Island princess Alaska

[hsmcruise]

Just a few thoughts-

1.Cruise critic meeting was not attended we'll from princess staff, they sent one person who left very quickly

2. No Zumba class

3. No walk off with your own luggage

4. Thermal suite had only lukewarm showers , and was told by staff that after a steam bath u only need lukewarm water

5. Food, entertainment, staff were outstanding

All in all very impressed

[Cruz4Sun]

Can you tell me what port you disembarked at? I was hoping to on do the walk off with luggage from Vancouver this August in order to make an early flight.

[MGnut]

Just a few thoughts-

1.Cruise critic meeting was not attended we'll from princess staff, they sent one person who left very quickly

2. No Zumba class

3. No walk off with your own luggage

4. Thermal suite had only lukewarm showers , and was told by staff that after a steam bath u only need lukewarm water

5. Food, entertainment, staff were outstanding

All in all very impressed

 

FYI - Island Princess had "walk-off with luggage" disembarkation on June 4th in Vancouver.

[sept10dsm]

FYI - Island Princess had "walk-off with luggage" disembarkation on June 4th in Vancouver.

 

 

They had it as well when we were on board last summer. I loved the Island!

[LaurieHoffman]

We sail on her in 6 days! Our first Princess cruise ever - seasoned Carnival travelers. We are doing the Vancouver - Anchorage route.

 

Glad to hear food, staff and entertainment were great. Our roll call doesn't have a meet and greet set up at this time.

 

Any other pointers for this ship? There is so little discussed about this ship from what I can find.

[sept10dsm]

We sail on her in 6 days! Our first Princess cruise ever - seasoned Carnival travelers. We are doing the Vancouver - Anchorage route.

 

Glad to hear food, staff and entertainment were great. Our roll call doesn't have a meet and greet set up at this time.

 

Any other pointers for this ship? There is so little discussed about this ship from what I can find.

 

There are aft open balconies for public use. They were really neat. We liked the whole layout of the ship. Not too big but never crowded areas. We liked the game room that was closeby to our cabin. Staff was really wonderful.

[Colo Cruiser]

There are aft open balconies for public use. They were really neat.

 

And forward ones too! ;)

[Raamo]

The best thing about the Coral and Island is their built as ships that are the max size for Panama canal.

 

They are very large ships - but don't have as many passengers as the grand class of ships. So they are a treat to be on - more space per passenger then any of the grand class ships.

[sept10dsm]

And forward ones too! ;)

 

Yes, I remember reading about them but for us being on deck 8 and closer to the aft, just really convenient for us. We really made use of the game/card room as well as the library.

[hsmcruise]

The no walk off was in Whittier

[IECalCruiser]

Just a few thoughts-

 

1.Cruise critic meeting was not attended we'll from princess staff, they sent one person who left very quickly

Attendance varies significantly by ship and when the M&G is scheduled. On the Island in January of 2013, the M&G was scheduled at the same time as the Most a Travelled Luncheon. Understandably, no staff was present. Richard Joseph was the CD and he gave a Shout Out on his morning show to have someone from the Roll Call contact him. Two days later almost every significant officer including the Captain and his wife attended our M&G and stayed to talk for about 30 minutes. That is the CC support that Richard provides :) I agree that many times few if any staff show at M&G's. However, I have set up a couple and dropped off personal invitations at Passenger services after checking to see if there had been staff changes. On those two I had a good turnout of staff. It is not consistent with Princess.

 

 

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[LaurieHoffman]

Do people decorate their doors on Princess ships? On Carnival it is a very popular thing to do. Are the doors magnetic? How about the walls inside the cabins?

[caribill]

Do people decorate their doors on Princess ships? On Carnival it is a very popular thing to do. Are the doors magnetic? How about the walls inside the cabins?

 

Doors and walls are magnetic.

 

Some doors get very well decorated. Just don't put anything valuable or irreplaceable in case someone has sticky fingers.

 

On one cruise, someone into photography had brought a personal printer and had over 100 photos from the cruise on his door.

