Hello Everyone,
After taking more than 30 cruises all over the world, it’s easy to compare voyages. In November, we took a 15-day cruise on the Coral Princess through the Panama Canal. Our ship, which left from Los Angeles, stopped at four ports before docking in Fort Lauderdale. These were Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Cartagena, Columbia; and Oranjestad, Aruba. We were supposed to stop at San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua but were unable to because of high winds.
The ship’s inaugural cruise was in 2003. At 91,627 tons, she is one of only two Princess Panamax ships (designed to go through the Panama Canal). She can handle 2,214 passengers and has a crew of 895. The ship has four pools. One is in the Sanctuary, the adults only area that costs extra to enter. One of the pools has a large screen, the Movies Under the Stars, used for viewing movies and sports events.
We had taken six Princess cruises before this one around South America and up the Amazon River, through the Baltic, and the Caribbean. I had great expectations as our 45th wedding anniversary would be celebrated aboard and we were strongly considering a Princess cruise to Alaska in 2016.
Our hopes continued when we found embarkation a quick procedure. Having cruised with Princess before several times, we were Platinum members, which allowed us to go through special lines and be boarded before the first timers. Princess deserved an “A” for the ease and quickness with which this was carried out. We also received our luggage within three hours of boarding. That’s quite a feat considering the number of bags that have to be delivered.
DISCOUNTS
Princess offers several discounts. If you own 100 shares of Carnival stock, you can get cabin credit up to $250 depending on the voyage’s length on Carnival, Princess, Holland America, and Seaborne. Military veterans can also get discounts up to $250. Princess requires a copy of the DD214. Before sending it to them, make a copy of this form eliminating your social security and service numbers.
When searching for a cruise, look for an agency that provides perks such as discounts. The cruise lines sometimes offer specials such as paid gratuities, cabin credit, or beverage packages. We were able to get a $360 cabin credit plus our gratuities paid by using CruCon.
Some passengers book a Future Cruise on a Princess cruise line ship. This provides up to $150 cabin credit per person depending on the length of cruise and room you book. Passengers don’t have to decide on a cruise on board but should book a cruise within two years. We had done this on our Princess cruise in 2013. I wasn’t aware you could ask for a refund. But if you don’t use this credit in two years, I learned, on board the ship this trip, that the line will refund your money.
If you are a return passenger with more than five Princess cruises, you get free Internet time on board. We did and received 150 free minutes. Note the computers ran very slowly on the ship at sea. Sometimes they run quicker when you are in port.
OUR ROOM
We went directly to our mini suite stateroom and were pleased with most of its furnishings and size. I have learned from former cruises that a mini suite on Princess is required if you want the size room you can obtain from a balcony on other cruise lines. If you book a balcony room on Princess, you won’t find a couch. Unfortunately, the only benefit of a mini suite on Princess is the room size, and the line will admit that. You can book a room on Celebrity's concierge level, less expensive than a mini suite, and get the perks Princess provides only on their full suite level.
I discovered a large area for hanging clothes. We only had 4-1/2 shelves in the closet as a safe took up space. There were exposed shelves underneath the two televisions. The bathroom was huge and included a tub/shower. The desk had four tiny drawers. It did have a sofa and two chairs.
The beds were hard and narrow. We had separated our beds which would be less than a double if they were put together. Our balcony adequately handled the table and two chairs but lacked a recliner.
It’s possible to order room service. We did for an early morning breakfast and for ice tea after our excursion in a very hot Cartagena. Both times the food arrived correctly and promptly. The breakfast arrived at the time for which we ordered it and the afternoon ice teas within a half hour.
We have learned if you are going on an early morning excursion to order room service. It eliminates the time needed to run upstairs to the Horizon buffet. You simply check off what you want on the card listing breakfast items, mark when you want it delivered, and put it outside on your door before you fall asleep.
Our steward. John, from Goa, India, was one of the cruise’s high points. He was friendly and efficient. The room was always made up very quickly. Talking to other guests, I heard similar reports about their stewards.
