Just Returned from Island Princess 12/7 – 12/18

[NewPennCruiser]

While I’m sitting here trying to get over my post cruise blues I thought I would put down some thoughts regarding our partial canal transit cruise. There has been so much discussion lately regarding the Island dry dock that is coming up it almost seems like we’ve forgotten that the Island is still the Island as we know it for a few more months.

 

Having been on her one other time it just took a short period of time to get reacquainted with the layout. The ship is still in good condition, clean, healthy and happy. Everyone seemed in a good mood and it seemed to show all over the ship. Many people we talked to were early in their contracts and would be staying on the ship as it headed to dry dock so time will tell if the “mood” is sustained into 2015. I mentioned “healthy” as well since there was no sign of any gastro issues and to be honest, people weren’t coughing and hacking like they often are in winter. We usually come home with a cold and sniffles or something and this time we were perfectly fine which was a nice change of pace.

 

Embarkation was smooth despite the Coast Guard doing an inspection which delayed things and being Elite we were on the ship sometime between 12:15 and 12:30 so the delay was marginal. We used Pier 29 which is the third one down the channel and the facilities aren’t the greatest there but there were 7 ships in port that day including 2 Princess ships so you take what you can get. We ended up leaving well over an hour late for some reason and I suspect it could have been because of the Coast Guard. Muster Drill was right on schedule and we were still required to take life jackets.

 

We had no complaints regarding the food and to be honest we usually don’t. Crab Shack was held numerous nights, there were themed nights in the Buffet (Octoberfest being our favorite) and one of our personal favorites was the fact that they were using Sabatini’s to serve Alfredo’s pizza at lunch everyday. We also noticed that Sabatini’s dinner menu also has changed slightly but was pretty similar to what it has been for a while now. I understand food is very subjective and I’ll just say we had no complaints and our clothes were tighter after 11 days.

 

The entertainment was typical Princess stuff and we enjoyed the shows we attended. We particularly enjoyed the classic trio that often played in the Atrium and thought they were one of the best we have seen and there was a lot of dancing in Wheelhouse Bar and AJ at Crooners seemed popular as well. The Bayou production show is still one of the best that Princess does and it will be a shame if they do away with it once Universe Lounge is gone. I guess we’ll see if it can be adjusted to work in the Theater.

 

The 2 for 1 Happy Hour was a huge success and you could barely get into Wheelhouse Bar at 3:00. They also had it at 10:00 and we attended a couple of times. I’m not sure if they are doing this on all ships but it was first time we experienced Happy Hour outside of what they usually offer Platinum and Elite passengers.

 

The passenger mix was pleasantly diverse with a few kids who were well behaved, lots of noticeable blue cards and everyone seemed generally polite and courteous to their fellow passengers. Maybe it was the “Holiday” spirit but we saw very little complaining and people just having a good time. Speaking of Holidays, we were kind of bummed when we got on the ship that it was not decorated for Christmas, but they got busy while we were in Aruba and it was decorated while we were in port.

 

Richard Detrich was the port and canal expert on ship and his lectures were informative and well attended. He also gave live commentary during our time in the Canal and he was visible throughout the ship. Richard Joseph the Cruise Director also did a talk on cruising past, present and future and it was also very informative. He’s really a maritime buff and if you cruise with him and he gives this talk, it’s worth the hour. Again, his lecture was very well attended as well.

 

While the Canal was the draw for us, we had a great time in the other ports although weather did have an impact in most ports. We did Aruba on our own and one comment about that day, after leaving Aruba, there was an announced medical emergency and we returned to port about 2 hours after leaving. Hopefully they are fine and it really didn’t slow us down since we didn’t have to go far to get to the next port. There were rain showers in Aruba, Columbia was HOT, it rained later in the day we were in Panama and it rained pretty heavily in Ocho Rios and Limon. In fact many tours in Costa Rica were cancelled due to landslides and blocked roads. In Panama we did the small boat transit of the full canal and really enjoyed that experience. It was pricy but worth the up close feel of transiting the Locks.

 

Seas were smooth and even on days with bad weather the ship never really seemed crowded like some of the Grand Class ships can be when weather is bad which is why I really like the Island/Coral class ship. It’s funny that we view these as some of the “smaller” ships when in fact they are still large vessels. Time will tell how the dry dock changes really affect the flow and feel of the Island but like most other comments I’ve seen, I don’t really like what I see on paper; but it is what it is. We enjoyed her in the current configuration one last time and may cruise on her once again in the future… we’ll see how things go through her summer season after dry dock.

 

I think I still have most of the Patters so if you have any specific questions, just let me know. Dave

[geoherb]

Thanks for posting your review. We sailed this itinerary four years ago at Christmas and had a great time.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for the review.

Yes CD Richard has a great talk on past ocean liner history.

