What will Island Princess look like after May 2015?

[talkorpi]

Absolutely 100% horrified by this "refit" from Princess. They have now ruined my (former) favorite cruise ship in existence. The lovely Island Princess is no longer. They did a very lackluster job with the gym (No windows? Seriously? The pictures looked awful!), and the transition on the promenade deck from cabins to public deck is done so by a divider. Whoever is booked in those first cabins better not be doing so for privacy. Princess should be ashamed by turning this fantastic ship into one that now looks like a monstrosity. I agree with eroller- worst refit I have ever seen. I apologize for the strong language but for my favorite cruise line to ruin my favorite ship is just appalling. (I know I'm a minority and that it isn't my ship, but I just wanted to reassure myself that this is actually happening!)

[wowzz]

Absolutely 100% horrified by this "refit" from Princess. They have now ruined my (former) favorite cruise ship in existence. The lovely Island Princess is no longer. They did a very lackluster job with the gym (No windows? Seriously? The pictures looked awful!), and the transition on the promenade deck from cabins to public deck is done so by a divider. Whoever is booked in those first cabins better not be doing so for privacy. Princess should be ashamed by turning this fantastic ship into one that now looks like a monstrosity. I agree with eroller- worst refit I have ever seen. I apologize for the strong language but for my favorite cruise line to ruin my favorite ship is just appalling. (I know I'm a minority and that it isn't my ship, but I just wanted to reassure myself that this is actually happening!)

 

I get the feeling you are not happy!

[talkorpi]

I get the feeling you are not happy!

 

 

You are correct in your assumption! :D

[ponyczarina]

Fortunately, the staff and crew on the ship are wonderful and are part of what make it a great ship too. If you can avoid the cabins with vibration and choose carefully, the Island Princess is a great ship to cruise on. We loved our recent cruise around the Mediterranean!

[wizard-of-roz]

I'm booked in PR702 for November 16, 2016 - 19 days Panama Canal. My cabin is the first HC cabin on the Promenade Deck - Port side.

 

You make it sound pretty awful, I'm hoping not!

[cruisin froggy]

And you would think with all the unpleasant things they did to the ship, they could have put in an International cafe. That might have helped a bit. (sigh)

[chinagirl5]

The Island Princess is one of the only ships we haven't been on before so the re-do won't be obvious to us. We've been on 20+ cruises and are very much looking forward to this one. We leave in a week!

We also hope to meet some of our fellow passengers since we are quite social and friendly. Are there any "meet ups" planned?

Safe sailing to all and see you in Venice!

[jasbo49]

Are there any "meet ups" planned?

Safe sailing to all and see you in Venice!

 

I'm guessing you're not hooked up with your roll call. You might want to join up here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2119535&page=12

 

Jim

[shipfriend_max]

Hi,

 

although I am not booked on Island Princess so far, just one question:

The Sanctuary area, is it also accessible for passengers not paying for it, so for free, and only the Cabanas cost extra?

or can you just enter the whole area when paying for it??

[ponyczarina]

You have to pay to access the area. It's about $20 per day.

[caribill]

You have to pay to access the area. It's about $20 per day.

 

$20/half day. $40/day. If booked for entire cruise usually $30/day.

[kangarooer]

Anyone who has been on Island since updates can the promenade walk be accessed right round the ship or can you go half way and return to go half way the other side.This is due to new cabins at rear of ship

[rodmeister74]

disregard

Edited December 25, 2015 by rodmeister74

[Colo Cruiser]

Anyone who has been on Island since updates can the promenade walk be accessed right round the ship or can you go half way and return to go half way the other side.This is due to new cabins at rear of ship

 

 

Yes you have to stop.........3/4 of the way around. Stops on each side of the ship at the aft side doors to the Promenade deck which used to be outside the Universe Lounge.

[wblynch]

Sad disfigurement

[elliair]

Please don't blame the accountants. Top management lays out the scenario, "us" accountants compute the numbers, prepare the proposals and then present the studies to the brass. THE BRASS makes the final decisions. For this reason, we have cruised on the real Grand Princess and it's two sisters in the past and have ignored the four Super-Grands (ie CB, etc.)