While at home, I pre ordered four anniversary surprises for Earl to be delivered to the room during our cruise for our anniversary. A beautiful flower arrangement arrived on day two. On our anniversary, November 26, I had chocolate-covered strawberries delivered before dinner. The next night we had cheese and fruit, and on November 28, we received a crisp vegetable platter. It kept Earl wondering, when he heard a knock on our door, if something new was going to be delivered. For our anniversary, our steward put a sign and balloons on our door, and we received a small cake at our dining table that evening.
DINING
The ship has numerous places to dine on board. We checked out the menus of the specialty restaurants for our anniversary dinner before deciding to stick with the dining room. We weren’t impressed with what they offered for the price. Sabbatinis is the Italian restaurant while Bayou Café and Steakhouse features Cajun and Creole cuisine. Both are $25 per person.
The Provence dining room is dedicated to any time dining while the Bordeaux dining room handles fixed dining at two seatings. We decided on any time dining. It has two advantages. You aren’t rushed to get ready after returning from late afternoon excursions. Since you share tables with others, you have an opportunity to meet new people. Usually, finding a table for two was difficult to do. On our anniversary night, we had to wait until 7:45 p.m.
We made friends with Virginia Brady Benefiel and Don Benefiel during the cruise’s fourth day. They were from San Juan Capistrano, California. Don is a member of Professional Photographers of America and shared two common interests with Earl - photography and computers. I met him at the vegetable carving. The next day, we ran into them and decided to have lunch together. After that, except for our anniversary, we met for dinner and attended the shows together every night for the rest of the cruise. We had no difficulty finding a table for four.
Food in the dining room was fine for those who enjoy sauces. Some cuisine had a slight infusion of liquor. It was definitely Caribbean oriented. The chilled soups and desserts were delicious. Wine and alcoholic drinks were pushed at all dining room lunches and dinners before food orders were even taken. This was not surprising since alcoholic beverages are one of the areas where cruise lines make their money.
Service was slow, often taking two hours for dinner. In order to be at the scheduled shows, we found we had to eat about 5:30 p.m.
We did have two nights in the dining room before Aruba where service was memorable. One night we had a wonderful waiter who had us all laughing. Every time anyone ordered anything, he said “That’s an excellent choice.” The other very efficient service was when we ate late at our anniversary dinner at a table for two.
The chef and captain got off in Aruba. Under the new chef and captain, service definitely improved our final two nights. I was surprised by the change of key staff. This was the first time in all our cruises for a chef and captain to change during a voyage.
We did have an unfortunate incidence in the dining room. It’s possible to order two entrees or two desserts for no extra charge. Ordering orange juice in the dining room was free in the morning. One evening I was having a very low blood sugar attack at dinner and needed orange juice. I was told there would be a charge for it which I refused to pay. After a lengthy confrontation with the head maitre ‘d, the issue was resolved in our favor. We learned the next day on a galley tour that the orange juice machine sat next to the ice tea machine.
We found the Horizon Court Buffet on Deck 14 had very good food and excellent service. It offered a large number of different items but didn’t vary much from day to day. Seating did not seem to be a problem as people were willing to share tables. This is where we had most of our breakfasts and lunches. It became the Crab Shack on several nights, serving seafood with a $20 per person cover charge.
The ship offered other choices as well. They provided two pub lunches at the Bayou Café & Steakhouse. Food was free but drinks, other than water, were not. You had to pay for coffee or ice tea. In the Princess Patter, the daily bulletin everyone receives, it mentions Sabbatinis has pizza for lunch. The day I checked it out I was told it was closed and to go to Princess Pizza instead. The International Café features premium coffees and pastries with a charge for both.
They did decorate the atrium beautifully for Thanksgiving. However, there was no dressing or sweet potatoes served. We did not think it was up to American standards.
Princess Pizza is the place on deck where you can order a tasty cheese or pepperoni pizza. At the Grill, you can get hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and French fries. High tea is served in the Provence dining room daily at 3:15. If you attend, be sure to order all the scones, cookies, and sandwiches you may want since the waiters only come around once for those. You do get tea offered twice.
You could order beverage packages. You can get unlimited sodas, juices, and hot chocolate for $8.05 per person a day. The premium package includes all cocktails, spirits, beer and wine priced below $10, as well as nonalcoholic items like soda, mocktails and shakes. It includes coffee, tea, espresso and specialty drinks. The package excludes mini bar and room service. The cost is $56.35 per person a day. Individual drinks were expensive with most ranging from $8.95 to $10.
