Island Princess Review
Disappointed in remodel & dated worn furniture & towels in stateroom
Rating by category
Additional details
We chose this cruise as we wanted a full transit of the Panama Canal and we only needed to fly 1 way as our travel agent, Zoe of Zoe Cruises and tours provided buses for those of us living in the Sacramento Valley to the cruise terminal. We deplore the hassle of flying & changing planes.
I had been told by a friend that Island had been remodeled to add more cabins and eliminate the Vista lounge. what I found surprising is the lack of windows in the gym. This is the 1st ship that we have ever gone on that lacked windows in the gym in front of the treadmills. The gym was on a lower deck and tucked away in a dark corner. The SPA continued to be on the Lido deck with windows and lots of unused space that could be adapted to accommodate the gym. I strongly encourage Princess to consider moving the Gym back to the SPA area where it is on most ships, e.g. Grand Princess.
We often cruise on Grand Princess and I liked the roominess of the Horizon court at the front of the ship on Island Princess as opposed to the cramped feeling on Grand. We had a chocolate fountain in the evening something that I don't recall seeing on Grand Princess. Food was good not outstanding-typical cruise faire. There was a Patisserie but no International Court with its variety of snacks on the lower level.
Cabin Review
Mini-Suite with Balcony
The hallways are long to walk to the stair wells to horizon court. Our cabin furniture was worn and the cushions padding on the couch was non-existent. The mattress needed replacing and there was mold in the shower-a deep cleaning was needed. The runners on the sliding glass patio door were worn and rusty. Again, more frequent dry docks are needed for deep cleaning of cabins, balconies and public areas and furniture needs to be replaced more frequently