Island balcony cabins to Panama Canal

[Riviera bound]

Do we want starboard or port on a Panama Canal cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to San Francisco? Anyone familiar with Island Princess C535? Or other caribe deck rooms? Or general ship comments?

[Jose Tejas]

We were on the starboard side going westbound and that was the place to be. It is just jungle on the other side. A couple that we met on the cruise had even been stationed in the Zone and they came to our balcony to see where they had lived, where their children attended school, and etc..

[firesidequilter]

I had booked C503...mini-suite with curved balcony...on starboard side due to the sun. I figured the first few days would have possible afternoon sun...but the majority of cruise would have morning sun....

BUT today I upgraded to a Vista Suite (aft) on Lido Deck!!!:D

 

Look forward to more discussions about this cruise & activities!

[Riviera bound]

We were on the starboard side going westbound and that was the place to be. It is just jungle on the other side. A couple that we met on the cruise had even been stationed in the Zone and they came to our balcony to see where they had lived, where their children attended school, and etc..

 

Thanks. Great advice.

[Riviera bound]

I had booked C503...mini-suite with curved balcony...on starboard side due to the sun. I figured the first few days would have possible afternoon sun...but the majority of cruise would have morning sun....

BUT today I upgraded to a Vista Suite (aft) on Lido Deck!!!:D

 

Look forward to more discussions about this cruise & activities!

 

What a great upgrade. Thanks for the info on starboard balcony room.

[EastBay Cruisers]

We booked a starboard cabin on the Island departing Nov. 2018 from Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco, on the advice of the Princess travel agent who said that was the best side to see the canal. I believe we are on Baja deck. When you finish passing through the canal and are sailing on the Pacific Ocean northbound to San Francisco, the starboard cabin will be on the east side of the ship, so you would get morning sun. - EBC

[bhopal21]

Do we want starboard or port on a Panama Canal cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to San Francisco? Anyone familiar with Island Princess C535? Or other caribe deck rooms? Or general ship comments?

 

It really makes no difference as you will be all over the ship during the transit. You will soon discover that staying on your balcony limits your observation greatly.

 

One hour you will be at the bow, the next at the stern, etc.

 

We have been both port and starboard and there was no advantage to either that I could see.

 

Mike:)

[BillB48]

My advice is to pick your cabin based on our preferences during the cruise, for example morning/afternoon sun etc. At the Canal I think you cheat yourself if you homestead one spot, as there are interesting things to see on both sides.

 

Now ignoring my own advice;), if you were to pick the side with a few more visual items of interest at the Canal, I would choose port.

[Riviera bound]

Thanks everyone. Good advice. Basically won’t make a lot of difference it sounds like. Tossup. Starboard or port. Sun in morning or afternoon. Views everywhere.😀

[bhopal21]

Thanks everyone. Good advice. Basically won’t make a lot of difference it sounds like. Tossup. Starboard or port. Sun in morning or afternoon. Views everywhere.😀

 

Exactly, and it's not like the transit is a straight shot anyway. There are many bends in the route.

 

You will be all over the ship from bow to stern and in between.

 

We entered from the pacific side at 0500 and completed at 1700. A full 12 hour day.

 

Mike:)