They did have BOGO Happy Hours some days where they could buy a drink and get another for $1. At the pub night, drinks were two for one. While in the Universal Lounge before their production show, drinks were half price.
ENTERTAINMENT
This was another strength. We saw four excellent production shows. Three were in the theater and one, On the Bayou, in the Universe Lounge. They featured eleven dancers (four males, seven females) and two singers of each sex. The show band had six members, small compared to other ships. All the shows were 35 minutes in length. I can remember the days when they lasted 50 to 60 minutes. These shows were offered twice in a night.
Toward the end of the cruise, the ship offered a free backstage tour which we did not attend. It also offered, for $150 a person, a tour which wasn’t well advertised. It visited such ship’s areas as the bridge and the refrigeration and storage areas in the galley. Only 14 people are allowed to take the tour. We didn’t take that one but our friend, Don, did. Signing up should be a priority upon boarding.
On the other nights, the ship hosted a variety of entertainment. These ranged from comedians to a juggler; very funny ventriloquist; Bobby Brooks Wilson, the son of Jackie Wilson; and a female vocalist. Besides their two shows in the theater, these performers would also entertain with a different show a few nights later in the Universe Lounge. The performances in the Universe Lounge followed, except for one night, a half hour after the theater show ended. That one night they overlapped each other. The Universe Lounge was on the opposite end of the ship from the theater.
A highlight was when Mickey Finn, the famous piano player, performed. These were 50 minute shows. We had met Mickey the first day at the Horizon Buffet at lunch. We saw an older gentleman with crutches and asked if we could sit at his table. It turned out to be him. He didn’t use the crutches during his show.
Finn had his own nightclub, in San Diego, which seated 600. He also had his own show on NBC in the 1960's and had a show in Las Vegas for many years. He now lives in Winter Park. Usually, his wife, who is known for her banjo playing, accompanies him but not on this trip. His piano playing is so incredible that I bought all of his CDs. Virginia, Don, and I met with him in the Wheelhouse Bar, after his show in the Universe Lounge, to have a drink.
Ray Coussins, who was Frank Sinatra’s pianist, entertained nightly in the Crooners Bar. Since I am a Sinatra fan, I headed many nights for that bar to listen to Coussins.
The ship had other entertainment as well. You could dance to the party band, Epithani, in the Explorers Lounge where they also had Ye Olde Pub Night, Karaoke, and evening game shows. In the Wheelhouse Bar, you could listen to the Sugar Cane Duo, which was a Caribbean duet, as well as the Blue Jade Quartet. In the atrium, we heard The Fiore Duo, consisting of two violinists, and at other times the music of a mediocre pianist
If you sat down at one of the lounges to listen to the entertainment, you were always asked if you wanted an alcoholic drink. We were left alone when we said “No, thank you.” That was a plus that they didn’t come around every five minutes pushing alcohol.
At night, they did have 50/60's, Country and Western, and two Captain’s cocktail parties. They also had a Love Boat Disco Deck party at the pool. They celebrated the line’s 50th anniversary one evening with a balloon drop. Three nights were formal dress nights.
ACTIVITIES
The variety of activities was excellent with something for everyone. There were port talks, excursions talks, “The Sound of Music” Princess Pop Choir, and sports activities of all kinds including an Olympics. The ship also offered dance lessons, arts and crafts, bingo, trivia sessions, a series of lectures on well being, and more.
However, it seemed at least one third of the activities pushed jewelry, acupuncture sessions, art purchases, or spa products and treatments. Princess owns the shops and casino but franchises the spas and selling of art on their ships.
Two page advertisements were placed each night inside the Princess Patter, the ship bulletin listing all activities including meal times. These were delivered daily to the cabin. I have found saving the Patter is a great idea for a scrapbook, particularly if you circle your activities.
One of the first talks given was by Will Oldham, Princess Shopping Host, the man representing where to shop on land. He said you could get a free tote bag at one store and a free charm at another. At the end, he was selling coupon books for $25 which enabled you to get these products. He would have made a great used car salesman.
