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Reviving a tradition from the early days of cruising, Princess Cruises is introducing a new program that lets passengers invite friends and family aboard the ship on embarkation day to wish them “bon voyage.” Travel agents can use the program as a sales tool to bring prospective passengers onboard for lunch and a tour. Called the “Bon Voyage Experience,” the program is a new twist on the departure celebration of bygone days, when friends and family would routinely come aboard to see passengers off. This practice disappeared due to increasingly tighter security procedures.

Agents who are scheduled for an in-port ship tour can now invite clients to join them, spending approximately four hours together on the ship before it sets sail -- plus enjoy a four-course dining room lunch with wine, a ship tour and a souvenir photo to take home. The cost for the program is $39 per person and can be applied toward the client’s future cruise.

The program will debut in March in the ports of Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale, and then roll out to New York, San Francisco and Seattle. “Seeing a ship in person is a powerful way to give potential cruisers a feel for the excitement of cruising, and a small preview of the cruise experience that awaits them,” said Jan Swartz, Princess executive vice president of sales, marketing and customer service. “We think this new program can be a great way to turn a ‘maybe’ into a sale.” She added that since the package is also available for sailing clients, it’s also an enticing selling feature for customers who are intrigued with the idea of having their family and friends see them off. “Long-time cruisers will recall the fun of the bon voyage send-off with their family and friends, and we’re excited to re-introduce a new, modern version of this experience,” Swartz said. Agents can find more information about the new Bon Voyage Experience through www.onesourcecruises.com.

In-port guests can be booked by calling 800-PRINCESS beginning 120 days before the cruise and up to six days before the sailing date. Once registered, guests will be able to input their required security information through the line’s Cruise Personalizer. The number of guests who will be able to participate in the Bon Voyage Experience on any given embarkation day will be approximately 50.

The roll-out schedule for the launch of the Bon Voyage Experience is Sapphire Princess, March 6 in Los Angeles; Crown Princess, March 6 in Fort Lauderdale; Coral Princess, March 7 in Los Angeles; Emerald Princess, March 7 in Fort Lauderdale; Island Princess, March 10 in Los Angeles; Ruby Princess, March 10 in Fort Lauderdale; Golden Princess, March 14 in Los Angeles; Royal Princess, March 27 in Fort Lauderdale; Star Princess, April 10 in Fort Lauderdale; Caribbean Princess, May 18 in New York; and Sea Princess, June 1 in San Francisco. During the Alaska season, Sapphire Princess, Golden Princess and Royal Princess will offer the program from Seattle beginning in May.