Island Princess 10-Day Panama Canal Review - Not quite LIVE ... but close

[lhall85917]

I just found this review while searching for info for our Panama Canal cruise in January - lots of helpful information!! Thank you for all of the details. We want to definitely book the Panama Canal experience by boat but aren't sure when shore excursions will be available. Does anyone know how far out they post them?

[rdsqrl]

I just found this review while searching for info for our Panama Canal cruise in January - lots of helpful information!! Thank you for all of the details. We want to definitely book the Panama Canal experience by boat but aren't sure when shore excursions will be available. Does anyone know how far out they post them?

It can be anytime between 60 and 120 days out. Just check your Personalizer obsessively every day; that's what everyone else does!! If you book direct with Princess, I think they send an email saying that shore excursions are now open -- or maybe I'm hallucinating. Also, be sure to join your rollcall; that way, even if you're not obsessively checking the Personalizer on an hourly basis, chances are someone else on the rollcall is and will post when they open up. Have fun -- it's a totally awesome itinerary!

[D&N LUV 2 TRAVEL]

Do not restrict yourself to the Princess Tours only. As Rdsqrl mentioned, check your roll call and you will probably find others arranging independent tours and looking for others to join them. Smaller #'s, better service and in most cases less $ if you go indepenent ... JMHO.

 

I just found this review while searching for info for our Panama Canal cruise in January - lots of helpful information!! Thank you for all of the details. We want to definitely book the Panama Canal experience by boat but aren't sure when shore excursions will be available. Does anyone know how far out they post them?

[Colo Cruiser]

Do not restrict yourself to the Princess Tours only. As Rdsqrl mentioned, check your roll call and you will probably find others arranging independent tours and looking for others to join them. Smaller #'s, better service and in most cases less $ if you go indepenent ... JMHO.

 

 

They had already been on the roll call. :)

[lhall85917]

Do not restrict yourself to the Princess Tours only. As Rdsqrl mentioned, check your roll call and you will probably find others arranging independent tours and looking for others to join them. Smaller #'s, better service and in most cases less $ if you go indepenent ... JMHO.

Thanks, we are definitely looking int independent tours; however, I thought that the only way you can do a tour on canal day is through the ship. I'm sure someone will let me know if there are other options.

 

It can be anytime between 60 and 120 days out. Just check your Personalizer obsessively every day; that's what everyone else does!! If you book direct with Princess, I think they send an email saying that shore excursions are now open -- or maybe I'm hallucinating. Also, be sure to join your rollcall; that way, even if you're not obsessively checking the Personalizer on an hourly basis, chances are someone else on the rollcall is and will post when they open up. Have fun -- it's a totally awesome itinerary!

Thanks, will check the personalizer often - we booked a balcony guarantee so have 2 reasons to be obssessive with checking it!! Right now the roll call is quiet, I'm hoping others show up soon!

[sunsetbeachgal]

You are correct, unless things have changed the only folks permitted to leave the ship when if drops anchor in Gatun Lake are those on Princess tours. We did the same tour as Sweet Angel (the boat that went through the rest of the locks to the Pacific side). Interesting BUT it is a VERY long day-in addition to the boar you have two lengthy rides on a bus-one to get to the boat and one to get home. Neither bus had a bathroom, so plan accordingly.

[lovetocruise1960]

I was on that cruise and didn't do the Gutan Lake tour. Most everyone I talked to said it was a TERRIBLY LONG DAY, plus it rained. And yes, if you get off the ship at Panama Canal for a tour you can only go with the ship tour. The shopping at the pier was really great and you can get off for that.

 

Enjoy your cruise. It was a great one!

[EdSails]

I would agree with other posters that this is a great review with wonderul photos. The canal looks fabulous! Here is my problem: the food and cabins she shows on the Princess ship look awful! I cringed as I read through the thread with increasing doubt about my upcoming Princess cruise.

 

I just returned from a HAL Caribbean cruise where the food was significantly more gourmet than the photos shown here. Mushroom gravy? Fajitas? I cannot even imagine those items being served at dinner on a cruise ship.

 

First' date=' let me say, SweetAngel, my compliments to you on the well-done review. I did the same cruise in April 2009 and you have caught the feeling of it completely.

BrownsFan1, don't make a judgement based upon what you see here. Princess has tried to cover all the culinary bases it can to satisfy the wide variety of cruisers these days. If you look online at some of the menus posted you'll see that they do have the fajitas, beef tips with gravy, etc. to satisfy those whose tastes may be not as sophisticated as yours is. Many people who haven't been exposed to different foods consider a dish like fajitas exotic and the bordelaise sauce, a gravy. Plus, some times people want "comfort food"---and that is precisely what it looks like SweetAngel ordered. There are also many gourmet items on the menu----smoked duck, rack of lamb, pates and terrines, etc. Items that would fit very well on a Michelin-starred menu.

