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

[RickEk]

Looks like y'all had a great roll call group. It's amazing how much a great roll call group can enhance a cruise. You have instant friends onboard and a great sense of camaraderie... can't wait to see more of your voyage!

[floatel_lvr]

Thanks for the great "post" live review!!! We are also heading out on the Island in a few weeks and your pictures and review are really a treat.

 

Regards,

RA

[SweetAngel]

Day 3 – Dinner and a Show

This was my favorite dinner of the three so far. (But perhaps I was just happy from all the wine.) We sat at a large table, and two of us had the beef fajitas, which I hadn’t seen offered on a cruise before. I was served a plate with the seasoned meat and tortilla shells, and the waiters brought around all the fixings (sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes). Oh my, they were so tasty! I was completely, happily satisfied all night after that. I don’t even remember what else I ate. JD ordered a seafood pasta from the everyday menu. He liked it enough to order it again another night too.

I’ve also included a picture of one of JD’s favorite mocktails, cranberry juice and soda water.

At 8:15, we went to see the Ventriloquist, Dan Horn, in the Universe Lounge. He was hilarious; all fresh, creative, new material.

At 9:15, we did the T.V. Series/Sitcom Trivia in Explorer’s Lounge. We listened to television theme songs and had to guess the names of the shows. It was a nice blast from the past. Our team did well, but not well enough to win. Prizes on this cruise have been such items as Princess ball caps, portfolios, and shopping bags.

We stayed in Explorer’s Lounge for the Princess Pop Star try-outs. Some of our Panamaniac friends even came to cheer us on. I sang an oldie but goodie, “Downtown” by Petula Clark. There were some very talented singers in there, and the top two moved on to the finals. JD and I would be back to try again on Thursday.

Before going to bed, I peeked in on Roger Carr, the piano player in Crooner’s Bar. He had a nice little act of “Guess the Tune” going on, and he had a pleasant sense of humor. I didn’t stay too long since tomorrow would be an early morning … and our first port, Aruba.

[SweetAngel]

Is there a made-to-order Belgian waffle station on the Island? Last year on the CB it was in an out-of-the-way spot--I think it was the pizza station--and I didn't find it until the last two days. They were so good, I'm hoping to find them on the IP too.

 

Cabin crawls are fun; last year on the Norwegian Jewel we had one that included a Garden Villa--now that's a suite!

 

Hi Nebr.cruiser!

 

I'm from Nebraska too ... I was the only person onboard from Nebraska. There aren't too many people who cruise from a state that's 1000 miles from the nearest ocean. Wasn't that Husker game awful?

 

I honestly don't know about a made-to-order Belgian waffle station. Does anyone else know? I do know there were waffles at the buffet, but I didn't have any.

 

I'm jealous. I'd love to see that Garden Villa for myself someday. I keep running into people who've been inside it. :p

[Nebr.cruiser]

Hey, Sweet Angel, nice to know there are a few other Nebraskans cruising! I find it quietly hilarious to tell people, especially from the East Coast (sorry, east-coasters) we're from Nebraska and see their eyes glaze over as they so obviously try to figure out just where that is--I've had people mistake us for Alaskans and almost any other 'middle of the country' state. We've also had TWO different people ask us if we weren't afraid of the "Indians"! (Sorry, Native Americans, now I've offended you too.) That one just left us speechless.

 

But that's ok, I'd have a hard time myself filling in all those teeny east coast states on a blank map.

 

Oh boy, what's with those Huskers this year? We had a son who actually was on the team in the 90's, so we're especially big fans. Gloom and doom around here.

 

It sounds like there must not be a waffle station on the Island, or else it's so hidden people don't find it. On the CB it was outside the buffet, through the pool area on the far side--not many people found it. It's probably just as well; they are so delicious I'd probably gain 5 more pounds!

 

Keep up the great review!

[Island Hippie]

Hi Angel!

This is great! I was also wondering what camera you were using and am very impressed with your stuff as I used to do some pro work and yours looks really good. That's very good for a little point and shoot camera. I'm bringing a 35mm and our 5mp digital Fuji. Did you take your comp on the cruise or what? I got a good deal on a 2 gig memory card for mine so that I won't actually have to dump it, but I am also bringing all 3 of our other smaller cards just in case.

