Island Princess
“Coral Princess's Panamax twin — purpose-built for the Canal, now a veteran of Alaska and Central America.”
Island Princess entered service in 2003 as the second of Princess Cruises' two Coral Class ships, sharing sister Coral Princess's Panamax dimensions engineered to transit the original Panama Canal locks. A major 2015 refit added 121 staterooms, raising her capacity from 1,974 to around 2,200 guests while refreshing Horizon Court, the Art Gallery, and public-space décor throughout. At 91,627 gross tons, she remains one of Princess's smaller, more intimate ships, splitting her year between 7-night Alaska Inside Passage sailings from Vancouver and Whittier in summer, and Panama Canal transits plus Caribbean itineraries from Fort Lauderdale the rest of the year. She's especially prized by repeat cruisers chasing itinerary variety over onboard scale.
Universe Lounge — a three-tiered showroom with a rotating stage floor, found nowhere else in the Princess fleet except sister ship Coral Princess. It reconfigures between production shows, cabaret seating and lecture-hall layouts within minutes, and is a favourite backdrop for Panama Canal transit-day enrichment talks.
What’s Onboard
Dining
- ✓Bayou Café & Steakhouse (Cajun-inspired specialty)
- ✓Sabatini's Italian Trattoria
- ✓Provence Dining Room (complimentary sit-down)
- ✓Horizon Court buffet
- ✓International Café (24-hour)
- ✓La Patisserie (pastries and specialty coffee)
Pools & Recreation
- ✓Outdoor pool and hot tubs
- ✓Lotus Spa & Salon
- ✓Steel Beach open-deck viewing area (popular for Canal transits)
- ✓Sports court
- ✓Fitness centre
- ✓Walking and jogging track
Entertainment
- ✓Princess Theater production shows
- ✓Universe Lounge — rotating-stage showroom shared only with sister ship Coral Princess
- ✓Movies Under the Stars
- ✓Casino
- ✓Explorers Lounge live music
- ✓Panama Canal and destination enrichment lectures
Cabins
- ✓Interior, Oceanview, Balcony & Suite categories
- ✓2015 refit added 121 new staterooms, raising capacity from 1,974 to around 2,200 guests
- ✓Mini-suites with extended balconies
- ✓Penthouse suites
- ✓Wraparound promenade-deck cabins
- ✓Connecting staterooms for families
Family & Kids
- ✓Camp Discovery youth programme (ages 3–7 & 8–12)
- ✓Remix teen programme (ages 13–17)
- ✓Youth Centre with games and crafts
- ✓Family staterooms
- ✓Movies Under the Stars family screenings
- ✓Panama Canal and Alaska naturalist talks for older kids
Video Tour
Complete Island Princess Ship Tour - Fully Narrated
- ✦Panama Canal transit seekers
- ✦Alaska cruisers wanting a smaller, quieter ship
- ✦Repeat Princess cruisers who prefer Coral-class pacing
- ✦Cruisers prioritising itinerary variety over ship size
Guests wanting mega-ship entertainment, extensive specialty dining choice, or the newest MedallionClass features. Island Princess is one of Princess's smallest and oldest ships still sailing, with a more limited amenity list than Royal-class or Sun-class vessels.
10-night Panama Canal from ~$900/pp (inside) to $2,600/pp (suite)