Island Princess Love/Hate/Tips/Secrets

[milan84]

Hey everyone!

 

I'm currently counting down to my first Princess sailing :D, and wanted your help...if you've sailed on Island Princess please share what you've LOVED or HATED about the ship or the cruise (I'm going on the Panama Canal sailing).

I'm getting excited and want to make the most of the trip, knowing what to avoid and what to enjoy. Also, if you have any TIPS or SECRETS about the ship or the cruise itself, please share!!!

 

Love this board :)

[RickEk]

Hey everyone!

 

I'm currently counting down to my first Princess sailing :D, and wanted your help...if you've sailed on Island Princess please share what you've LOVED or HATED about the ship or the cruise (I'm going on the Panama Canal sailing).

I'm getting excited and want to make the most of the trip, knowing what to avoid and what to enjoy. Also, if you have any TIPS or SECRETS about the ship or the cruise itself, please share!!!

 

Love this board :)

 

Great ship... great itinerary!

 

Two words... secret balconies... go forward on Baja or Caribe decks, through the doors and you'll be on the secret balconies.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Crown Prince]

Have you seen this website?

 

http://mysite.verizon.net/res76zxu/princessbalconies/index.html tomodell@csulb.edu Tom O.

[chamima]

I hope you don't have any bad weather but I discovered on a cold, rainy day that sitting at the indoor pool is like sitting in an Asian spa. Quiet Asian music and wonderful atmosphere!

[LisaH]

Not our favorite Princess ship but nice. The big negative for us was our cabin location. We had B503 - a hump mini suite. Centrally located but it was directly across from a service door that was used 24x7 by every branch of the staff. We always heard housekeeping in the morning and at night and then the last night with the offloading of luggage was the worst experience we have ever had on a cruise.

 

Would I cruise the Island again - maybe...it would depend on the itin and I would for sure do more research on our cabin location. I would probably book a cabin that had another room directly across rather than risk it.

[georoc01]

We enjoyed the Island. We had a balcony cabin in the 700 series and loved the access to the aft balcony in Alaska. We could watch things from our side and when they turn the boat head to the back and see things from both sides.

 

It is a long boat and the hike to the buffet is noticable if you just want to say grab a cup of hot tea and bring it back to your room.

 

We also enjoyed the Thermal Suite and having the spa in the back made that access easy.

[Colo Cruiser]

I love it all. :D

[cereus]

cpap on land tour?

 

My husband and I both use cpap/sleep apnea machines. Has anyone taken theirs on the bus or train part of the land tour? Did you check it or did it fit under your feet? Did you have to hold it in your lap? The bag is slightly larger than the diminsions listed in the cruise info book. Please help

Barb

[cindep]

Doing the Panama Canal, definitely try to get on the very aft balconies while you're going through the locks. It's pretty cool how close everything is!

 

We were on the Island in May. Had GREAT staff and the food was some of the prettiest I've ever seen on 16 Princess cruises. They really had presentation down pat. It also tasted good as well as looked good. Everyone at our table (early fixed dining) came to dinner every night because the food, service and company was excellent. I hope they'll still have some of the staff for your trip because they were great!

 

Tip: There is seating at the front of the Horizon Court, so if they sides are packed, be sure to check "up front".

 

Being your first Princess cruise, be sure to take time at least one afternoon and go to afternoon tea in the dining room. It is a very relaxing and pleasant experience and you never know who will be in there at that time (have met staff getting their tea before).

[milan84]

Wow...thanks everyone for the quick responses!

Keep the experiences / suggestions comin!!!

 

I'll be sure to check out the "secret" viewing spots when we get to the panama canal :)

Georoc or anyone else who knows - is the thermal suit free? What is available in the spa area for public use?

 

Cindep - I will definitely go to afternoon tea; it was one of my favorite experiences on Carnival and RC! So excited about all the yummy food... has anyone else traveled on the Island recently and can confirm the great food experiences???

[georoc01]

Wow...thanks everyone for the quick responses!

Keep the experiences / suggestions comin!!!

 

I'll be sure to check out the "secret" viewing spots when we get to the panama canal :)

Georoc or anyone else who knows - is the thermal suit free? What is available in the spa area for public use?

 

Cindep - I will definitely go to afternoon tea; it was one of my favorite experiences on Carnival and RC! So excited about all the yummy food... has anyone else traveled on the Island recently and can confirm the great food experiences???

 

We had great food all week including doing the Chef's Table. We ate a late breakfast, went to afternoon tea and then had a late dinner every day. In Alaska, the Hot Chocolate was wonderful, but I doubt it would apply to Panama Canal.

 

No, the Thermal Suite isn't free, its $100pp, $150per couple or $200per couple including a couple's rasul. The workout areas are included. The rest you have to pay extra for.

[Party Teacher]

Heres a pic of those secret balconies. From under the bridge down:

 

Baja

Caribe

Dolphin

 

[azbirdmom]

We were on the Island earlier this year and loved it. It is a smaller ship but has all the amenities of the larger ships. We loved the buffet choices at night. There were a couple of nights that we decided not to do the MDR and they were always making fresh caesar salads and cooking either fish or steak to order each night. It also seemed to be an easy ship to get around, and we never had trouble finding deck chairs at any of the pools either even though our cruise was full. I would cruise the island again in a heartbeat, but then, you wouldn't have to twist my arm to go on any Princess ship! ;)

[Gabrielle R.]

We went from Ft. Lauderdale to Acapulco. (over Christmas & New Years). We had a balcony on the Carib deck. The day we were to go into the canal, I set the alarm to watch it all. It was great to walk out on the balcony at 5 AM The ships were all lining up to get into the canal.

