Finally Tried Island Princess

That is one ugly aft end.

 

Before

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Our thoughts (and comments) almost exactly when we first saw the ship from the train in Alaska! It just doesn't "look like a Princess ship". :(

Although I agree that the stern is not a thing of beauty, we thoroughly enjoyed our recent Panama transit. We never found the ship crowded, only had to wait once for ATD, and the crew and food were excellent.

I can understand why folk prefer one ship over another, but to 'blacklist' the ship totally seems a little excessive.

Did you happen to keep any Patters or take pics of menus? We are doing Connoisseur and the Island Southbound starting Aug 3.

We are doing the same tour beginning August 2nd. Doing Connoisseur tour also. Can't wait.

Love reading your review and opinions on the ship. Thanks for taking the time to write about it.

Hey Bimmie & Davis,

I'm on the Island SB 3 weeks after you. I hope someone shares them before your trip, but if they don't...could you please take pictures of your patters and menus for me? Every week I do a google search, too - I don't know where else to find them.

I think the Island Princess folks don't post because there's so much negativity towards this ship on CC and it runs them off.

Hey Bimmie & Davis,

 

I'm on the Island SB 3 weeks after you. I hope someone shares them before your trip, but if they don't...could you please take pictures of your patters and menus for me? Every week I do a google search, too - I don't know where else to find them.

 

I think the Island Princess folks don't post because there's so much negativity towards this ship on CC and it runs them off.

The menus will be pretty much the same as other Princess ships, with maybe some regional differences. I wouldn't worry about people being afraid to post good things about any ship. If someone has an opinion on CC, someone else will get to hear it. :)

Thanks - but we're trying to plan excursions and would like to know which nights are going to be formal, which are going to be meals we don't mind to miss, whether we should plan on eating in the port or in the buffet or specialty, etc - on the Alaska cruise there are just a lot of decisions to make - I'd rather make them ahead of time so we don't waste time on site trying to come to a consensus. I happen to be traveling with the most indecisive people on the planet.

I never cared on any of my previous Caribbean cruises, but this one I want to have a plan.

Although I agree that the stern is not a thing of beauty, we thoroughly enjoyed our recent Panama transit. We never found the ship crowded, only had to wait once for ATD, and the crew and food were excellent.

I can understand why folk prefer one ship over another, but to 'blacklist' the ship totally seems a little excessive.

Thanks for the info. We have ATD on the Island Princess in Feb for the Panama Canal. How long was your one wait? What times do you typically eat?

Also, how crowded were the shows? Did you have to go way early?

I would love to see Patters or Menus or photos or anything you have. This cruise is a lot of firsts for us.

Thanks for the info. We have ATD on the Island Princess in Feb for the Panama Canal. How long was your one wait? What times do you typically eat?

 

Also, how crowded were the shows? Did you have to go way early?

 

I would love to see Patters or Menus or photos or anything you have. This cruise is a lot of firsts for us.

On our Island Med cruise in Nov 15 there was a line for ATD stretching into the atrium every night until 9:00pm for the entire cruise.

The loss of the Universe Lounge caused the Princess theater to be overwhelmed for "On the Bayou". If you did not get there 45 plus minutes early you could not get in.

We have sailed the Island many times and these drastic changes adding 152 cabins, taking away lounges, public space, 1/3 of the promenade deck and not adding any additional dining space for sure affects the cruise experience.

They should have at least added the IC as they did on the Coral.

I happen to be traveling with the most indecisive people on the planet.

You're taking my sister-in-law? :p LOL.

Thanks for the info. We have ATD on the Island Princess in Feb for the Panama Canal. How long was your one wait? What times do you typically eat?

 

Also, how crowded were the shows? Did you have to go way early?

 

I would love to see Patters or Menus or photos or anything you have. This cruise is a lot of firsts for us.

We normally ate around 19:30 to 20:00. The one wait was on the last formal night when the wait was around all of 15 minutes! However, we did observe that there was a bit of a queue immediately after the first performance of the evening show, as everybody left the theatre and made immediately for the restaurant. The wait staff did mention that the ATD was always busy immediately after opening, as so many North Americans insisted on eating the moment the doors opened. Personally at 17:00 we were thinking more about a second (or third) drink than eating.

We went to about 75% of the shows, turned up about 15 minutes before the start and never had a problem getting a seat, apart from the final of The Voice, when it was standing room only. Having said that, we left after 20 minutes - awful, cheap 'entertainment'.

Sorry, don't keep patters, menus etc. We used to, but found that we never looked at them from one year to the next.

Thanks for the overview. I'm on the Island Princess in 2 weeks. I find that if I do a little research before I board a ship so I know the pros and cons, I have a better time.

We normally ate around 19:30 to 20:00. The one wait was on the last formal night when the wait was around all of 15 minutes! However, we did observe that there was a bit of a queue immediately after the first performance of the evening show, as everybody left the theatre and made immediately for the restaurant. The wait staff did mention that the ATD was always busy immediately after opening, as so many North Americans insisted on eating the moment the doors opened. Personally at 17:00 we were thinking more about a second (or third) drink than eating.

