Island Princess Review

4.0 / 5.0
1,228 reviews

A Working Vacation

Review for Pacific Coastal Cruise on Island Princess
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gsbrad2
2-5 Cruises • Age 40s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Service

Additional details

Sail Date: Apr 2018
Cabin: Balcony

I am self employed and booked this trip a couple days before departure, treating it as a working vacation with a change of scenery. Traveling alone, I just wanted to eat, sleep, and work (mostly reading). By all accounts, it was a success.

Shows/Events/Bars/Casino/Internet/Pools/Excursions: Didn’t do a single one, so can’t comment.

Staff: There was definitely a language barrier for many of the waitstaff. Eventually I realized it was always the same set of questions (e.g., “What would you like to drink?”) and that made it easier. Everyone was very friendly and most - but not all - seemed genuine. The gentleman who serviced my room (Jojan, aka “Joe”) was very accommodating to my request for privacy so I could work.

Cabin Review

Balcony

Cabin B2

Bed: The bed was plenty comfortable. Not as nice as my bed at home but it didn’t interfere with my sleep at all. Quality sheets/pillows too. I suggest downloading a white noise app on your phone or tablet to help drown the noise of your neighbors.

Bathroom: Is the shower small? Yes, you will not be doing jumping jacks in the shower. But the on-line complaints I read before the cruise were misleading to me. I am 6’3” and 205 lb. (…. okay, 215 lb.) and I didn’t have any trouble at all. Never once hit my elbows on the soap dispensers or had any trouble getting clean. Unless you are over 6’6”, shaped like a bowling ball, or expect co-ed showering, you won’t have any problems.

Water: The water pressure was great. I just assumed it would be weak, so this was a pleasant surprise. The water also tasted right. No chemicals, after taste, etc. Indecipherable from bottled water, so I drank tap water the entire time.

Television: 24 hour BBC, MSNBC, CNBC, Fox News, and ESPN. A couple other random channels (Discovery?) and a channel of old reruns (e.g., Cheers, Everybody Loves Raymond, and, of course, The Love Boat). Plus a couple channels of fairly recent movies (e.g., The Post, The Darkest Hour, Molly’s Game). You can also check the ships location, etc. In short, if TV is a priority for you, you should probably stay on shore. If you just want to stay on top of the major news stories or catch a little mindless entertainment, this will fit the bill.

Balcony: I envisioned myself working on the ensuite deck most of the time. In reality, it was way too windy to enjoy while we were at sea. At port is was nice, despite the occasional toxic whiff of diesel and sewage. While I didn’t spend a lot of time out there, I would definitely get a balcony room again next time. Being able to open the sliding glass door made it much easier to keep the room comfortable, and I really enjoyed the fresh air. Not sure I would have slept as well without it. As much time as I spent in the room, it was definitely worth the added expense.

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