This was a spur of the moment cruise to fit other events in our lives and a good deal. However, I won't sail on the Island Princess until it is renovated.
I'll pay closer attention to the ships itinerary next time and avoid joining in the end of a Worls Cruise.
We took 1 week's worth of clothing and did laundry.
After bonus credits we spent less than $100 on board.
The grill on deck 14 by the smaller "indoor" pool has great burgers, hotdogs and fries as well as street tacos and other party/snack food.
SWIRLS on the other side of the ship opposite the grill, NEVER had two flavors of soft serve to swirl.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Getting on and off the ship was pretty effortless and both went relatively quickly. Only slowdown was due to customs delay in L.A.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Maybe I've been on too many cruises, but this one lacked any WOW-factor. Ship was not in top shape with rust in the pools, our balcony and even in the dining room and theater. Entertainment was average with two exceptions with an amazing comedian.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We attended a Bridge for Beginners on day-one and continued each at-sea-day for the rest of the cruise. The daily schedule of events was L O N G but about a third to half of the "events" were onboard shopping gigs.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
We were on the last 14 days of a 111-day world cruise. The stage productions lacked pazazz - I think they were all just worn out . . .
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Again, average but nothing and made us extra appreciative.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
Ship needs to be refurbished. I think I heard some crew talking about an upcoming visit to the drydock.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
The pillows were amazing! So much so my partner checked out the brand and ordered 2 pillows as a welcome home surprise for me.
Ship tip
If you can't stand paper drink straws take plastic straws with you. I picked up plastic straws during our first port stop.
Nice animal sanctuary right at the end of the pier. Didn't take any excursions as the US department of State recommended not even visiting Columbia when we cruised.
Best day of the cruise for me. I'm somewhat of a geek and like the transit to the lake and on to the Pacific Ocean. There was a "guide" all day on the PA system offering interesting insights on history and canal trivia.
OK, we finally took an excursion and was very disappointed. It was "tour" that we had to walk quite a ways to the 12-passanger van, then drove over an hour to a "village" and an hour drive back and dropped off at a jewelry store for "shopping" HOT! For 3$ US we took a taxi back to the ship.
Again, no excursions. Just an openair market with hundreds of stalls. We picked up t-shirts and coffee beans. Bargained all prices to about ^0% of what they were asking.
I had scheduled a lyft to get back to the airport but cancelled and took the Princess Shuttle instead. Cost $64 instead of $35 but gave me peace of mind.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
