Panama Island Princess questions?

[Loonbeam]

Have you read the Princess Cruise Answer Book? Covers a lot of your questions...

 

A few more questions,

- Besides wine, can i bring any alcohol onboard, like rum or vodka for mixing?

- My wife doesn't drink, but I do. If i order a bottle of wine during dinner, and I don't finish the bottle, can I bring it back to my room to enjoy?

- How much are the soda-pass and how does it work

- I am worry about having to wait long for the any time dining, since I will be sailing on the busy december/nye season. Would it be better idea to get a designated dining time instead? We usually prefer to eat late dinners, at least after 7-8pm.

 

are there any FAQ on Princess Island available online that i can research more on? getting excited with the little details of this trip.

[RickEk]

 

are there any FAQ on Princess Island available online that i can research more on? getting excited with the little details of this trip.

 

Try here:

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/index.jsp

 

and here:

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/ships/ip/

[retrembl]

We did end up with one of the B400's...on the Baja floor...I assume that is the 11th floor deck.

 

A few question:

1) wine, we are allow 1 bottle per person to bring onboard? Do I need to take out of the suitcase to show them when boarding?

2) fishing , I am an avid fisherman and won't mind doing some deep sea or bottom fishing. With the ports at Bahamas, limon, canal, cartegena, and Aruba . Any of these ports have fishing excursions?

3) any other can't miss excursions at he ports?

4) we are flying into MIA he day before, and renting a car. How is the traffic going into the FLL cruise terminal, especially near the Hertz rental return area.

 

Thanks

 

Not sure about Fishing Excursions.

You don't need to take the wine out of you suitcase.

Be careful in Cartegena, the street people merchants can be very forward and don't take NO for an answer. Great Coffee and Emeralds in Cartegena.

The traffic at the Cruise Terminal on departure day is crasy, we always use the Cruiseline's transfer program from the hotel to the pier.

[fearless cat]

we, too, are taking the Island Princess through the Panama Canal. I will need a rollator when on excursions. Does anyone know whether I will be able to go on the canal trips, air trams etc. on all excursions? What does "not handicapped accessible" really mean? confined to a wheelchair?

thanks for any help.

[dyank]

We just returned from the Island Princess (Panama Canal). We tendered in Cabo San Lucas and San Juan del Sur. Tenders did not accommodate anyone who had mobility issues which preventing them from walking--not just wheelchairs or scooters. Princess excursions are labeled whether or not they are accessible.

[lale969]

Hi.

I'm sailing to the Panama Canal on 18 december for my first cruise and I have some questions.

Is better to book the tours on the ship or I will find something cheaper at the ports? Can you suggest me what not to miss? We'll see Grand Cayman, Limon, Aruba, Cartagena e Colon.

When we arrive at Panama canal, only the visitors who have booked a tour can land. Do you think it's better to have a tour or to stay on the boat and look the sailing through the canal?

Is the breakfast free in cabin?

Sorry for my english, I'm italian....

Thanks a lot!

[yregrus]

Hi.

I'm sailing to the Panama Canal on 18 december for my first cruise and I have some questions.

Is better to book the tours on the ship or I will find something cheaper at the ports? Can you suggest me what not to miss? We'll see Grand Cayman, Limon, Aruba, Cartagena e Colon.

When we arrive at Panama canal, only the visitors who have booked a tour can land. Do you think it's better to have a tour or to stay on the boat and look the sailing through the canal?

Is the breakfast free in cabin?

Sorry for my english, I'm italian....

Thanks a lot!

 

I have also booked a December Panama Cruise on the Island Princess and I have no experience (with this particular cruise nor Princess). In general tours booked through Princess (or any cruise line) will be more expensive than independently booked tours. The main advantage of a ship sponsored excursion is you will not be left stranded at the dock in the event of a delay returning to the ship. I've been to Grand Cayman, great for diving/snorkeling otherwise not so much. Colon, not so much, go to YouTube, it looks scary. I think the ship only docks there for a few hours to pick up those who departed for an excursion while in Lake Gatun. Aruba is great if you like beach and clear water, like Grand Cayman. I'm still trying to figure out Cartagena, I want to see the Fort and Old Town. Taxi verses tour? I did book a tour with Princess to visit the Embara Indian tribe along with a tour of the locks and boat ride through the rain forest. Apparently a tender picks up the tourists on the lake and after the excursion they are driven to the port in Colon to catch the Island Princess. Returning through the locks you will see basically the same as entering the locks.

 

Is breakfast free in the cabin? Room service is complimentary whether breakfast, lunch or dinner. If you are referring to the "balcony breakfast," extra charge.

Edited November 16, 2014 by yregrus

[fearless cat]

I have a broken ankle whose air cast should be removed just prior to sailing. I use a rollator due to a bad back. On past Princess cruises, I was allowed to bring it on the transfer boats but I've never been to the 2 ports you mentioned.

 

I guess I have to find a private tour to take me to the places I wish to see. Also, we arrive in Limon on December 14, a Sunday, and my understanding is the banana plantations are closed. Is that so? Thanks.

[Nancyquilts]

I can use the tender even though I can walk just a step or two without my walker or something to hang onto. The staff at the tenders are great for helping with the elevator and into the tender.

[BJS]

We also took the Island Princess Panama Canal cruise. It was one of our all-time favorite ships and the cruise itself was also one of the best we've sailed. I do agree with several other CC's the day you pass through the locks stay on the ship and go back through the docks. It is really something.... especially when you consider it's one hundred years old. Remember to look over your balcony railing and see the six inch gap between the ship and the canal... if you decide to take the cruise I believe you will enjoy it... we certainly did!

We did an excursion to see the Embera Indians and then the Gatun Locks observation area where we watched our ship go through the locks. It was great to not only experience sailing through the locks but also to see from the shore what a tight fit it was as she sailed through. We re-boarded the ship at Colon.

 

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