Panama Island Princess questions?

[commie]

I am trying to find a last minute vacation over the xmas/new years and found some cruises to the Panama Canal on the Princess Island sailing on Dec 29th with some good pricing for their Balcony rooms.

 

What is the difference between their BA-BF Balcony rooms?

I can get the following rooms:

BA: Guarantee room

BB: A425,A422,A437,A439 on the 12th floor

B410, B535,B543,B539 on the 11th floor

BC: Guarantee room

BD: B707,B708,B719,B721,B723,B725,B733,B735 on the 11th floor

BE: lots of rooms on the 11th, and 12th

BF: Guarantee room

 

Which of these rooms are the best?

 

Also are there any difference between the Coral Princess and the Island princess? Seems the prices for the Coral is so much more expensive to the Canal.

[Fuzzyape]

commie,

 

I can't answer your cabin questions, but I can tell you this....take the cruise! regardless of where you bunk.

 

Regarding the 2 different ships, we sailed the Island and enjoyed it. Some things to check out....are the ships doing different things, full transit vs partial transit?

 

DW and I so enjoyed our Panama experience, I can't encourage you enough if it all works out get on that ship and sail away!

 

I can tell you that a guarantee room is only a guarantee that you will get a room in that class of cabin. That means they can sell any cabin and put you on whatever's left, as long as they keep you in the same class.

 

DW and I have always tried to book a specific room, but that's just us.

 

Best wishes to you and keeping my fingers crossed for the best!

[paul929207]

BA to BF are the balcony cabins with BA being the "best".

[SandyAtSea]

BA to BF are the balcony cabins with BA being the "best".

 

"Best" is according to Princess (location-wise) and is highly subjective. I have a BE on my upcoming cruise on Island Princess and it's EXACTLY where I want to be.

[commie]

Thanks for the fast responses...I think most likely the wife and I will take this cruise. 2nd time cruising, first time was with HAL going to Alaska. This will be the 11 day partial transit to the canal with the Island on Dec 29th.

Always wanted to see the canal.

 

In terms of rooms, looks like the BE's are mostly in the back of the ship near the pool/laundry area....and the BB's are in the middle where the lifts are.

Would there be lots of noise around those area's?

 

For a balcony cabin under a 1000 during the busy holiday season, i guess i can't go wrong with any one i pick. On the cabin maps, is there a way to see if any cabin has obstructed views? are all balcony rooms unobstructed?

[Fuzzyape]

Thanks for the fast responses...I think most likely the wife and I will take this cruise. 2nd time cruising, first time was with HAL going to Alaska. This will be the 11 day partial transit to the canal with the Island on Dec 29th.

Always wanted to see the canal.

 

In terms of rooms, looks like the BE's are mostly in the back of the ship near the pool/laundry area....and the BB's are in the middle where the lifts are.

Would there be lots of noise around those area's?

 

For a balcony cabin under a 1000 during the busy holiday season, i guess i can't go wrong with any one i pick. On the cabin maps, is there a way to see if any cabin has obstructed views? are all balcony rooms unobstructed?

 

Can't speak about unobstructed views, but DW and I always try to be close to the elevators (not to take them, but that's close to the stairs and close to all the action). We haven't had an issue regarding noise from the elevators.

 

One of my thoughts is to search the form for obstructed views, or post another thread seeking knowledge of any obstructed views from balconies on the ship you want to take.

 

Good luck! I think you'll have a fantastic time!

[taxatty]

The balconies on the Island are unobstructed, but vary considerably in size. The Coral Panama Canal sailing on the 23rd is likely more expensive because it's entirely within the holiday period and includes Christmas.

[taxatty]

The balconies on the Island are unobstructed, but vary considerably in size. The Coral Panama Canal sailing on the 23rd is likely more expensive because it's entirely within the holiday period and includes Christmas.

OOPS, there are a few obstructed balconies all the way forward on Dolphin and Emerald decks.

[nasa1974]

We stayed in cabin A624, it's called a bump out. No shade. We loved it.

 

 

For some reason it won't let me attach a picture. I'll work on that.

 

Great cruise. Loved the ship.

