Good way to see the Panama Canal
Coral Princess Cruise Review to Panama Canal, Central America
11 Night Roundtrip Panama Canal (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)
Sail date: February 21, 2014
Ship: Coral Princess
Cabin type: Suite
Cabin number: D323
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 10 years ago
Review summary
Overall, Princess did an exemplary job on this cruise. The itinerary was perfect. The ports of call and excursions were very well done. Crew was friendly and attentive. Entertainment was first rate. Food was portioned correctly and delicious.Our room and overall ship cleanliness was unbelievably good. On Board itineraries were jam packed yet there were plenty of places to go if/when you wanted to be quiet and do nothing. We do like Princess's Movie under the Stars. Reminded us of the Drive-In's we went to when we were younger.
Visiting the Panama Canal was spectacular. We chose the excursion that took a boat through the rest of the Canal to the Pacific Ocean. The smaller boat allowed us to get up close and see things that we would not be able to see from the deck of the ship. The guide on the boat was filled with facts and information that made the 5+hour tour well worth every penny.
It was our first visit to Costa Rica and we thought it was the hidden gem of the whole cruise. The pride and passion exhibited by the people we met over their desire to keep the rain forest as pristine as possible was inspiring. The country as a whole deserves more time and more investigation. We had been to Jamaica on other cruises and had stayed there on our honeymoon. We really felt this country is maturing. They understand tourism and made us feel very welcomed and safe. The Duns River Falls area was developed, easily accessible, safe and above all fun.
We had grown accustomed to larger ship's Spa areas, so the Lotus Spa on the Coral was a bit of a disappointment. Not really worth the price. We could have easily not selected to use the Spa during this cruise and we would not have missed much.
Also, noticed, along with a lot of the other passengers, the nightly shows were much shorter than we had experienced on other cruises. Most shows lasted 30-40 minutes, and although they were very well presented and worth seeing(standing room only every night), they just seemed to cut it a bit short. We highly recommend this itinerary, the ship and crew.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Children's Programs
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ship tip
Check out Deck 9 and 10 both forward and aft during the Canal crossing. Not as crowded as Deck 14. Skip the Spa. Fitness center not as busy late morning early afternoon.
Ports of call
Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida
Panama Canal (Cruise Into Canal)
2 Comments
Johngold 10 years ago