[Cruz4Sun]

They had it as well when we were on board last summer. I loved the Island!

 

Great news that the walk off with luggage has been available in the past in Vancouver. Thanks!

[Colo Cruiser]

Do people decorate their doors on Princess ships? On Carnival it is a very popular thing to do. Are the doors magnetic? How about the walls inside the cabins?

 

Yes, we always try and decorate. ;)

[sept10dsm]

Great news that the walk off with luggage has been available in the past in Vancouver. Thanks!

 

You're welcome! Vancouver was really a great port. Although we could not use the service of walk off with our luggage, when we did get off all went smoothly and very fast! We found our shuttle and off we went. I think it is one of the best ports we have used.

[reney313]

We'll be boarding in less than 6 weeks! Woo Hoo! I agree, it's been difficult to read much about the Island. Although I have been reading a lot on the Coral.

 

I do see on the deck plans a Patisserie. Is there not an International Cafe onboard? Or are these pretty much the same?

 

On the aft decks, I notice 3 decks for the Sanctuary. 2 decks with lounge chairs and then a Sanctuary Pool. Do you have to pay for the Sanctuary to access the pool? Or is the charge only for use of the loungers? I know on my last 2 Alaska cruises (Sapphire and Diamond), there was not anyone using the Sanctuary. It seems like a waste on those itineraries to keep it as a pay venue, imho.

 

Were there any "must do" activities onboard? Our first princess cruise they had the "New Year's Eve" party and balloon drop. I really enjoyed it. On the last one they did not have this activity. I'm not sure if it is still offered onboard?

[Colo Cruiser]

We'll be boarding in less than 6 weeks! Woo Hoo! I agree, it's been difficult to read much about the Island. Although I have been reading a lot on the Coral.

 

I do see on the deck plans a Patisserie. Is there not an International Cafe onboard? Or are these pretty much the same?

 

No IC on the Island yet and no they are not the same.

The Patisserie is just a bar where they have a tray or 2 of snacks during the day. When I say a tray or 2 I mean a tray or 2. :eek:

 

On the aft decks, I notice 3 decks for the Sanctuary. 2 decks with lounge chairs and then a Sanctuary Pool. Do you have to pay for the Sanctuary to access the pool? Or is the charge only for use of the loungers? I know on my last 2 Alaska cruises (Sapphire and Diamond), there was not anyone using the Sanctuary. It seems like a waste on those itineraries to keep it as a pay venue, imho.

 

Its a very small pool.

Its just the way the design went when they added the Sanctuary a few years ago. The pool was already there and there was no way to seperate it out.

 

Were there any "must do" activities onboard? Our first princess cruise they had the "New Year's Eve" party and balloon drop. I really enjoyed it. On the last one they did not have this activity. I'm not sure if it is still offered onboard?

 

Pub lunch is excellent, and offered on sea days.

 

See above...

Edited June 13, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[IECalCruiser]

We'll be boarding in less than 6 weeks! Woo Hoo! I agree, it's been difficult to read much about the Island. Although I have been reading a lot on the Coral.

 

 

 

I do see on the deck plans a Patisserie. Is there not an International Cafe onboard? Or are these pretty much the same?

 

 

 

On the aft decks, I notice 3 decks for the Sanctuary. 2 decks with lounge chairs and then a Sanctuary Pool. Do you have to pay for the Sanctuary to access the pool? Or is the charge only for use of the loungers? I know on my last 2 Alaska cruises (Sapphire and Diamond), there was not anyone using the Sanctuary. It seems like a waste on those itineraries to keep it as a pay venue, imho.

 

 

 

Were there any "must do" activities onboard? Our first princess cruise they had the "New Year's Eve" party and balloon drop. I really enjoyed it. On the last one they did not have this activity. I'm not sure if it is still offered onboard?

No IC on the Island :( The Patisserie bar is the main place for using the coffee card for specialty coffee drinks and fresh brewed coffee (unlimited with the coffee card for the cruise on which it was purchased). They will also offer wine flights similar to Vines on other ships but without sushi and tapas. In the morning there will be a tray or two of small pastries. Starting at lunch there will be a tray or two of small sandwiches and pastries similar to that served for Afternoon Tea. No yoghurt parfaits or egg sandwich at breakfast and no salad, soup, paninis, desserts and cookies :eek: offered at the IC.

