Island Princess - advice on minisuites

[konyagiqueen]

We are planning a cruise through the Panama Canal on Island Princess and would like advice on the different minisuites. We had an AA on Diamond last year and loved it despite others not liking the open balcony. However with the canal transit is it better to be higher up the ship - there do appear to be minisuites higher than dolphin deck. Do all the minisuites look straight down onto the water - one of the reasons we loved ours? There appear to be 12 higher up which have a bit of a wrap-around balcony. Is that correct and are they good? Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

[karmacruiser]

We are planning a cruise through the Panama Canal on Island Princess and would like advice on the different minisuites. We had an AA on Diamond last year and loved it despite others not liking the open balcony. However with the canal transit is it better to be higher up the ship - there do appear to be minisuites higher than dolphin deck. Do all the minisuites look straight down onto the water - one of the reasons we loved ours? There appear to be 12 higher up which have a bit of a wrap-around balcony. Is that correct and are they good? Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

 

We just returned from our Panama Canal cruise on the Island Princess. We had an AA wraparound on Baja and really enjoyed it. We had an AB on the Carribbean Princess last year and the balcony was larger than on the Island Princess. We liked the visibility, the fact that you could see forward without peeking around the divider. Although I think this is considered covered we had sun most of the time, which we also enjoyed.

[jlq3d3]

I know baja balconies don't see the water strait down, and I don't think caribe does either. Dolphin does.

[East Texas Cruiser]

You might want to check out this site:

http://mysite.verizon.net/res76zxu/princessbalconies/index.html

great details on all the decks and rooms, and which balconies are covered, open, or partially covered. You will love the Island!

[Colo Cruiser]

We are planning a cruise through the Panama Canal on Island Princess and would like advice on the different minisuites. We had an AA on Diamond last year and loved it despite others not liking the open balcony. However with the canal transit is it better to be higher up the ship - there do appear to be minisuites higher than dolphin deck. Do all the minisuites look straight down onto the water - one of the reasons we loved ours? There appear to be 12 higher up which have a bit of a wrap-around balcony. Is that correct and are they good? Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

 

 

We always book a mini on Dolphin deck in the 700's, then you have the aft viewing area right outside your door. It would be the one right above where the lower people are standing. The Island/Coral are identical ships. And they do look directly down into the water.

 

[katisdale]

I would however recommend moving around the ship while you approach the canal and go through the locks. First, go to the front and watch the two guys in the rowboat who row out in front of the ship to get the lines which will attach to the electric mules. While at the front you can also watch the gates open to admit the ship. Then go to the back of the ship and watch the gates close behind the ship. Go to a lower deck and watch as the ship is lifted up. It is exciting to see how close your ship is to the canal walls. Finally I would go up top as you cruise by the control tower for the canal.

[luv2trvl6]

We've just come back from Island through the Canal. We booked Caribe aft this time (as we had Dolphin on Coral to Alaska and that structure in the back bothered me taking pictures, but probably just a factor for Alaska). Caribe cabins also look direct down to the water. Now this time, I regretted not having the Dolphin cabin, no that the grass is always greener on the other side though, here is why. With going from Pacific to Atlantic, with the shape of the ramps at Gatun locks and where the cabins are, and with the lowering of the ship by the water and the ship started moving forward, I saw many people trying to reach the canal wall, but I only saw the people of the last two cabins on Dolphin deck had the luck of actually (meaningfully) touching the ramp wall - not just fingertips. I think the last couple cabins on Emerald might be lucky as well. My Caribe deck balcony floor flushed with the ramp right before it slopes off, but that was as close as I got to the ramp. They roped off the back part of deck 7, otherwise, a lot of people would have had luck there.

Other than that, I totally agree with katisdale on moving around the ship. DS9 gasped "amazing" when he saw (through the windows) how close the gates and the walls are to the ship when we were on Plaza deck, and that made the trip for him.

[Starlaker]

Luv2trvl6, Which cabin did you have? We have C728 on Island for our March Atlantic to Pacific cruise through the canal. That is the last one on Port side. How is that location? We chose it for the rear viewing area. When we were on the Coral to Alaska we checked out Dolphin deck and thought that structure (whatever it is) might get in the way.