[caribill]

 

I can tell you that a guarantee room is only a guarantee that you will get a room in that class of cabin. That means they can sell any cabin and put you on whatever's left, as long as they keep you in the same class.

 

 

That class of cabin or any higher category.

 

True, most GTYs will be filled with the same type cabin, but a free upgrade to another type does happen a reasonable number of times.

Edited October 29, 2014 by caribill

[caribill]

the BB's are in the middle where the lifts are.

Would there be lots of noise around those area's?

 

 

No.

 

Most noise from the hallways comes from people talking while walking past your cabin. That can happen (with a very few exceptions) no matter where your cabin is located.

[RickEk]

Holiday sailings tend to be more expensive and Panama Canal cruises are particularly expensive because of the port fees. The ship is charged hundreds of thousands of dollars to make the transit and those charges are passed on to the passengers.

[satxdiver]

On a partial canal trip the ship will enter Gatun lake through the locks, tender off those pax who bought an excursion from the ship and then go back out of the lake through the locks docking nearby to reboard those pax who took the tours. If you want a tour, be sure to book as soon as possible as they fill up particularly the popular ones that go to Panama City on the Pacific coast.

 

We like to stay in the aft area so a BD is our choice. The Island is a really nice ship but laid out different than the grand class ships. The Island and Coral are panamax ships meaning they were built to be able to use the canal.

[commie]

So we did it! We are booked on the Dec 29th sailing to the Canal on the Island.

Ended up booking the Balcony on the Baja floor, B420's, i think its a BA or BB.

 

I found it interesting that the prices fluctuated by over $400pp based on weekday or weekend shopping. On Sat/Sunday, the same rooms were $1600, while on Mon-Thur, it was only $1100. Big difference.

 

I elected to go with the Anytime dining for 2. Is that the right choice?

 

Any other tips to help us enjoy our first time cruising on Princess?

Edited November 6, 2014 by commie

[DragonflyCruiser]

So we did it! We are booked on the Dec 29th sailing to the Canal on the Island.

Ended up booking the Balcony on the Baja floor, B420's, i think its a BA or BB.

 

I found it interesting that the prices fluctuated by over $400pp based on weekday or weekend shopping. On Sat/Sunday, the same rooms were $1600, while on Mon-Thur, it was only $1100. Big difference.

 

I elected to go with the Anytime dining for 2. Is that the right choice?

 

Any other tips to help us enjoy our first time cruising on Princess?

 

Anytime is a great choice. You can choose who you sit with and the time. We usually do anytime and have had nothing but great memories!

[chloe45]

Our partial transit on the Island was one of my all time favorite cruises! We didn't do any excursions because we wanted to go back through the locks on the ship. After most excursions they take you to Colon and you get back on the ship from there.

[retrembl]

I am trying to find a last minute vacation over the xmas/new years and found some cruises to the Panama Canal on the Princess Island sailing on Dec 29th with some good pricing for their Balcony rooms.

 

What is the difference between their BA-BF Balcony rooms?

I can get the following rooms:

BA: Guarantee room

BB: A425,A422,A437,A439 on the 12th floor

B410, B535,B543,B539 on the 11th floor

BC: Guarantee room

BD: B707,B708,B719,B721,B723,B725,B733,B735 on the 11th floor

BE: lots of rooms on the 11th, and 12th

BF: Guarantee room

 

Which of these rooms are the best?

 

Also are there any difference between the Coral Princess and the Island princess? Seems the prices for the Coral is so much more expensive to the Canal.

We have sailed the Island Princess through the Panama Canal - it is a great ship. We were in cabin B226 Deck 11 forward. The cabins you showed avail are mot mini suites but the 400 500 series are mid-ships and are great cabins. The Nice part about deck 11 - you can get out at the Aft and Fwd onto viewing decks that can accommodate 30 to 40 people.

If it were me I'd take one of the deck 11 cabins - the B 400 - B500 series

[Rocknie]

We also took the Island Princess Panama Canal cruise. It was one of our all-time favorite ships and the cruise itself was also one of the best we've sailed. I do agree with several other CC's the day you pass through the locks stay on the ship and go back through the docks. It is really something.... especially when you consider it's one hundred years old. Remember to look over your balcony railing and see the six inch gap between the ship and the canal... if you decide to take the cruise I believe you will enjoy it... we certainly did!

