Island Princess Nov. 25-Dec. 5 partial transit review

[kac0426]

Cruise Critic was a tremendous help in planning my 10-day Panama Canal (partial transit) cruise on Island Princess, so I hope to provide a brief review to help others considering this ship, line, or itinerary.

 

I've cruised 8 times previously: 1 NCL, 1 HAL, and 6 Royal Caribbean. I chose Princess because of the itinerary. Not many lines offer partial transits, so I'm glad Princess does.

 

We splurged, for the first time, for a balcony cabin (Aloha Deck, forward) and it's true what they say: Once you have a balcony it's impossible to go back to an inside or ocean view room. Our cabin was the most spacious of any I've ever had, and our steward was wonderful. We were located directly under Horizon Court. I was a little worried about noise but never heard any. And being so close to the buffet was very convenient for drinks and snacks.

 

The crew on Island Princess were some of the best I've experienced. So organized, so well trained, and so nice. The shows were good, though a few of the production (singing and dancing) shows needed a bit more rehearsing I think. The comedians were great, and ventriloquist Patrick Murray (with Matilda) was the highlight in my opinion.

 

The destination expert, Chris Roberts, was good. LOVED the cruise director's talk on cruise ships, past and present. The enrichment lecturer, George Williams, was the only disappointment in this category. I'm sure he is knowledgeable in his field, but dear lord he was boring. Not sure where they found him.

 

We had perfect weather which was amazing considering we were there in the rainy season. We didn't get rained on a single time in port which really was a miracle. The weather definitely contributed to a fantastic vacation. But it's true what they say: It is HOT. I somewhat dismissed things I read about it being hot and humid because I live in a pretty hot/humid area (in the summer anyway.) But man, it really was hot. Be prepared to sweat. :)

 

I found the food in the Horizon Court to be good overall and the food in the dining room to be excellent. It was rare that I got something that wasn't to my liking. Service in the dining room was excellent as well, and I love that they get your drink for you in the buffet. (Other cruise lines I've experienced don't do that.)

 

We booked Princess excursions in every port and overall were pleased with our tours and tour guides. Our tour guide in Cartagena had a very heavy accent and it was difficult to understand him, and our tour in Jamaica didn't go to all the places listed. But other than that, we were happy with our choices.

 

I read a lot of negative reviews of the Island Princess before my trip, and I was worried about it feeling crowded due to the extra cabins they added in the recent dry dock. I need not have worried. Granted, I'd never sailed on Island Princess before (or on any Princess ship for that matter), so I didn't have anything to compare it to. If you cruised on Island Princess before the renovation, you may be disappointed. But it never felt overly crowded to me. I had traditional dining so I can't comment on anytime dining. The ONE exception to the "no crowds" summary was the theater. You need to get to shows 20-30 minutes early to get a good seat, especially if you have 4 or more in your party.

 

Overall, a terrific ship and terrific itinerary.

 

If you have any questions about anything, I'm more than happy to answer as best I can.

[thecruiselover7]

I was also on this cruise, and I had a lovely time. I'm already missing the endless pampering and food. This was my first time on Princess, and the itinerary was wonderful. The Panama Canal was one of the neatest things I have ever seen.

 

The activites, crew, and food were great; especially the crew. I had the best bartender and waitress on this cruise that I've ever had.

 

I tried one production show in the theater, and in my opinion it was lacking. I spent all my nights in the Crooners Bar listening to the piano bar entertainer (Jim Long). He's very talented. And, I have ended up on three cruises with him.

 

 

I'm glad you had a great time.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for your comments. :)

[kac0426]

I was also on this cruise, and I had a lovely time. I'm already missing the endless pampering and food. This was my first time on Princess, and the itinerary was wonderful. The Panama Canal was one of the neatest things I have ever seen.

 

The activites, crew, and food were great; especially the crew. I had the best bartender and waitress on this cruise that I've ever had.

 

I tried one production show in the theater, and in my opinion it was lacking. I spent all my nights in the Crooners Bar listening to the piano bar entertainer (Jim Long). He's very talented. And, I have ended up on three cruises with him.

 

 

I'm glad you had a great time.

 

Which production show did you see? I thought On the Bayou was terrific, but I felt like Motor City needed more rehearsing. There were several times the singers/dancers didn't seem to know where to be or what to do. And one singer forgot the words to a song.

 

I'm glad you had a good time as well. I thought it was a terrific cruise.

[TracieABD]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I really love Princess, and am looking forward to our first Partial Transit in a week!

[thecruiselover7]

Which production show did you see? I thought On the Bayou was terrific, but I felt like Motor City needed more rehearsing. There were several times the singers/dancers didn't seem to know where to be or what to do. And one singer forgot the words to a song.

 

I'm glad you had a good time as well. I thought it was a terrific cruise.

 

 

I saw the Piano Man show. It was alright, but after that I knew I wasn't going to spend anymore time in the theater.

 

The cruise was so good, and the weather was perfect!

[js4rq]

I am glad you had a great cruise. Thanks for the review! :)

 

What time were the shows onboard?