I attended one acupuncture lecture and made an appointment for a free consult with the Chinese doctor doing these. He did not answer my questions about neuropathy. Instead, he pushed a tape recorder within inches of my face extolling his virtues then took me to see a woman getting acupuncture. He showed me his almost filled schedule.
His price for one treatment was $172.50 with ten for $1100. Needless to say, I did not go back. But almost every day, he was out in the Crooners Bar giving lectures on the virtues of his treatment and then on herbs trying to get people to sign up for a free consultation and his expensive acupuncture sessions.
The stores’ merchandise was overpriced at the four stores. One woman told me she saw a piece of jewelry for $3600 on board at EFFY Boutique which she had seen at Macy’s for $990. A man told me that the liquor was much more expensive on the ship. While on board, he had checked the land prices on his computer. I compared myself when I arrived home and noticed a major difference. Besides the prices, I wasn’t impressed with the stores’ variety.
The ship said they had sales. I checked two of them out. Occasionally they had products worth purchasing like watches or manicure sets for $10. But usually it was items the ship wanted to get rid of or goods that weren’t marked down such as books on the Panama Canal.
Regarding arts and crafts, I went to the Bayou Café and Steakhouse twice when the Patter said they were making a lanyard. They were doing needlepoint projects each time instead. I learned that the patterns and needles people were working with had to be turned in at the end of the cruise so I did not participate.
Dr. Dean gave talks on each port as well as one on the Mexican economy and two on the Panama Canal. I managed to get through his very strong Greek accent. However, I was bored with his lectures. He used power points and simply read what he displayed on the screen. Seldom did he add any other comments. It was like his power point was A, B,C. However, I was expecting D, E, F, and he seldom got past C in his lectures.
He also did the narration for the Panama Canal as we traveled through the canal. Unfortunately, you could only hear him in the cabin or if you stood directly under the loudspeaker. That was not possible for those who wanted to take photographs. It was not his fault that the volume of the loudspeakers was very poor. It was a maintenance problem for Princess. The voyage through the canal would have been more enjoyable if we could have heard his narration.
I can’t tell you about the casino since we didn’t visit it. Compared to other ships we’ve been on where you have to constantly walk through the casino, this one had a space that was out of the way. I did look in and it wasn’t really that busy. I know they provided the usual table games and slots. The casino did offer lessons on the various games during the early part of the cruise.
The ship does have a large fitness room and spa area with numerous kinds of treatments for men and women. The newest trend seems to be acupuncture treatments. Spa related lectures are infomercials for treatments and products. Passengers also find sports areas with basketball, pickleball, shuffleboard, and a nine hole putting course.
SAFETY ISSUES
As with all ships of any line, Princess has a lifeboat drill for everyone on the first day of every cruise. We met in the Wheelhouse, our muster call place, and were checked in as everyone had to report. Our friends, Virginia and Don, reported to their muster place. The computer marked them as not being present. In an emergency, this could be a problem as the crew might be searching for someone who is already there.
During the cruise, several people received phone calls, in their cabin, to report with their life jackets to their muster station. The crew did not know what was going on when they arrived.
TURN OFF
We had excellent trips on this line during the 1990's and early 2000's. Although our December 2013, Princess cruise from Houston had been disappointing, we had hopes the line had improved in two years.
Instead, we found a definite cheapening of their product with shortened shows, mediocre food, overpriced goods in stores, and constant ads. Excursions were of mediocre quality. Many had increased prices on board compared to the Princess web site. We did enjoy seeing the Panama Canal.
We never saw the captain or hotel general manager. We only saw the cruise director when he introduced acts in the theater or on his television broadcast each morning. On the best cruise lines, all of these people are visible so they know what’s going on and maintain quality control. On this ship, it quickly became obvious they weren't paying attention.
After taking more than 30 cruises all over the world, it’s easy to compare voyages. In November, we took a 15-day cruise on the Coral Princess through the Panama Canal. Our ship, which left from Los Angeles, stopped at four ports before docking in Fort Lauderdale. These were Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Cartagena, Columbia; and Oranjestad, Aruba. We were supposed to stop at San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua but were unable to because of high winds.
