Princess Announces Fall Restart with Eight Cruise Ships in U.S.

(Updated 5:30 p.m. EDT) -- Princess Cruises has outlined its plans to have eight ships operating out of U.S. homeports this fall, the line announced late Thursday.

Between September 25 and November 28, 2021, a total of eight Princess Cruises vessels will resume operations on Caribbean, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Hawaii, and California Coastal itineraries from Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Fort Lauderdale.

All 2021 sailings will be available for vaccinated cruisers only who have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before embarkation, and who have provided proof of vaccination.

From Los Angeles (San Pedro), Princess Cruises will deploy Majestic Princess and Grand Princess on a series of California Coastal and Mexican Riviera getaways, each lasting a week in duration. A series of shorter, three-to-five-day Baja California sailings will also be available, as will 15-day journeys to Hawaii.

From San Francisco, Ruby Princess will sail weeklong California Coastal voyages before moving on to offer 10-day sailings to the Mexican Riviera and 15-day cruises to Hawaii.

In Fort Lauderdale, Enchanted Princess will offer two brand-new cruises before starting Princess' previously-published 10-day itineraries to the Southern and Eastern Caribbean.

Sky Princess, Regal Princess and Caribbean Princess, meanwhile, will also resume operations from Fort Lauderdale this fall, with three, five, seven, and 14-day cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

Finally, the 2006-built Crown Princess sets sail for the Panama Canal from Fort Lauderdale on a series of 10-day partial transit itineraries.

“As we continue our return to service, it is a thrill for us to be able to bring more cruise vacation options to our travel-starved guests,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. “We appreciate the support of government and port officials who we worked closely with to make these travel opportunities available, in a thoughtful and safe way, for our guests.”

Princess notes details surrounding dining, onboard entertainment and shore excursions are currently being finalized and will be revealed at a later date.

The line has had to cancel additional voyages as it seeks to realign its return to service itineraries with its previously-published schedule. The company announced Thursday the cancellation of the remaining 2021 European and transatlantic sailings aboard Island Princess; the remaining 2021 West Coast cruises on Ruby Princess; the October 17, 2021 California Coastal cruise aboard Ruby Princess;

and the November 20, 2021 voyage aboard Caribbean Princess.

Next month, Princess Cruises returns to the seas for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, with Majestic Princess setting sail from Seattle for Alaska on July 25, 2021.