Just back from 10 days on the beautiful Island

[erin6494]

Had a wonderful time. Will try to get a review up when I unbury my desk at work but wanted to answer questions for other cruisers.

Erin

[Love.II.Cruise]

Had a wonderful time. Will try to get a review up when I unbury my desk at work but wanted to answer questions for other cruisers.

Erin

 

Welcome back! I hope you don't have the vacation blues. By chance were there any evenings in the casino that were smoke-free? If so, how many?

[erin6494]

I don't remember seeing any smoke free nights listed in the Patter but I do think there was only a small smoking section in the back corner of the casino (that was the only place I saw ashtrays when wandering through).

There were no ashtrays on Deck 14 (that I saw) and the only smoke smell I encountered was walking by Churchill's (Deck 7) and for some reason in the library (Deck 8). I imagine the library has to do with Churchill's venting (it is one deck below and slightly forward of the library).

[Love.II.Cruise]

Thanks for your response! I have a few other questions:

 

1. Was there a Reggae type of band by the pool that played?

 

2. Did you do the Sanctuary - if so, what did you think?

 

3. Did you sign up to use the Thermal Suites? If so, what did you think?

 

4. Do you know if there is a Platinum/Elite/Suite Lounge on the Island Princess?

[erin6494]

I answered below :)

Thanks for your response! I have a few other questions:

 

1. Was there a Reggae type of band by the pool that played? Epithani played at the pool. They played all different kinds of music, some Caribbean but really a bit of everything.

 

2. Did you do the Sanctuary - if so, what did you think? No, but it looked nice. It must not have been fully booked as they were advertising it for the last day.

 

3. Did you sign up to use the Thermal Suites? If so, what did you think? No, also looked nice. Did shower in the spa one day, it was not as nice as the shower on the Emerald (and there is only one shower)

 

4. Do you know if there is a Platinum/Elite/Suite Lounge on the Island Princess? Yes, there was a card in our room listing the drink specials and the special snack for each night of the cruise. We never attended (ate dinner at 5:45 so it would have been way early).

[Love.II.Cruise]

Thanks for your prompt response! :)

[northcreek]

We also were on the Island, it is a beautiful ship. Yes there was one night at the Casino that was no smoking. the back of the casino was the smoking section and there were a lot of smokers. They had tables where non gamblers just came for smoking. We did attend the Elite lounge a few nights, it was located in the back of Explorers and was well attended, there was quite a small percentage of Elite/Platium member on board.

[erin6494]

I was very surprised with the low number of Platinums and Elites and the very high percentage of first timers (as gauged by the name plates on doors). I think there were less than 40 elite and around 175 platinum based on the numbers given at the Captain's Circle Reception.

[PAsailors2]

We too were on this cruise. While it was our first on Princess, we are far from "newbies" to cruising. We selected this line and ship based on the itinerary and were not disappointed in that respect! The ship is beautiful and there was plenty to do.. The shows - especially the new one(On The Bayou) which we attended twice(it was sooooo good) - were excellent and the costuming superb. We had no complaint with our room or the service provided by our steward.

The on-board lectures by Dr. Thomas Ryan and his "play by play" of the transit were wonderful. If you have not decided on an excursion for the Canal, the ferry to the Pacific was great, although we sadly missed the Mira Flores visitor's center, which is part of another tour. Another feature we really liked was the "Log of the Cruise" received on the last sea day.

However, the deal breaker for us was the "Any Time Dining" system. The first night, people didn't know to get a reservation. When we arrived, there was a long line of those waiting to be seated. Because we had a time, we were able to walk right to the reservation desk and be seated quickly. From there it went down hill fast. Rather than allowing you to reserve a time for the entire week, you have to call in every day starting at 8am. When you are off ship for an excursion this becomes impossible if your tour leaves early. Several days, the phone rang and rang and no one answered; or, DH was put on hold but never answered; or was told there were only 5:15 or "after 8:30 available". One evening we arrived 10 minutes early and were told we would have to wait the 10 minutes. That wasn't a problem, because it was our fault that we had the wrong time. However, while we were waiting, two different couples came up to the reservation podium and asked for tables for two. Each couple was given a beeper, since they had not made a reservation. While we were still waiting to be seated at our pre-reserved time, both couples' beepers went off and they were escorted to tables for two! The next night we decided to try the beeper system. We waited over 1 HOUR and were never called. DH finally took the beeper back and told the Host that we had waited that long and hadn't been called. His response was, "Well, let me see what I can find." We ended up going to the Horizon Court that night and the remaining nights of the cruise. We still dressed as though we were going to the dining room - including formal night.

We went with an open mind and are not cruise or food snobs. The cruise as a whole and the excursions were wonderful. However, several nights the entrees we selected were the worst we've had on any cruise. Sadly, the only way we would book Princess again is if the itinerary was one only they offered.

