don2738

Some of the above posts say all the older Princess ships have wrap around promenade decks. No longer true. I just got off Island Princess June 2024, it used to have a wrap around, but they rebuilt the stern in 2015 (this is probably old news to everyone but we had not sailed Princess in 10 years, and we were on Island in 2008 before). The promenade deck is still pretty nice, but you will run into an abrupt wall in the stern and either turn around or cut through the inside (no fun, very heavy doors). I really miss that stern view. And Island also lost those rear public decks up high. Up high for a stern view is now the extra fee "sanctuary" area, that practically no one used this cruise anyway. They did leave a small narrow stern view deck on deck 8, no teak, narrow, upright chairs, noisy. I can understand that the refit got them a lot more revenue generating balconies. I'd still cruise on Island Princess, but no wrap around promenade. We took Anthem of the Seas last year, virtually zero promenade deck, hated it. No outdoor forward view (those tiny little wings were locked most of the time) or outdoor rear view. I'm attaching 3 pics from Island Princess June 2024. The deck looking back at the now blocked off stern from a distance and closer. And then the remnant of an outdoor stern viewing deck on deck 8, better than nothing! I am curious if her sister ship "Coral" still has the stern decks and wrap around promenade?