This is obviously leaves a few questions in my mind. The Aus market is only so big, with 2 Sun class ships permanently in the market is there room for the traditonal P&O Australia product to expand further in the short term or is Carnival going to leave it well alone and concentrate on the potentially more profitable Princess type market.

This in effect removes all the Sun class ships from the traditional Princess market as the Sea P is 90% dedicated to the UK market even when cruising the Caribbean with fly cruise deals and on board UK currency. Does Princess have enough ships to meet demand ? Or are they in effect predicting a downturn in the market place as potentially the US economy slows down ( and even as competitors bring on stream the biggest ever ship etc) ? Or are they about to announce new orders ? Could it be the strategy is shifting from filling all berths on as many new ships as possible to maximising and increasing fares by in effect limiting the available berths by redeploying tonnage. If so I hope they also lift the quality of the product.

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Originally posted by Waynaro:
Seems like Princess is phasing out all the SUN-class ships. As there is no room elsewhere for SUN and DAWN, Australia is the best dumping ground.

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As there is no room elsewhere for SUN and DAWN, Australia is the best dumping ground.

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As an Australian, I can tell you we are far happier receiving ships such as the Sun class rather than the older tin we have received in the past. SP and DP are at least 1.5 generations later than ships such as Pacific Sun (Jubilee) and the venerable Pacific Star (Tropicale).

The Sun maybe 10-12 years old now but they were leaders in their generation and will stay modern much longer than their peers such as Carnival's Fantasy class mainly because of the high number of balcony cabins included in the design.

I was concerned Carnival would move Fantasy class ships downunder and am very happy that it looks like we will be getting Sun class instead.

From Carnival's point of view it makes great economic sense as the yield on cruises in Australia is much higher than can be earned on milk-run cruises in the Caribbean. This is undoubtedly helped by the complete lack of meaningful competition downunder from Star or RCI.

The next question for Australia will be how long will Pacific Sun stay around? It is scheduled for a 2 week drydock next August but this may not happen though I would think if Carnival want to develop Auckland & Brisbane as long term home ports, they probably cannot afford to go for ships much bigger than PS at this stage.

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Originally posted by Pascal:

I would personnaly love to cruise on those vessels I find quite attractive (not quite externaly, bet never mind...).

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Originally posted by Waynaro:
Australia is the best dumping ground.

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I agree. I've always want to try the SUN-class ships..looks like I am gonna have to fly down there.

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Not necessarily, although some flying may be involved. The remaining two Sun-class ships are in the UK most of the time: P&O's Oceana was Ocean Princess (last of the Sun class), and Princess deploy Sea Princess, 3rd of the class, in Southampton for most of the year. Sea Princess did a couple of years' duty for P&O as Adonia, of course.

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I just hope that it does not put an end to the Sapphire and Diamond Princess coming out here. I love the larger ships.

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I would imagine the Grand class will continue to have their annual seasons in Australia/New Zealand. These ships are still very much members of the US fleet when in Australia with all of the regular facilites of other US Princess cruises and with USD being the onboard currency. These cruises are marketed extensively in the US to US consumers who want to travel to Australia to escape the US winter.

The Sun class ships are becoming members of the Australian fleet and there will be numerous subtle differences compared to the US vessels including Australian cruise staff, AUD being onboard currency and different dining options.

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Originally posted by reeves35:
The Sun class ships are becoming members of the Australian fleet and there will be numerous subtle differences compared to the US vessels including Australian cruise staff, AUD being onboard currency and different dining options.

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The same has already been the case for SEA PRINCESS - P&O (UK) markets her as being "dedicated to the British market" (with similar changes as the Australian Princess ships) but in the US she is just marketed as another Princess ship.

Now, the P&O Australia ships are also marketed by Princess in the US but as a distinctly separate (and distinctly Australian) market, and P&O UK marketing in the US is actually handled by an entirely outside firm (Princess has nothing to do with it).

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I am not sure I would exactly call it deceiving, but it certainly seems to set up people from outside Australia (SUN/DAWN) or the UK (SEA) to possibly receive something a bit different from what they were excepting...