The ship’s inaugural cruise was in 2003. At 91,627 tons, she is one of only two Princess Panamax ships (designed to go through the Panama Canal). She can handle 2,214 passengers and has a crew of 895. The ship has four pools. One is in the Sanctuary, the adults only area that costs extra to enter. One of the pools has a large screen, the Movies Under the Stars, used for viewing movies and sports events.
We had taken six Princess cruises before this one around South America and up the Amazon River, through the Baltic, and the Caribbean. I had great expectations as our 45th wedding anniversary would be celebrated aboard and we were strongly considering a Princess cruise to Alaska in 2016.
Our hopes continued when we found embarkation a quick procedure. Having cruised with Princess before several times, we were Platinum members, which allowed us to go through special lines and be boarded before the first timers. Princess deserved an “A” for the ease and quickness with which this was carried out. We also received our luggage within three hours of boarding. That’s quite a feat considering the number of bags that have to be delivered.
DISCOUNTS
Princess offers several discounts. If you own 100 shares of Carnival stock, you can get cabin credit up to $250 depending on the voyage’s length on Carnival, Princess, Holland America, and Seaborne. Military veterans can also get discounts up to $250. Princess requires a copy of the DD214. Before sending it to them, make a copy of this form eliminating your social security and service numbers.
When searching for a cruise, look for an agency that provides perks such as discounts. The cruise lines sometimes offer specials such as paid gratuities, cabin credit, or beverage packages. We were able to get a $360 cabin credit plus our gratuities paid by using CruCon.
Some passengers book a Future Cruise on a Princess cruise line ship. This provides up to $150 cabin credit per person depending on the length of cruise and room you book. Passengers don’t have to decide on a cruise on board but should book a cruise within two years. We had done this on our Princess cruise in 2013. I wasn’t aware you could ask for a refund. But if you don’t use this credit in two years, I learned, on board the ship this trip, that the line will refund your money.
If you are a return passenger with more than five Princess cruises, you get free Internet time on board. We did and received 150 free minutes. Note the computers ran very slowly on the ship at sea. Sometimes they run quicker when you are in port.
OUR ROOM
We went directly to our mini suite stateroom and were pleased with most of its furnishings and size. I have learned from former cruises that a mini suite on Princess is required if you want the size room you can obtain from a balcony on other cruise lines. If you book a balcony room on Princess, you won’t find a couch. Unfortunately, the only benefit of a mini suite on Princess is the room size, and the line will admit that. You can book a room on Celebrity's concierge level, less expensive than a mini suite, and get the perks Princess provides only on their full suite level.
I discovered a large area for hanging clothes. We only had 4-1/2 shelves in the closet as a safe took up space. There were exposed shelves underneath the two televisions. The bathroom was huge and included a tub/shower. The desk had four tiny drawers. It did have a sofa and two chairs.
The beds were hard and narrow. We had separated our beds which would be less than a double if they were put together. Our balcony adequately handled the table and two chairs but lacked a recliner.
It’s possible to order room service. We did for an early morning breakfast and for ice tea after our excursion in a very hot Cartagena. Both times the food arrived correctly and promptly. The breakfast arrived at the time for which we ordered it and the afternoon ice teas within a half hour.
We have learned if you are going on an early morning excursion to order room service. It eliminates the time needed to run upstairs to the Horizon buffet. You simply check off what you want on the card listing breakfast items, mark when you want it delivered, and put it outside on your door before you fall asleep.
Our steward. John, from Goa, India, was one of the cruise’s high points. He was friendly and efficient. The room was always made up very quickly. Talking to other guests, I heard similar reports about their stewards.
While at home, I pre ordered four anniversary surprises for Earl to be delivered to the room during our cruise for our anniversary. A beautiful flower arrangement arrived on day two. On our anniversary, November 26, I had chocolate-covered strawberries delivered before dinner. The next night we had cheese and fruit, and on November 28, we received a crisp vegetable platter. It kept Earl wondering, when he heard a knock on our door, if something new was going to be delivered. For our anniversary, our steward put a sign and balloons on our door, and we received a small cake at our dining table that evening.