[Fuzzyape]

We have sailed the Island Princess through the Panama Canal - it is a great ship. We were in cabin B226 Deck 11 forward. The cabins you showed avail are mot mini suites but the 400 500 series are mid-ships and are great cabins. The Nice part about deck 11 - you can get out at the Aft and Fwd onto viewing decks that can accommodate 30 to 40 people.

If it were me I'd take one of the deck 11 cabins - the B 400 - B500 series

 

Retrembl, when we took our cruise in '14 we went out to deck 11. It's a fantastic sight! What was even more impressive is that people (us included) allowed folks to get a railing view for a picture or two. When they took their pictures they moved back. It was a very friendly atmosphere, with a lot of cooperation!

[commie]

We have sailed the Island Princess through the Panama Canal - it is a great ship. We were in cabin B226 Deck 11 forward. The cabins you showed avail are mot mini suites but the 400 500 series are mid-ships and are great cabins. The Nice part about deck 11 - you can get out at the Aft and Fwd onto viewing decks that can accommodate 30 to 40 people.

If it were me I'd take one of the deck 11 cabins - the B 400 - B500 series

 

We did end up with one of the B400's...on the Baja floor...I assume that is the 11th floor deck.

 

A few question:

1) wine, we are allow 1 bottle per person to bring onboard? Do I need to take out of the suitcase to show them when boarding?

2) fishing , I am an avid fisherman and won't mind doing some deep sea or bottom fishing. With the ports at Bahamas, limon, canal, cartegena, and Aruba . Any of these ports have fishing excursions?

3) any other can't miss excursions at he ports?

4) we are flying into MIA he day before, and renting a car. How is the traffic going into the FLL cruise terminal, especially near the Hertz rental return area.

 

Thanks

[caribill]

 

A few question:

1) wine, we are allow 1 bottle per person to bring onboard? Do I need to take out of the suitcase to show them when boarding?

 

You can take as many wines as you want. One per adult is allowed without a corkage charge, but if you bring it to a dining room a corkage charge will be made there. All above one will have a corkage charge made before you board.

 

Basically if they stop you after the x-ray of the luggage, you show them the bottles. Otherwise, just keep walking.

[Host Jazzbeau]

To me THE must-see excursion is the ferry from Gatun Lake through to the Pacific. You will experience Coral Princess going through the Gatun locks in the morning. Then you get a completely different experience going through the Pacific locks on the small ferry boat. And you can say you have done the Panama Canal! ;)

[commie]

A few more questions,

- Besides wine, can i bring any alcohol onboard, like rum or vodka for mixing?

- My wife doesn't drink, but I do. If i order a bottle of wine during dinner, and I don't finish the bottle, can I bring it back to my room to enjoy?

- How much are the soda-pass and how does it work

- I am worry about having to wait long for the any time dining, since I will be sailing on the busy december/nye season. Would it be better idea to get a designated dining time instead? We usually prefer to eat late dinners, at least after 7-8pm.

 

are there any FAQ on Princess Island available online that i can research more on? getting excited with the little details of this trip.

[OCruisers]

To me THE must-see excursion is the ferry from Gatun Lake through to the Pacific.

 

Very much agree and highly recommend to any taking a partial. ;)

LuLu

[Nancyquilts]

A few more questions,

- Besides wine, can i bring any alcohol onboard, like rum or vodka for mixing?

- My wife doesn't drink, but I do. If i order a bottle of wine during dinner, and I don't finish the bottle, can I bring it back to my room to enjoy?

- How much are the soda-pass and how does it work

- I am worry about having to wait long for the any time dining, since I will be sailing on the busy december/nye season. Would it be better idea to get a designated dining time instead? We usually prefer to eat late dinners, at least after 7-8pm.

 

are there any FAQ on Princess Island available online that i can research more on? getting excited with the little details of this trip.

 

A few answers. Each adult may bring on one bottle of wine for free. Any more have a charge of $15 each.

No other alcohol is allowed.

If you don't finish your wine at dinner, they will be happy to hold it for you until another night.