New Island Princess

[RickEk]

These changes are really disappointing. I loved the Coral and was strongly considering a full transit cruise on the Island next year. Now I'm not so sure..

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

If it's before May, then no worries...:)

[KarateMan]

I have just looked at both deck plans and found the new changes absolutely disgusting. It is an insult to Princess loyal passengers and a complete disregard for their enjoyment of the ship. They are taking away public space and passenger facilities all to shove a few hundred cabins on.

 

I seriously hope Princess passengers boycott this ship over this.

 

I will never sail Coral Princess once those changes take effect. It is completely off my cruise ship wish list.

 

Absolutely disgusted with it. As someone who loves cruising and loves being on ships this is the worst possible upgrade they could think of. I seriously wish Princess lose passengers on this ship and hope the company suffers financially for this disgusting and insulting way to treat their passengers.

 

If I could swear on this forum then this post would be full of expletives. Absolutely disgusting thing to do to a ship.

[dorisis]

My favorite Princess ships were Coral and Island. Now reduced to Coral. We will be back on the Coral in Jan 2016 for another Panama cruise. Hoping the canal is finished by that time.

[pompeii]

Where is the fitness center? Public areas for deck 14 list it but I don't see it on the schematic.

[trbarton]

Just off the Island we were told that it will be where the theater now is.

 

Tom:)

[Astro Flyer]

Where is the fitness center? Public areas for deck 14 list it but I don't see it on the schematic.

 

Just off the Island we were told that it will be where the theater now is.

 

Tom:)

That's where the new deck plans show it on deck 6 surrounded by cabins & without any outside view. :(

 

Tom, the CD told you there will be an IC however it's not shown on the post May 2015 deck plans...did they say where it would be located?

Edited October 13, 2014 by Astro Flyer

[pablo222]

I will never sail Coral Princess once those changes take effect. It is completely off my cruise ship wish list.

 

That is, of course, your choice.

 

But, they are making the changes to ISLAND princess, not

Coral princess.

[JimmyVWine]

That is, of course, your choice.

 

But, they are making the changes to ISLAND princess, not

Coral princess.

Is there any reason to conclude that Princess will not eventually shoehorn more revenue producing cabins on Coral? Seems inevitable, no?

[TM]

At the most travelled passenger luncheon on our just completed Canal cruise the Staff Captain talked about the upcoming changes being made to the Island. He did indicate all that was posted by the OP. When asked about the International Café he indicated that at this time it was not being included although that could change before the actual drydock. It really comes down to a matter of cost.

 

Tom

[Astro Flyer]

At the most travelled passenger luncheon on our just completed Canal cruise the Staff Captain talked about the upcoming changes being made to the Island. He did indicate all that was posted by the OP. When asked about the International Café he indicated that at this time it was not being included although that could change before the actual drydock. It really comes down to a matter of cost.

 

Tom

WHAT? Conflicting statements from onboard personnel? ;)

 

That's why I take anything posted based on what ship's personnel say with a "grain of salt"...there's just too much misinformation to not be skeptical. To me the CD saying there would be an IC is a "grain" but a Staff Captain would be "rock" salt & much more credible particularly with the deck plans not showing an IC.

 

To me it's a "what were they thinking" situation but I do understand it's to generate additional income by increasing capacity by about 12%. However to me removing unique things, burying other things inside & not adding an IC is using a meat cleaver approach instead of a surgeon's scalpel. :rolleyes:

Edited October 13, 2014 by Astro Flyer

[pablo222]

Is there any reason to conclude that Princess will not eventually shoehorn more revenue producing cabins on Coral? Seems inevitable, no?

 

Sure. But until any changes are made, it seems rather silly

to avoid a ship speculatively.

 

"They might change Coral Princess in the future, so I will avoid it now"

[waltd]

Wondering if they feel that the changes they are going to make to the Horizon Court will be enough to offset not having to put in the IC?

[Host Jazzbeau]

I dislike these changes too, but keep in mind that the major loss areas were designed specifically for the Panama Canal and Alaska. All those public viewing areas (which are so wonderful) are needed for those two itineraries, but less so in the Mediterranean which has lots to offer but nothing like Glacier Bay. Similarly "On the Bayou" is a great show, but has a definite US theme that would be less germane in the Med.

 

That these changes were prompted by the relocation to Venice, where Island is replacing much larger ships on the Grand Mediterranean itinerary. Of course Princess felt the need to squeeze in another 240+ passengers! So as long as Coral stays with the PC and AK routes, we can still hope that Princess will leave it alone. And, even with the new layout I would rather be on Island than Royal/Regal in the Med!

[bdjam]

Blame Venice. If they hadn't restricted cruise ships, there would have been no compelling reason to alter the ship and add more berths. Princess is just trying to maintain profitability in the Grand Med itinerary.

 

Seriously? Blame Venice?

 

I suppose that the additional balcony cabins overlooking the stern will help to provide a unique vantage during the Med season, but overall I agree. What were they thinking?

[RickEk]

Seriously? Blame Venice?

 

I suppose that the additional balcony cabins overlooking the stern will help to provide a unique vantage during the Med season, but overall I agree. What were they thinking?

 

Seriously. I completely understand Venice's position that keeping larger ships out of the lagoon will help their situation in the long-run. No problem there. Admirable, in fact.

