Trying Princess for the 1st time - previously all Royal Caribbean

[BeachBumm]

We were loyal Royal Carribbean cruisers for years. Our last cruise was a full transit through the Panama Canal on Coral Princess. We had such an awesome time on Princess we decided to "jump ship" and just booked our next cruise on Royal Princess next March.

 

We loved everything about Coral Princess, she was the perfect size for us! Service was outstanding. We booked the Sanctuary for the entire cruise because I hate fighting for pool chairs. The Sanctuary is in a great location, it's in the back of the ship, so it was awesome on canal day while going through the locks. I loved the sanctuary, loved the personalized service & the private, quiet area that it is.

 

Don't get me wrong, I still love my cruises on Royal Carribbean, but I do think their itineraries have gotten a bit boring. They have built these monster ships, but same old itinerary. You'll have a great cruise on Coral Princess, and the Panama Canal is amazing!

[CRUISEFAN0001]

We were loyal Royal Carribbean cruisers for years. Our last cruise was a full transit through the Panama Canal on Coral Princess. We had such an awesome time on Princess we decided to "jump ship" and just booked our next cruise on Royal Princess next March.

 

We loved everything about Coral Princess, she was the perfect size for us! Service was outstanding. We booked the Sanctuary for the entire cruise because I hate fighting for pool chairs. The Sanctuary is in a great location, it's in the back of the ship, so it was awesome on canal day while going through the locks. I loved the sanctuary, loved the personalized service & the private, quiet area that it is.

 

Don't get me wrong, I still love my cruises on Royal Carribbean, but I do think their itineraries have gotten a bit boring. They have built these monster ships, but same old itinerary. You'll have a great cruise on Coral Princess, and the Panama Canal is amazing!

Thank you!

 

I really appreciate your report, as well as personal insights. The more I read, the more the Sanctuary sounds like a good investment to have the best experience.

[Jasperdo]

Quick question to you experts:

 

It appears that Deck 10 & 11 cabin occupants have access to a bow (front) balcony of sorts for viewing -is this a public access space?

Yes, those decks are open to all passengers. It is a great place to view the Canal:

 

 

 

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Yes, those decks are open to all passengers. It is a great place to view the Canal:

 

 

 

A huge THANK YOU to you for both the confirmation and the very amazing view photos!!!

 

You obviously had a terrific experience.

[Eagle_and_hawk]

The Coral is our favorite ship in the fleet and sailed twice thru the canal, with another one booked for next year.

 

We like the size of the ship and plenty of outdoor areas to pass the time. The wrap around promenade deck is wide with steamer lounge chairs to relax in during the day. If it's too hot, can always go to the indoor pool area and relax.

 

On canal day, go for the hidden decks that have been mentioned on the very front of the ship. One of the problems is the blue glass that is in front of some decks, making it difficult to take pictures unless you shoot between the panes of glass. If you decide on the sanctuary, it's more expensive for canal day and since it's AFT, you will see where you have been instead of where you are going thru the locks.

 

The ship never seemd crowded except show times in the evenings and it can vary, depending on the show and when everyone decided to eat. It does tend to lean towards us older crowds since it's 10+ days, which is fine with us. The food and service in the main dining room has always been good. The Horizion court is so-so, and we don't much eat in there, although food is subjective.

 

I think you will make a great choice in the Coral and the PC trip.

Edited June 24, 2016 by Eagle_and_hawk

[CRUISEFAN0001]

The Coral is our favorite ship in the fleet and sailed twice thru the canal, with another one booked for next year.

 

We like the size of the ship and plenty of outdoor areas to pass the time. The wrap around promenade deck is wide with steamer lounge chairs to relax in during the day. If it's too hot, can always go to the indoor pool area and relax.

 

On canal day, go for the hidden decks that have been mentioned on the very front of the ship. One of the problems is the blue glass that is in front of some decks, making it difficult to take pictures unless you shoot between the panes of glass. If you decide on the sanctuary, it's more expensive for canal day and since it's AFT, you will see where you have been instead of where you are going thru the locks.

 

The ship never seemd crowded except show times in the evenings and it can vary, depending on the show and when everyone decided to eat. It does tend to lean towards us older crowds since it's 10+ days, which is fine with us. The food and service in the main dining room has always been good. The Horizion court is so-so, and we don't much eat in there, although food is subjective.

 

I think you will make a great choice in the Coral and the PC trip.

Thank you for your insights NEIGHBOR - we're likely within 5-10 miles from your actual location just north of Northpoint Mall - how neat!

 

We appreciate the great contributions others have provided. We did book a Caribe deck balcony on the port side of Coral next February (for some reason we like/prefer that side).