First Cruise on Princess

[behler0198]

So excited! Just booked our cruise on the Coral Princess to the Panama Canal along with our friends. Check one cruise off of my DH's bucket list. Now to sit back and wait............November 2013 is a long time away but I am sure it will be well worth the wait!

 

This is our first cruise on Princess but from all the threads I have been reading the Coral Princess is a beautiful ship and the service is top notch. I am sure we won't be disappointed.

 

Any information for a newbie on Princess is always welcome!

[paul929207]

Welcome to Princess. You should have a wonderful cruise

[geocruiser]

Happy to see that you will be giving Princess a try. You have plenty of time to read CC before your cruise. Lots of info here.

[DDMau]

Yes, Welcome to Princess.

 

You may think November 2013 is a long way off but it will go by faster than you think. The Panama canal cruise is great we did it a few years ago and planning on it again in 2014.

 

Head over to the roll call board for your cruise and start meeting people sailing with you.

 

Leaving Gatun Lock's, Panama Canal.

 

Pedro Miguel Lock's panama Canal

 

Enjoy Princess and the Canal.

[Matcodixon]

The Panama canal is the next cruise on our "bucket list"

 

Only problem now it that this "work stuff" keeps getting in the way of my Vacation time! :cool:

 

Have a great cruise and post lots of pictures!

[Trish12345]

Princess must be famous for the bucket list.. Our first cruise on Princess is booked for Feb 2014 to Tahiti. I'm so excited & will be counting down the days.

[Matcodixon]

Princess must be famous for the bucket list.. Our first cruise on Princess is booked for Feb 2014 to Tahiti. I'm so excited & will be counting down the days.

Tahiti and the Polynesian Islands make for a fantastic cruise.. Be sure to have a Bloody Mary at Bloody Mary's bar in Bora Bora.. The most famous bar in the Islands.

The Ocean Princess is a special ship also. (formerly the Tahitian Princess) That is the ship we were on. We want to go back.

[ronandannette]

Hello Behler, from one Princess newbie to another! I just got off the Coral yesterday after sailing up the Pacific Coast following the last Canal crossing of the season. I met many, many passengers that had been on since Ft. Lauderdale.

 

I have previous sailed both Carnival and Norwegian, as I see you have also. I would say my impression after only one cruise is that Princess is not either entirely superior or inferior to either of those lines and how much you will like it really depends on your priorities and what "makes" a cruises for you.

 

If you have specific questions I'd love to answer them.

 

Annette

[loliola]

We did this cruise last November on her sister ship, Island Princess. Fantastic cruise, happy to answer any questions you might have.

[cruisenuts4life]

You will love Princess,my favorite line,I am also looking at panama canal in march 2014,this is one to cross off my bucket list also.

[AKman2495]

I'm sailing in Sept for our first cruise on the Coral. I booked last November and have been waiting no so patiently ever since.....;) But as agonizing as it has been, it is now only 4 months away.

 

I have been reading the cruise critic boards shortly after booking and have learned so much I feel like an old hand-even though I have yet to set foot on a ship.

 

Princess has a countdown clock app you can put on your computer. THe best part is that it has a direct link to the ship's webcam so you can see what she is up to every day (the Coral is in Ketchikan today). I have watcher her going through the canal all winter.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[themerle]

I sailed on the Coral a few years ago. I loved the size of the ship. Coral has the International Cafe, one of my favorite spots for a quick lunch or snack.

[trojangirl90066]

I sailed on the Coral a few years ago. I loved the size of the ship. Coral has the International Cafe, one of my favorite spots for a quick lunch or snack.

 

I don't think the Coral or the Island have the International Cafe. There has been a lot of posts about that.

[tarheelmjfan]

We booked Island Princess to the Panama Canal in Oct. for our 20th anniversary. It will be our first Princess cruise too. Obviously, it's a popular itinerary. We actually had a 14 night cruise booked on another line, but this cruise was high on our bucket list too. We decided for a special occasion we'd rather go somewhere special. I'm sure all of us first time Princess cruises will love it. :D

[ChiefBoats]

We (DW) and I just completed the Panama Canal cruise on the Coral in March. The ship was as nice as it's sister Island which we have sailed on three times. The staff was great and the trip through the Canal was the best. We generally use anytime dining and enjoy meeting other people each night.

[ChiefBoats]

Another think is if you want a good steak/seafood spend the extra cover charge and eat one night in the Bayou Cafe. The food is top notch.

 

I took the ultimate ship tour which lasted about 4 hours and had a very nice visit to areas that the average cruiser never gets to see. The Captain gave us a great tour of the Bridge and went overboard to explain what takes place there 24/7. They took pictures at a number of the different locations including the Bridge with the Captain.

[ChiefBoats]

Just came off of the Coral and she does not have the International Cafe. The Golden group of ships do.