DINING
The ship has numerous places to dine on board. We checked out the menus of the specialty restaurants for our anniversary dinner before deciding to stick with the dining room. We weren’t impressed with what they offered for the price. Sabbatinis is the Italian restaurant while Bayou Café and Steakhouse features Cajun and Creole cuisine. Both are $25 per person.
The Provence dining room is dedicated to any time dining while the Bordeaux dining room handles fixed dining at two seatings. We decided on any time dining. It has two advantages. You aren’t rushed to get ready after returning from late afternoon excursions. Since you share tables with others, you have an opportunity to meet new people. Usually, finding a table for two was difficult to do. On our anniversary night, we had to wait until 7:45 p.m.
We made friends with Virginia Brady Benefiel and Don Benefiel during the cruise’s fourth day. They were from San Juan Capistrano, California. Don is a member of Professional Photographers of America and shared two common interests with Earl - photography and computers. I met him at the vegetable carving. The next day, we ran into them and decided to have lunch together. After that, except for our anniversary, we met for dinner and attended the shows together every night for the rest of the cruise. We had no difficulty finding a table for four.
Food in the dining room was fine for those who enjoy sauces. Some cuisine had a slight infusion of liquor. It was definitely Caribbean oriented. The chilled soups and desserts were delicious. Wine and alcoholic drinks were pushed at all dining room lunches and dinners before food orders were even taken. This was not surprising since alcoholic beverages are one of the areas where cruise lines make their money.
Service was slow, often taking two hours for dinner. In order to be at the scheduled shows, we found we had to eat about 5:30 p.m.
We did have two nights in the dining room before Aruba where service was memorable. One night we had a wonderful waiter who had us all laughing. Every time anyone ordered anything, he said “That’s an excellent choice.” The other very efficient service was when we ate late at our anniversary dinner at a table for two.
The chef and captain got off in Aruba. Under the new chef and captain, service definitely improved our final two nights. I was surprised by the change of key staff. This was the first time in all our cruises for a chef and captain to change during a voyage.
We did have an unfortunate incidence in the dining room. It’s possible to order two entrees or two desserts for no extra charge. Ordering orange juice in the dining room was free in the morning. One evening I was having a very low blood sugar attack at dinner and needed orange juice. I was told there would be a charge for it which I refused to pay. After a lengthy confrontation with the head maitre ‘d, the issue was resolved in our favor. We learned the next day on a galley tour that the orange juice machine sat next to the ice tea machine.
We found the Horizon Court Buffet on Deck 14 had very good food and excellent service. It offered a large number of different items but didn’t vary much from day to day. Seating did not seem to be a problem as people were willing to share tables. This is where we had most of our breakfasts and lunches. It became the Crab Shack on several nights, serving seafood with a $20 per person cover charge.
The ship offered other choices as well. They provided two pub lunches at the Bayou Café & Steakhouse. Food was free but drinks, other than water, were not. You had to pay for coffee or ice tea. In the Princess Patter, the daily bulletin everyone receives, it mentions Sabbatinis has pizza for lunch. The day I checked it out I was told it was closed and to go to Princess Pizza instead. The International Café features premium coffees and pastries with a charge for both.
They did decorate the atrium beautifully for Thanksgiving. However, there was no dressing or sweet potatoes served. We did not think it was up to American standards.
Princess Pizza is the place on deck where you can order a tasty cheese or pepperoni pizza. At the Grill, you can get hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and French fries. High tea is served in the Provence dining room daily at 3:15. If you attend, be sure to order all the scones, cookies, and sandwiches you may want since the waiters only come around once for those. You do get tea offered twice.
You could order beverage packages. You can get unlimited sodas, juices, and hot chocolate for $8.05 per person a day. The premium package includes all cocktails, spirits, beer and wine priced below $10, as well as nonalcoholic items like soda, mocktails and shakes. It includes coffee, tea, espresso and specialty drinks. The package excludes mini bar and room service. The cost is $56.35 per person a day. Individual drinks were expensive with most ranging from $8.95 to $10.
They did have BOGO Happy Hours some days where they could buy a drink and get another for $1. At the pub night, drinks were two for one. While in the Universal Lounge before their production show, drinks were half price.
