Live from the Island Princess 10 day Partial Panama Canal December 12-22

[pkt1976]

Well, I’m hoping to be able to post fairly live anyway 😂 The internet in October on Discovery was soooo bad. I’m hoping the Island will be better. 
I’ll make my posts dark purple so easier to find. I let the folks on my roll call know to feel free to share their experiences as well if they’d like. 

 

Yes, this year I’ll have sailed on the newest and one of the biggest ships AND one of the smallest and oldest Princess ships. I’ve had three other cruises this year as well, twice on the Majestic and once on 😳 THAT ship, 😅the Crown restart cruise. We ended up getting a 50% credit so that put a nice dent in the price of this cruise. 5 cruises in a year is a first for me, and not something likely to happen a lot. It was a lot of fun though. 

 

I will be going to Epcot Festival of the Holidays the day prior to boarding so if Disney doesn’t interest you, you’ll want to skip a few days. To me, it’s a great lead in to a cruise to new places. 

 

This trip will have many firsts for me. I have been to Epcot but plan to enjoy the World Showcase more, with so many International food and entertainment opportunities. 

 

I do have the Princess Premier package so will keep track of Princess Prizes. I plan to take a ton on photos and of course enjoy two specialty dinners. 

 

I’ve never seen a ship decorated for the holidays so very excited for that as well. 

 

This will be my first time to the Panama Canal, and I booked on the Island to be able to experience the old historical locks. 

 

My first Princess cruise was on the Sea Princess, but It was my first cruise and I never knew where I was going 😅 I am very comfortable on the ships like the Crown, Ruby and Royal class ships, but the Island layout is very different, especially with the changes that were made several years ago when more cabins were added 😑 I’m a detail person so am excited to find new places and views on the Island. 

 

I have been to Jamaica and Grand Cayman, but the others are new ports for me. 

 

I originally  had friends planning to come too but they both had to cancel, so solo it is this time. I don’t mind. 

 

One of my friends who is a crew member was to be onboard as well, but plans changed so he won’t be. We will have a brand new Cruise Director, Cole from New Zealand. I don’t know who the other officers are yet, but will see once onboard. 

 

I’ve researched the less known viewing areas on the Island and plan to scope them out the first few days onboard. I do have a deck 10 mid forward corner bumped out balcony but like Alaska, views from different areas of the ship add to the experience. I didn’t even try to bid up because the location is great and the balcony position is perfect. 

 

I booked Princess excursions in all ports except Jamaica. I’ve been there and did Dunns River falls. There wasn’t anything I really wanted to do so will visit the port area, maybe lunch at Margaritaville, and otherwise just enjoy the ship. 

 

Cartagena will be the tour of Getsemani and the old city. 

 

In Panama it will be Gatun Lake and Locks Cruise & Embera Indians. 

 

In Limon  I booked the Tayutic Hacienda & Lunch tour.

 

In Grand Cayman, it will be Stingray sandbar and Cayman highlights (turtle center, rum cake center, Hell). I’ve done a stingray sandbar tour before and enjoyed it, and this has the bonus of the other places as well. 

 

I will be trying out Bayou Cafe and probably Sabatini’s as well. 

 

I have a shellfish allergy so sorry …no Chefs table 😞I’ve asked a couple times but they weren’t accommodating food allergies yet. 

 

We have a small roll call and I have set up a meet and greet on the first sea day. 

 

A bit about me… I started cruising in 2012 after having stage 3 cancer in 2009, after I had sufficiently healed. Since then I’ve cruised a lot to places all over the world. I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list 😅. Ten years later my priorities and what I enjoy have changed some. Things I used to worry about, I don’t so much anymore. Travel teaches lessons you don’t experience anywhere else. I’m pretty useless at a lot of trivia onboard 🤷🏼‍♀️😅but sometimes I know some random fact no one else does. I always try to sign up for the yes /no game, and I win pretty often. 

 

Liars club is my other favorite game show, always great for a laugh. 

 

I’ll post menus, patters and some food pics as long as the Internet connection is in the mood. 

 

There are a lot of logistics pre cruise on this one. A Park/sleep/fly hotel (because of the 5:30 am flight), car rental, hotel stay, Epcot, another flight, then an Uber or Lyft to the ship. My flights changed several times due to airline scheduling changes and flight cancellations. The flight to Orlando has a tight connection so I paid the pre check in charge for Southwest so I can get a seat toward the front of the plane on the first leg. 

