Princess outlines broad Panama Canal programme 2008/9

**Ally** · 07-19-2007, 07:25 AM

Princess Cruises outlined Panama Canal sailings on three ships during the 2008-09 season. Together, the trio will provide 40 departures of six itineraries.

Sisters Coral Princess and Island Princess will offer full transits and roundtrip partial transits. In addition, the 670-passenger Pacific Princess will operate one 20-day ‘Grand Canal’ program.

Fifteen roundtrips from the East Coast sail from Fort Lauderdale on Coral Princess and Island Princess in a classic 10-day itinerary that calls at Aruba, Cartagena, Cristóbal, Limón (Costa Rica) and Ocho Rios. Departures are October 2008 to mid-April 2009.

From the West Coast, two sailings will operate roundtrip from Los Angeles with calls at five ports in Mexico plus Puntarenas (Costa Rica), Fuerte Amador (Panama), Puerto Corinto (Nicaragua) and Puerto Quetzal (Guatemala). An 18-day version and a 19-day version, adding an overnight in the Canal, are available.

Varied full-transit itineraries are offered in 10- to 20-day cruises including 14-day programs between Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles, 10-day jaunts between Fort Lauderdale and Acapulco, and ‘Grand Canal’ sailings of 17 days and up between Fort Lauderdale and Vancouver.

**Ally** · 07-25-2007, 11:14 AM

Roundtrip Panama Canal -- Coral Princess and Island Princess both sail on this classic 10-day itinerary from Ft. Lauderdale, with calls in Aruba, Cartagena, the Panama Canal partial transit, Cristobal, Limon (Costa Rica), and Ocho Rios. Coral Princess will offer four departures on this itinerary (October 2 and 12, 2008, February 3 and 13, 2009) and Island Princess will sail on 11 cruises (October 27, November 6, December 14, 2008; January 13 and 23, and February 22 through April 13, 2009.)

Pacific Panama Canal -- Two sailings of this roundtrip voyage from Los Angeles offer calls at Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Huatulco, Costa Rica (Puntarenas), Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador, Nicaragua (Puerto Corinto), Guatemala (Puerto Quetzal), Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, and Puerto Vallarta. Island Princess sails on this 18-day cruise on September 25, 2008, while Coral Princess offers a 19-day sailing on April 26, 2009, featuring an overnight in the Canal.

Full Transit Cruises -- The full grandeur of the Panama Canal is the highlight on five transit itineraries, offering 10- to 20-day escapes.

Exotic Panama Canal -- The hallmark of Princess' full-transit Canal program is a 14-day journey between Los Angeles and Ft. Lauderdale featuring calls at Huatulco, Guatemala (Puerto Quetzal), Nicaragua (Puerto Corinto or San Juan del Sur), Costa Rica (Puntarenas), Panama Canal, Cartagena, and Aruba. Coral Princess features 10 sailings on this route (September 18, October 22, November 5, December 9 and 23, 2008; January 6 and 20, February 23, March 9, April 12, 2009) while Island Princess features four departures (October 13, November 16 and 30, 2008 and April 23, 2009)

Panama Canal Adventurer -- Between Ft. Lauderdale and Acapulco, a 10-day cruise with calls at Ocho Rios, Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador, Costa Rica (Puntarenas), Nicaragua (San Juan del Sur or Puerto Corinto), Guatemala (Puerto Quetzal), and Huatulco. Coral Princess and Island Princess each offer four sailings on this route. (Coral: November 19 and 29, 2008; March 23 and April 2, 2009. Island: December 24, 2008; January 3, February 2 and 12, 2009)

Grand Panama Canal -- Three ships offer full Grand Canal transits between Ft. Lauderdale and Vancouver. Coral Princess departs from Vancouver on a 17-day journey beginning September 15, 2008 with calls at Huatulco, Guatemala (Puerto Quetzal), Nicaragua (Puerto Corinto or San Juan del Sur), Costa Rica (Puntarenas), Panama Canal, Cartagena, and Aruba. Island Princess offers an 18-day voyage on a similar itinerary adding a call in Victoria and Los Angeles that departs on April 23, 2009. The intimate Pacific Princess offers a 20-day transit that departs April 24, 2009 and includes calls in Aruba, San Blas, Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas and San Francisco. Early booking fares for Princess' Panama Canal 10-day sailings begin at $1,199 per person, based on double occupancy.