Island Princess

The 2003-built Island Princess cruise ship is the second of the two Coral-class Princess ships, together with Coral Princess.

The vessel (IMO number 9230402) is currently Bermuda-flagged (MMSI 310384000) and registered in Hamilton.

History - construction and ownership

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

The 2200-passenger ship Island Princess and Coral Princess are "aberrations" for Princess Cruises. The line launched only two cruise vessels of this size before joining the rest of the 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.

Decks and Cabins

Island Princess staterooms (1107 total, in 34 grades) include 123 Suites, 581 Balconies, 181 Oceanviews and 122 Interior, also 20 wheelchair-accessible cabins. Almost 80% of all outside passenger accommodations have private step-out balconies. The largest are the Balcony Suites (300-470 ft2 / 28-44 m2 including the terrace).

The boat has 15 decks, of which 12 are passenger-accessible and 9 with cabins.

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 pm. in the Bordeaux and flexible anytime dining in the Provence Restaurant. The menus in both venues are the same with favorites, 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 yogurt 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 am, Lunch 12-1:30 pm, Afternoon Tea 3:30-4:30 pm; “Anytime Dining” for Dinner between 5:30-8 pm or 8-10 pm, "Chef's Table" private dining)
• Sabatini’s Restaurant (Italian specialty restaurant; reservations recommended)
• Bayou Cafe & Steakhouse (specialty restaurant)
• The Bar & Grill (complimentary fast food)
• Horizon Court (self-service buffet restaurant, complimentary)

In April 2024 Princess Cruises announced that starting September 14th (2024) fleetwide would be introduced 3 distinct main dining/dinner table service options – Traditional, Reservable, and Walk-in Anytime. By the new program (introduced with Sun Princess) on each ship are allocated 3 separate dining rooms - one for Traditional dining (offering early and late dinner seating), one with Reservable times, and one for Walk-in Anytime (open-seating). The new options are integrated with the OceanNow service, allowing anything to be ordered anytime, and delivered anywhere onboard.

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 (specialty 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 (adults-only sundeck/open-air area)
• Lido Pool area; Lotus Pool area
• Central Court (volleyball, basketball, European football); Shuffleboard; Deck Chess; Princess Links/Mini=Golf Course.

Itineraries

Island Princess itinerary program is best-known for the Panama Canal transition cruises (passing thru the Historic/Old Locks). The boat also operates around the world voyages.

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, the Island Princess ship was paused for 2+ years (March 2020 thru April 2022). "World Cruise 2022" (112-day roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale/Port Everglades, Florida USA) was canceled. Operations were scheduled to restart with Caribbean itineraries (7-day and 14-day B2B roundtrips from Port Everglades), followed by an 18-day Transatlantic crossing and a European season (Baltic-Iceland-Greenland from Southampton UK) and a mini-Mediterranean season (from Civitavecchia-Rome).

The vessel (STX France/Chantiers de l’Atlantique yard/hull number D32) has volume 92822 GT-tons, DWT-deadweight tonnage 8015 tons, max draught 8,3 m. The powerplant is based on 2x Wartisla marine diesel engines (model 16V46C) plus a gas turbine (model General Electric LM2500) with combined output 62,7 MW (84055 hp). The propulsion is CODLAG (combined diesel-electric and gas). The registered shipowner is PRINCESS CRUISE LINES LTD, while the registered manager is BRITTANY SHIPPING CORP LTD.

The vessel was ordered in 1999, its construction started in 2001 and was launched on July 2, 2002. The christening ceremony was on July 11, 2003, held dockside at Canada Place Cruise Terminal in Port Vancouver. The naming event was led by two godparents - the Canadian pairs figure skaters (Salt Lake Olympic Games figure skating gold medalists/spouses at the time) Jamie Rae Sale (1977-born/Olympic Champion 2002 & World Champion 2001) and David Jacques Pelletier (1974-born/Olympic Champion 2002). The Maiden Voyage left from Vancouver on July 3rd. The inaugural cruise (7-day "Voyage of the Glaciers" Alaskan itinerary) visited Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway, featuring scenic cruising in Glacier Bay NP (College Fjord). For the inaugural winter season (2003-2004/September-April) the ship was deployed in the Caribbean and homeported in Port Everglades-Fort Lauderdale (Florida USA).

Note: In 2002, the Canadian couple Jamie Sale and David Pelletier had to share the gold medal with a Russian skating couple (Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze) - which is a rarity in figure skating. The issue raised discussions regarding assessments in this sport. The Canadians made their skating with no flaws, but Russia argued that the Russian couple's 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.

Princess Cruises Island ship is the 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).

Island Princess spends autumn, winter and spring sailing on 10-day or 2-week-long Panama Canal transition cruises visiting ports in Aruba, Costa Rica, Colombia, the Mexican Riviera. During summer, the ship offers 7-day Alaskan itineraries from Vancouver Canada to Whittier Alaska.

The Princess 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).

Island Princess refurbishments review

The ship's last drydock refurbishment was in 2024 (September 5-24) conducted at Fincantieri's Cantiere Navale di Palermo Shipyard. The routine drydocking was for regularly scheduled maintenance and classification works, safety inspections, technical overhaul, hull cleaning/repainting, minor interior upgrades (public areas and passenger staterooms), general hotel upkeep.