 

But if Venice hadn't enacted those regulations, Princess would have had zero reason to put Island Princess in the Med. They would have continued using either the new ships or the super-Grand-class ships for the Grand Med itinerary. To stem the loss of revenue, Princess deemed it necessary to add berths to the ship. It makes complete business sense. Ipso facto...

 

I certainly don't like the changes. Island Princess was the first ship that I ever cruised on. The changes make me sad... :(

[JimmyVWine]

To stem the loss of revenue, Princess deemed it necessary to add berths to the ship.

I guess that's the question. Would Princess have lost money without these changes or would it simply have made less? Companies are wise to consider both the "X Axis" of profit as well as the "Y Axis" of customer satisfaction. The latter is way down on these changes. So profitability had better be mission critical to justify these changes. And is the ship now done with the Panama Canal forever? If not, Princess will be ruining a ship built with a unique purpose. Somewhere in all of this should be the lesson that not all new builds should follow the Royal Class model. If it once made sense to build "Panama Canal Class" ships, maybe it is now time to consider building a couple new "Grand Canal Class" ships, so to speak. The bean counters might be clamoring for bigger resort style ships. But environmentalists and culture warriors aren't always on that same page.

[Astro Flyer]

The Ocean is for sale & probably the Pacific will be sometime after her 50th Princess Anniversary cruise in December 2015. There's been speculation on CC about the Island or Coral replacing them for world cruises...if that's true then it might be another reason for the changes?

[nukesubsailor]

Another possible reason for the changes to the Island Princess could be the future opening of the new larger locks on the Panama Canal. Those locks will allow ships larger than the Island and Coral to do the canal itineraries. That would free them both up for cruising other parts of the world.

[KruzPrincess]

Another possible reason for the changes to the Island Princess could be the future opening of the new larger locks on the Panama Canal. Those locks will allow ships larger than the Island and Coral to do the canal itineraries. That would free them both up for cruising other parts of the world.

 

I read somewhere that they intend to use the Island and Coral to replace the Ocean and Pacific on their "smaller ship" itineraries once the Canal is open to bigger ships. It's kind of ironic that these will now be the small ships and they're adding cabins to them.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Without the Universe Lounge they won't be able to produce On the Bayou - the best production show I've ever seen on Princess and only done on the Island and the Coral making use of the triple stages in the Universe Lounge.

 

I agree--by far the best production show on Princess, or most other lines. Most of these changes are not for the best, for me--losing things I like, gaining more cabins.

[SeaMystique]

I'm sailing on the Island Princess on 2/19/15, and I think the upcoming changes sound horrible. The Promenade deck extending all around the ship was a selling point for us; it's a "real ship" feature, something definitely nautical rather than VegasticAl.

[SeaMystique]

I mean like Las Vegas. Cramming more cabins into the space? Crass. Sounds like this will be our first and last trip on this ship.

Sad is right.

[mr green]

It also comes to mind that not only is a great theater lost, but Princess and most other lines have cut the 'Entertainment' to 30 minutes, less time taken by the cruise director.

I fear of what the next cut will be. Who said 'The cruelest cut of all?'

 

john

[Host Jazzbeau]

It also comes to mind that not only is a great theater lost, but Princess and most other lines have cut the 'Entertainment' to 30 minutes, less time taken by the cruise director.

I fear of what the next cut will be. Who said 'The cruelest cut of all?'

john

 

Marcus Antonius:

For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar's angel.

Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar lov'd him!

This was the most unkindest cut of all;

For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,

Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,

Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty

heart. . . .

Julius Caesar Act 3, scene 2, 181–186

 

Not exactly the "first world problem" we're all talking about here. ;)

[KarateMan]

I dislike these changes too, but keep in mind that the major loss areas were designed specifically for the Panama Canal and Alaska. All those public viewing areas (which are so wonderful) are needed for those two itineraries, but less so in the Mediterranean which has lots to offer but nothing like Glacier Bay. Similarly "On the Bayou" is a great show, but has a definite US theme that would be less germane in the Med.

 

That these changes were prompted by the relocation to Venice, where Island is replacing much larger ships on the Grand Mediterranean itinerary. Of course Princess felt the need to squeeze in another 240+ passengers! So as long as Coral stays with the PC and AK routes, we can still hope that Princess will leave it alone. And, even with the new layout I would rather be on Island than Royal/Regal in the Med!

 

Re the relocation to Venice aspect. Even so, and I do want to do Mediterranean cruises in the future, I would honestly avoid this ship at all costs. I would not even accept a free cruise on this ship, I would not even accept payment to sail on it with these changes.

 

In that sense I have effectively blacklisted this ship. I presume that there would be other people with similar views to mine who also would avoid this ship with the changes.

 

To me it will come down to this. I can either pick a cruise on a crowded congested ship where the dining venues will be crowded, opportunity of getting a deck chair minimal, not getting a seat for shows in the main theatre or I could take a look at the Celebrity ships which are looking up to be a good competition. Example the Solstice class are larger than the Grand class but carry less passengers.

 

I think it is a very dangerous move for Princess to make. Surely as word spreads about the changes there will be people who will avoid this ship.

 

Lets be honest here there are going to be upwards of 200+ more passengers on that ship. It does not sound good at all.