Day by Day review of Island Princess 12/29/2011

[Love.II.Cruise]

Jan. 8, 2012 , Day 11: Disembarkation

 

 

And now the end... but at least we get to go home and see our cats again. ;)

 

We put our bags out the evening before and this morning went for breakfast in Horizon Court. Horizon Court was a zoo! We took our plates outside and found a nice table in the shade where we could watch a nature show on MUTS. I was completely blown away by the number of ships in port today (compared to when we left). Both Oasis of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas were in port (that’s about 10.000 passengers alone). Never mind all the other cruise ships!

 

We went down to the Platinum/Elite area to wait to disembark. We were called before others with our same colored tags and as a result the area was less crowded where you pick up your luggage. We hailed a cab and went to the Ft. Lauderdale airport.

 

We had the option of getting an 11:30am flight out of Miami direct to home, but were not comfortable with it and even our TA discouraged it. With that many ships in port, I’m glad our TA told us to just fly out of Ft. Lauderdale at a later time.

 

Thank you to all that have followed this review. I’ve never done such an extensive review and next time plan to start doing it within a week of arriving home. I hope those that relived this cruise enjoyed it and those that are planning it are more encouraged to book it! Happy cruising to all! :D

[cormike1]

Thanks so much for the wonderful review!!!! I really enjoyed it and really picked up some pointers from your posts. I can't wait until our cruise although that will mean that winter will be coming up again and we aren't even through this one yet lol. Thanks again.

 

Corinne

[Cupcrazy]

Fantastic review! It seems like you had a great time. Thanks for taking the time to post your review

[Love.II.Cruise]

Thanks so much for the wonderful review!!!! I really enjoyed it and really picked up some pointers from your posts. I can't wait until our cruise although that will mean that winter will be coming up again and we aren't even through this one yet lol. Thanks again.

 

Corinne

 

You are very welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it. We personally have a difficult time not having a future cruise booked to look forward to when we end a cruise.

 

The anticipation can be as much fun as the cruise! My DH loved the fact that on this last cruise I was like a kid waiting for the Disney World gates to open! :D

[Love.II.Cruise]

Fantastic review! It seems like you had a great time. Thanks for taking the time to post your review

 

You are very welcome! We did have a great time! I hope others that take this cruise feel the same. :D

[lcmslady]

Great job! Thanks for sharing!

[goldens4ever]

AS many have already said...THANK YOU!!!!

 

You are so right....the anticipation of the cruise is a very important part! Reading your review has been such a pleasure! And really....it doesn't matter when you post it....you did post it and many people got so much from it!

 

Hoping you are cruising again soon!!!!:D

[cibaygirls]

We went through that entire market looking for stuffed sloths. Never found a one, but there was some really nice stuff there and on the blocks outside the port as well. Highly recommended for those shopping in the ports.

 

One note about buying wood items. When you get them home to the US or elsewehere, depending on the humidity the wood will slightly change size, this can make boxes, etc stick...

 

 

I had to laugh when I read this as I experienced it first hand.. I bought a handcarved wooden owl in Jamaica.. when I got home I noticed a "slice" down the front of his face.. over the next couple of days it got longer and deeper.. Definately as the level of moisture changed in the wood, it expanded and the small slice got much deeper. I still love it even though he looks like he got into a knife fight:p

[Love.II.Cruise]

You're welcome to all! For those that are planning their cruises, I wish you a wonderful cruise! :D

 

To those that helped me with planning our cruise, thank you very much! ;)

[fathercop]

What a fantastic review. I think this is one of the best I've read/seen on CC. I really felt like the cruise had come alive for me by way of your posts. DW and I are doing this cruise in October and we cannot wait for it. You have given me some ideas about things I want to plan for. I, know Joe and Amelia from previous cruises and I look forward to their suggestions, as well, since they have been to Panama before.

 

One thing I do want to do is the ultimate ship tour. That is definitely one of my priorities to get accomplished.

