Panama Canal

[Alaska Newbie]

We would like to do a 10 day Panama Canal cruise fall of 2018.

Any suggestion on which ship would be appreciated. I think our choices would be Island or Caribbean.

Hubby enjoys cruising but I didn't really enjoy our last cruise and don't want to pick the wrong ship.

Have been reading bad reviews on these and would like to have some feedback by experienced cruisers.

The main thing with our last cruise was our room and the sewage odour. Yes they came a few times to do something with it but it's really left me not wanting to have to deal with that again.

Edited June 6, 2017 by Alaska Newbie
wasnt finished with post

[skynight]

Personally I would not select the Island Princess. At it's major dry dock a few years ago the entire aft section of public areas was removed and replaced by cabins for over 200 passengers. The two DR's were not increased in size and ATD is not handled very well. The upper deck and aft viewing areas were removed.

 

We are booked on the Caribbean Princess going through the new locks this winter. The Caribbean just came out of dry dock with some major new features, including a re-design of the buffet area, addition of two inexpensive, $12/pp, dinner restaurants, Planks, and Steamers. New menus at the grill and pizza. A new additional espresso & ice cream by the Lido pools, newly designed youth centers, new bedding, plus all the normal things they do during a major dry dock.

 

Would also like to mention that Sept and Oct are the peak of hurricane season in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.

[marypat01]

I've been on the Island and her sister ship, the Coral, four times. Enjoyed it the partial transit each time. Never been on the Caribbean, although I hope to in 2018.

 

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[jarett]

I had the same question as you, and we're now booked for Caribbean Princess Dec. 10/17. I like our decision.

 

 

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[molly2kit]

Coral is my favourite ship It was built for the original canal and has tons of public viewing areas. I love the smaller size, don't know if On the Bayou is still playing but I enjoyed that also.

 

 

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[NavyVeteran]

I sailed through the canal on the Coral, and I am booked on the Caribbean next January.

 

If you have not been through the canal, I would highly recommend the Coral or the Island instead of the Caribbean. Not because of the ship - the Caribbean is my favorite ship and I have three cruises booked on her. But because of the canal.

 

For your first time through the canal, I would recommend the historic old locks instead of the new locks. They are an amazing engineering achievement. Wait to go through the new locks later after you have seen the original ones. The new locks would not be nearly as interesting.

 

Also I highly recommend you read David McCullough's book Path Between the Seas. It is the book on the building of the Panama Canal. Reading it before your trip will make the canal much more interesting.

[donaldsc]

I sailed through the canal on the Coral, and I am booked on the Caribbean next January.

 

If you have not been through the canal, I would highly recommend the Coral or the Island instead of the Caribbean. Not because of the ship - the Caribbean is my favorite ship and I have three cruises booked on her. But because of the canal.

 

For your first time through the canal, I would recommend the historic old locks instead of the new locks. They are an amazing engineering achievement. Wait to go through the new locks later after you have seen the original ones. The new locks would not be nearly as interesting.

 

Also I highly recommend you read David McCullough's book Path Between the Seas. It is the book on the building of the Panama Canal. Reading it before your trip will make the canal much more interesting.

 

+1. Also do not do a half passage. The look and feel of the canal on each side of Lake Gatun is completely different. You really miss stuff if you go half way in and turn around regardless of which side you come in from.

 

DON

[ExDean]

We've been through the Canal four times - two partial and two full transit. Our thoughts:

Chose the Coral! We were on the Island before its retro :-( and loved it, but chose the Coral for our last trips. The Caribbean Princess goes through the new locks, but you really only get the meaningful history experience through the old locks. There is also a very good excursion to view the new locks.

 

Full/Partial Transit? Full IF you have the time and don't mind a "non-cruise" aka airplane back home. With a partial you can always take the excursion by bus back to the ship at Colon.

 

Also, be sure to read up on the Canal history before you go ... many good books available ... as the trip will be more meaningful. And, don't worry about "what side of the ship" as there are many great viewing areas forward and aft on the Coral.

[NavyVeteran]

+1. Also do not do a half passage. The look and feel of the canal on each side of Lake Gatun is completely different. You really miss stuff if you go half way in and turn around regardless of which side you come in from.

 

DON

 

Even if your ship does a half passage, you can still do a full passage. On the round trip from Fort Lauderdale, you can take a Princess excursion from Gatun Lake on a small boat through the Pacific locks followed by a bus ride back to meet the ship. The experience of going through the locks in a small boat is different than the experience of going through on a Panamax ship.

[f-mattox]

If the choices are Island Princess or Caribbean Princess I think I would go with Caribbean Princess. We just did the 10 day on Island Princess and were a little disappointed. Caribbean Princess has just recently had some major upgrades and has a lot more to offer than Island Princess. Coral Princess would be a good choice also. I just don't like what they have done to Island Princess.

[LeeW]

We've done two full transits and two partials, mostly on Island. Prefer the 10 or 11 day partial since excursions on the Pacific side are VERY long (and the new Puerto Chiapas isn't really set up for ship traffic). Do take the small boat through the rest of the canal - actually better than doing it on a ship.

 

Note that both Coral and Island have only two dining rooms. The one used for Anytime is also used for first seating Traditional and for Club Class - result is very long lines when the dining room opens for Anytime and very hard to get a two-top table. Suggest you go Traditional Dining on these ships. Lines for Anytime were several hundred guests long when the dining room opened, and they take Anytime tables out of service during the evening to accommodate potential Club Class (half of that area was empty and they still removed more Anytime tables from service).

 

Island does have more passengers due to removal of the rear lounge but you seldom see them. Theater is a bit more crowded - get there 40 minutes before for best seats. Adaptation of On the Bayou to a standard stage works well and views are better than on Coral. We didn't bother with a balcony on this last Island trip since we spend most of our time in the Lotus Pool area - better loungers, air conditioned, uncrowded pool and ice cream.

[GweninTX]

Do not go on the Island!!! Coral is a great ship!

 

 

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[iTownPrincess]

My sister sailed the Island Princess for a full transit about a year ago and had nothing bad to say about the ship. She and her husband are experienced cruisers (especially on X and Cunard) and enjoyed the ship thoroughly. IMO, those who sailed the Island before the changes may be a bit more critical than those whose first experience of the ship is post-change.

 

Also, as other posters have noted, read David McCullough's excellent book The Path Between the Seas about the construction of the canal -- fascinating stuff.

[GweninTX]

My sister sailed the Island Princess for a full transit about a year ago and had nothing bad to say about the ship. She and her husband are experienced cruisers (especially on X and Cunard) and enjoyed the ship thoroughly. IMO, those who sailed the Island before the changes may be a bit more critical than those whose first experience of the ship is post-change.

 

 

 

Also, as other posters have noted, read David McCullough's excellent book The Path Between the Seas about the construction of the canal -- fascinating stuff.

 

 

We were on the Island for 15 day full transit and I will never sail this ship again. The buffet is a nightmare - no place to sit. You have to get to theater a minimum of 45 minutes to even get a seat. If you want a good seat an hour ahead. Casino is tiny since they took half of it in the refit to add all these extra cabins. Wheelhouse bar for trivia was awful too - no seats since they have BOGO for $1 drinks from 3-4. I could go on and on, but this is the only ship we will never sail on again!

 

 

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