Island Princess

Launched in 2003, Island Princess is the second of the two Coral-class Princess ships, together with Coral Princess.

History - construction and ownership

Princess Cruises is a US cruise company headquartered in Beverly Hills CA. A former subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises (founded 1977), in 2003, the company merged with Carnival Corporation - world's largest passenger shipping company. Among Princess Cruises assets is the Caribbean private island resort Princess Cays (on Bahamas Eleuthera Island's southern end), located approx 80 km (50 ml) Nassau.

The 91,627-ton, 1,974-passenger cruise ship Island Princess, together with sister ship Coral Princess, is an aberration for Princess Cruises. The line launched only two cruise vessels of this size before joining the rest of industry in building ever-more-massive ships (like those in the Grand class). Not part of either the group of biggest-in-fleet ships or the mid-sized Sun-class vessels, Island Princess falls somewhere in the middle and in many ways, it represents the best of both. Island Princess mixes the exotic (international crew members, stylish Italian dining venues, celebrity-style spa treatments) and the familiar (cruising's ubiquitous buffets, poolside umbrella drinks, cocktails and bingo). The public spaces are shiny, and even though the vessel was launched in 2003, there's no suggestion of wear and tear. Service is very good, especially in the dining venues. And the amusement is top rate. But the thing which really stands out is the quality of life onboard. Island Princess does a notable job of creating a typical Alaska experience that's highlighted by a lecture series featuring a state naturalist, National Park Service "ranger talks" and a presentation by the 1st woman to win the Iditarod. There is even a Princess travel guidance and map which allow guests to detect their navigational locations while referencing tales, points of interest and photos of the route.

Cruise itinerary program

Island Princess itinerary program is based on Alaska sailings during the summer months and Panama Canal cruises during the rest of the years. Feature port destinations include Cabo San Lucas, San Juan del Sur, Puntarenas, Oranjestad/Aruba.

Cabins

Most Island Princess staterooms are 170-sq.foot balcony rooms (527). Almost 80% of ship's outside accommodations have private balcony views. There are a total of 987 staterooms in 34 categories. 20 are the wheelchair accessible rooms. The largest aboard Island Princess are the Balcony Suites (470 ft2).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The two main restaurants onboard Island Princess serve up traditional 5-course evening meals. The line offers set seating at 6 and 8:15 p.m. in the Bordeaux and flexible anytime dining in the Provence Restaurant. The menus in both venues are the same with favourites, such as Executive Chef Martial Diffor's fettuccine alfredo, beef wellington, deep-sea cod in coriander butter sauce, twin broiled lobster tail. All meals are prepared to order. Menus in the main restaurants also offer vegetarian choices and Lotus Spa innovative dishes, with healthier options like chilled yoghurt and tamarind soup with grated lemon zest, filet of baby turbot with fennel Pernod sauce and tropical fruit smoothie with lime. Guests who prefer more formal fare can choose the sit-down service in the Bordeaux dining room for breakfast and lunch.

Follows the complete list of Coral Princess restaurants and food bars.

• Bordeaux Restaurant (ship's forward Dining Room; dinner only)
• Provence Restaurant (ship's forward Dining Room for Breakfast 7-9 a.m., Lunch 12-1:30 p.m., Afternoon Tea 3:30-4:30 p.m.; features “Anytime Dining” for Dinner between 5:30-8 p.m. or 8-10 p.m. and "Chef's Table" private dining)
• Sabatini’s Restaurant (Italian speciality restaurant; reservations recommended)
• Bayou Cafe & Steakhouse (speciality restaurant)
• The Bar & Grill (complimentary fast food)
• Horizon Court (self-service buffet restaurant, complimentary).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

On either side of the Fiesta and Promenade Decks are the two grandest venues of Island Princess: Princess Theater and Universe Lounge. Tucked between the two are the majority of lounges and bars, including the clubby Explorers Lounge, the Wheelhouse Bar which is more sedate, the retro Crooners martini bar, Churchill's cigar lounge and the casino, with its various table games like blackjack, poker, roulette and state-of-the-art slots. By day, ScholarShip@Sea program focuses on enrichment with a wide range of programming. There are dance classes, lectures on bridge and fashion, computer instruction. When Island Princess gets to the Panama Canal, passengers are provided with a lecture about canal's history and how it works.

Follows the complete list of Island Princess lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• The Piazza Atrium (3-deck open floor area; features live performances entertainment and lobby Bar Piazza)
• La Patisserie Bar (speciality coffee bar)
• Princess Fine Arts Gallery; Photo Gallery & Shop; Photo Kiosk; Platinum Studio
• Library (with Internet stations); Internet Cafe (24-hour); Card Room
• Princess Island Theatre (2-level musical and show productions; hosts workshops, seminars, game shows)
• The Universe Lounge (2-level second show lounge, also used for dance lessons)
• Churchill Lounge & Bar (smoking lounge and sports bar)
• Calypso Cove Shop; Essence Shop; Meridian Bay Shop; Facets Shop
• Princess Island Casino
• Crooners Lounge & Bar (live music; also used for seminars)
• Explorers Lounge & Bar (disco/show lounge; hosts karaoke, comedy, game shows and art auctions)
• Wheelhouse Bar (piano bar during the day and an English pub nightly)
• Wedding Chapel
• Island’s Lotus Spa complex; Beauty Salon; Fitness Center (with Aerobics Studio)
• Movies Under the Stars (LED screen outdoor cinema)
• Video Games Arcade; Teen Center; Youth Center with Paddling Pool and outdoor playing areas
• The Sanctuary (adult-only open-air area)
• Lido Pool area; Lotus Pool area
• Central Court (volleyball, basketball, European football); Shuffleboard; Deck Chess; Princess Links mini golf course.

Princess Cruises Island ship is fleet's 2nd Coral-class liner, with sistership Coral. The vessel was launched on July 12, 2003. The naming ceremony was held in Port Vancouver (BC Canada). Ship's godparents are Jamie Sale and David Pelletier (Canadian Salt Lake Olympic Games figure skating medalists). They had to share that medal with a Russian skating couple (Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze) - which is a rarity in figure skating. This issue raised again discussions regarding assessments in this sport. Canadians made their skating with no flaws, but Russia argued that Russian performance was more complex and therefore deserves the gold medal, despite a minor flaw in the performance. As a diplomatic way out, both couples were given gold medals.

Island Princess spends autumn, winter and spring sailing on 10-days or 2-week long transition cruises through Panama Canal visiting ports in Aruba, Costa Rica, Colombia, Mexican Riviera. During summer, the ship offers 7-day Alaskan itineraries from Vancouver Canada to Whittier Alaska. Island Princess offers the opportunity to experience the raw beauty of Alaska. The ship introduces a presentation of the first female to win the Iditarod and ranger talks with a representative of the state National Park Service. The Island ship's passengers can use a guide and map to find their location and mark it with photos and comments.

The sisterships Island and Coral are the fleet's only Panamax vessels. Panamax ships cover all standards for transiting through the Panama Canal. In 2017, Caribbean Princess made its maiden season of Panama Canal cruises through the new locks (inaugurated on June 26, 2016).