Princess Europe 2012 to be largest deployment ever

When it comes to deployment of their fleets, few cruise lines come close to Princess Cruises.  They have long been known for sailing to more destinations with more ships than any other cruise line on the planet.  Now,  more than 50 itinerary choices will take passengers to the Mediterranean, Holy Land, Northern Europe, Scandinavia and Russia with over 100 destinations for the 2012 season.

“The vast diversity of attractions in Europe – from the ancient ruins of Rome, to the imperial splendor of Russia, fascinating modern cities and a variety of important UNESCO World Heritage sites – has inspired our growing collection of intriguing cruise options,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. “And our passengers have the opportunity to choose from a variety of ships, from our intimate small ships to the largest amenity-filled vessels.”

Princess Cruises passengers may have a hard time choosing from among next summer’s array of Europe sailings. In 2012, the line will offer more itineraries and capacity than ever before.

Featuring seven ships sailing on 57 itineraries to 116 destinations, the program includes the European debut of Caribbean Princess, which brings additional capacity to the region, and a new expanded 14-day Baltic Heritage itinerary offering more time to explore the fascinating ports of Scandinavia and Russia.

Unique to Princess sailings, the line also continues to give passengers extra time in port with 2-day experiences in Istanbul, St. Petersburg, Egypt, and Israel. Overnight stays in Venice  on all 12-day Mediterranean and Greek Isles cruises help the line compete with land vacation options.

Two new ports will debut during the season.  Korcula, Croatia, the reputed birthplace of explorer Marco Polo and Nessebar, Bulgaria, a UNESCO World Heritage Site because its ancient city is a unique example of a synthesis of numerous civilizations with important Greek and Byzantine ruins.

Highlights of the 2012 Europe program include

• Ruby Princess returns to again offer the line’s signature 12-day Grand Mediterranean itinerary and Greek Isles routes.
• Crown Princess also cruises the Mediterranean, taking over the 12-day Egypt, Greek Isles and Mediterranean itineraries.
• Emerald Princess again offers the best of Scandinavia and Russia including Princess’ signature two-day experience in St. Petersburg.
• Caribbean Princess takes over British Isles sailings, as well as voyages to Norway and Iceland.
• Grand Princess sails from London to the Mediterranean, as well as on Northern Europe voyages.
• Ocean Princess offers a variety of seven-day Interlude itineraries that can be combined into 14-day or longer voyages, giving passengers the opportunity to explore boutique ports.
• Small ship Pacific Princess sails to the Holy Land and Black Sea, and offers experiences in classic destinations such as Egypt, Israel, Ukraine, Greece and Turkey.