 

Tonight, the adventure has begun and I’m checked in at the airport hotel for the night, hoping to fall asleep early! The cost for the hotel for the night and parking package was less than parking at the airport in the closer parking areas. There was no way I waited to Park in economy at 4 in the morning. I’m staying at the Residence Inn Sacramento Natomas. It’s an all suite Inn, very nice. 

 

I hope you come along. 

 

 

 

 

 

[cruzin4us]

following along!

[Sailingbear]

Can you please let me know what you would recommend as a good location for a Meet-up for Sailaway? Based on the deck plan, thinking the Lotus Bar area yet really have no clue. On bigger ships, I tend to use the Terrace pool bar for these as its a nice area that is away from the generally more crowded main pool area. Thanks. Have a great cruise!

[phabric]

I am on the Island - Panama Canal in Feb.

 

Can you me the show times?

[dickinson]

Looking forward to "joining" you!

[pkt1976]

1 hour ago, phabric said:

I am on the Island - Panama Canal in Feb.

 

Can you me the show times?

I’ll post pics of the patter, no worries 😉 

[pkt1976]

1 hour ago, Sailingbear said:

Can you please let me know what you would recommend as a good location for a Meet-up for Sailaway? Based on the deck plan, thinking the Lotus Bar area yet really have no clue. On bigger ships, I tend to use the Terrace pool bar for these as its a nice area that is away from the generally more crowded main pool area. Thanks. Have a great cruise!

Will do! Yes this ship is a different one layout wise 

[milolii]

Following, we are on the Island in  July.  Thank you.

[pkt1976]

Whew what a travel day. I Made it to the hotel in Orlando … eventually 😅. The luggage door got stuck on the plane then  car rental process took a long time as well. It was two hours before I was on my way… yeah I’m spoiled working from home, not used to traffic any more 😅. After checking into the hotel, I  then went to the Disney Character Warehouse (official Disney outlet) and bought some Merch. It was only $8 for those Tiki Room ears 🙌🏻 💯 HAD to get them.

 

For dinner I went to the Cheesecake Factory, which was right by the same shopping center. I was thinking of eating closer to the hotel but I was reaching hangry level 9. I was starving and that was the first real meal I had all day. I had the egg roll sampler, a non alcoholic lemonade with. Pineapple and cherry I believe, very tasty. 
 

I did get a piece of reeses pb and chocolate cheesecake to go, I was full and it will be a great breakfast tomorrow 🤔 😅except they didn’t give me any utensils so either I’ll get creative or wait til I have some. 
 

tomorrow morning I’ll need to wake up to try to join the virtual queue for Guardians of the Galaxy at 7am. I watched the special Christmas GOTG show on the plane. Then I’m going back to sleep hopefully as I can’t go to the park until 9. I do have all my stuff out and ready for tomorrow though, can’t wait! I guess one positive about having to be up at 3:30 am this morning is I’m already to go to bed and get up early again tomorrow. 
 

Im flying from Orlando to FLL Monday morning. We got a notice that they expect boarding to be delayed until 1 due to a customs inspection. I believe the Island is currently on the TA to get to the US. My flight lands at 10 so I’ll get food at the airport before catching an Uber or Lyft to the port. … no one wants to see me hangry🤷🏼‍♀️😅
 

 

 

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, pkt1976 said:

I can’t go to the park until 9

Not so - and you are a Disney fan!  Always show up early and expect the rope drop to happen ahead of time.  So important to be early (if you are an early riser type) and knock off the busiest experiences before the park gets too busy.

[SargassoPirate]

14 hours ago, pkt1976 said:

I’ll post pics of the patter, no worries 😉 

pkt1976, I love your philosophy about life and travel. Thanks for sharing.  

 

I'm looking at a cruise on the Island Princess next year, sailing solo since She Who Must Be Obeyed decided not to sail this time.  

 

If you can find the time, could you take a couple of photos of cabin C710?  On the deck plans it looks like it and the adjacent cabin have their doors on a little side corridor.

 

I'm also interested in what they call the International Cafe and it's offerings since I often do the IC for a late afternoon snack and frozen coffee drink.

 

Many thanks.  I'll be following your adventure.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, SargassoPirate said:

pkt1976, I love your philosophy about life and travel. Thanks for sharing.  

 

I'm looking at a cruise on the Island Princess next year, sailing solo since She Who Must Be Obeyed decided not to sail this time.  

 

If you can find the time, could you take a couple of photos of cabin C710?  On the deck plans it looks like it and the adjacent cabin have their doors on a little side corridor.