 

As you can see, we will be sailing this cruise on November 20th and I'm seriously thinking of doing something like this too.

 

That 5-7pm empty pool sounds good to me because I will need to get My Beloved some more snorkeling practice before we get to Aruba, Limon, and Ocho Rios.

 

Again...excellent thread and thank you for all the time and work that I know you are putting into it.

May the dolphin and the Jolly Mon always guide your travels in life.

[SweetAngel]

Day 4

Last night, before retiring, we ordered breakfast and hung the order on our doorknob. The earliest breakfast time on the order form was 7am, which was too late for us to make our excursion, so we had written in 6:30 am.

At 6:30 am sharp, breakfast arrived. It was wonderfully relaxing to eat breakfast out on the balcony, a very nice way to wake up, even if the food selections were limited.

Since our room was on the port side, we got a view of Oranjestad at sunrise as the ship approached the pier.

We quickly packed a backpack for our Princess tour “Best of Aruba” and went down to our meeting place, the Wheelhouse Bar. From there, they led us into the Princess theater to sit while we waited for the rest of the tour group. It wasn’t a very long wait, and those seats were quite comfortable. Then we all left the ship together and got onboard a bus.

Here is something I missed: One thing that I liked on other cruises is that they would take your picture as you entered each new country. Because we left the ship as a group and had to stay together, we couldn’t do anything like that. I especially like to have a sign or something that says “Aruba.” I ended up standing on the side of the bus by the company logo just to get my “sign picture.”

“Best of Aruba” is an inexpensive 4½ hour tour ($49), but it includes a bus tour to scenic areas, a walking tour at an aloe factory, plus a swim at the beach … and Aruba is all about the beaches! The stay in Aruba is very short, so I figured this would be the best way to do it all. The tour includes history, culture, and scenic views plus the wonderful white sand beach. The tour guide is full of interesting information about this Dutch island with a unique language, Papiamento. The Dutch homes are very colorful, and you can get some good pictures of the city right from the bus windows.

You also get to see the Aruban deserts and the impressive organ pipe cactus that flourishes throughout the interior of this island.

More details on this tour coming soon ...

[SweetAngel]

Day 4 - Best of Aruba

 

Because so much is packed into a short time, the stops on this tour are extremely short.

 

First Stop – Casibari Rock Formations.

You get 15 minutes, enough time to climb the rock, take a couple pictures, and get back to the bus. Because the bus is large and crowded, it takes five minutes just to get off the bus – front seats are definitely advised. The stops are too short to do any shopping. Ignore the gift shop and save the shopping until you get back to the pier. There is a wonderful marketplace right at the pier with shops of all kinds. The rock itself is fun to climb. There are steps carved into the rock and a little tunnel to go through. The view on top is worth the climb.

 

 

 

I followed a lady who had just had a knee replaced, and she made it up and back okay, so as long as you are not wheelchair bound, you could probably make it too. If you choose not to climb, at least stroll through the gardens.

 

 

From the top, you can see all the way to the ship, several miles away. You will also likely see lizards of various colors.

 

 

 

Second Stop – Natural Bridge

Here again, you get 15 minutes. I know it’s not long enough, but get out and scramble over the rocks to get close to the water and feel its power. The north seashore of Aruba is wild, rocky, and beautiful.

 

 

The large natural bridge has collapsed, but you can see a smaller natural bridge that is quite pretty.

 

 

More details on this tour coming soon ...

[SweetAngel]

Day 4 - Best of Aruba

Third Stop - Aruba Aloe Factory

Here, you go on a walking tour for a half hour. The tour starts outside where a guide actually peels the gel from the aloe plant and lets you touch it.

It is very crowded, however, with a large busload of people all gathered around. I found it hard to see and hear. The tour continues through the factory where you look through windows to see some machinery and four ladies putting labels on bottles. We could have easily spent less time here and more time at the beach. After the tour, you spend another 15 minutes shopping for aloe products or going through a very tiny museum display area.

There are no souvenirs to purchase here, only aloe products. I walked outside to look at the field of aloe growing nearby.

