Tiny bath/shower, inadequate viewing decks for Canal, nice staff, too short port times.

Island Princess Cruise Review to Panama Canal, Central America

Cruises: 4-6 cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 53

Overall rating:

2 out of 5
Verified Review
Island Princess

Panama Canal Ocean to Ocean

Sail date: October 17, 2016

Ship: Island Princess

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: A339

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 8 years ago

Review summary

The staff were very nice and the evening entertainment was good. 

Now the not so great...shower so small even for a small woman! Balcony Sara rooms the smallest I've ever experienced. Constnd barage of selling stuff! Daytime activities about selling not much stimulating! Food ok but basically the same everyday. Staff allowed only good forward view deck to be blocked by a few people who hogged it with deck loungers as we went through locks....really!! Those areas should be made available to all passengers and encouraged to be made available. When I cruised Glacier Bay on HA they made the full deck a lovely viewing area for all, serving soup and beverages and making it a celebratory event, not so here, big disappointment!! Might not choose this cruise line again!

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

Onboard Activities

1 out of 5

Entertainment

3 out of 5

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

3 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

3 out of 5
incredibly small shower! Tiny bath, small room. Alpha deck very noisy, directly under pool and party deck.

Ship tip

Early dinner seating very early, 5:15! But at least we didn't have to wait in long lines to be seated. Get to the 8:15 show early as it fills up, not enough room. If transiting the canal make sure you are in a port side(left) balcony room. Staff allow hogging with deck loungers, bad!!

Ports of call

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Did not visit port

Take your own tour, white van or taxi.

Huatulco, Mexico Did not visit port

Short! Not much to see.

Puntarenas, Costa Rica Did not visit port

Shore trips long and not enough seeing sights.

Cartagena, Colombia Did not visit port

Too short port time!

Oranjestad, Aruba Did not visit port

Short! Can see enough just walk downtown.
Was this review helpful? 53

4 Comments

Cruisers4Lyfe     3 months ago

Thanks for sharing

AuntPinkie    7 years ago

I have to say when I read your comments about the tiny shower, I was skeptical that it was smaller than any other cruise ship shower. Having just returned from the ship, you are so RIGHT.  I bumped my elbows all the the time.  I am not sure how some of the big fellows got clean.  I did ask one young man and he said he was half in and half out of the shower.  It gave me a comical image.  Thanks for your in-put!

AuntPinkie    8 years ago

Thank you for your advise.  Maybe we should have booked an assigned dining time.

mitzymx    8 years ago

That's why we book a balcony room.

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