Island Princess World Cruise 2025

In April 2023 was opened for booking Island Princess's World Cruise 2025.

The 116-night/117-day itinerary featured 33500+ NM (~62050 km / 38550 mi) of cruising, 51x destinations (ports and islands in 26 countries on 6 continents) 11x late-night port calls, 27x UNESCO sites.

The voyage was bookable as a roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale Florida (departing on January 5th) or a roundtrip from Los Angeles California (departing on January 20th).

It also visited for the first time (for Princess Cruises) the popular port cities Bar Montenegro, Taranto Italy, and Greece's Patmos Island and Volos (port for the Meteora Monasteries).

Prices started from US$20540 per person with double occupancy.

Early Booking promo perks for booking the roundtrip (from Florida or California) by May 31, 2023, included first-class or economy-class roundtrip flights, Princess Plus package (free beverages and WiFI), onboard credit, specialty dining, and Captain's Circle Benefits.

Guests paying in full for the World Cruise by May 31, 2023, additionally received 5% FCC (Future Cruise Credit) on the fare paid.

Island Princess World Cruise 2024

In November 2021 was announced the ship's World Voyage 2024 starting in January. The voyage offers roundtrip departures from two ports in the USA - Port Everglades/Fort Lauderdale Florida (January 4th) and Los Angeles California (January 18th). A 97-day segment departs from LA (Jan 18) and ends in Fort Lauderdale.

The full itinerary (112-days) visits 51 ports/islands in 27 different countries (6 continents), 25 UNESCO sites, 12 maiden ports (for a Princess World Cruise), and offers 33000+ nm/nautical miles (~38000 mi / 61200 km) of sea and ocean navigation.

Prices started at USD 21080 (EUR 18170 / GBP 15530) per person with double occupancy.

Early booking perks (full world cruise bookings made by January 31, 2022) included complimentary Specialty Restaurant dining (up to 4 dinners during the voyage), Premier Beverage Package (all onboard drinks/alcohol included), unlimited Wi-Fi, roundtrip flights from either USA or Canada (first-class airfare for Suites, economy-class airfare for balcony cabins), daily crew gratuities, US$ 500 pp OBC(onboard credit).

Island Princess World Cruise 2023

In late-January 2021 was announced a 111-night/112-day "World Cruise 2023" leaving roundtrip from Florida USA (Fort Lauderdale) on January 5, and (alternatively/97-day itinerary) from Los Angeles/Long Beach on January 19. The full itinerary visits 50 ports/destinations in 31 countries (on 6 continents) and total 34500 NM/nautical miles (39700 mi/63900 km) of global cruising.

Signature destinations include South Pacific (French Polynesia, Australia, New Zealand), Asia (Thailand), Europe-Mediterranean-Adriatic, Arabian Gulf (Dubai, Aqaba-Petra), Panama, Costa Rica. The World Voyage 2023 includes a maiden port for Princess (Gythion Greece).

Bookings opened on February 10, 2021, with prices starting from USD 20,000 per person with double occupancy.

Early bookings (made by August 31, 2021 /itineraries from Fort Lauderdale or Los Angeles) receive free beverages, specialty dining, prepaid gratuities, unlimited WiFi, $1000 per person in OBC (onboard credit), free flights (passengers from Canada and USA only).

Island Princess World Cruise 2022 (canceled)

In 2022, Princess Cruises scheduled a 112-day World Cruise on Island Princess. The voyage visited 6 continents and 51 ports/destinations (including 25x UNESCO sites) in 29 countries. Itinerary options included two roundtrip departures from the USA - Fort Lauderdale Florida (January 5 through April 27) and Los Angeles California (January 19 through May 11).

However, due to the ship's extended pause, World Voyage 2022 was canceled. The itinerary featured crossing twice the equator, Panama Canal transition, Suez Canal transition, 11x late-night port visits, 1x overnight, cruising a total of 34000 nm (~63000 km / 39130 mi).

112-days "World Cruise 2022" (roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale) itinerary was copied for 2024.

Prices ranged from USD 21000 per person (double occupancy Inside Cabin) to USD 58,000 pp (Suite). Balcony staterooms were priced from USD 30,000 pp. Pricing excluded taxes and shipboard gratuities.

Island Princess World Cruise 2021 (canceled)

In late-August 2020, due to COVID-related international travel restrictions and port closures were canceled Island Princess' "World Cruise 2021" and Pacific Princess' "Circle South America Cruise 2021". Next is listed the ship's canceled 112-day itinerary planned as a roundtrip from Florida USA. Prices started from USD 18780 per person (with double occupancy).

The voyage was also available for booking as a Los Angeles roundtrip (112-day) and in shorter itinerary segments - 98-day (Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale), 88-day (Fort Lauderdale to Venice), 74-day (Los Angeles to Venice), 71-day (Fort Lauderdale to Dubai), 60-day (Fort Lauderdale to Singapore), 57-day (Los Angeles to Dubai), 46-day (Los Angeles to Singapore).

Travel agents' commissions on all canceled bookings were paid in full.