Princess Cruises has announced an epic 111 day full world cruise that will visit 41 destinations, 13 UNESCO World Heritage sites, and 27 countries on five continents in 2019, and underscoring the popularity of South Africa as a cruise destination, it accounts for not one but three of those 41 port calls.
Princess Cruises have highlighted the voyage around the Cape of Good Hope during the global circumnavigation as a signature attraction of the cruise. In addition, Cape Town is one of the select destinations chosen as an overnight port call.
The other South African ports on the itinerary are Durban and East London. At this stage is it unclear if Princess Cruises will use Cape Town as a turnaround port, but most cruise lines that feature SA on their world cruises tend to offer Cape Town as an embarkation/disembarkation port for the outbound or homeward leg of the voyage.
The full 111-day World Cruise offers two round trip options, from Los Angeles or from Ft. Lauderdale, with fares ranging from R263,000 per person for an inside stateroom to R735,000 per person for a suite.
Three maiden ports of call are highlights of the 2019 World Cruise – Stewart Island, New Zealand, also known as the island of tranquillity, where over 85% of the island is a national park; the remote island of Saint Helena, a U.K. territory, is one of the best kept secrets of the South Atlantic with dramatic cliffs and lush forests; and Guadeloupe, Pointe-à-Pitre, is the New Orleans of the Caribbean, where the flavours of a distinctly French island life are around every corner.
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Destination Immersion
Princess Cruises lets its passengers linger longer in select ports with late-night departures (9 pm or later) to immerse onself in local culture. Discover the natural beachside beauty of the Seychelles Islands (Mahe) and spend time exploring Singapore and Cape Town overnight.
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Entertainment
Princess Cruises are promising special experiences unique to this epic voyage. Over 50 international guest entertainers are booked to perform during the three months voyage, while dozens of cocktail parties and themed deck parties, local folkloric shows, special officer dinners, commemorative take-home menus, cooking classes with Princess Cruises chefs and much more have been planned.
The cruise opens for bookings on May 25, 2017 and will depart January 20th, 2019.
Port of call by order on itinerary:
Ft. Lauderdale
Cartagena
Panama Canal (Full transit of the Panama Canal including the Miraflores, Pedro Miguel and Gatun Locks)
Puerto Quepos
Huatulco
Puerto Vallarta
Los Angeles
Honolulu
Maui (Lahaina)
Tahiti (Papeete)
Huahine
Raiatea
Cross International Date Line
Tonga (Nuku`alofa)
Auckland
Dunedin (Port Chalmers)
Stewart Island
Sydney
Cairns
Darwin
Komodo Island
Singapore (overnight)
Kuala Lumpur (Port Kelang)
Langkawi
Phuket
Colombo
Maldives (Malé)
Seychelles Islands (Mahé)
Nosy Be
Mauritius
Reunion Island
Durban
East London
Cape Town (two overnights)
Lüderitz
Walvis Bay (for Swakopmund)
Saint Helena
Natal
Fortaleza
Devil’s Island scenic cruising
Barbados
Guadeloupe (Pointe-à-Pitre)
Tortola
?Ft. Lauderdale
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