|
Embarkation: For us, embarkation was a breeze. Our limo arrived at our house promptly at 11am. We loaded up the car with our luggage and headed down to the pier. We must have arrived before the crowds because we were onboard and in our room by noon. Arriving at the pier around 11:30, it only took us 30 minutes to go through security, customs and checkin. All went very smoothly. Once on board, you were directed to your cabin to drop off any carry-ons. This was definitely a plus considering a couple of other lines I have sailed do not let you go to the cabin until an announcement is made.
Muster Drill: The way Princess does their muster drill is so civilized compared to a couple of other lines I have been on. Princess has passengers arrive at a lounge without wearing your jackets. They explain the procedures and show you how to put the jacket on at the drill. It was much better then standing on deck with everyone else wearing your jacket throughout the drill.
Cabin: We booked a mini-suite for this particular cruise since we would be on board for 18 days. We like the location near the aft. It was quiet and close to the elevators. Our cabin steward Jon was great and always had a smile on his face. It was nice having a tub in the bathroom and a couch in the room. Also, the extra chairs on the balcony were nice since it made it really easy to take a nap out there.
Dining: We had the majority of our meals in the Horizon Court. Overall, the service in there was good. However, we did find service deteriorated in the evening. I think Princess really should reconsider the lemonade station and move it so passengers can access it themselves and not have to rely on the servers to get it. We did do breakfast in the Bordeaux dining search a couple of mornings and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. We also did a few dinners in the Bordeaux and enjoyed the meals. The Bayou Cafe was an excellent deal ($15 cover charge) in our opinion. We ate in there twice. For an additional $5 you could order an 8 oz lobster tail. During the cruise, on a couple of sea days, the Bayou was the place to go if you were wanting an English Pub-style lunch of fish n chips or bangers n mash.
Entertainment: The entertainment was good. There is room for improvement with the comedians as I did not find any of them roll-on-the-floor-laughing-til-you-cry performances. We enjoyed the production shows, especially "What a Swell Party". The Adrian Zmed show was good as well. The hypnotist was enjoyable. It's just too bad a couple of the passengers who were on stage faked being under hypnosis.
Shore Excursions: We did Princess Shore Excursions in Fuerte Amador, Cartagena and Aruba. We really enjoyed the Panama City tour. Our guide was wonderful and spoke very clear. In Cartagena, before stepping off the tour bus, our guide warned us not to smile and just say "No gracias". For the most part, the vendors did leave you alone. As part of the Best of Cartagena tour, we were taken to the Pierino Gallo shopping centre. I did not like that we were not allowed to get off the bus and go on our own right away. They herded everyone into this one store. From what we heard, the sales associated were pretty agressive. In Aruba, I enjoyed the sights we saw. It was not the most enjoyable excursion we did but that did not have to do with the tour or guide itself. It would have been nice to have had more time in this port.
Chef's Table: We were one of the few lucky one's to attend the Chef's Table on this cruise (there were 3 in total). For 3 hours, we were winded, dined and entertained. It was a fabulous evening of good food and company. Even though there is a $75 pp charge, it was money well spent IMHO. I would love to do this experience again on another ship to see the comparison. For attending, we received two photos (group and individual), roses for the ladies as well as cookbooks for the ladies.
Overall: In summary, the Coral is a beautiful ship. Sure, it's worn in some areas but what ship isn't unless it's brand new. It is well laid out with lots of areas to sit, look out the windows and watch the world go by. It never felt overcrowded. You would never have known it was full. For the most part, service was good everywhere and the majority of staff were friendly. As this was the final cruise before drydock, there was no evidence of work going on. It was well masked and undisruptive to the passengers.
I look forward to travelling with Princess again.
|
