I recently sailed on the Coral Princess, out of Ft Lauderdale, through the Panama Canal, and on to Los Angeles, sail date 10-11-11.
Itinerary was main reason for booking Princess, ship went into Panama, and Aruba, two destinations I had not experienced before. Canal was on my 'bucket list'.. That being said, I need to impress on everyone, CHOOSE YOUR TRAVEL AGENT WISELY!!!!!! I used a 'friend', who advised me, when booking, to make it a 'final' booking, in other words, if ship didn't fill as expected, and price went DOWN, WE WOULD NOT GET A FEFUND OF FARE PAID, OVER AND ABOVE NEW FARE. Well, I talked to 30-40 people, conservatively, who not only got some HUGE refunds, but got 'upgraded'... beyond any of their wildest expectations.
This would not have been such an issue, but, the ship is what I would classify as a sailing 'Howard Johnsons'... dating myself, but truly the room steward, the staff in general, and some of the entertainment, were all that I can say anything positive about.
Cabin was fine, good storage, and with the requested 'eggcrates' the mattrsses o.k. Shower TOO SMALL, I'm by no means the largest passenger, and it was not good. Balcony small, and IF you had a 'smoker' nearby, you had to shut the door quickly, it sucked the smoke right in! Thank you Princess, w/new rules, 1-2012, I, for one appreciate that. Bedding, duvet, over light down alternative, comfortable, and clean feeling. No shower gel, shower cap, or room Kleenex, and this is in a balcony! Steward says only in 'mini-suite' and above????? No ice, water, unless requested with room service? Room service trays had little 'medicine cups' holding 'paper salt and peppers'?? Whatever. I am not an elitest, but Celebrity, and HAL have spoiled me!