We are a married couple around 40 years old, and live in South Carolina. This was our 14th Princess cruise, and ranks as one of the best to date! We had always wanted to do a full transit of the Panama Canal, and every aspect of this cruise was unique and memorable.

We used Princess Air and bus transfers, and arrived 1 day before the cruise. We stayed at the Hollywood Beach Marriott. We loved walking up and down the Hollywood Broadwalk, where we had dinner in one of the many restaurants. As the sun went down, it became cooler, and we enjoyed sitting on one of the benches and people-watching.

Check-in went smoothly. There was a long line to board the ship, but it moved along quickly enough. Our balcony cabin was a category BC (Baja 318). What made it extra special was the fact that we had received an upgrade from an oceanview cabin 1 week before the cruise. The room was spacious enough for us, with a walk-in closet. The shower had a metal bar (for holding on) that was right in the middle of the shower wall, making it difficult to turn around. It was a confined space. We sat or stood on the balcony several times per day. On the first sea day out of Ft. Lauderdale and the last 2 sea days before L.A., it was cool outside. In Central America, especially Panama, it was hot and humid. Our cabin steward did an excellent job every day. Read more