Just returned from Princess Coral Panama Canal Trip

[Eagle_and_hawk]

Thanks for posting the review as brings back a lot of great memories of the two trips we did. It's our favorite ship, as not too small & not too big for what we enjoy.

[Eagle_and_hawk]

Thank you so much for your through and thoughtful review! We are considering this cruise for Spring Break (in MD) with my 7yo DS and my 88 yo grandma. We love Princess and are platinum level (even my DS if they had levels for kids :)) and never had issues with passenger ages. Now I am a bit worried though... May be there will be more kids on spring break timing.

 

Couple questions:

- we have sailed on Caribbean, Ruby, Emerald, Crown and original Pacific Princesses (the one year round in Tahiti years ago). Which size is Coral?

- Does Caribe deck on Coral have larger balconies?

- Is there a difference from port to starboard for Canal viewing?

- If anybody sailed similar itinerary with kids, please give feedback on the experience

 

Based on our two trips, both in February, there was very few school age kids on either trip. I believe the timing is not the issue, it's because being a 10-day cruise, and most schools are only out a week for Spring Break, so they don't book this trip.

 

Size wise, it will be a lot smaller than those ships you have sailed on the past, except the Pacific Princess. We like the size as never felt crowded, plus the big walk around promenade deck. You could read some of the recent patters to get an idea of what may be onboard for kids to do during the day, other than the pool.

 

When you are going through the canal, you will want to be up top where you can move around and see both sides. That's what we did the 1st time, although the second time, we stayed on the balcony as we wanted to see it from there too. Unless you are staying on the ship and not taking an excursion after going through the locks, you won't see it from the other direction, since you will meet up with the ship after it gone back through the locks.

[jagsfan]

I forgot to ask OP which dining room traditional dining is in. We're on Caribe Deck forward, but sometimes, on multiple cruise lines, we've been put in the farthest away dining room.

I just read the menus from October, and medallions of beef and parmesan baskets were still on it, but evidently since October they've both been dropped. I only like change if it's good!

[Colo Cruiser]

I forgot to ask OP which dining room traditional dining is in. We're on Caribe Deck forward, but sometimes, on multiple cruise lines, we've been put in the farthest away dining room.

I just read the menus from October, and medallions of beef and parmesan baskets were still on it, but evidently since October they've both been dropped. I only like change if it's good!

 

 

Does not apply to the Coral, she has 2 DR's one right above the other Deck5/6 off the atrium.

[jagsfan]

Thanks........maybe we'll be lucky and get the one on Deck 6. My DH insists on doing the stairs and we're on Caribe.

[UpcountryTravelers]

Thanks for the review. Coral is my favorite Princess ship (now that Ocean Princess is gone), and it is good to know she is still the fantastic ship we remember. We're doing full Panama Canal transit next year on her.

[Woobstr112G]

OP;

 

Thanks for taking the time to post your review. Sounds like you had a great cruise. We will be doing the canal in May on the Pacific Princess.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Badgerone]

Eagle and Hawk ,just read your reviews on several Threads .Thanks for the detailed information and your helpful replies to questions from other cruisers.

We are booked for the March 18th cruise .

Pat and Jim from Wisconsin

[bmj]

Thank you for sharing. We leave on March 18th and are so ready.

[djtx2]

can you please tell me what movies they were showing Under the Stars on the Coral. We leave in 11 days. Thanks

[floridalover5623]

can you please tell me what movies they were showing Under the Stars on the Coral. We leave in 11 days. Thanks

 

Just search for MUTS movies. They're all the same.

[Delta Dear]

Thank you for the review. We're taking this cruise Nov. 2017 as our first Princess and first Panama Canal. It's nice reading that older, less mobile passengers are not uncommon. We will both be using scooters. I appreciate all of your 'age related,' comments.

[JF - retired RRT]

We are considering this cruise for Spring Break (in MD) with my 7yo DS and my 88 yo grandma. We love Princess and are platinum level (even my DS if they had levels for kids :)) and never had issues with passenger ages. Now I am a bit worried though... May be there will be more kids on spring break timing.

 

 

- If anybody sailed similar itinerary with kids, please give feedback on the experience

We did the canal B2B on the Pacific Princess (17 days one way). There were kids on both legs. Not a lot, maybe 10 or 12. They had 2 ladies doing the kid's club. We talked to one of them and she told us that because the Pacific doesn't have a specific area and rarely has kids due to usual itinerary, Princess brings the ladies on for the cruise and uses the card room for the kid's club.

Anyway...they treated those kids like "princesses". They had activities, games, etc and went to the buffet everyday for ice cream (no Scoops on Pacific).

As long as your son isn't the only one, they'll surely have something.