 

I am debating about going on the tour that takes you through the canal and then brings you back to meet the ship. I've been told it is a great tour, but since I am not transiting all the way through, I am leaning toward staying on the ship for the return passage through the locks.

 

Again, excellent review! These reviews are why I am a member of CC.

 

Thanks so much!

 

Rich

[goldens4ever]

What a fantastic review. I think this is one of the best I've read/seen on CC.

 

Again, excellent review! These reviews are why I am a member of CC.

 

Thanks so much!

 

Rich

 

Well said!!!!!!!!!!!L!

[Love.II.Cruise]

What a fantastic review. I think this is one of the best I've read/seen on CC. I really felt like the cruise had come alive for me by way of your posts. DW and I are doing this cruise in October and we cannot wait for it. You have given me some ideas about things I want to plan for. I, know Joe and Amelia from previous cruises and I look forward to their suggestions, as well, since they have been to Panama before.

 

One thing I do want to do is the ultimate ship tour. That is definitely one of my priorities to get accomplished.

 

I am debating about going on the tour that takes you through the canal and then brings you back to meet the ship. I've been told it is a great tour, but since I am not transiting all the way through, I am leaning toward staying on the ship for the return passage through the locks.

 

Again, excellent review! These reviews are why I am a member of CC.

 

Thanks so much!

 

Rich

 

 

Wow! Thank you so much. That brought tears to my eyes. :o Thank you so much for your kind words!

 

And to everyone else who appreciated this, thank you too! The next cruise we are taking is a TA on Oceania. Now that I've gone through the learning curve of posting pictures, I plan to do a very similar review of that trip too.

 

I want to say a special thanks to everyone who I learned from to do this cruise. I felt it was important for me to reciprocate and to share our experience.

[LaCal]

Great Review and Beautiful Pics.....THANKS....:D

 

We just book the Island/Panama for this coming November,,,

 

Cant Wait....

 

Does the Island have the International Cafe or anything like it?

[Love.II.Cruise]

Great Review and Beautiful Pics.....THANKS....:D

 

We just book the Island/Panama for this coming November,,,

 

Cant Wait....

 

Does the Island have the International Cafe or anything like it?

 

Glad you liked the review. Unfortunately, there is no International Cafe. There is a Patisserie though on deck 5 (that is where I took pictures of the canal wall from the inside of the ship while waiting for coffee). In the afternoon they do have some small sandwiches to help yourself to.

[patch62]

Great Review and Beautiful Pics.....THANKS....:D

 

We just book the Island/Panama for this coming November,,,

 

Cant Wait....

 

Does the Island have the International Cafe or anything like it?

 

Enjoyed the review... we just booked for Nov. ....first time on Princess and first time to the Panama....

Your review cleared up a few things for us..,,, and made us more anxious for the cruise THANKS!!!!

Patty

[Love.II.Cruise]

Enjoyed the review... we just booked for Nov. ....first time on Princess and first time to the Panama....

Your review cleared up a few things for us..,,, and made us more anxious for the cruise THANKS!!!!

Patty

 

I'm glad you enjoyed the review and you're welcome. If you were thinking of doing the Sanctuary, it looks like they may be changing the process to book it.

[cruising kirby]

Thanks for your wonderful review. I am on a Panama Canal cruise on the Island later this year and have learned a lot! Please forgive me for asking a dumb question, but what is it about the Sanctuary that makes it so good? I have never used the Sanctuary, I usually use my balcony if I want to sit and read a book or just relax. Is it that you get a comfortable lounger for your exclusive use throughout the cruise? Is it difficult to get a lounger out in the public areas? How much do you pay for the cabanas and the loungers?

 

Sorry for sounding like a complete idiot, but I hate to think I am missing out on something!

[cruising kirby]

Thanks for your wonderful review. I am on a Panama Canal cruise on the Island later this year and have learned a lot! Please forgive me for asking a dumb question, but what is it about the Sanctuary that makes it so good? I have never used the Sanctuary, I usually use my balcony if I want to sit and read a book or just relax. Is it that you get a comfortable lounger for your exclusive use throughout the cruise? Is it difficult to get a lounger out in the public areas? How much do you pay for the cabanas and the loungers?