Fourth Stop – The Beach

This was the highlight of the tour. Unfortunately, the hour we were supposed to get at the beach somehow became only 45 minutes. (Hmm, maybe the time spent trying to get us to purchase aloe products was the problem … Nowhere on the itinerary did it say we’d be shopping for aloe products.)

So, I made the most of it and jumped straight in the water. I can honestly say that I have never, ever found a beach more wonderful, more soothing, and more beautiful. Now I know why Aruba is famous for its beaches. The sand is so white and soft under your bare feet. The water is turquoise and such a nice temperature. There were periods of calm and periods of big waves, which I loved jumping over. I was in absolute awe at how great it felt to swim in that water.

After the short beach break, the bus showed up again and took us back to the ship. As I mentioned before, there is a very nice shopping complex at the pier with a variety of stores. I still had a good hour left to shop too. It was a safe area, so JD went onboard while I picked out souvenirs.

One nice thing Princess does is offer a chilled face cloth station as you enter the ship. This region of the world can get steamy, sticky hot!

Overview: Of the available tours, I do think that this was the best tour for me. However, it was basically a bus tour with extremely short stops. I was happy to walk away with a tiny taste of each of the best parts of Aruba.

The tour is not for everyone, though. JD did not like it. He did not have my interest in history and culture, and he did not think 45 minutes at the beach was enough time to bother getting in the water. So he relaxed while I played in the ocean and also when I climbed the big rock.

I want to see and do everything. I have to get off the boat in every country and learn a little about it. JD is perfectly happy to stay onboard, enjoy the ship activities, and never even set foot in a new country.

So when you plan your own excursion tours, think about what YOU would most like to do. Also, don’t be afraid to split up. A cruise is designed so that people don’t have to do the same thing as each other all the time. JD and I decided we would go on a few separate excursions in the days to come, and we both ended up enjoying our activities more that way.

To see more pictures of the “Best of Aruba” tour, visit:

http://s362.photobucket.com/albums/oo65/moonbutterfly1/Island%20Princess%20Oct%202009/Island%20Princess%20Ports/Aruba/

[Clutterlady]

Fantastic review and photos! Makes me glad I booked our Island Princess cruise for March.....thank you:)

[sunsetbeachgal]

Hi Angel,

 

Love your Aruba review-we did a nice tour the last time we were on a Princess ship in Aruba (think it was called "Sea N' See) and we stopped in some of the places mentioned plus a short beach break...so this time maybe we will just do the beach since the Island stop is a short one...Do you remember the name of the beach you were taken to? It looks lovely!

 

Carole

[margord]

What a fabulous review. Keep it coming.

[SweetAngel]

Did you take your comp on the cruise or what?

 

That 5-7pm empty pool sounds good to me because I will need to get My Beloved some more snorkeling practice before we get to Aruba, Limon, and Ocho Rios.

 

No, I had thought about taking my laptop, but I wouldn't have had time for it anyway. When I wasn't on the go, I was enjoying time with JD.

 

My SD card holds over 800 pictures, and I had a back-up camera that could hold another 200. I use the pictures and my Patters to remember what I did each day.

 

The swimming pool -- If you want to swim against the current in the Lotus Pool, you need to do that when no one is around. People tend to block it. Evenings are a great time to have the pool and hot tubs to yourself.

 

Do you remember the name of the beach you were taken to? It looks lovely!

 

No. I really wish I knew. They never told us, and the tour description just says, "a beach." The only clues I have are the buildings in this picture:

 

 

Except for our busload, there were no cruise passengers around, only hotel guests.

[SweetAngel]

Unfortunately, the rest of this week is going to be pretty busy for me ... so I won't be posting much the next few days. But I do intend to keep the review going till the end. :)

 

Those of you heading out on Island Princess this Saturday, have a wonderful time!!!

 

Hopefully, I have given you a good taste of what to expect.

 

Just to let you know, there are a few theme nights celebrated on board (in case you want to throw anything extra in the suitcase):

 

Island Night (tropical attire)

Cowboy Night

50's Night

[RickEk]

Here is something I missed: One thing that I liked on other cruises is that they would take your picture as you entered each new country. Because we left the ship as a group and had to stay together, we couldn’t do anything like that. I especially like to have a sign or something that says “Aruba.” I ended up standing on the side of the bus by the company logo just to get my “sign picture.”