 

[img']http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj111/ed_soundz/IMG_0842_1.jpg[/img]

 

 

 

These pictures were also on the Island Princess partial transit. So please don't judge all the food by a few pictures. And remember, different people have different tastes. SweetAngel ordered what she wanted and it made her happy. These pics are of food that made me happy. And for a real special dining experience, there's also the Chef's Table dinners that should completely satisfy you. Try the Canal trip on Princess, I think you'll enjoy it.

[copycat8]

thanks for the great posts. we are booked for the panaman canal nov 20. we're doing the traditional dining early and it's at 6. i guess it changes each trip depending on their port schedules. your posts just make me even more excited to go - didn't think that was possible. thanks

[pudy68]

Fantastic! I am so much more excited about taking this cruise in Jan 2011!!! I, like 99.9% of the other posters, really appreciate your time, effort and energies put into this review. Lots of pictures, lots of smiles, great tips!

[irismike]

Sweet Angel: That is one of the best reviews I have ever read. we are going on Coral Princess 3-15-11 to 3-25-11 doing the same tour. I was thinking of doing through Princess. In Limon: Countryside by Train and Eco-Cruise; Aruba; ABC of Aruba and Panama Canal Experience by Boat. My husband can't do much walking so I thought these tours would be good. What do you Think?

 

I was also thinking of doing Best of Cartegena and Fortress w/ Lee Miles....is there much walking on this tour?

 

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you for any help you can give me and for a wonderful review. Iris

[BroncoLvrs]

Angel and DJ...THANK YOU! It looks like you had a fabulous time! I am sailing on my first cruise on the Coral, so this gives me soe great ideas!!!

[CruiseKnit]

Sweet Angel: Thank you so much for this wonderful review of your cruise on the Island Princess. We will be doing the full transit March 15, 2011. Can't wait. You did a splendid job with this review.

[cwayne]

This was a great post to read and I loved the pictures of the public areas. We are booked on the Island on Jan 18,2012 (don't know if I can make it that long) and are in minisuite d416. Everything I've read says this is a partially covered balcony. We've always had the exposed balconies on dolphin deck and don't know how we'll like this. If anyone on the board is staying in that cabin, I would REALLY appreciate a picture of the balcony!! Thanks so much.

Monika

[loliola]

Go to this post: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278604

The balcony farthest right over the white box is D416 - last mostly covered balcony under the bump-out.

[cwayne]

Thanks Leslie,

Looks like a great location. We've always had "uncovered" balconies on Dolphin deck which we've loved, but are looking forward to trying this "partially" covered balcony. :)

[bunyababy]

What an excellent review!! Thanks a million it was so enjoyable to read and I loved all the pics!

 

smiles,connie

[davefl]

367 posts and almost all favorable, but even the exception couldn't change the outcome, great review!

Answered all my questions and with the added input from other sites, I am left with only trying to find the best motel close to the pier with free parking and shuttle. Lots of time as our cruise is Dec 9, 2011.

Thank You.

[teacherforyears]

Kudos!

Your postings were amazing. This will be our first large ship cruise, and I feel so well prepared, even though we don't leave until Jan 18th, 2012.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[adirving]

Loved the review....cruising the canal in January 2012...traveling with my elderly mother and am concerned about the safety of the independent excursions (Lee Miles). Are they as safe as the ship excurisions?

[lovetocruise1960]

IMHO the Lee Miles trip we took was probably a lot safer and even less active than the Princess tour. Thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it and would do it again in a heart beat. Bear in mind, there is a LOT of walking involved.

 

Enjoy your cruise. This was one of my best:D

[darkenstormy]

IMHO the Lee Miles trip we took was probably a lot safer and even less active than the Princess tour. Thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it and would do it again in a heart beat. Bear in mind, there is a LOT of walking involved.

 

Enjoy your cruise. This was one of my best:D

 

Hey... 'member me? That WAS a good cruise!

 

Cartagena seemed just as safe as any other city that tourists are drawn to. Take your normal precautions and you'll be fine.

[cruisenuts4life]

So glad I found this thread,best reveiw I have ever read!!Thanks so much,we are planning this cruise in 2013,but I am already doing my homework and this really helped.;):D

[lovetocruise1960]

Hey... 'member me? That WAS a good cruise!

 

Cartagena seemed just as safe as any other city that tourists are drawn to. Take your normal precautions and you'll be fine.

 

 

Yes I sure do! Still cruising! Trying a HAL 11 day Southern Medley with Sea-Chaser in January.................:D

[SweetAngel]

Just peeking in. How wonderful to see that this thread was so well-received and continued for years.

 

It's been awhile since I thought of cruising ... but in 2 weeks, I will graduate with my Masters Degree. So it's time to plan a trip. One thing I know ... it will be hard to find anything as incredible as this Island Princess cruise!!!

 

Thanks for reading!