ENTERTAINMENT
This was another strength. We saw four excellent production shows. Three were in the theater and one, On the Bayou, in the Universe Lounge. They featured eleven dancers (four males, seven females) and two singers of each sex. The show band had six members, small compared to other ships. All the shows were 35 minutes in length. I can remember the days when they lasted 50 to 60 minutes. These shows were offered twice in a night.
Toward the end of the cruise, the ship offered a free backstage tour which we did not attend. It also offered, for $150 a person, a tour which wasn’t well advertised. It visited such ship’s areas as the bridge and the refrigeration and storage areas in the galley. Only 14 people are allowed to take the tour. We didn’t take that one but our friend, Don, did. Signing up should be a priority upon boarding.
On the other nights, the ship hosted a variety of entertainment. These ranged from comedians to a juggler; very funny ventriloquist; Bobby Brooks Wilson, the son of Jackie Wilson; and a female vocalist. Besides their two shows in the theater, these performers would also entertain with a different show a few nights later in the Universe Lounge. The performances in the Universe Lounge followed, except for one night, a half hour after the theater show ended. That one night they overlapped each other. The Universe Lounge was on the opposite end of the ship from the theater.
A highlight was when Mickey Finn, the famous piano player, performed. These were 50 minute shows. We had met Mickey the first day at the Horizon Buffet at lunch. We saw an older gentleman with crutches and asked if we could sit at his table. It turned out to be him. He didn’t use the crutches during his show.
Finn had his own nightclub, in San Diego, which seated 600. He also had his own show on NBC in the 1960's and had a show in Las Vegas for many years. He now lives in Winter Park. Usually, his wife, who is known for her banjo playing, accompanies him but not on this trip. His piano playing is so incredible that I bought all of his CDs. Virginia, Don, and I met with him in the Wheelhouse Bar, after his show in the Universe Lounge, to have a drink.
Ray Coussins, who was Frank Sinatra’s pianist, entertained nightly in the Crooners Bar. Since I am a Sinatra fan, I headed many nights for that bar to listen to Coussins.
The ship had other entertainment as well. You could dance to the party band, Epithani, in the Explorers Lounge where they also had Ye Olde Pub Night, Karaoke, and evening game shows. In the Wheelhouse Bar, you could listen to the Sugar Cane Duo, which was a Caribbean duet, as well as the Blue Jade Quartet. In the atrium, we heard The Fiore Duo, consisting of two violinists, and at other times the music of a mediocre pianist
If you sat down at one of the lounges to listen to the entertainment, you were always asked if you wanted an alcoholic drink. We were left alone when we said “No, thank you.” That was a plus that they didn’t come around every five minutes pushing alcohol.
At night, they did have 50/60's, Country and Western, and two Captain’s cocktail parties. They also had a Love Boat Disco Deck party at the pool. They celebrated the line’s 50th anniversary one evening with a balloon drop. Three nights were formal dress nights.
ACTIVITIES
The variety of activities was excellent with something for everyone. There were port talks, excursions talks, “The Sound of Music” Princess Pop Choir, and sports activities of all kinds including an Olympics. The ship also offered dance lessons, arts and crafts, bingo, trivia sessions, a series of lectures on well being, and more.
However, it seemed at least one third of the activities pushed jewelry, acupuncture sessions, art purchases, or spa products and treatments. Princess owns the shops and casino but franchises the spas and selling of art on their ships.
Two page advertisements were placed each night inside the Princess Patter, the ship bulletin listing all activities including meal times. These were delivered daily to the cabin. I have found saving the Patter is a great idea for a scrapbook, particularly if you circle your activities.
One of the first talks given was by Will Oldham, Princess Shopping Host, the man representing where to shop on land. He said you could get a free tote bag at one store and a free charm at another. At the end, he was selling coupon books for $25 which enabled you to get these products. He would have made a great used car salesman.
I attended one acupuncture lecture and made an appointment for a free consult with the Chinese doctor doing these. He did not answer my questions about neuropathy. Instead, he pushed a tape recorder within inches of my face extolling his virtues then took me to see a woman getting acupuncture. He showed me his almost filled schedule.
His price for one treatment was $172.50 with ten for $1100. Needless to say, I did not go back. But almost every day, he was out in the Crooners Bar giving lectures on the virtues of his treatment and then on herbs trying to get people to sign up for a free consultation and his expensive acupuncture sessions.
