Coral - Panama Canal?

[LeeW]

We prefer the Aloha deck cabins that are NOT bumped out (avoid next to elevators).  These cabins have a huge overhang of the Lido Deck and are well-sheltered.  Try to get the middle of the area, since if you are close to the bumpout those cabins block your view.  Since Lido is above, try to get a cabin near the Lotus Pool, which has less traffic above, just a few loungers that are against the window.  Less noise.  Note that balcony will still be furnace hot on the sun side during the canal transit.  Canal is North-South oriented, so try to avoid the west side of the ship in the afternoon (for westbound transit the starboard side is the sunny side).  Same is true with the Promenade Deck - hard to even walk out there.

 

Also, GPS doesn't work as well under the big overhang....

[Lucky TGO]

On 9/4/2020 at 1:50 PM, Thrak said:

We've done the canal on Coral Princess twice. We didn't book a balcony. Both times we booked B731 which is an Ocean View cabin all the way aft. It's just a few steps from the cabin door to the outside door where there is a ship-wide viewing deck with loungers. The deck is really underutilized and is "almost" like having a huge private balcony. The window looks out onto that deck but you can't see into the cabin during the day. We just kept the gauzy sheer curtains closed and no matter how I tried I couldn't see into the cabin. At night we did close the heavy curtains. It was great to have drinks out on the observation deck while getting ready for dinner. We could watch the dolphins playing in the wake many nights. Below is a pic of the viewing deck. The window next to the outside door is our cabin. When we cruise Coral Princess again we will book this same cabin. We absolutely love the location. One night we watched a huge lightening storm (in the distance) while hanging out on this deck. It was pretty spectaclar.

 

 

 

Hi Thrak,

When I was on the Coral Princess I was in cabin B730 It was very nice but I loved going out to that back deck.
Tony

 

 

 

 

 

[Roger88]

The deck is quite wide and comfortable to stay at. I wonder if you can bring some sort of a table there to hang out with drinks and stuff. I always enjoyed staying in the back of the ship, for some reason I feel more comfortable there... just like being in the back of the plane. Similar thing. Feels much safer and quieter.. 

[Cruise Raider]

8 hours ago, Roger88 said:

The deck is quite wide and comfortable to stay at. I wonder if you can bring some sort of a table there to hang out with drinks and stuff. I always enjoyed staying in the back of the ship, for some reason I feel more comfortable there... just like being in the back of the plane. Similar thing. Feels much safer and quieter.. 

 

In the photo above, there are tables provided in between the chairs.  If really nobody uses this area, you could probably get one for either side ... enough for drinks and a plate of food, if needed.  

 

[Margarita Jane]

On 9/4/2020 at 5:30 PM, Thrak said:

 

We sailed on Island Princess in one of the forward "window mini suites" which also exist on Coral (Baja and Caribe). They are the size of a regular mini including balcony but the balcony area is part of the cabin and there's a window instead. The only issue was that the forward viewing decks (which as you note are right there) don't have any furniture. Great viewing decks for canal day though. Loved watching from there and that is where the info is broadcast from during the crossing.

 

I guess I do have to agree with others regarding the advisability of a balcony given the uncertainty involved these days. I love that aft OV cabin but wouldn't want to be confined to it with fresh air only a few steps away but not accessible.

@Thrak - We are thinking of booking a “window mini suite” on the Coral. How big is the window? Is it like the ocean view windows or larger?

[skynight]

1 hour ago, Margarita Jane said:

@Thrak - We are thinking of booking a “window mini suite” on the Coral. How big is the window? Is it like the ocean view windows or larger?

There is a photo of B202 here https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/deckplans/Coral-Princess

[Margarita Jane]

Thanks for the response skylight. I had seen those pictures on “cruisedeckplans”, but a TA said they were full length windows - so I thought I’d ask someone who stayed in one of the window minis to get the real answer!

[Thrak]

2 hours ago, Margarita Jane said:

@Thrak - We are thinking of booking a “window mini suite” on the Coral. How big is the window? Is it like the ocean view windows or larger?

 

Couldn't remember so asked my wife. She said it was maybe 3 feet up from the floor. Easy to see out of while seated. She watched the 4th of July parade in Ketchikan out that window. She was feeling poorly - the "cruise cold" that was rampant on that cruise - and the parade went right past the ship.

 

 OK - I just googled Island Princess C202 and found this pic. I showed it to my wife and asked if it looked right to her. She said, "Yes! Exactly!".

 

[Margarita Jane]

@Thrak Thank you! And thanks to your wife, too!

[lovetoholiday]

On 9/5/2020 at 5:50 PM, jondfk said:

The sail up the west coast is far longer than the sail from the canal to Ft Lauderdale.  That being the case, realize your balcony will face directly into the setting sun (or not, depending on side & direction).  We made the mistake of choosing a port side cabin on a FLL - SFO run once.  Basically the balcony was unusable after say, 1:00 in the afternoon, for about half of the cruise.

I disagree, we had a port side balcony - our first cruise with a balcony - on our West bound trip through the canal. We loved it and the sun sets were amazing. 

Perhaps it was just that this was our first balcony cruise, or that being from Scotland we thought the heat and sunshine were wonderful.   Loved that cruise!

[nini]

We were in E736 and could touch the wall of the lock when going through!