Pacific Princess to leave Princess fleet

Pacific Princess, the former Renaissance Cruises ship that joined Princess after the line went bust in 2001, has been bought by an undisclosed buyer.

Princess Cruises said that the move was part of parent company Carnival Corporation’s plan to accelerate the removal of less efficient ships from the fleet.

Originally called R3, the ship’s sister ships are dotted throughout the industry – three of them make up Azamara’s fleet, the Royal Caribbean brand that this week was sold to a private equity firm.

Pacific Princess sailed more than 1.6 million nautical miles and completed 11 world cruises during its tenure with Princess Cruises.

“Pacific Princess holds so many memories and cherished experiences to all who sailed upon her,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. “Pacific Princess offered a traditional style of cruising to unique destinations. While it’s difficult to say goodbye to our ‘Love Boat,’ our world cruise and exotic itineraries continue onboard our Medallion Class-enabled Island Princess and Coral Princess, featuring the best Wi-Fi at sea, allowing guests to keep in touch with loved ones and share memories along the way.”

Guests with bookings will be notified, and along with their travel agents, will receive information on how to book another Princess cruise when operations resume.