Coral Princess Review

4.0 / 5.0
1,032 reviews

Princess was not the cruise line I remembered

Review for the Panama Canal & Central America Cruise on Coral Princess
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AlwaysPlanningNextCruise
6-10 Cruises • Age 60s

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Sail Date: Mar 2017
Cabin: Balcony

We chose this cruise because we liked the ports of call and were looking forward to sailing with Princess again. This was our 5th Princess cruise but it has been 10 years since we sailed with them. The ship itself was small and would be more suited for mature travelers. There were not many outdoor activities for the younger crowd. We actually enjoyed the quiet and didn't see many children. The decor seemed a little dated but it was clean. If you like on board shopping and gaming, you will be disappointed. The casino was extremely tiny. Our cabin and balcony were spacious except for the tiny bathroom and shower. I almost fell trying to maneuver in the shower. There was ample closet space. We took 2 Princess shore excursions and 3 from private tour operators. The private tours were more efficient and offered alternate experiences. I highly recommend Blue Hole and private beach house in Ocho Rios. This was the highlight of our trip.

The entertainment was enjoyable but "old school". We loved it. Unfortunately, we were unable see all of the entertainment venues due to scheduling conflicts. The service was always top notch. All of the cruise staff we came in contact with were pleasant and eager to please. No complaints here. The food, which should be the highlight of any cruise, was horrible. There was not a single meal without something inedible on the plate. Salty soups, tough meat, smelly fish, watery oatmeal, banana shortages, disgusting ice cream, sorbet and crystallized soft serve, limited, repetitive menus and small servings. Hamburger was considered a standard, alternate menu item on the dinner menu instead of steak. Compared to Royal Caribbean and Norwegian the food was so disappointing. The wait staff always tried to steer us away from the less desirable menu offerings. We ate a lot of bread and butter. Donuts were only offered in the International cafe and never served in the breakfast dining room. You were out of luck if you got there too late. They didn't make enough. The mixed drinks were inconsistent. Most of our drinks were never made the same twice. We were so looking forward to enjoying our Princess cruise, unfortunately, this cruise will be our last with them.

Cabin Review

Balcony

Cabin BE

Port Reviews

Aruba

California lighthouse, rock formations, Aloe factory, natural baby bridge, Catholic outdoor church, and informative island drive.

Colon (Cristobal)

Panama is very poor country. Colon was run down and shopping area was scary. The canal area should have had a museum to highlight the rich history of the canal.

Puerto Limon

We saw monkeys, sloths and caymans on our boat ride. Poverty along the canals and on drive to the rain forest were the norm and not the exception.

Puerto Limon

We saw much wildlife on our excursion. The lunch was OK.

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