 

We will never cruise the Island Princess again. I am sorry to say that Princess has butchered this ship. We just got off the Island and heard many complaints about the Promenade aft cabins. If Princess is after the almighty buck, they'll lose repeat customers like ourselves. Go ahead and dry dock to put in an International Cafe or a Vines. They'll take up more hard to find seating as it is. The Wheelhouse during Happy Hour are full of chair hogs reminiscent of chair hogs by the pool. We're on the Ruby to Hawaii in a few days and I booked a Carnival cruise to Alaska in May, we're after value and comfort, not after a chopped up ship who is after the buck.

[likeadisguise]

People in the new aft cabins on the Promenade deck complained about the cabins, or people on the ship complained that the new aft cabins blocked the Promenade deck? Just curious.

[txwriter]

I booked a Carnival cruise to Alaska in May, we're after value and comfort, not after a chopped up ship who is after the buck.

 

Not sure about the 2016 Alaska fares, but the 2017 fares have Island costing less than the other ships sailing the same routes at comparable times. I wonder if they are losing people and are luring them with the lower fares.

[Pushka]

The fares for Island are significantly cheaper than Celebrity Millenium Alaska 2016.

[wblynch]

We will never cruise the Island Princess again. I am sorry to say that Princess has butchered this ship. We just got off the Island....

 

They must not forget the appeal of cruising is the romantic notion of feeling you're on a luxury ship.

 

Who wants to sail on a utilitarian ferry boat?

[Pushka]

Except everyone has a different concept of luxury. Celebrity has modern luxury, Princess more olde worldly.

[JAF1]

We sailed on her last July after her refit and was surprised they could find enough money to install new cabins, put the gym in a 'cupboard' and remove the ability to walk completely round the Promenade deck despite leaving the sign behind telling you exactly how far once completely round the deck was that they could not find enough money to replace the bath in our mini suite which was badly damaged. We were told by the hotel manager that she was not aware of it but as the ship was full there was nothing they could do apart from offer us back a portion of our fare. We would never sail the Island again and as it looks as though the Coral will also be spoilt in the same manner will look at another line for our Panama trip.

[wowzz]

I have followed this thread with some interest, as my wife and I (I refuse to use the crass dw etc abbreviations used on this forum), booked a Panama transit for later this year in early 2015. Since the refit, at least 100,000 passengers have cruised on the Island, and at least 50 (yes, that many!) have commented on the changes.

Leaving aside those that do not like the look of the new stern (Oh, the horror!), there have been issues with vibrations in the new rear cabins. As we are not in one of these cabins, I don't care.

The fact that you cannot see the wake from the stern, is admittedly a shame, but it won't spoil our cruise.

Personally I preferred the pre-internet days, because now anyone with an axe to grind (the sign was still in place telling us how far a lap round the deck was - I must lie down and recover from the sheer affrontery that the sign was still there!), can do so, whilst the other 99.9% of the passengers are perfectly content.

Nothing in life is perfect - however, only you can decide if your glass is half full or half empty. My good lady wife and I are looking forward enormously to our forthcoming cruise on the Island, and I have read nothing to suggest that we will not enjoy it enormously.

[Colo Cruiser]

I have followed this thread with some interest, as my wife and I (I refuse to use the crass dw etc abbreviations used on this forum), booked a Panama transit for later this year in early 2015. Since the refit, at least 100,000 passengers have cruised on the Island, and at least 50 (yes, that many!) have commented on the changes.

Leaving aside those that do not like the look of the new stern (Oh, the horror!), there have been issues with vibrations in the new rear cabins. As we are not in one of these cabins, I don't care.

The fact that you cannot see the wake from the stern, is admittedly a shame, but it won't spoil our cruise.

Personally I preferred the pre-internet days, because now anyone with an axe to grind (the sign was still in place telling us how far a lap round the deck was - I must lie down and recover from the sheer affrontery that the sign was still there!), can do so, whilst the other 99.9% of the passengers are perfectly content.

Nothing in life is perfect - however, only you can decide if your glass is half full or half empty. My good lady wife and I are looking forward enormously to our forthcoming cruise on the Island, and I have read nothing to suggest that we will not enjoy it enormously.

 

 

The Emerald deck aft viewing area is untouched.

[wowzz]

I should have added my thoughts about the gym. As someone older and wiser than me once said, "Whenever I feel like exercising, I lie down until the feeling passes."

Why should the minority of passengers that want to use the gym, have scenic views? Surely the gym should be in the bowels of the ship, so those wanting to exercise will not be distracted in their exertions? I hope that the new position of the gym in the Island will be the norm across the fleet in due course.