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NAGASAKI (Kyodo) Diamond Princess, one of the largest cruise ships in the world, was launched Saturday from a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. shipyard here.The 113,000-ton Diamond Princess, 290 meters long and 41.5 meters wide, is designed to be environment-friendly, featuring diesel engines that release reduced amounts of pollutants and a cutting-edge sewage disposal system, according to Mitsubishi officials.
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After the interior of the ship is completed and a test cruise is conducted by July 2003, the ship is to operate in the Caribbean Sea and waters off Alaska.
The Japan Times: May 26, 2002(C) All rights reserved
Ryndam
Regards...Bob
Princess seem unusually indecisive about their future positioning.
Diamond cannot do Alaska AND Caribbean. Too wide for the Panama Canal.
Peter, where did you see about Star going to Europe? I thought next year it was Grand, Golden, Royal, Regal...
Perhaps 2004 - Grand, Golden, Star?
Royal is lots of peoples' favorite, but isn't she now rather unlike the others, i.e. no Personal Choice? Which is something I'd like to see the end of anyway .
And in Summer 2003 - no Caribbean at all?
I am confused about the future schedules.
Happy Cruising,CruiseNY
Princess is very soon Princess will only have 4 ships able to pass through the canal:Sun PrincessDawn PrincessCoral PrincessIsland Princess
Right now they have more, but these ships are either being sold, have been sold, or are being transfered to P&O in europe:Sea PrincessOcean PrincessRoyal PrincessRegal Princess
And all the rest are too big to get through the canal:Grand PrincessGolden PrincessStar PrincessDiamond PrincessSapphire PrincessCrown Princess
seems like a stupid move to me.
quote:Originally posted by skyej:these ships are either being sold, have been sold, or are being transfered to P&O in europe:Royal Princess
What is your source?
P&O Princess also has said that the Diamond is going to be used in the joint venture with Royal Caribbean for southern Europe. So what will be in the Caribbean next Summer?
OK, now I am completely confused. All this stuff coming out of P&O Princess is making my head spin...
Something is going on over there that we don't know about, because there must be some sort of explanations for these ridiculous descisions....
I have a feeling they are trying to keep some secret, and all this stuff coming out is leading up to it, but they are denying it, only to then make a public official announcement, so on and so forth.
There is obviously a tremendous transformation going on, a huge amount of activity in the company.
I have not understood anything, since they spun off from P&O Group.
The growth of the cruise market in the U.S. is slowing down- while the European market is growing very fast. In response P&O Princess is moving more of their ships to the european market.
The problem occured when they ordered so many new ships for North America in the mid ninties while the market was still strong. Now, as those new ships are being completed they are moving all of the other ships to their european brands.
This is not a bad move- EXCEPT for the fact that by 2004 60% of the Princess fleet will be unable to tranist the Panama Canal- that means less flexibility with their ships.
[on a side note- yes, Princess was going to use two of their new ships, likely Diamond and Sapphire Princess, for a joint venture with Royal Caribbean in Southern Europe... but right now the proposed merger is not looking very likely- and without the merger no joint-venture cruise line would be created.]
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