Sapphire Princess extends season in Asia after Singapore sailings Followed by first homeporting in Australia
Princess Cruises has announced Sapphire Princess will be extending her season in Asia in 2020. This follows her sixth homeporting season in Singapore from December 2019 to March, 2020, of which the highlight is the Southeast Asia Grand Adventure with Solar Eclipse Cruise over the Christmas season.
Sapphire Princess will offer a host of new itineraries comprising eight, 16, 24, and 32-day voyages in Spring 2020 which will give guests the opportunity to sail on two Grand Asia voyages from Shanghai, Hong Kong or Singapore to various destinations in Japan, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and South Korea.
In between the Grand Asia voyages, Sapphire Princess will undergo a two-week dry dock in Singapore in April 2020. Sapphire Princess will be based in Shanghai for summer sailings in North Asia from May to October 2020 when she will sail on a 21-day voyage from Shanghai to Melbourne via Singapore.
“The grand dame of our Singapore sailings, Sapphire Princess is popular with our guests who want to cruise in the region and experience luxurious facilities at the same time. By offering new itineraries such as her first transatlantic cruise, Search for the Northern Lights and the Solar Eclipse cruise this year, Sapphire Princess continues to delight guests looking for new cruise experiences,” said Mr. Farriek Tawfik, Director Southeast Asia, Princess Cruises.
Cruise Line International Association’s (CLIA) latest report showed significant increases in the source markets in Southeast Asia which saw year-on-year gains in 2018, including Singapore (39.9% to 373,000), Indonesia (54.9% to 72,000), and Vietnam (53.7% to 10,000).
First homeporting season in Australia
Sapphire Princess will be based in Melbourne for Australian/New Zealand sailings from October 2020 to April 2021, marking her first homeporting season in Australia. Over 40 itineraries will be offered covering stops which are off the beaten track such as Kangaroo Island, Arlie Beach, Yorkeys Knob and Philip Island. Other highlights include Fjordland National Park in New Zealand and South Pacific covering Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea.
Sapphire Princess will join four other Princess ships – Regal Princess, Majestic Princess, Sea Princess, and Sun Princess – for the 2020-21 season Down Under, marking the cruise line’s biggest ever Australian summer programme, offering 123 departures on more than 70 itineraries, ranging in length from two to 35 days.