Too big for its britches.

Coral Princess Cruise Review to Panama Canal, Central America

Cruises: 7+ cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 17

Overall rating:

3 out of 5
Coral Princess

10 Night Panama Canal With Costa Rica & Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)

Sail date: February 26, 2017

Ship: Coral Princess

Cabin type: Suite

Cabin number: D518

Traveled as: Large Group

Reviewed: 7 years ago

Review summary

Firstly...the staff is wonderful.  Very nice and always accommodating. 

The food at dinner was always nice...great service.

What didn't work for us and why I probably will not cruise with princess again. 

Breakfast in Horizon at any time was like pigs at feeding time, food disorganized...which was the same for lunch buffet.  Went to dining room to be served for lunch and it took 2.5 hours.  

Not enough outside policies and even though it was stated no reserving of chairs...we watched 4 chairs empty with clips on them for over 4 hours one day...no enforcement!  

If you wanted to see a show you needed to get to venue over an hour before the show to get a seat.

Also...everything cost $$$$....such an emphasis on sell sell sell...we literally had crew begging us to sign with them for wine tastings...after saying we'd think on it...they pushed on while we were eating dinner.  

Excursions...they even nickel and dimed you for water...really?  You can throw in a couple of waters?  

The casino was a joke...those machines so tight..one knows your going to eventually lose...but playing for more than a couple minutes would be nice.   

We've got 10 cruises on Holland America...we hoped for a bit younger crowd, more manners and relaxation.   What we got was no mannered zombie eaters, ride people, not enough seats for pool and shows and nothing to do that didn't cost $$$$...for heaven sakes no go cost 50 bucks unless you wanted one paper card..and then they couldn't loan you a dauber...they cost 2.50...really?

We have a fall colors cruise booked this fall...doubt if the four of us will go. 

Thanks again

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5
Dis organized.

Onboard Activities

1 out of 5

Entertainment

3 out of 5
Needed to go an hour before yo get a seat

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5
Nice...great service!

Ports of call

Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida

3 out of 5

Oranjestad, Aruba

3 out of 5

Cartagena, Colombia

3 out of 5

Panama Canal (Cruise Into Canal)

3 out of 5

Colon, Panama

3 out of 5

Puerto Limon, Costa Rica

1 out of 5

George Town, Grand Cayman

1 out of 5
Couldn't get there..bad weather
Was this review helpful? 17

7 Comments

Gwbigdog    2 years ago

jawong    7 years ago

Anthony40    7 years ago

Frankly I can't believe it took 2.5 hours to eat lunch in the MDR. as for chair hogs. that is always the issue. personally I take a photo when looking for a lounger and then set my timer. if after 2 hours things haven't changed I grab me a chair. every cruise line the shows are normally packed. also why should the cruise line GIVE you bottled water? you can prepurchase it or get it with your drink package.

ItaVero    7 years ago

Yeah - there is something going on with Princess - and the various incarnations of the Horizon Court - on our last two trips on the Crown Princess (one to Alaska and one around the Horn) the buffets were CRAMMED with people - and there was absolutely NO place to sit inside - the spill over was forced out into the open (blustery rainy weather - no fun at all). We stopped going to the buffet and concentrated on the MDRs for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

margarettom    7 years ago

some people just don't want to just go with the flow, and I don't think they would be happy anywhere. It is what you make it.

picalo    7 years ago

"pigs at feeding time" I laughed till my stomach hurt. I call the buffet the throft. are you allowed to sell your fall cruise to strangers?

willwork4cruz    7 years ago

How did you prefer the food to be organized? Every Princess buffet I've been to has salads in one place, main courses in another, deserts off in another. I guess they could organize by color. I believe your complaints are pretty common to all lines except maybe the luxury ones. Does anyone loan daubers?

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