is expected to create a vibrant atmosphere and provide a substantial economic uplift to the region. Viking Sky kicks off the season on Sunday 8 February, with 930 […]

  • Food & Beverage

Little Pete Brewing opens first of its kind open-air bar

Little Pete Brewing has opened a new open-air bar at 543 Step Rd, Langhorne Creek, a must-visit South Australia destination for a drink with a view. The first-of-its-kind open-air bar sits on 8ha, surrounded by vineyards and paddocks, with the Bremer River flowing nearby and framed by majestic ancient river red gums. “We always felt […]

  • Events

CENTREPIECE is set to make a splash at AIME 2025

CENTREPIECE is set to make a splash at AIME 2025 with a one-of-a-kind activation that showcases their world-class event capabilities to inspire event planners and decision-makers. CENTREPIECE is located in the heart of Melbourne & Olympic Parks, Victoria’s epicentre for live sports and entertainment and home to world-renowned venues including Rod Laver Arena, AAMI Park, […]

  • Destinations
  • Tourism

NYC Tourism + Conventions announces two exciting new events

NYC Tourism + Conventions has announced ‘NYC Off-Broadway Week 2025’ and ‘Value Family Activities’ events lined up for this year. NYC Off-Broadway Week 2025 2-for-1 ticket sales for this event have begun with this season’s program featuring 29 Off-Broadway performances, including 18 new participants. The twice-yearly program runs from 17 February through 9 March with […]

  • Events
  • Tourism

Jeju wins bid to host 2028 Asia-Pacific Microscopy Conference

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has successfully secured the 14th Asia-Pacific Microscopy Conference (APMC14) for Jeju in November 2028. This was achieved in partnership with the Korean Society of Microscopy, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Jeju Convention Bureau, and Jeju International Convention Center. Korea was selected as the final host after strong competition at the 13th […]

  • Cruise
  • Food & Beverage

Oceania Cruises sets new standard for onboard dining: one chef for every 10 guests

Oceania Cruises, renowned for The Finest Cuisine at Sea, has set a new standard for onboard dining with an exquisite new menu evolution in The Grand Dining Room. Launching on its newest 1,200-guest ship, Allura, in July 2025, the reimagined menus introduce over 270 brand-new recipes, from curated Signature Eggs Benedict breakfast selection to a chic French […]