[Crystabel]

Thank you for your review. We'll soon be sailing on the Island for 30 days, and I'm happy to read a positive report. This will be our first time on this class of ship, and glad we're sailing her before the upcoming retrofit.

[bl413]

We were on this cruise too.

I must say I was pleasantly surprised after reading some of the negative comments on this board.

This is our 4th Princess cruise and 1st on the Island. The ship was in great shape, the staff couldn't have been friendlier and more helpful. The food ( we typically are not cruise food lovers) was very good and many things were delicious! We sat in reserved dining at the 7:30 seating and can't say enough about Arnel and his asst. They knew all our names by the end of the 1st night and took excellent care of us.

There were many activities on board all the time. Many different music venues.

The comedians were the best in show!!! We had a lot of rain (3 days) but a few of them were sea days.

The ports were OK. We have been to Costa Rica many times on the Pacific side and Puerto

Limon is NOT a good representation of this beautiful country. It was beyond depressing.

We went to the Sloth rescue center and rain forest walk --- still depressing --especially in the rain.

We did the ship tour in Panama to Old Panama city - Don't.

We did Dora's tour in Cartenga and it was very interesting --but there is no free time to walk around the old city by yourself.

We didn't do anything in Orchos Rios - it was raining. But some cruise mates did the Bob sled, in the rain, and had a blast.

We really enjoyed this cruise and all the wonderful people we met.

We truly appreciated Richard Thomas (cruise director) going above and beyond to help

all the folks that wanted to celebrate Chanukah have a joyous time with Latkes and Manischewitz wine !!!

 

I don't think the ship was full and there was always places to sit. We spent a lot of time in the covered pool area and it was perfect.

 

Again, loved the cruise --

[leet102]

Thanks for the report. I too will be on the Island shortly. It will be my first on Princess & I'm really looking forward to it. I'm trolling here to find out all the secrets. I'm anxious to try the pizza at lunchtime and see the Bayou show. It sounds exciting. Did you see the gym? Was it stinky or bright & clean? I was on HAL a couple of years ago & the yoga mats were big time stinky. I appreciate any more inside information you might have.

[NewPennCruiser]

Thanks for the report. I too will be on the Island shortly. It will be my first on Princess & I'm really looking forward to it. I'm trolling here to find out all the secrets. I'm anxious to try the pizza at lunchtime and see the Bayou show. It sounds exciting. Did you see the gym? Was it stinky or bright & clean? I was on HAL a couple of years ago & the yoga mats were big time stinky. I appreciate any more inside information you might have.

 

We did go to the gym but I'll admit we didn't participate in any of the planned activities or classes that were offered. Everything seemed clean to me and the exercise equipment is pretty much surrounded by windows so there was a lot of light. We walked a lot on the Promenade Deck and sort of avoided the gym mostly this trip. One thing to make note of though, I believe looking at deck plans post dry dock, the gym is going to be interior on one of the lower decks with no windows.

[NeptuneSeas]

Is Maitre D' Adrian Cristian still on Island please, or a change of Maitre D'? Thank you for your review.

Season's Greetings. Mario & Rose

[seattleslew]

Thank you for making us even more excited! We'll be on for the full FLL-LAX transit in less than a month and your description makes it sound like the authentically terrific experience that Princess has always given us. This will be our first time on this class of ship (we're Elite), but we've berthed near the Coral in Alaska each of the last many summers so I feel I "know" her. One of our favorite crew was able to get off in Skagway for the day to go "see" her boyfriend on the Coral ;) Anyway, re the Island: did they hold Zumba onboard? It always depends on two things: the CD and having a licensed Zumba instructor. I hope the answer is yes!

[NewPennCruiser]

NeptuneSeas: The Maitre D' for our cruise was Rui Pereira

 

Seattleslew: Yes to Zumba. It was listed in the Patter every sea day 8:30am in Universe Lounge.

[weedpindle]

Was on this cruise as well. We liked the decor of the ship much better than the Regal which we were on the previous week. Buffet choices a little disappointing for lunch. 61% of those on board were blue cards, low 200's for Platinum, and 81 for Elite per the CD. Loss of the Universe Lounge will drastically change the ship, not to mention the increased passenger load on the rest of the ship.

[NewPennCruiser]

Was on this cruise as well. We liked the decor of the ship much better than the Regal which we were on the previous week. Buffet choices a little disappointing for lunch. 61% of those on board were blue cards, low 200's for Platinum, and 81 for Elite per the CD. Loss of the Universe Lounge will drastically change the ship, not to mention the increased passenger load on the rest of the ship.

 

Did Richard mention that we were sailing full or not? I was just curious because after two cruises on this ship, I'm amazed at how it never seems crowded. That will probably change after dry dock but the real test of that is bad weather and we had 3 very rainy days that to me still didn't seem to make it crowded inside.

[weedpindle]

Nilo, the best cabin steward I have ever had, said there were 13 cabins empty for the cruise.