[kac0426]

I am glad you had a great cruise. Thanks for the review! :)

 

What time were the shows onboard?

 

I believe most shows were offered at 6:00 and 8:30 or 8:00 and 9:45. It varied.

[js4rq]

I believe most shows were offered at 6:00 and 8:30 or 8:00 and 9:45. It varied.

 

Wonderful, thank you!! :D

[srlafleur]

I was on that cruise as well, and really enjoyed it. This was our second Princess cruise. Our first was 8 years ago to Alaska.

One thing that amazed me then, at the breakfast buffet, was over-easy eggs. On the buffet. And each one I had (nearly every morning) was perfect. The same held true on this cruise. AMAZING. HOW do they manage that?

Yeah, sure, on other cruise lines you can wait in the omelet line and they'll cook them for you, but "ain't nobody got time for dat!":cool:

 

My only complaint about any of our shore excursions (aside from wishing for more time ashore) was that our walking stroll of the Old City in Cartagena was sorely lacking in substance. Our tour guide was more interested in giving us opportunities to spend money at every street vendor than in giving us information about what we were looking at. "There's the church...and here's Jose, my friend who sells beer from a cart." (He had a LOT of friends)

"Shopping" was not listed in the description of our tour, or perhaps it wouldn't have irked me quite so much.

[coach_cruiser]

Can anyone comment on if it is better to take a Gatun Lake area tour or stay on the ship for the round trip transit

[kac0426]

I was on that cruise as well, and really enjoyed it. This was our second Princess cruise. Our first was 8 years ago to Alaska.

One thing that amazed me then, at the breakfast buffet, was over-easy eggs. On the buffet. And each one I had (nearly every morning) was perfect. The same held true on this cruise. AMAZING. HOW do they manage that?

Yeah, sure, on other cruise lines you can wait in the omelet line and they'll cook them for you, but "ain't nobody got time for dat!":cool:

 

My only complaint about any of our shore excursions (aside from wishing for more time ashore) was that our walking stroll of the Old City in Cartagena was sorely lacking in substance. Our tour guide was more interested in giving us opportunities to spend money at every street vendor than in giving us information about what we were looking at. "There's the church...and here's Jose, my friend who sells beer from a cart." (He had a LOT of friends)

"Shopping" was not listed in the description of our tour, or perhaps it wouldn't have irked me quite so much.

 

Our tour guide in Cartagena was disappointing as well. I'm sure he knew what he was talking about, but his accent was so heavy that I had no idea what he was saying. I am pretty good about understanding other accents, but his was beyond the norm. Some of our table mates said the same thing about their tour guide (they couldn't understand him). I wonder if they have trouble getting good tour guides in Cartagena and if so, why?

[kac0426]

Can anyone comment on if it is better to take a Gatun Lake area tour or stay on the ship for the round trip transit

 

I definitely think it's better to take a tour. If you stay on the ship, you will just retrace the route you took that morning and will basically see the same thing again. But there are some amazing tours to choose from and Panama is so interesting! We did the Panama City walking tour where we got to see all 3 Panama Cities - the modern Panama City, Panama Viejo (which is now in ruins), and Casco Antiguo, which looks a little like the New Orleans French Quarter. I talked to some who did the ferry boat tour and the train ride tour and both loved it. So, definitely take a tour. :)

[socaljo]

Hi all, we just booked the Island for March, hubby was going to buy coffee cards, cuz we do like the special stuff AS WELL as the DR coffee (and we drink it black!). But, my problem is I don't see an IC on the Island, the Princess rep told me there was one...but I can't find it. Is there somewhere else on the Island that can make me an espresso, so I can stay awake past 9??? :p

[Colo Cruiser]

Can anyone comment on if it is better to take a Gatun Lake area tour or stay on the ship for the round trip transit

 

 

Get off the ship and see as much as you can of Panama. Its a beautiful country. ;)

[Colo Cruiser]

Hi all, we just booked the Island for March, hubby was going to buy coffee cards, cuz we do like the special stuff AS WELL as the DR coffee (and we drink it black!). But, my problem is I don't see an IC on the Island, the Princess rep told me there was one...but I can't find it. Is there somewhere else on the Island that can make me an espresso, so I can stay awake past 9??? :p

 

 

No IC on the Island, coffee type drinks available at the Patisserie Bar (lobby bar) deck 5 atrium.

Edited December 11, 2015 by Colo Cruiser

[socaljo]

No IC on the Island, coffee type drinks available at the Patisserie Bar (lobby bar) deck 5 atrium.

 

Thanks, for the info!

[missdenise]

Hi all, we just booked the Island for March, hubby was going to buy coffee cards, cuz we do like the special stuff AS WELL as the DR coffee (and we drink it black!). But, my problem is I don't see an IC on the Island, the Princess rep told me there was one...but I can't find it. Is there somewhere else on the Island that can make me an espresso, so I can stay awake past 9??? :p

 

That is interesting. I was told the same thing when I book the Island for next month. I believe there was a plan for an IC when the ship went into drydock but it never materialized.

