Island Princess Review

4.0 / 5.0
1,228 reviews

A bucket list item (Panama Canal) checked off.

Review for the Panama Canal & Central America Cruise on Island Princess
User Avatar
Chippewa74
2-5 Cruises • Age 70s

Rating by category

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

Additional details

Sail Date: Sep 2016
Cabin: Balcony

We choose this cruise because going through the Panama Canal had always been something we'd wanted to do. Although this is listed as a 15 day cruise we actually got on in Vancouver which made it 18 days. Vancouver is a great city to visit. It's pedestrian friendly with many great things to see and places to eat.

Overall this was an excellent cruise. I'll hit the negatives first and they really involve moving people on and off the ship. When we arrived in San Francisco the majority of those who got on in Vancouver were getting off to be replaced by those doing the 15 day cruise. Many of us doing the 18 days had excursions scheduled in SF. We were way late in getting off the ship and to our excursion and since we had to be back for sailing the excursion was cut short. In fairness, Princess refunded some of our excursion fee. Still, it seemed to me Princess should have had a good idea how long it would take to get people off the ship. They blamed customs but again time should have been managed to cope with delays most might expect to happen. Perhaps those with excursions should have been let off first. I'd have been quite willing to go early if it meant getting the entire excursion. This happened to a lesser extent when we tendered in to Nicaragua. We ended up with less excursion time. The planning could have been better. But in life things happen and it didn't ruin our cruise.

My other real gripe was when we were leaving a port and there was a party up top hosting by some guy called DJ Delight. This was at night and the music was unbelievably loud. We were two decks down and mid ships and it was loud even in our room Even with a pillow over my head I could feel the thumping of the music. This happened only once so I'm hoping there were complaints and they corrected it.

Cabin Review

Balcony

Cabin BA

This is a balcony room that is mid ships and juts out a bit. It was the perfect place to spend the day as we went through the Panama Canal. We ordered breakfast in the room and it arrived on time. It was the ultimate excursion, not having to move at all and having the conveniences of the room available at all times. Everything in the cabin worked fine. I love this grade of cabin. Close to the stairs/elevators and being mid ships means no real long walks to get anywhere on the ship.

2 Helpful Votes
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.