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I agree that the Princess brochure doesn't say "Warning! Brit Ship!!" when it talks about Sea Princess, but there are some clues. There's the thing about drinking age - on Sea Princess' Southampton-departing cruises 18 is the age for alcohol ordering & consumption - and I believe the on-board currency for these cruises is the GB Pound?

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Originally posted by dougnewman:
Indeed, and yet you can book these from the US in USD without any "warning" from Princess that it is not the "normal" American-flavored Princess product.

I am not sure I would exactly call it deceiving, but it certainly seems to set up people from outside Australia (SUN/DAWN) or the UK (SEA) to possibly receive something a bit different from what they were excepting...

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Doug,

That is what travel agents are PAID for and to do, to educate their clients on the nuances of different products.

You'll probably see the AU-based Sun Class ships 'disappear' from the US inventory once Princess sees they can fill them with a purely Australian and Kiwi pax base.

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Originally posted by Tim in 'Lauderdale:

Doug,

That is what travel agents are PAID for and to do, to educate their clients on the nuances of different products.

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Yes, but then again how is a travel agent supposed to know UNLESS Princess advises them? If Princess markets these ships just as they do the US based ones, I can easily see how a travel agent would think they are selling a typical Princess product.

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Originally posted by dougnewman:
Indeed, and yet you can book these from the US in USD without any "warning" from Princess that it is not the "normal" American-flavored Princess product.[...]

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Originally posted by Tim in 'Lauderdale:
That is what travel agents are PAID for and to do, to educate their clients on the nuances of different products.

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http://www.dawnsunprincess.com.au/html/cruise-ship-fine-dining.cfm

"Fine Dining & Restaurants aboard the Sun Princess & the Dawn Princess
Dawn & Sun Princess offers an incredible choice of culinary experiences. From formal dining to casual meals on deck, from superb à la carte to our health conscious Lotus Spa® menu, you can choose whatever takes your fancy. Expert chefs, using the finest ingredients, have meticulously conceived the extensive and ever-changing menus. Each one a culinary journey to indulge your senses. Perhaps that’s why Dawn & Sun Princess have been inducted into the prestigious Chaîne des Rôtisseurs gastronomic society.

On board our superb cuisine comes together with impeccable service to provide an unforgettable dining experience.

Traditional Fine Dining
The Regency and Marquis Dining Rooms offer formal dining in the true cruise tradition. With a choice of either 1st or 2nd sitting at a table of 4, 6 or 8 people, you can dine at the same time each night at the same table. The superb awardwinning cuisine is matched only by the attentive service provided by your own waiter throughout your cruise.

Specialty Dining - The Sterling Steakhouse*
It’s often said that variety is the spice of life, especially when it comes to succulent cuisine. That’s why Dawn & Sun Princess offer you the opportunity to dine in a ‘themed’ traditional steakhouse. Here you can enjoy the best, most tender cuts of beef.

Make it casual and informal
If you have a taste for something quick and easy in a casual atmosphere, or you want to dine poolside, Dawn & Sun Princess have an option for you. Choose from our delicious buffet or a variety of tasty snacks* including pizza, hot dogs and hamburgers, ice creams, sundaes and more.

Ultimate Balcony Dining™*
Take your seat in a restaurant with some of the most spectacular views in the world. Why not treat yourself to delicacies and private service from the comfort of your own balcony stateroom?

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Originally posted by Sutho:
I wonder why the US has not got with the times and joined the rest of the world on alcohol consumption and allowed it from 18 years old onwards.

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It's really a cultural issue. In France the drinking age if 15 (and it is practically never enforced anyway)... That is as unthinkable in the US as a drinking age of 21 would be in France.

I wouldn't say "get with the times", though - while the drinking age was set at 21 in a few states after they repealed Prohibition, for the most part it was at 18 until the 1980s when we got the federal drinking age of 21. (Which isn't exactly a federal drinking age, the federal government just bribed all the states to make it 21, but that's neither here nor there.)

[ 11-26-2007: Message edited by: dougnewman ]