[jawhoffman]

Does the Patisserie offer any food choices?

[BillB48]

I definitely think it's better to take a tour. If you stay on the ship, you will just retrace the route you took that morning and will basically see the same thing again. But there are some amazing tours to choose from and Panama is so interesting! We did the Panama City walking tour where we got to see all 3 Panama Cities - the modern Panama City, Panama Viejo (which is now in ruins), and Casco Antiguo, which looks a little like the New Orleans French Quarter. I talked to some who did the ferry boat tour and the train ride tour and both loved it. So, definitely take a tour. :)

 

Get off the ship and see as much as you can of Panama. Its a beautiful country. ;)

 

Coach Cruiser... some great advice! While staying on the ship can be tempting, I think you will be short changing yourself not to take the opportunity to see more of Panama. Many consider the Canal the star attraction and opt for the ferry tour which is a great choice if you want to see a large part of the Canal without having to invest two weeks for a full transit (although I recommend that cruise when you can). The ferry tour will allow you to see some of the more interesting parts of the Canal, after all your trip through Gatun Locks only covers about 8 miles of a 50 mile Canal... it's great to see more!

 

If your passage through Gatun Locks satisfies your Canal quotient then the tours kac0426 mentioned are excellent choices as well. I'll mention another tour that is very popular that you may wish to consider and that is a trip to visit the Embera Indians. Many who take this excursion consider it the closest thing to a Nat Geo experience you will have.

 

They used to have a saying over on HAL... "get off the dam ship!" Good advice even on Princess:D!

[dforeigner]

Glad to hear you enjoyed your cruise.

[Clarea]

Enjoyed the review.

[Keith1010]

Just caught up with your review and enjoyed reading it.

 

Keith

[alwalaska]

Thanks for taking time to post this. It was very helpful.

[Sherry7641]

Cruise Critic was a tremendous help in planning my 10-day Panama Canal (partial transit) cruise on Island Princess, so I hope to provide a brief review to help others considering this ship, line, or itinerary.

 

I've cruised 8 times previously: 1 NCL, 1 HAL, and 6 Royal Caribbean. I chose Princess because of the itinerary. Not many lines offer partial transits, so I'm glad Princess does.

 

We splurged, for the first time, for a balcony cabin (Aloha Deck, forward) and it's true what they say: Once you have a balcony it's impossible to go back to an inside or ocean view room. Our cabin was the most spacious of any I've ever had, and our steward was wonderful. We were located directly under Horizon Court. I was a little worried about noise but never heard any. And being so close to the buffet was very convenient for drinks and snacks.

 

The crew on Island Princess were some of the best I've experienced. So organized, so well trained, and so nice. The shows were good, though a few of the production (singing and dancing) shows needed a bit more rehearsing I think. The comedians were great, and ventriloquist Patrick Murray (with Matilda) was the highlight in my opinion.

 

The destination expert, Chris Roberts, was good. LOVED the cruise director's talk on cruise ships, past and present. The enrichment lecturer, George Williams, was the only disappointment in this category. I'm sure he is knowledgeable in his field, but dear lord he was boring. Not sure where they found him.

 

We had perfect weather which was amazing considering we were there in the rainy season. We didn't get rained on a single time in port which really was a miracle. The weather definitely contributed to a fantastic vacation. But it's true what they say: It is HOT. I somewhat dismissed things I read about it being hot and humid because I live in a pretty hot/humid area (in the summer anyway.) But man, it really was hot. Be prepared to sweat. :)

 

I found the food in the Horizon Court to be good overall and the food in the dining room to be excellent. It was rare that I got something that wasn't to my liking. Service in the dining room was excellent as well, and I love that they get your drink for you in the buffet. (Other cruise lines I've experienced don't do that.)

 

We booked Princess excursions in every port and overall were pleased with our tours and tour guides. Our tour guide in Cartagena had a very heavy accent and it was difficult to understand him, and our tour in Jamaica didn't go to all the places listed. But other than that, we were happy with our choices.

 

I read a lot of negative reviews of the Island Princess before my trip, and I was worried about it feeling crowded due to the extra cabins they added in the recent dry dock. I need not have worried. Granted, I'd never sailed on Island Princess before (or on any Princess ship for that matter), so I didn't have anything to compare it to. If you cruised on Island Princess before the renovation, you may be disappointed. But it never felt overly crowded to me. I had traditional dining so I can't comment on anytime dining. The ONE exception to the "no crowds" summary was the theater. You need to get to shows 20-30 minutes early to get a good seat, especially if you have 4 or more in your party.

 

Overall, a terrific ship and terrific itinerary.

 

If you have any questions about anything, I'm more than happy to answer as best I can.

 

Great review, thank you so much for taking the time to write it. We will be doing the round trip in November on Island Princess from Los Angelas to the Panama Canal and was wondering what time of year you did this cruise because you mentioned that it was very hot. I live in WI and our Summers are very hot and humid. Can we expect the same type of weather? Just curious about how to pack.