Island Princess Review

4.0 / 5.0
1,228 reviews

Loved the Island, Loved Panama Canal

Review for the Panama Canal & Central America Cruise on Island Princess
User Avatar
cardamom
6-10 Cruises • Age 60s

Rating by category

Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service
Cabin

Additional details

Sail Date: Jan 2013
Cabin: Mini-Suite with Balcony

I went on my first cruise in 2007 and this is my 8th cruise, 5th on Princess. We've been on HA and Celebrity, but we like Princess the best because of the food and the cabins. We arrived at the LA cruise terminal at noon and literally walked right onto the ship. We had priority boarding because my husband was a platinum member, but it didn't matter because there was nobody waiting in line. Island is an older ship but Princess has done a decent job of keeping it up to date. Bit of wear and tear as well as some rusty bits, but this was expected given the age of the ship so we weren't disappointed. The Lotus Spa pool and pool area was fantastic and one of our favourite outdoor areas of the ship. Bigger than the Lotus pool on the newer ships, so there was room to swim around. The roof of the spa pool area was built so that it could be opened and we were disappointed that it was never once opened in the entire cruise. The atrium area of the ship is the nicest we've seen on any ship. Nice couches, a great cafe, lots of good seating areas to people watch or just read a book.

The ship was full of seniors and we only saw one child on the entire ship. At 50, we were among the youngest people on board. Having been on a recent cruise where it was full of kids, we were very happy at the age demographic of this cruise. The average age was rumored to be 70. It meant that the anytime dining room was completely full at 5:45 pm. Waiting to be seated for dinner was the worst experience we had on the cruise, on any cruise actually, because we waited up to an hour and 15 minutes on some nights. We ended up calling for reservations and could only get one for 5:45 each day. That's not anytime dining.

We were in cabin Baja 215, category AA, a mini-suite on deck 11. It was right at the front of the ship and on the one really rough sea day, we barely slept at all because of the tossing about. But it was a great cabin for viewing the canal passage because we were close to the front viewing areas (decks 10 and 11). Plus our balcony had a clear view straight down which was great while going through the locks. It was a big room with a full 3 seater couch. The two flat screen TVs came in handy when I was asleep and my husband wanted to watch TV, he just sat in the 'living room'. Lots of room in the bathroom, big bathtub, and a big closet. We loved our room. Yes, it's an older ship so there's some rust in places and a bit of wear and tear, but the cabin steward did her best to keep everything clean.

Cabin Review

Mini-Suite with Balcony

Cabin ME

B215, deck 11, is a great location on the Panama Canal cruise because it's close to the front of the ship and there is nothing below the balcony so you can see straight down as you pass through the canal. Plus it's very close to the observation deck on Deck 11 which is where you'll want to be as you approach the canal. Mini suites are the way to go when you're on a 14 day cruise. Lots of space. Full bathtub (shaving your legs without having to do a complicated yoga posture, ladies, like you do in the standard shower stall). Beware: being at the front of the ship on rough sea days will have you staggering around your cabin like a drunken sailor.

previous reviewnext review

Find an Island Princess Cruise from $628

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.