The stores’ merchandise was overpriced at the four stores. One woman told me she saw a piece of jewelry for $3600 on board at EFFY Boutique which she had seen at Macy’s for $990. A man told me that the liquor was much more expensive on the ship. While on board, he had checked the land prices on his computer. I compared myself when I arrived home and noticed a major difference. Besides the prices, I wasn’t impressed with the stores’ variety.
The ship said they had sales. I checked two of them out. Occasionally they had products worth purchasing like watches or manicure sets for $10. But usually it was items the ship wanted to get rid of or goods that weren’t marked down such as books on the Panama Canal.
Regarding arts and crafts, I went to the Bayou Café and Steakhouse twice when the Patter said they were making a lanyard. They were doing needlepoint projects each time instead. I learned that the patterns and needles people were working with had to be turned in at the end of the cruise so I did not participate.
Dr. Dean gave talks on each port as well as one on the Mexican economy and two on the Panama Canal. I managed to get through his very strong Greek accent. However, I was bored with his lectures. He used power points and simply read what he displayed on the screen. Seldom did he add any other comments. It was like his power point was A, B,C. However, I was expecting D, E, F, and he seldom got past C in his lectures.
He also did the narration for the Panama Canal as we traveled through the canal. Unfortunately, you could only hear him in the cabin or if you stood directly under the loudspeaker. That was not possible for those who wanted to take photographs. It was not his fault that the volume of the loudspeakers was very poor. It was a maintenance problem for Princess. The voyage through the canal would have been more enjoyable if we could have heard his narration.
I can’t tell you about the casino since we didn’t visit it. Compared to other ships we’ve been on where you have to constantly walk through the casino, this one had a space that was out of the way. I did look in and it wasn’t really that busy. I know they provided the usual table games and slots. The casino did offer lessons on the various games during the early part of the cruise.
The ship does have a large fitness room and spa area with numerous kinds of treatments for men and women. The newest trend seems to be acupuncture treatments. Spa related lectures are infomercials for treatments and products. Passengers also find sports areas with basketball, pickleball, shuffleboard, and a nine hole putting course.
SAFETY ISSUES
As with all ships of any line, Princess has a lifeboat drill for everyone on the first day of every cruise. We met in the Wheelhouse, our muster call place, and were checked in as everyone had to report. Our friends, Virginia and Don, reported to their muster place. The computer marked them as not being present. In an emergency, this could be a problem as the crew might be searching for someone who is already there.
During the cruise, several people received phone calls, in their cabin, to report with their life jackets to their muster station. The crew did not know what was going on when they arrived.
TURN OFF
We had excellent trips on this line during the 1990's and early 2000's. Although our December 2013, Princess cruise from Houston had been disappointing, we had hopes the line had improved in two years.
Instead, we found a definite cheapening of their product with shortened shows, mediocre food, overpriced goods in stores, and constant ads. Excursions were of mediocre quality. Many had increased prices on board compared to the Princess web site. We did enjoy seeing the Panama Canal.
We never saw the captain or hotel general manager. We only saw the cruise director when he introduced acts in the theater or on his television broadcast each morning. On the best cruise lines, all of these people are visible so they know what’s going on and maintain quality control. On this ship, it quickly became obvious they weren't paying attention.
Coral Princess
Grand Atrium - Four Stories High
Main Staircase of Atrium
Exterior of Wheelhouse Bar
Interior of Wheelhouse Bar - Next to Theater, Housed Musical Entertainment
Princess Theater for Shows and Lectures
International Cafe - Special Coffees and Desserts
Explorers Lounge - Pub night, Karaoke, Art Lectures
Overview of Universe Lounge
Closeup View of Universe Lounge
One of the Pool Areas
Horizon Buffet - Great for Breakfasts and Lunches
Seating Area of Horizon Buffet
Provence Dining Room
Galley Tour - Chefs Preparing Appetizers
Galley Tour - Chefs Preparing Hot Foods
Chef Vegetable Carving
Finished Product of What He Was Making
Other Vegetable Carvings
Thanksgiving Decorations in Atrium
Cornucopia
Closeup of a Thanksgiving Cake