 

The ship's photographers weren't taking your picture as you disembarked in Aruba? They did last time we were in Aruba. :confused:

[cardfans]

Sweet Angel, I am really loving your review. The pictures are great. What was your itinerary? We are going in Feb 2010 and our first stop is Ocho Rios and not Aruba, which is fine with us as we have been to Aruba and not Ocho Rios. What other ports did you dock at? Can't wait to hear about the rest of the trip.

[LisaroseNY]

I love your review!!

 

We are sailing on the Island Princess in February through the Panama Canal. Cant wait!

 

I look forward to reading the rest of your review.

[jt1120]

Hey Sweetie! Can't thank you enough for the incredible review. Yours is probably the best one I've ever read. We're on the same cruise on November 20, so the timely nature of your review rocks! Thanks again!

[ozmarlene]

Did the Island Princess not stop at Costa Rica this week?

[Island Hippie]

Did the Island Princess not stop at Costa Rica this week?

I saw the Bridge cam when they were there.

[happycat Bainbridge Is]

My inner nosey kitteh did a little online sleuthing - if you click on photos you'll see one that looks very like Angel's "clue" photo of the resort:

 

http://www.tamarijnaruba.com/index.php

[seachaser]

My inner nosey kitteh did a little online sleuthing - if you click on photos you'll see one that looks very like Angel's "clue" photo of the resort:

 

http://www.tamarijnaruba.com/index.php

 

You're correct!:D This beach is closer to the port than Eagle and Palm beaches. Bus stop isn't convenient here so you'd need a taxi. We also sailed Island 10/11 and have vacationed in Aruba twice.

[Dannifer]

No, I had thought about taking my laptop, but I wouldn't have had time for it anyway. When I wasn't on the go, I was enjoying time with JD.

 

My SD card holds over 800 pictures, and I had a back-up camera that could hold another 200. I use the pictures and my Patters to remember what I did each day.

 

The swimming pool -- If you want to swim against the current in the Lotus Pool, you need to do that when no one is around. People tend to block it. Evenings are a great time to have the pool and hot tubs to yourself.

 

 

 

No. I really wish I knew. They never told us, and the tour description just says, "a beach." The only clues I have are the buildings in this picture:

 

 

Except for our busload, there were no cruise passengers around, only hotel guests.

Thanks so much for your post and pics! We are sailing on Nov 20 and your journal is getting us excited for the cruise!

It looks like you took a DePalm tour which touts it's own island. So unless you sign up for the tour you won't see this beach. http://www.depalm.com/de_palm_island/de_palm_island.html

 

However, there are lots of beautiful beaches in Aruba and it's easy to get around by bus and taxi. in fact the bus depot is very close to the cruise dock. We go to Eagle Beach. It's very pleasant and not crowded! People in Aruba are so friendly so you can ask anyone how to get around.

[margord]

Can't wait to read more. Have a good weekend.

[Seaphantom]

Hello, all. I had the pleasure of being part of the Panamaniacs on the Island Princess with Angel and the rest.

 

Re Formal Night/out of place? My wife (Pacificlander) and other cruise companions (CruzinPat, OlddummyG) haven't taken part in the formal evenings for two or three cruises now. However, on the formal nights on the Island we made reservations in the specialty restaurants (Bayou Cafe and Sabatinis) where formal wear is not required. I wore Dockers and either a polo shirt or island shirt. No problems. The Bayou Cafe had a good jazz trio playing during dinner and the food was very good. At Sabatini's there was, I believe, a seventy-three course meal-or so it seemed. WARNING: If you decide to dine at these restaurants then starve yourself during the day. Much food-especially Sabatini's. But well worth it!

 

Angel: Great photos. Thanks for taking the time. Obvioulsy a lot of work. It was a great group! The fact that the thread is still going strong is testimony how everyone hit it off. Hope we can all meet again some day (or seven, ten, fourteen-depending on the cruise).

 

To the rest of you future Island cruisers: You will have a great time. Great itinerary, great ship. I wish you all the best of times./Tony