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Topic: Changes in P&O fleet

PauloMestre
First Class Passenger
Member # 1613

posted 10-11-2000 05:56 AM

I've heard of some rumors involving P&O cruise fleet and I would like to know if anyone can confirm or deny and make comments. It seems that P&O is going to withdraw Victoria of service in 2003 and replace her with a newbuild of similiar size. But it seems that they are going to replace her by transfering Royal Princess to P&O Cruises.

Regards
Paulo Mestre

Posts: 311 | From: Alhos Vedros, Setubal, Portugal | Registered: Sep 2000 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 10-11-2000 01:31 PM

Hi, I've only heard rumors too!

I've not been on Victoria (yet) but she looks like a very nice little 'classic' style cruise ship (1966). In fact she is not unlike the 'Black Watch' in terms of intimate size and style, which I recently had such a good cruise on.(Both ships are 28,000 tons ish - 800 ish pax)

So if you fancy a cruise on a 'classic' rather than a 'mega', you've got three years left to experience her!

Another one bites the dust!

A proper ship?

Picture borrowed from: http://www.pocruises.com/

[This message has been edited by Malcolm (edited 10-11-2000).]

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Patrick
First Class Passenger
Member # 364

posted 10-11-2000 01:58 PM

Yes, it´s true, I´ve heard similar things. I guess ships like the VICTORIA or the ASTRA II are too old for P&O Princess Group and they sell them to be updated with a modern fleet.

Posts: 1680 | From: OSC Luxembourg | Registered: Nov 98 | IP: Logged

Grant
First Class Passenger
Member # 1000

posted 10-12-2000 12:14 AM

What a shame. The Royal Princess has very small cabins, poor cabin insulation, low ceilings, and a very poor lay out. Not much better than a converted ferry; on par with the old Song of America. A real disaster for those that like proper ships; and a blessing for Princess in ridding their fleet of a ship worthy of Premier. Let her go!!

Posts: 834 | From: Victoria, BC, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 10-12-2000 09:35 AM

You must be talking about a different Royal from the one we were on. The cabins were fine with a good size bathroom with tub. The ship actually has an excellent layout with the ALL outside cabins above the lounges deck and the dining room is low down midships for comfort. She has an all-round prom deck and lots of outside deck areas.
What she is not is one of the newer floating glitzy Hyatts with thousands of people and skating rinks or whatever, which evidently is your likes.
There are still lots of people who prefer the smaller ships.....peter

Posts: 1909 | From: Vancouver.BC | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

jmperry1
First Class Passenger
Member # 1462

posted 10-12-2000 12:40 PM

I have to agree with gohaze. Royal Princess is a lovely ship and her standard staterooms are quite spacious. On the other hand, I once sailed Song of America and was not saddened to see her leave RCCL's fleet. Grant's description seems accurate as applied to her.

James

Posts: 71 | From: Oakland CA USA | Registered: Jul 2000 | IP: Logged

Grant
First Class Passenger
Member # 1000

posted 10-12-2000 11:51 PM

Perhaps I was a little cruel to Royal Princess, but she sure earns some of it. The cabins are much smaller than found on Star (Arcadia), Crown and Regal. Smaller too than aboard the Sun class of vessels, and also significantly smaller than those aboard the Sky (Pacific Star). The cabin layout is awkward, with the fold up, fold down narrow sofa/bed arrangement. The bathtub is very small, better discribed as a large foot bath! While there is lots of deck space, some of it is not really usable. The rear tiers of decks A,B,C are too narrow to place deck loungers; it is only possible to place deck chairs or lean against the railing. The forward tiers are incredibly noisy, as the air intakes for the ventilation system pull in and exhaust air at the forward decks. The noise is loud enough that quiet conversation is not possible, let alone trying to talk to a small group of fellow travelers. If you have taken any video out there, replay it and have a listen! Should a cruise ship in the upper end have some metal deck railings-or would teak or varnished wood look and feel better? If you have ever had a cabin forward on Lido, forget sleeping in, as the noise through the ceiling from Sun deck is louder than an alarm clock. The same applies to cabins midships on Aloha. Did they really have to ramp the floor on Riviera Deck aft, or was this an attempt to raise the ceiling on the deck below? What ever the reason, it must have been an afterthought; one that has caused many to stumble. The corridors are much more narrow than those found on Sky, making meeting someone in the hall a manouver for both. The stairs are carpet covered metal rungs, not a proper stair case as found on Sky. I really would sooner have a decent sized inside cabin than a small outside with inflated or gouged pricing! P&O would have served their small ship devotees better, with moving the Sky Princess over to their fleet. For the record, I too am a small older SHIP devotee, preferring the Noordam, Victoria, old Fair/Dawn Princess, Jubilee type vessels. The Horizon is about as large as I like, and also about as new as I enjoy. From the moment I first experienced Royal Princess she was a disappointment; a ship not living up to the hype she came out with, nor matching her sailing companions in the fleet.

