Which ship for a Panama Canal cruise?

[Triptkr]

9 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

The removal of the 2 deck high Universe Lounge. The addition of more than 150 cabins. The removal of 1/3rd of the Promenade deck. 300 plus additional  passengers and no additional dining or entertainment venues added. Every time we have sailed her since the refit there have been DR  lines for anytime stretched around the atrium from 5 to 9pm. 

There are those that don’t find that issue and are happy with her and the updates. 

Thanks for your reply!  

[Ep010835]

Duplicate. 

Edited June 26, 2019 by Ep010835

[Ep010835]

1 hour ago, Triptkr said:

Thanks for your reply!  

 

Add to this the fact that the fitness center is buried in the bowels of the ship with absolutely no view of the outside world and you have what I think of as a real disaster. 

 

But we all like different things. 

[barb&robman]

We are booked for February 2020 full transit Panama Canal, Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale  on the Emerald Princess. We just sailed on her for 2 weeks in May-June,  Rome to Athens to Barcelona and had a lovely time. 

[blondee419]

On 6/23/2019 at 4:21 PM, phillies fan said:

I'm giving thought to taking a 10 day cruise of the Panama Canal this upcoming year.   The choices seem to be the Island Princess (older, smaller ship; transits the historical locks) or and Caribbean Princess (newer and larger ship, transits the new locks).

 

Anything anyone could offer to help in this decision would be appreciated.

I just returned from a 7 day cruise on the Coral Princess which I greatly enjoyed.   I understand the Island Princess was a sister ship, but has been modified to add additional cabins at the cost of the aft lounge.

 

 

All of the opinions are my own..... 

 

We did the island without knowing much about it, and because we wanted to transit the old locks.  We went thru this past April 2019. 

 

My $0.02? Do not sail on the island. 

 

The coral is wonderful! we've sailed her to Alaska, and would sail her again.  The island got crowded when the weather was bad, and everyone was stuck inside with less public space. They increased the number of cabins (and thus the number of passengers), but did not increase the number of crew.  I've never met a more demoralized crew. Also, DuVal is the cruise director, and I found him even more irritating now that he's in charge, more-so than when he was just on the cd staff on the Star a few years back.  

 

Again. My opinion. 

[partybarbie]

I loved my balcony cabin on the Island.  It was nice to have a teak balcony (on the Promenade Deck) instead of the hard blue plastic.  The television is wall-mounted, at the foot of the bed. We had table for two, in late Traditional dining, so we didn't have to wait.  The only place that I experienced crowds was at some of the game shows in the Explorer's lounge.  Otherwise, I didn't think she was more crowded than any other ship. Here's a picture of the cabin. 

[TM]

We sailed on the Island last year for 2 weeks in Alaska.  While we did notice the absence of the Universe lounge, quite frankly we never once experienced the overcrowding that people always say will happen.  Yes the game shows were crowded if you got there 5 minutes before the start.  But none of the shows in the Princess Theater were nor was there excessive crowding at the Horizon Court.  We did 2nd seating traditional dining so cannot comment on alleged crowding for anytime dining.  I would not hesitate to sail on the Island again.  

[Triptkr]

13 hours ago, partybarbie said:

I loved my balcony cabin on the Island.  It was nice to have a teak balcony (on the Promenade Deck) instead of the hard blue plastic.  The television is wall-mounted, at the foot of the bed. 

 

Rooms looks nice!  Do they have 'on demand' movies on the Island like they do on the Regal/Royal/Majestic?

[partybarbie]

23 minutes ago, Triptkr said:

 

Rooms looks nice!  Do they have 'on demand' movies on the Island like they do on the Regal/Royal/Majestic?

 

They didn't when I was on her last, but that was almost three years ago.  I'm thinking probably not. 

 

I'm also not sure if it will still have the barrel chair, as they have been removed on quite a few ships. 

Edited June 28, 2019 by partybarbie