We went to about 75% of the shows, turned up about 15 minutes before the start and never had a problem getting a seat, apart from the final of The Voice, when it was standing room only. Having said that, we left after 20 minutes - awful, cheap 'entertainment'.

Sorry, don't keep patters, menus etc. We used to, but found that we never looked at them from one year to the next.

Thanks for the added info. We are some of the American early diners. DH gets off work at 3pm, so our normal schedule when I'm not traveling for work is to eat dinner early. The only difference is when we are in port until late or something else comes up.

You're taking my sister-in-law? :p LOL.

HAHA! We can assume that it's the same person and not go into any comparisons! Unfortunately, there's a total of 5 couples in our group and that's a lot of negotiating. I want to make an informed decision about what I want to do and then tell them they can join me or else here are their other options. I love all your sisters in law - it's an opportunity for me to grow in grace and character. Very slow growth.

Are the Coral changes coming early 2017 going to be the same as Island princess? :confused:

Are the Coral changes coming early 2017 going to be the same as Island princess? :confused:

No.

That is one ugly aft end.

 

 

 

Before

 

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Oh no! I haven't paid attention for awhile as we haven't been " to sea". I can't believe what was done to my what was my favorite ship!

So sad.........looks like a prison from that aft view.

"We kept 'running out of ship'" pretty much describes our feelings about the Island Princess.

We sailed on the Coral in 2013 and would have booked it again this year except that the Island schedule fit our dates better. We very much missed the aft decks. The very small aft deck on deck 8 does not accommodate many passengers wanting to watch the sun set.

The promenade deck does not allow laps around the ship without opening doors to walk across the interior of the ship.

Dining service levels were not awful, but they were not to the level that we expected after sailing on the Coral.

We enjoyed our cruisetour, but we would have enjoyed it more without the changes. If sailing again with a choice between the Coral and the Island, we'll choose the Coral. We hope that Princess does not make these type of changes to the Coral -- this size ship really fits our style.

We hope that Princess does not make these type of changes to the Coral -- this size ship really fits our style.

The Coral should be safe for at least a couple of years from making changes similar to on the Island. :)

The Coral was scheduled for the same changes during January's drydock plus replacing Sabatini's with SHARE. It's been reported that there have been some issues caused by adding the new aft section of cabins & that's why it was canceled. Passengers post-drydock were told that SHARE wasn't added due to it not being popular on other ships.

So for the foreseeable future, the Coral should be safe & the Universe Lounge, complete promenade deck, gym with a view and an International Cafe will continue to be available.

I was on the Island in May to Alaska. The only problem i had was that there was no International Grill.

I was on the Island in May to Alaska. The only problem i had was that there was no International Grill.

This one is a head scratcher!! They added one to the Coral.

They had a huge major drydock for the Island and obviously other things were a priority.

I thought for sure they would have added the IC. :(

As long as there is a Coral to do the Panama canal why would anyone want to choose the more crowded Island Princess?

Not me. :D

Thanks for all the info, Thrak!

My wife's parents are currently on the Island Princess for their first-ever cruise. I will be even more interested now to hear what they saw and what they thought of the ship's design. I wasn't aware that there was such disappointment with it.

This one is a head scratcher!! They added one to the Coral.

They had a huge major drydock for the Island and obviously other things were a priority.

I thought for sure they would have added the IC. :(

Apparently they figured keeping the Casino Bar on the Island would generate more profits than the small combination IC and bar on the Coral.

All of the Island's changes were made to generate more money and there's not one change that improved the passengers' cruise experience.

That is one ugly aft end.

 

Before

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Oh my..... I had read on the boards about the changes, but had no idea it would look like that, not pretty, . We may have to rethink our plans for cruising on the Island next spring, with the promenade changes and no Int. Cafe added. Looks like a freighter in the back.

Thanks All for the information. Sure wish they would bring the Sapphire back here to the states. Will be on the Crown soon, looking forward to that.

Cori

"We kept 'running out of ship'" pretty much describes our feelings about the Island Princess.

 

We sailed on the Coral in 2013 and would have booked it again this year except that the Island schedule fit our dates better. We very much missed the aft decks. The very small aft deck on deck 8 does not accommodate many passengers wanting to watch the sun set.

The promenade deck does not allow laps around the ship without opening doors to walk across the interior of the ship.

 

Dining service levels were not awful, but they were not to the level that we expected after sailing on the Coral.

 

We enjoyed our cruisetour, but we would have enjoyed it more without the changes. If sailing again with a choice between the Coral and the Island, we'll choose the Coral. We hope that Princess does not make these type of changes to the Coral -- this size ship really fits our style.

Do they at least still have some lounge chairs on the deck 8 aft deck? I loved to sit out on the back and read. The Panama Canal round trip from LA is only on the Island and that is the one we were interested in.