Panama Canal in Handicap Cabin on Island Princess??

[Lauraally]

I have booked my parents on Island Princess in a Handicap balcony cabin on the Promenade Deck and we have now read the Travel Summary and it says:  While I understand the safety concerns, should I book them on a different cruise/ship?  One that allows them to enjoy their balcony during the locks?  Or, is this something that no one sits in their cabin for anyway and it's not a big deal?

PROMENADE DECK BALCONY ADVISORY

Please be advised that due to operational and safety reasons, guests in BE-category cabins located on the Promenade deck will be unable to access their balcony while the ship is in the locks on Canal transit day.
When traveling through the canal, heavy cables are attached to the ship to help guide the vessel through the locks to maintain its correct position. As these cables are strung near the Promenade deck, as a safety measure access to these balconies will be restricted during the Panama Canal transit.
Please note this only applies to Promenade deck balconies, and will only apply when the ship is in the locks; guests will be able to use these balconies at all other times.
If you are in a balcony cabin on any other deck, please disregard this message.

 

While I understand the safety concerns, should I book them on a different cruise/ship?  One that allows them to enjoy their balcony during the locks?  Or, is this something that no one sits in their cabin for anyway and it's not a big deal?  It's a bucket list trip for my Dad.

 

Thank you for your thoughts and opinions, in advance. 

[Essiesmom]

If you book on a different ship, either it won’t be Princess, or if Princess, it will use the new locks, which do not require the cables.  If you wish to use this ship, you might look foe a HC cabin on a different deck, or encourage them to be out on deck during the transit.  By staying on the balcony, you miss more than half of the ‘show’.  EM

[BillB48]

I don't believe the Coral Princess has the balcony restriction as the Island Princess since the CP has not undergone the same modifications as the IP.  Perhaps the CP may have Canal transits planned.  The CP is the only other ship in the Princess fleet that can use the original locks.  For a first or a bucket list cruise I would recommend using the original locks.

 

While not knowing how convenient it will be for your parents to be out where they can be on the open decks in order to take in the sights of the transit, as EM pointed out they would miss a lot by being limited to the balcony in any event.  Reaming in the cabin during the locks portion of the transit would certainly be defeating the purpose of a Canal cruise.

[BillB48]

2 hours ago, BillB48 said:

Reaming in the cabin

 

Things you find when you read something after it is cold!!  Remaining 😂

[Lauraally]

18 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

If you book on a different ship, either it won’t be Princess, or if Princess, it will use the new locks, which do not require the cables.  If you wish to use this ship, you might look foe a HC cabin on a different deck, or encourage them to be out on deck during the transit.  By staying on the balcony, you miss more than half of the ‘show’.  EM

Thank you, this is helpful.  There are no other handicap cabins on Princess in 2021 for the PC.  Knowing that they would need to be on the decks to see the show is what I needed to know.  I just don't want them to feel like they are missing anything.

[Lauraally]

7 hours ago, BillB48 said:

I don't believe the Coral Princess has the balcony restriction as the Island Princess since the CP has not undergone the same modifications as the IP.  Perhaps the CP may have Canal transits planned.  The CP is the only other ship in the Princess fleet that can use the original locks.  For a first or a bucket list cruise I would recommend using the original locks.

 

While not knowing how convenient it will be for your parents to be out where they can be on the open decks in order to take in the sights of the transit, as EM pointed out they would miss a lot by being limited to the balcony in any event.  Reaming in the cabin during the locks portion of the transit would certainly be defeating the purpose of a Canal cruise.

Thank you, this is helpful.  There are no other handicap cabins on Princess in 2021 for the PC.  Knowing that they would need to be on the decks to see the show is what I needed to know.  I just don't want them to feel like they are missing anything.

[Essiesmom]

Keep in mind that viewing space is very crowded at the beginning of the transit.  But as it proceeds, the crowds will thin.  If they are going westbound, the Gatineau locks are a set of three, and by the time she gets into the third lock, folks will be heading for breakfast or a snack.  Also as the day progresses, it may get marginally hotter with the sun, and folks will head inside to the a/c.  The scenery is different with each set of locks, but the machinery/process is the same.  EM