Posts: 834 | From: Victoria, BC, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

Aussie1
First Class Passenger
Member # 25

posted 10-13-2000 12:57 AM

Back to the original topic of the post, I sailed on Victoria in June and she was teriffic. The crew openly talked about the fact P&O would like to replace her in 2002 with a newer but similarly sized ship. The reason is not Victoria's quality or age but the fact she is costs more to run than a new ship. Money is the bottom line in business. She is most likely to be sold but there is a chance she will be transfered to P&O Australia to run alongside Pacific Sky/Sky Princess, offering a slightly more upmarket experience than the Sky and perhaps some longer cruises. Whatever happens I hope she keeps sailing for many more years, the ship is a gem. (I may be a little biased as I love older ships with genuine wood panelling and the like.)

Posts: 493 | From: Sydney,NSW, Australia | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

Fairsky
First Class Passenger
Member # 781

posted 10-14-2000 08:59 AM

If the Royal Princess does indeed move to the P&O fleet there should be only one name considered for her. Diana. Named for the princess who christened her in 1984.

Likewise, the new 109,000 ton Grand Princess-class ship being built for P&O (the largest ship ever for the european market) should be named Canberra.

Are you listening P&O Princess?

Posts: 1685 | From: Chicago, Illinois | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 10-14-2000 11:11 PM

Hey Grant...you sure did a hatchet job on the Royal, and then compare it poorly to something like the Noordam [never been on her but have on the Nieuw Amsterdam]and I understand she has the same vibration problems which they've never cured. How you can compare that maze they have in the accomodation beats me...some of those poor ole LOLs spend all day trying to find the dining room. Plus the mediocre food and service.
The Dawn is an OLD North Atlantic liner and not even in the same bracket...we've been on her too.
we enjoyed the Sky..did the repo from Osaka to Vancouver and she is on a par with the Royal.
How about the Pacific...have you been on her?
....peter

Posts: 1909 | From: Vancouver.BC | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

juddy
First Class Passenger
Member # 1610

posted 10-15-2000 03:24 AM

"Ha Grant"
You mentioned the "Sky Princess" in your
last letter. My family are going on the
"Sky Princess" (Pacific Sky) when it arrives
for service in the next month. Can you tell
me about her. We've had some realy old boats
down hear over the years, So where looking
forward to the Sky Princess arrival
thanks JASON.

Posts: 24 | From: sydney australia | Registered: Sep 2000 | IP: Logged

pungpui
First Class Passenger
Member # 1218

posted 10-16-2000 02:05 AM

I personally haven't been on Victoria but she sounds like a very good ship. From what i judged when i first saw her, i thought she was an old bomb that needed a structural facelift but i've heard it is a very nice ship and i honestly think it would be nice if we could have a classier ship down under because judging from Fair Princess and the like, they are pretty shabby. Also, she may need a refurbishment is she is going to travel with Australians becuase she needs some "Aussie" spirit! But scrapping here would be a disaster! And besides, Pacific Sky needs a friend!

Posts: 419 | From: Sydney, NSW, Australia | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

Aussie1
First Class Passenger
Member # 25

posted 10-17-2000 02:45 AM

Pungpui,

Victoria was bought by P&O back in 1978 specifically for the Australian market and served as their Sydney based ship from 1979 to 1982 as the first Sea Princess. From their she went to Britain for a few years and then to Princess Cruises to run for the Americans for a few seasons. Now she is back with the British. There is no comparison between Fair Princess and Victoria, the Victoria is nicer in every way. Fair Princess still looks great, like a real ocean liner, but her interiors are an uninviting mix of plastic and stainless steel dating from the 1970's and 80's. Victoria is full of wood panelling and real craftsmanship and has a much warmer feeling all round. Another point in Victoria's favor is that she is a bigger ship yet carries 300 less passengers. Let's hope she makes it downunder one more time.

Posts: 493 | From: Sydney,NSW, Australia | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

andizz
First Class Passenger
Member # 1629

posted 10-17-2000 06:43 AM

i'll be sailing on Pacific Sky 10/11/2000 for her maiden cruise down under. its a 2 night 'cruise to no-where'
ive never been on 1 of these cruises to no where...has anyone here? what are they like?

when will her new paint job be applied or has this already happened? i know in the pacific sky brochure she has her new paint job but im guessing these are computer-generated?

Posts: 84 | From: Sydney, NSW, Australia | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

juddy
First Class Passenger
Member # 1610

posted 10-17-2000 08:11 AM

Hi Andizz
The Sky Princess (Pacific Sky) arrives
in Sydney next Monday at 7.00am . At 12.00pm
she will sail to garden island dry dock
to be painted and have her deck slightly
altered at her stern . hopefully it will
be ready for your trip on 11/10/00.
Let me know what she's like, Im on the trip
leaving Nov 21.
Jason.

Posts: 24 | From: sydney australia | Registered: Sep 2000 | IP: Logged

grep
First Class Passenger
Member # 900

posted 10-20-2000 02:18 AM

Juddy,

Do you know if Sky Princess is berthing at the International Terminal or at berth 8 darling harbour as i would like to wander down and welcolme her.

Posts: 13 | From: australia | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

juddy
First Class Passenger
Member # 1610

posted 10-22-2000 03:00 AM

"GREP"
Sky Princes will berth at N0 8 darling
harbour. I checked Sydney ports website
and cruise arrivals say's 6.30am . but
in the complete arrivals section say's
4.30 am , but that seems a bit early for
a cruise boat
I see you down there.
JUDDY.

Posts: 24 | From: sydney australia | Registered: Sep 2000 | IP: Logged

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