[konyagiqueen]

We always book a mini on Dolphin deck in the 700's, then you have the aft viewing area right outside your door. It would be the one right above where the lower people are standing. The Island/Coral are identical ships. And they do look directly down into the water.

 

Thank you all for very helpful information. Colo Cruiser, are these balconies partly covered, as they look from the picture? The other site seems to say they are full covered.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thank you all for very helpful information. Colo Cruiser, are these balconies partly covered, as they look from the picture? The other site seems to say they are full covered.

 

They are covered, the angle in the photo looks like they are partially covered. They are even with the ones above.

[SHIPMEOUT]

Luv2trvl6, Which cabin did you have? We have C728 on Island for our March Atlantic to Pacific cruise through the canal. That is the last one on Port side. How is that location? We chose it for the rear viewing area. When we were on the Coral to Alaska we checked out Dolphin deck and thought that structure (whatever it is) might get in the way.

 

We had C726 on our Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles cruise (on sister ship Coral) - this is the 2nd last aft minisuite - right next to C728 where you will be. In the picture posted in this thread, your cabin will be directly below the fellow standing by himself on the left side of the picture. Our cabin was partially covered, yours is completely uncovered. The balconies are large and the location was great...quiet and just a couple of steps to the aft balcony. A long walk to the Horizon Court though...:)

 

Enjoy your cruise...it's the best one we have taken.

 

Cindy

[luv2trvl6]

Starlaker,

We had C725, just opposite of Cindy's. It is half-covered, as described by Cindy, while C727/C728 are not covered at all, so make sure to put on enough sunscreen while out there taking pictures going through the Canal. (We were in D725 on Coral, and the structure got in the way when I tried to take panoramic pictures, even when doing it from the aft public balcony area). So the wrap-around balcony on Caribe should completely eliminate that problem and you will be so close to the back balcony, on which you can easily have a panoramic view of the locks just steps from your cabin.

I also like the aft because it is close to kids' club and spa/exercise area, while I can "walk off" some calories coming back from dining areas (buffet or dining rooms) way in the front of the ship.

[Starlaker]

Our friends will be in C726 and we will have the barrier open between us so we can just whip over there if we need some shade. Thanks for the input.

[konyagiqueen]

Thank you all. We spent hours checking all the options and finally decided on the fully exposed balconies in the centre part of Dolphin. so we are booked and very excited - now checking any excursions. We will remember the suntan bloc! but really enjoyed the openness and view straight down from Dolphin, and clearly we will move around the ship a lot during the canal transit. Thanks again for all your knowledge.

[sloney]

We are planning a cruise through the Panama Canal on Island Princess and would like advice on the different minisuites. We had an AA on Diamond last year and loved it despite others not liking the open balcony. However with the canal transit is it better to be higher up the ship - there do appear to be minisuites higher than dolphin deck. Do all the minisuites look straight down onto the water - one of the reasons we loved ours? There appear to be 12 higher up which have a bit of a wrap-around balcony. Is that correct and are they good? Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

 

We just got off the Island and we booked the Dolphin Aft Mini. (D714) I liked this spot becase it offered the most privacy. The balcony is covered and we couldn't see or be seen by anyone. We were out there constantly.

 

Have fun!

[rerepunim]

Partially covered, midship, perfect :)

[konyagiqueen]

Are you a mind reader Rerepunin? That is the cabin we have booked although I certainly didn't mention it!! You say it is partially covered, I thought it was completely open, but that will be perfect. I don't like the enclosed feel of the fully covered.

[LisaH]

Just don't pick B503. I have posted this in several threads over the last couple of years. While the physical location is a good one and the balcony superb...there is a service door directly across from the cabin and we were miserable most nights trying to sleep, especially on the last night with offloading luggage.

 

We also heard the housekeeping carts rolling out every morning.

[ocmd]

we are booked in A416 and my travelling with family in A429, going from Pacific to Atlantic...any insights or suggestions???