 

Sorry for sounding like a complete idiot, but I hate to think I am missing out on something!

 

 

Just read the thread on changes to the sanctuary booking process and that gave me some answers to my dumb question!

[Love.II.Cruise]

Thanks for your wonderful review. I am on a Panama Canal cruise on the Island later this year and have learned a lot! Please forgive me for asking a dumb question, but what is it about the Sanctuary that makes it so good? I have never used the Sanctuary, I usually use my balcony if I want to sit and read a book or just relax. Is it that you get a comfortable lounger for your exclusive use throughout the cruise? Is it difficult to get a lounger out in the public areas? How much do you pay for the cabanas and the loungers?

 

Sorry for sounding like a complete idiot, but I hate to think I am missing out on something!

 

Another person on another thread here posted this about the Sanctuary and it was written so well, I thought I'd quote them:

 

 

Here's what you get in the sanctuary that you don't get on your balcony:

 

- a six inch thick cushioned lounge chair that is about as comfortable as a heavenly bed.

- an attendant that brings you cold citrus water and continually refills all day long.

- an attendant that brings you ice cold towels when you need to cool off from the heat.

- an attendant that will get any food items and or drinks for a modest fee of $3.

- an attendant that serves you afternoon tea, scones, cookies and cakes at 3:30 every afternoon.

- no second hand smoke cause you can't break the no smoking rules that they don't seem to enforce on the balconies.

- absolute silence (never heard MUTTS when we used the sanctuary).

 

To many, these services are well worth the $15 per day. I think just as many folks with a balcony use it as much as inside cabin folks.

 

When we cruised the Emerald a few weeks ago, the sanctuary was sold out when we tried to sign up at 12:30! But they said they hold back about 25 spots for daily sign ups. So we did get there at 7am each sea day and signed up for those days. So even if you don't get there in time to sign up for the week, you can sign up daily.

[Love.II.Cruise]

Just read the thread on changes to the sanctuary booking process and that gave me some answers to my dumb question!

 

It wasn't a dumb question... funny thing is that I quoted someone from that thread! :)

[vivavegas]

Great photos! Thanks for sharing your review.:)

[Love.II.Cruise]

Great photos! Thanks for sharing your review.:)

 

You're very welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.

[patch62]

Another person on another thread here posted this about the Sanctuary and it was written so well, I thought I'd quote them:

 

Question.... is the Sanctuary for all passengers or only a select few... we are on the Nov cruise and have never cruised Princess so this is new to us...Have cruised NCL many many times..

Patty

[Love.II.Cruise]

Question.... is the Sanctuary for all passengers or only a select few... we are on the Nov cruise and have never cruised Princess so this is new to us...Have cruised NCL many many times..

Patty

 

It is for all passengers, but on our particular cruise, I believe only Platinum, Elite and Suite Passengers were able to book for the entire week, because they boarded first. It was a popular cruise and there were many Platinum and Elite passengers on board.

 

The chairs that are left open for the rest of the cruise, were reserved daily by waiting in line early in the morning. So it didn't matter if you were in a suite, sailed many times with Princess, or were a first time cruiser with Princess. It was first in line, gets a lounger.

 

However, it appears that Princess is trying to change the way the booking is done. A good thread to read about this is

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1597073.

[patch62]

It is for all passengers, but on our particular cruise, I believe only Platinum, Elite and Suite Passengers were able to book for the entire week, because they boarded first. It was a popular cruise and there were many Platinum and Elite passengers on board.

 

The chairs that are left open for the rest of the cruise, were reserved daily by waiting in line early in the morning. So it didn't matter if you were in a suite, sailed many times with Princess, or were a first time cruiser with Princess. It was first in line, gets a lounger.

 

However, it appears that Princess is trying to change the way the booking is done. A good thread to read about this is

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1597073.

 

Thanks for the info.. will check it out...

Looking forward to cruising with Princess and the Panama Canal..