 

I'm also interested in what they call the International Cafe and it's offerings since I often do the IC for a late afternoon snack and frozen coffee drink.

 

Many thanks.  I'll be following your adventure.

No IC on the Island.  They have Amuleto top forward in the buffet area and they serve up the IC offerings.  In the Atrium, Deck 5, they converted the Patisserie into Good Spirits bar, but they have the coffee machine there and do at least some of the IC style coffees there as well.

 

That is a cross-over point on Caribe.  Similar on Baja, Emerald, Dolphin.

Edited December 11, 2022 by Steelers36

[pkt1976]

22 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Not so - and you are a Disney fan!  Always show up early and expect the rope drop to happen ahead of time.  So important to be early (if you are an early riser type) and knock off the busiest experiences before the park gets too busy.

I did end up rope dropping and had a fabulous day! My right foot is big mad 😂so we will see if I can walk on it tomorrow 😬 it was a great day though! 

[pkt1976]

I Had such a great day at Epcot. My right leg doesn’t agree 😅 I used the Genie + and was able to get a boarding pass for Guardians of the Galaxy. I LOVED that ride. 
 

The crowd level wasn’t bad, I rode test track, soarin and living with the land 2x each. 

 

I didn’t get to look Inside all the pavilions but a lot of them. 

 

There are was Yummy holiday regional foods everywhere too!

 

Lets hope my right leg feels like letting me walk tomorrow 😬 I will say I’m ok with canceling the Jamaica excursion I had made, I may still be recovering 😅 

 

tomorrow morning I will fly from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale to board the Island Princess, looking forward to a dirty banana on the balcony and 10 days of fun and some relaxing. 
 

 

[pkt1976]

I’m At the port in the elite lounge, waiting to board. They needed to do a customs inspection so waiting ti get cleared to board, hopefully around 1. 
 

very nice and big lounge here at Fort Lauderdale. 
 

I got here about 1115 

[pkt1976]

Boarding started about 12:45 and I was in group one. My balcony is awesome, a corn set with clear plexi? Or glass? I actually don’t know 😅all around it. 
 

sailaway was fun, though they poor CD lost his mix for a bit and was trying to yell for the whole deck to hear 😅 I danced at sailway, my feet are not amused. I can walk today but they are sore…. So No Zumba for a couple days 😬
 

Our sail away was a bit late, around 5pm. 

 

now I’m enjoying dinner at the Bayou Cafe. These cheese biscuits are to die for yummy…. More to come 

[pkt1976]

here’s the patter for today. 
 

All pools are empty today for maintenance. They may re open them tomorrow. 
 

this ship is wayyy under capacity. I don’t know the number yet but it’s no where near max. 

Edited December 13, 2022 by pkt1976

[sunviking90]

Enjoying following along so far. And a Disney trip too! Yay!

[pkt1976]

Per Cruise Director Cole, passenger count is 1259 which is about 50% capacity. 😮 

[lesnpatty]

Enjoy we were on the Island for the Oktoberfest-Northern Lights B2B,  We had a great time, the staff and dining was excellent and we had decent internet even in Norway.  One of our favorite cruises ever.  We were on the Grand in May and were very disappointed with the staff and dining. 

Edited December 13, 2022 by lesnpatty

[caribill]

On 12/11/2022 at 6:35 AM, SargassoPirate said:

I'm also interested in what they call the International Cafe and it's offerings since I often do the IC for a late afternoon snack and frozen coffee drink

 

 

No IC or equivalent on the Island Princess.

[shamrockace]

6 hours ago, caribill said:

 

No IC or equivalent on the Island Princess.

The IC is the only place that was open 24 hours. So is there somewhere else to go if you want a late snack besides room service?

[pkt1976]

8 minutes ago, shamrockace said:

The IC is the only place that was open 24 hours. So is there somewhere else to go if you want a late snack besides room service?

No there isn’t anywhere that’s 24 hours. The buffet is open the latest. 

[pkt1976]

Here is the patter for today. 
 

haha I’m so lost of this ship! It’s not like the other ships ive been on. I do like that there are 4 decks in the piazza. The decorations are so pretty ! 
 

no luck so far on Princess Prizes other than entries for the end of cruise drawing/s. 
 

i am going to the destination expert presentation in a bit then our meet and greet is at 11. 
 

and do you see what I see? Alfredo’s pizza for lunch at Sabatini’s!!! They said they should have it each sea day. Yayyyy! 

[Loveh2ofl]

Thanks for posting - are you happy with the internet so far?