Coral Princess Review
Panama Canal Cruise - 12/18/2016
Rating by category
Additional details
This was the first time we’ve cruised with Princess as we’re a fan of NCL. So, I was quite hesitant after reading all the negative reviews. However, we liked the itinerary and figured it was worth a try at least once.
Stateroom - We were on board by 1pm and our stateroom was ready. We had a forward balcony stateroom on the Caribe deck and it was quite nice. I liked that the closet/bathroom was separate from the bedroom. However, I wished that instead of the desk, there was a sofa instead. Also as we’ve read from previous reviews about the shower, yes, it is very small. Next time, I’d get a mini-suite as it has a tub and a sofa in the stateroom.
Dining - From the buffet at Horizon Court to the Bordeaux dining room, our experience was excellent. Food selection and quality was definitely better than NCL, hands down. The buffet breakfast can get hectic during sea days, so be prepared. We choose anytime dining and never had to wait at the Bordeaux dining room. We weren’t into the formal nights, we’re on vacation after all, so we had dinner at the Horizon Court and it was always nearly empty, which was nice. The International Café was also nice to get a snack any time of day or night.
Cabin Review
Balcony
Nice stateroom, AC works perfect, large balcony. However, you will not be able see the front of the ship from your balcony because of the bump of staterooms from C311 and towards the forward of the ship.
Port Reviews
Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)
Not much to do at the port, you'll need to catch an Uber to get somewhere decent.
Aruba
We just toured the city immediately near the port. There was a nice row of vendors selling souvenirs near the ship. Be sure to head across the bridge (left of port) and take a picture with the "I
Cartagena (Colombia)
If you don't take an excursion, there's a little garden area you have to walk towards which houses parrots which you can get up close and personal with, there's also a large gift shop (overpriced..wait till you get to Cayman Islands or to a local market) and a Juan Valdez Cafe. Beyond the garden area, there is nothing and if you exit the gates, you'll meet some aggressive taxi drivers wanting to take you on a tour. There is nothing in that part of town to see or do. We headed back to the garden and meet a nice taxi driver who took us on a personal tour of the city, and let us stop by the famous shopping plaza, and we even go to stop for awhile for lunch (our choice and expense), all for $50. It was worth it compared to the ship's city tour, which was $45 per person.
Puerto Limon
We just went around town. Really, you can do all your souvenir shopping in the plaza attached to the port. Beyond that, there's a cafe that has wifi, otherwise there's just local shops and restaurants. We actually enjoyed go through town as we got a feel for the culture, food, and sounds. There's also a nice park near the port, lined with palm trees with a nice view of the ocean.
Grand Cayman (Georgetown)
Probably the best port for shopping! There were three mini-malls, one of which had free wifi. Just walk up and down the strip, you'll know when to stop and turn back as there's nothing further. There is however a great little mom and pop coffee shop to the left of the port called Cayman Coffee Company. Their coffee is outstanding and you get free wifi too!