 

We got up front and were able to get some great pictures. Be sure to have an extra battery for your camera. I burned through my first battery and just about burned through my 2nd during the day. My digital takes video- if you were wondering why.

 

Be sure to go down to the Promenade deck during one of the locks- that is pretty cool to see the land at eye level. If you go to the lower levels you get to see the walls of the clock- that was neat too.

 

They had great lectures for the Panama Canal- worth your while to listen to that ahead of time. Of course I'm a history teacher, so I liked the history of the entire trip!:)

 

WE really liked the Island. Great size, great crew. You willhave a great time! Enjoy!!!! Gabrielle

[cattman]

An interesting fact about the Island:

She and sister Coral have the highest space-to-passenger ratio in the Princess fleet. Known as the "baby Grand" ships as they share most of the design features in a panamax size. The favorite of ours and many of our clients too!

[milan84]

Hey Gabrielle and anyone else that has gone on the Panama Canal route - when is the biggest rush of people on the morning of the passage through the canal???

I want to try to wake up sufficiently early :)

[mr green]

Hey Gabrielle and anyone else that has gone on the Panama Canal route - when is the biggest rush of people on the morning of the passage through the canal???

I want to try to wake up sufficiently early :)

 

You will be informed as to transit times, there is no rush since the ship will go slowly. However, if you hear 'Crocodile on the port side', you will be on the starboard side' Also it may be too hot to be out on deck for a full transit, unless it rains. A crew member told us one time to get under cover, and we just made it!

 

john

[Gabrielle R.]

Hey Gabrielle and anyone else that has gone on the Panama Canal route - when is the biggest rush of people on the morning of the passage through the canal???

I want to try to wake up sufficiently early :)

 

I got up at 5 AM since we wer to enter the canal (locks) at about 6/7 (I can't remember for sure. It gets pretty packed right away at the front of the ship. I didn't find the secret balcony- but I got up on the Sun deck (I think) and planted myself on the deck. I had a grea view. Got the pics I wanted, then I moved along to get other pictures. (I had done a partial a few year prior, so I knew what I wanted to get pictures of. I'm a history teacher so I was taking videos with my camera- for class. YES, I made my classes watch the Panamal Canal home video in class when we were on Teddy Rosevelt).

 

Once you get through the first lock, you might want to move around to watch from other angles. I really liked being on the promenad when we were passing through the Lake. You can hear the animals in the jungle. It reminds me of going through a river- but you are on this huge ship! It was also fun to see the other ships passing by. They are so big and it is so quiet and peaceful.

 

Someone mentioned it is really neat to go the the aft (Back) of the ship to watch the locks close. That is pretty neat to see. Also get down to deck 5 (?) And watch the lock wall go by- that is neat too.

 

I guess I was rather ADHD (I really am). I like to get many different views. It is also fun to be on the upper decks when you go under the Centennial Bridge and the Bridge of the Americas.

 

Have a great time! Gabrielle

[cruiser113]

We will be on the Island in a few days to cruise to Alaska. Will get back to you.

 

We have a mini near the secret balconies on caribe. Will let you know maybe from the ship??

[cindep]

Something else in the "trivia" department ... the Coral and Island are actually the LONGEST Princess ships ... even longer than the Crown/Emerald/Ruby. I hit a Princess rep with that one recently and she was shocked to learn it when she looked it up. It isn't a LOT longer, but when you're in a hurry to get from one end to the other it SEEMS a lot longer, especially as there are these little "jogs" in the hallways versus the straight long hallways on the Grand class ships.

[jimmo]

18 days on the Island Princess from FL to Vancouver in

April/May of this year - what a fabulous trip ... and the Island Princess was a high light! The staff was excellent, the ship was spotlessly clean, the food was really good (especially main dining room - anytime dining). You can't help but have a good time! Enjoy!

[2 to cruise]

We have been on the Island twice - 15 day to Hawaii in 2006 and 10 day Panama Canal this past April. Love the aft mini-suites - love the ship - food was always very good - nothing not to like!!!

 

Enjoy!!

[Putterdude]

The thing that we dind't like about the Island/Corall is that the companionways are narrower than most other ships making getting by a steward's cart with a rollater or wheel chair impossible.

The thing that we liked the best was how friendly the crew was on our full Panama Transit in January, they were the best yet. And secondly the lovely little pool in the stern where we spent many happy hours in the hot tropical sun.

[Lemonslikethefruit]

Hey everyone!

 

I'm currently counting down to my first Princess sailing :D, and wanted your help...if you've sailed on Island Princess please share what you've LOVED or HATED about the ship or the cruise (I'm going on the Panama Canal sailing).

I'm getting excited and want to make the most of the trip, knowing what to avoid and what to enjoy. Also, if you have any TIPS or SECRETS about the ship or the cruise itself, please share!!!

 

Love this board :)

 

We're going on the Island in October, so glad you asked the question. We'll be interested in the answers:):D

[pretenda]

Cruised over Easter last year from LA to FL. The Island is our favourite of the Princess ships. As posted before, the secret balconies on B and C. We had a C deck mini - C217 I think it was - covered balcony which kept the hot sun off and a short walk up to the front for the lock viewing - just got a few photos, but didn't stay too long. Also from this location- not far to run up the stairs to Horizon Court buffet!! Had a really great time. Looking at doing the itinerary again - in reverse - for 2011 we enjoyed it so much.

The crew/food were fantastic. Casino is also very good and the staff in there lovely and great fun.

Enjoy yourselves

Glenda