[Northender]

Enjoyed your review. Thank you.:)

[NeptuneSeas]

Thank you for Maitre D' post. Happy Xmas to you & yours. Rose & Mario

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for taking the time to post a review of your cruise.

[SeaMystique]

Thank you! We'll be on the Island in Feb. and we will be "blue card" holders. I'm happy to know we are sailing on such a classy ship that so many people seem to love. The dry- dock changes looming up later just make me feel as if we are going to have a really special experience.[emoji41]

[umpire143]

Thanks for the review. We will be on this cruise soon and are very interested in which excursion you took in the Panama Canal. In reviewing the available excursions there were quite a few. Also, any recommendations for the other ports. We have never been to Aruba, Limon, Cartagena.

[NewPennCruiser]

Thanks for the review. We will be on this cruise soon and are very interested in which excursion you took in the Panama Canal. In reviewing the available excursions there were quite a few. Also, any recommendations for the other ports. We have never been to Aruba, Limon, Cartagena.

 

These are the excursions that we took on this trip

 

Cartagena – Walking Tour of Old City

Panama – Lock Transit by boat

Limon – Train, Canals and Plantation

 

We enjoyed the tour in Cartagena and while you could probably pay less to just take a cab to the Old City, it’s a long walk to get through the industrial pier and I’m not very fluent in Spanish so I didn’t want to risk getting taken with cab fare in what seemed like a very congested City. We did have a tour guide as well who was knowledgeable and great to talk to even when you ran into him exploring the Old City on our own.

 

The small boat transit of the locks to the Pacific was amazing. I’ve heard varying levels of satisfaction with this tour but just couldn’t have been happier with our day. Going through the Cut and the Pacific locks on a small ferry really brought you up close to the locks and it just was very cool. We thought it was worth every penny of the excursion even if it did make for a long day. We were back in Colon to catch the ship by 5 that evening.

 

The tour in Limon was informative and pretty fun having a chance to see some wildlife and check out the Del Monte banana plantation. We were lucky because this was their 6th straight day of rain and many tours ended up being cancelled. There was flooding and roads blocked all over the place but we had a nice, albeit wet day. I came away from Costa Rica thinking that I really would like to go back and see more however Limon, even though it really is the port, is not all that impressive. The Pacific side of Costa Rica is much nicer and even inland but of course you have to start somewhere. Of note, if you wanted to do some “local” shopping, they had a market place set up at the pier. We thought it was very nice, people were great to talk to and there were a lot of local rosewood products and some nice hand made things along with the obligatory trinkets and t-shirts. Check it out, even if you go on tour. It’s pretty much just there for the cruise ship so it will be open until you leave.

 

Rain seemed to be theme of the day for a while from Panama through Jamaica. It just poured the entire day we were in Ocho Rios and we didn’t get off the ship. We already had planned to not get off so the rain really didn’t change our plans. I heard the bob sled tour was fun but can’t vouch for it. It was somewhat of a walk but you could walk into town to shop or search out some free wi-fi as well but again we had monsoon like rains all day there so if you were thinking about making last minute plans, I think that maybe just forced a lot of folks to stay on the ship.

 

We did Aruba on our own having been there numerous times on typical land vacations and it is our favorite place to visit. (including all the ABC Islands) Aruba has a ton of tours, all of which I think are pretty good depending on what you’re looking for. Water sports to 4 wheeling and of course some of the best beaches around. For this itinerary, Aruba is also one of the easiest ports to get around. This will also be your duty free shopping mecca on this cruise. Yes, there are people at the port trying to gain your business with offers to show you the island, but people don’t hound you with trinkets when walking around town, cabs are easy and plentiful and the buses are actually easy to use and cheap although they do run on “island time”. And you might like some of what they are offering with the folks trying to sell tours at the pier if that’s your thing. Whereas you really wouldn’t want to leave the port area on foot in Limon, Cartagena or especially Colon, feel free to do what you want here. They also had a new trolley that rides up and back through town taking people to some of the shopping and that was new since we were last there. If you want to hit a beach our favorite is Eagle Beach but depending on who you ask you’ll get differing opinions. All beaches are public but if you are near a Resort they may charge you to use chairs or items that belong to them. And I know I mentioned shopping but you will be docked right at town and an easy walk to all the shopping you’ll ever need along with two of their casinos and numerous restaurants, coffee shops and bars. There is plenty to see and do depending on how long you are in port. If looking for food, a couple of our favorite restaurants right in town are The Old Fisherman and Que’Pasa, both an easy walk from the ship. Also stop at The Paddock along the water for a Balashi (local beer).

 

Check out the ports of call section of CruiseCritic for Panama and Caribbean and you’ll find a lot more advice on private tours and other things to do. And you’ll probably get a lot of opinions on here depending on who you ask so just check around and I’m sure you’ll find something to your liking. If you have specific questions about anything I mentioned, just let me know. Dave