 

The pool in the Sanctuary was formerly the Youth Pool. You need to go through the Sanctuary or the Youth a Center to get there. Sanctuary should be limited access but people do walk through from time to time, at least they did on the Island.

 

The Pub Lunch is free and is offered several times a cruise in the Bayou Cafe. There have been reports of the Crab Shack being offered on the Coral or the Island but at lunch rather than dinner. It is $20 but we enjoyed it.

 

Also go see the show On the Bayou in the Universe Lounge.

 

 

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Edited June 13, 2014 by IECalCruiser

[san diego sue]

On the Island, don't miss the On the Bayou show in Universe lounge.

When the ship goes into drydock soon, that lounge with the rotating

stages will go away. The show will then go to the Princess theatre.

More cabins will be added where the Universe lounge is now.

We were told this when on the ship this past April.I think the show will have a very different look when this happens but of course more people will have the opportunity to see the show. That Universe lounge is quite small.

[Colo Cruiser]

On the Island, don't miss the On the Bayou show in Universe lounge.

When the ship goes into drydock soon, that lounge with the rotating

stages will go away. The show will then go to the Princess theatre.

More cabins will be added where the Universe lounge is now.

We were told this when on the ship this past April.I think the show will have a very different look when this happens but of course more people will have the opportunity to see the show. That Universe lounge is quite small.

 

 

 

Thought this idea was shelved??

[reney313]

Thanks for the information on the Patisserie. I was really hoping it was similar to IC. Not that I need to be eating late at night, but is there a 24 food option onboard the Island? I think HC closes around 10 or 11pm. If I recall correctly (I often get my cruises confused), I think the pizza and burgers were always closing around 10 or 11 as well. Is Room Service the only option?

 

I will definitely check out the On the Bayou show. I haven't read that before, but looks like it is a big hit. Thanks for the tip!

 

I really did enjoy the aft hot tubs in Alaska on the Sapphire and Diamond. I think that is one thing I'll miss on the Island (and the multiple anytime dining rooms and IC). But I am sure Island will make up for it in other ways that I haven't found yet :)

 

I still find it a shame for the cold weather cruises that they keep the Sanctuary blocked off for pay only use. I'm sure I'm not the first one to mention it though.

[IECalCruiser]

Thanks for the information on the Patisserie. I was really hoping it was similar to IC. Not that I need to be eating late at night, but is there a 24 food option onboard the Island? I think HC closes around 10 or 11pm. If I recall correctly (I often get my cruises confused), I think the pizza and burgers were always closing around 10 or 11 as well. Is Room Service the only option?

 

 

 

I will definitely check out the On the Bayou show. I haven't read that before, but looks like it is a big hit. Thanks for the tip!QUOTE]Unfortunately, room service is the only option from 11:00pm/midnight when the HC closes and 5:00am when the HC reopens. There should be coffee and hot water available at the entrance to the HC overnight but no food.

 

Because the Universe Lounge is small and most of the sight lines from the upper level are not very good, you may need to get there well over half an hour before the show to get a decent seat for On the Bayou.

 

 

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[Yehootu]

I really did enjoy the aft hot tubs in Alaska on the Sapphire and Diamond. I think that is one thing I'll miss on the Island (and the multiple anytime dining rooms and IC). But I am sure Island will make up for it in other ways that I haven't found yet :)

 

I still find it a shame for the cold weather cruises that they keep the Sanctuary blocked off for pay only use. I'm sure I'm not the first one to mention it though.

 

Did the 15 day on the Island in April. Hot tubs had no bubble action. I was "told" this was due to elderly pax not liking the bubbles. I missed the aft hot tubs on the Sapphire myself.

Tim

[LaurieHoffman]

What do you mean you will miss the hot tubs? Are they not working on this ship? Do they not heat them?