[loliola]

I was on this cruise also, it was wonderful...Erin, did you take your daughter to afternoon tea? If that was you, I was sitting at the adjacent table!

[erin6494]

No, we never made it to afternoon tea. Maybe next time, I have heard it was wonderful.

My son was in the Weakest One game show if you saw that.

Glad you enjoyed it too, we had a such a great time! Hard to be back and not have the excitement of an upcoming cruise :(

[bigguy6]

We too were on this cruise. While it was our first on Princess, we are far from "newbies" to cruising. We selected this line and ship based on the itinerary and were not disappointed in that respect! The ship is beautiful and there was plenty to do.. The shows - especially the new one(On The Bayou) which we attended twice(it was sooooo good) - were excellent and the costuming superb. We had no complaint with our room or the service provided by our steward.

The on-board lectures by Dr. Thomas Ryan and his "play by play" of the transit were wonderful. If you have not decided on an excursion for the Canal, the ferry to the Pacific was great, although we sadly missed the Mira Flores visitor's center, which is part of another tour. Another feature we really liked was the "Log of the Cruise" received on the last sea day.

However, the deal breaker for us was the "Any Time Dining" system. The first night, people didn't know to get a reservation. When we arrived, there was a long line of those waiting to be seated. Because we had a time, we were able to walk right to the reservation desk and be seated quickly. From there it went down hill fast. Rather than allowing you to reserve a time for the entire week, you have to call in every day starting at 8am. When you are off ship for an excursion this becomes impossible if your tour leaves early. Several days, the phone rang and rang and no one answered; or, DH was put on hold but never answered; or was told there were only 5:15 or "after 8:30 available". One evening we arrived 10 minutes early and were told we would have to wait the 10 minutes. That wasn't a problem, because it was our fault that we had the wrong time. However, while we were waiting, two different couples came up to the reservation podium and asked for tables for two. Each couple was given a beeper, since they had not made a reservation. While we were still waiting to be seated at our pre-reserved time, both couples' beepers went off and they were escorted to tables for two! The next night we decided to try the beeper system. We waited over 1 HOUR and were never called. DH finally took the beeper back and told the Host that we had waited that long and hadn't been called. His response was, "Well, let me see what I can find." We ended up going to the Horizon Court that night and the remaining nights of the cruise. We still dressed as though we were going to the dining room - including formal night.

We went with an open mind and are not cruise or food snobs. The cruise as a whole and the excursions were wonderful. However, several nights the entrees we selected were the worst we've had on any cruise. Sadly, the only way we would book Princess again is if the itinerary was one only they offered.

 

PA sailors2

 

I get the impression that you had your trouble with anytime dining because you were wanting and waiting for a table for 2. Is that correct? If you had been willing to share a table do you know or feel there would not have been the problems that you encountered. We are on this cruise in Feb. We have been on the bigger Princesss Ships and have never had much of a problem with anytime dining, even with a table for 2, but there were 2 anytime dining rooms on those ships. Your response would be appreciated.

[1 HappyCruiser]

I was very surprised with the low number of Platinums and Elites and the very high percentage of first timers (as gauged by the name plates on doors). I think there were less than 40 elite and around 175 platinum based on the numbers given at the Captain's Circle Reception.

 

Does the Island Princess post the most traveled person/2nd/3rd place person in the Patter? Do you recall what the numbers were?

[PAsailors2]

PA sailors2

 

I get the impression that you had your trouble with anytime dining because you were wanting and waiting for a table for 2. Is that correct? If you had been willing to share a table do you know or feel there would not have been the problems that you encountered. We are on this cruise in Feb. We have been on the bigger Princesss Ships and have never had much of a problem with anytime dining, even with a table for 2, but there were 2 anytime dining rooms on those ships. Your response would be appreciated.

 

We really thought the problem was that they did not have enough room to properly do the Any Time. One night we were seated beside a table of 2 and found out that they were "assigned" that table as an overflow from the main seating. This was confirmed to us when our waiter arrived and asked how we got in "his" section, because he had not seen us before and his tables were assigned ones for main diners. There were plenty of tables for 2, but again, in talking with others it seems those tables were held open for overflow from the main dining room. Every night we dined at Bordeaux we had a different table in a different part of the room, which was fine. The biggest issue was trying to get the reservation with the phone not being answered in the morning and not being able to book a time ahead. There wasn't a single night when we were able to reserve at the time we wanted. Again, we thought this was because of the use of Bordeaux for main seating passengers.

[northcreek]

We requested a table for 2 each night, never had a problem. Had to wait a couple of times, but not more than 10 minutes. They told us the busy time was between 6 and 7 so if we were willing to eat prior to 6 or after 7:30 we were fine.