Dec. 5-20 Island Princess

[jasbo49]

Hello all.

 

I don't think this will be a real review, more like some thoughts that pop up and I'm trying to write them down before they get away. It's been a week since we got off, but with Christmas and all, it's kind of running in slo-mo.

 

Overall, we liked the Island Princess. We liked the entertainment, the buffet and activities (probably because is was a long, destination-specific cruise) better than most Princess cruises.

 

There's one thing that I absolutely hated. It was the fact that the atrium coffee bar didn't open until 6 a.m. I'm sure this is fine for most, but some of us wake up early, and there is literally nowhere to go for coffee if you wake up at 4 or 5 a.m. Sure, you can call room service, but that doesn't really work if you want to go out and about and read and drink coffee and let your wife sleep. And on this ship, the Horizon Court is NOT 24 hours. It doesn't open until 5:30 for minimal offerings.

 

I even talked to the captain about this when I saw him. Capt. Tim Stringer was a great guy, and had customer relations follow up on this. We appreciated the response, including some nice chocolates we received, but I'm guessing nothing has changed.

 

My wife and I (mid-60s) found more to do than on many Princess cruises. We're not dancers or bingo players or casino types, so we look more for enrichment activities. Since this was a Panama Canal full transit, there was plenty to educate us about. We also appreciated that there were port talks on all of our stops that were about how to enjoy the ports, not just where to find Diamonds International.

 

I also joined the Princess Pop Choir for the Sound of Music performance and went to a number of steel drum classes. Both were great overall, but in both cases, it screwed things up when people showed up after three or four meetings and forced the "teacher" to re-teach stuff the rest of us had heard over and over again.

 

I was worried that the Horizon Court buffet might be undersized when I saw it on the deck plans, but I have to say we enjoyed it more than any other Princess buffet. It was simpler, less congested and better managed than the ones on the Golden, Crown and Grand, in our experience. And the food was hotter.

 

For those sailing on canal itineraries, check out your options before deciding where to watch the transit. This will change depending on which way you're sailing, but for us, sailing from Florida to California, the forward viewing decks were blazing hot in the morning, while the rear viewing deck (8) was in the shade.

 

Our only other gripe, other than the early morning coffee situation, is that in our experience Princess can't seem to handle breakfast very well in the MDR. This time was better than the last couple of cruises, but still the servers couldn't seem to give us what we'd asked for. When we wanted two hash browns, we got one. When we wanted jam for toast we got none. When my wife wanted hot chocolate and coffee, she got one and not the other. They're pretty good at dinner. Why so inept at breakfast?

 

Jim

[kazes2004]

Thanks Jim for the review & heads up on the coffee bar. We're going to be on board 1/14 for the partial transit, and my DH is also an early riser who enjoys his java.

[IECalCruiser]

Thanks for your comments. We had two enrichment lectures on our Panama Canal full transit a couple of years ago that were first rate. As on your cruise, we had one couple that gave very informative talks about the history and sights to see in the ports and were on deck to point out sights entering Cartagena and narrated during the Panama Canal Transit. Also had a lecturer that flew C130's in the Air Force and who flew one of the C130's on the failed Iran hostage rescue mission. He gave great talks about that mission, launching the first drones in Viet Nam and the difficulties of resupply missions in Greenland. Nothing to do with the Canal but still fascinating.

 

We have given up on breakfast in the MDR. We opt for the made to order selections in the buffet such as omelettes, a couple of fried eggs or waffles. The food is freshly made.

Edited December 29, 2015 by IECalCruiser

[floridalover5623]

Maybe I don't recall correctly but didn't the Horizon court have coffee & tea available 24 hours a day or has that changed?

[IECalCruiser]

Maybe I don't recall correctly but didn't the Horizon court have coffee & tea available 24 hours a day or has that changed?

I also thought that was the case. Based upon OP's experience that may not be the case any longer on the Island [emoji45] Edited December 29, 2015 by IECalCruiser

[floridalover5623]

It could have been that only one side was open & he checked to wrong side?

[geoherb]

Thanks for posting your thoughts. We loved our Panama Canal cruise on the Island a few years ago. We've never had an absolute problem getting things at breakfast. Sometimes it takes asking more than one person.

[mdgary]

We were on the same cruise and the OP is correct that the Horizon court is closed from midnight until 5:30. I never checked if they locked the doors or not though.

[jasbo49]

Just thought of something else that kind of rubbed me the wrong way. The Movies Under the Stars was NFL football three out every seven nights (every Monday, Thursday and Sunday). A lot of people may like football, but that's overplay.

 

At the same time there were three Presidential Debates during our 15-night cruise. Not a single one could be found on stateroom TV or anywhere else. Maybe this is in keeping with what the majority wants, but it's too bad when football means everything and who's running the country means absolutely nothing.

 

Jim

Edited December 31, 2015 by jasbo49

[KruzPrincess]

I booked the reverse itinerary on the Island for next December. I'm happy to hear you had a good cruise.

 

I know that the Horizon Court is not open 24 hours a day, but I did think that the coffee machines still worked. I have gotten ice from the machines when the buffet is closed. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I thought I saw people getting coffee of other ships.

 

My question for you is if you had any experience with the vibration I've read about since they made the structural changes to the Island. Had you been on the Island or Coral before? The Island and Coral have been favorite Princess ships for me and I'm wondering if the changes affected your enjoyment of the cruise or maybe you didn't even notice. (I just looked at your previous cruises and it appears you hadn't been on the Island/Coral before.)

 

Thanks, again!

Edited December 31, 2015 by KruzPrincess

[jasbo49]

My question for you is if you had any experience with the vibration I've read about since they made the structural changes to the Island. Had you been on the Island or Coral before? The Island and Coral have been favorite Princess ships for me and I'm wondering if the changes affected your enjoyment of the cruise or maybe you didn't even notice. (I just looked at your previous cruises and it appears you hadn't been on the Island/Coral before.)

 

Thanks, again!

 

The vibration problems I've read about were all way aft, and we didn't spend much time there. We did spend some time on the aft viewing deck on canal day, but with the engines doing modest work there was no real vibration. We also did laundry twice at very close to the rear of the ship and sensed nothing.

 

We'd never been on the Island (or Coral) before. Only thing I can say about size of ship and crowding is that I was hoping to get the feel of a smaller ship compared to the Grand class ships I've been on, and it didn't feel much smaller. The only times I thought about being on a smaller ship were in the morning when there was no International Cafe and when I found the HC closed. And also just the size and simplicity of the HC seemed to go with the smaller ship.

 

Jim

[KruzPrincess]

The vibration problems I've read about were all way aft, and we didn't spend much time there. We did spend some time on the aft viewing deck on canal day, but with the engines doing modest work there was no real vibration. We also did laundry twice at very close to the rear of the ship and sensed nothing.

 

We'd never been on the Island (or Coral) before. Only thing I can say about size of ship and crowding is that I was hoping to get the feel of a smaller ship compared to the Grand class ships I've been on, and it didn't feel much smaller. The only times I thought about being on a smaller ship were in the morning when there was no International Cafe and when I found the HC closed. And also just the size and simplicity of the HC seemed to go with the smaller ship.

 

Jim

 

Thanks for your response. I decided to book a forward cabin, so I'm vibration won't be an issue for me. I may have more motion, but I like it to feel like I'm on the ocean. LOL. Glad you had a decent cruise.