Just an FYI here. We just completed a Panama Canal cruise with friends who stayed in this cabin and had to move due to constant noise from above. I'm not sure what it is from but pools are above this room and I think its due to some sort of motors or H2O pumps or something like that. The noise was constant and they finally got a new cabin. A433 which was fine. The people next to them had to move as well for the same reason.

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let us know about the cruise.

Why would the ship sell a cabin that no one can relax or sleep in due to noise !!

Will do Percy. I don't know why really. Maybe they didn't realize this when the ship was being knocked together. My friend said he was told no one had complained about this before. If so then folks should complain. I heard the noise myself and its a constant drone, very anoying.

I am booked on the Island Princess for November and will be on the Baja Deck. Any insight to the ship would be appreciated. How's the dinning room and the rest of the common araes? Saw the pics but the trip report is still not there yet.

Re the noise on A347, maybe the motor need some lubrication? Looking at the deck plan, it is directly bekow the Lido pool. Your friend is lucky that they have an empty cabin to move. What happens if the ship is 100% full?

Well according to the sign on the pursers desk at embarkation the ship was full. My friend insisted he needed to be moved and they did move him as well as the folks next to him so that begs the question as to what full really means. They did say there were some no shows though I don't know why it took 2 days to figure that out. I would think they would know that right away. I sent a TR to cruisecritic and as soon as its posted I'll C/P here. I sort of hate to do it all over again and unfortunately the folks there said they are three weeks behind so I'll just have to wait. The ship itself is very clean and tidy. The common areas are all that way as well. Hand sanitizers are everywhere. Food is subjective of course but I had no complaints at all and as some in our party requested Indian food and I applaud Princess for making it every night. It was quite good too. We did not use the Horizon for dinner but I did pop up there one night to check it out and I must say I would have liked to try it in retrospect. As for the noise and I am no expert but it seems they should lube it and better yet muffle it if possible. We had 1st seating which was 1730 and as the 1st show was 2015 we found this to be too much of a gap. Usually 1st seating is later, around 1800 or so. What was surprising to us is that there was not a single TV in any bar so for our son this ship was not that much fun. I was surprised that there was not sports bar and for younger people this may not be the most fun thing to do vs. say a Caribbean cruise on a Voyager class ship. I see you are stopping in Christobal. we had a brief time there and Princss had no activites into Colon as they said it was unsafe. There is a huge wharehouse on the pier with all sorts of shops set up however. In Ocho Rios there are tons of cabbies on the dock. We took a private tour for about 4 hrs. For 5 of us it was $60.00. It also seems like the merchants in town are hurting as they practically will bend over backwards to make a sale. If you like coffee then get the coffee card. I admit I am fussy about my brew and the regular coffee on Princess is God awful. The card is $25.00 and with it you get unlimited premium brewed coffee and 15 punches for expressos, etc. I'll post that TR asap. Any other questions please ask. Larry

Thanks very much for the info. I saw your review has been posted as well so I read that already. We do any time dining anyway so we make our own time. The trick is the reservation and on the Dawn princess, they won't take reservation on the first night and only 150 per night after that which is really starnge. We haven't come across that on other princess ships yet.
After we book, the TA gave us a bunch of travel warnings and it's not safe in Colon due to some sort of taxi stike or something. Most people I talked to said it is better to stay on the ship anyway.
Been to Ocho Rios and really don't want to go back again. Don't know what to do this time around. Terrible experience last November. I heard Princess will stop going there at the end of the season. I think my trip maybe the last one as they will stop at Montego Bay on the next sailing.
We went on the Shaw Garden and Dunn's River Fall combo tour. The road to the Garden is aweful. Roads are narrow and the pot holes are the size of a car and the bus driver drving towards oncoming traffic to dodge the pot holes. You should hear the guy sitting on the front of the bus screaming. He wanted to trade seats but no taker. Usualhyy, the first seat at the front is the most desirable. Everyone seems to want a peice of you at Dunns River Fall, It was rianing a bit and people were standing under the shelters and the locals wanted to charge people money for standing under there. Some people were actually chased out into the rain. They were also very "aggessive" trying to "sell" you the DVD, pictures, etc.
If I remember correctly, they wnted $10 for a lock rental and $8 for plastic shoes rental to climb the fall. And the guides are not shy about asking for moeny which is strange as people usually are going to tip anyway.
You are 100% right about the coffee. I have always get a Latte after dinner and brew coffee at the International cafe in the afternoon. When did they start the "coffee card"? I would definitely buy one. We've been paying $2.50 for a Latte and $1.50 (,aybe $1.25?) for a brew coffee, with no refill. But then efill is a North American thing.
Thanks agian, Larry. Great post!

WE recently got off Costa's Fortuna. Passnegers on deck 2 complaned about the engine and even splashing water they heard whenever in their cabins - especially cabins in the bow. This kept some up. There were NO other cabins available so they were stuck there and very unhappy about it.So don't book on the lowest deck!

Unfortunately aggressive folks on shore can ruin an entire stop. We've always had fun in OR and have been there 3 times for land vacations and have had no issues. Its too bad the line will d/c their stop their but if enough folks complain then its up to the Jamaica tourist board to act. Afterall it'll be the locals who will suffer. I remember being in India and having to go thru a gauntlet of hawkers and pushy salesmen while walking the last few steps to see the wonder of wonders, the Taj Mahal. It was unimaginable to have to go thru this to view one of the wonders of the world. Anyway you don't have to do this anymore so I suppose there were enough complaints. I am not sure when they started the coffee card. Our last Princess cruise was June, 2007 and I don't think they had it then. The good think is if you don't use all the punches you can reuse it the next time you cruise Princess. If they did not have that then it would be time to bging my French Press and my own coffee. BTW if you are in Costa Rica I brought back some excellent coffe, the AA peaberry "tres generations" Great brew. Cheers, Larry

Bonniejns: How did you like Costa overall?

Thanks Larry, they don't have the coffee card last November on the Ruby Princess so I'll find out soon enough. We are heading to Alsaka first with Celebrity this summer and then the Island Princess in November. Travel bargins are all over as economy is hurting. Good ime to travel and you money goes further.
Can't believe the price when I booked. Less than $1200 per person for a suite on the Baja deck for 10 days round trip. Cost more than that for the 3 meals and stay at a decent hotels.
I will definietly check out the coffee. Have you tried Simba coffee? Picked some up at Kenya. I thought they were better than Koni or Columbian.

I haven't tried Simba though thru my Gevalia membership I do get a Kenya coffee deliverd. This and the Columbian are the only ones that I get w/o fail. Sometimes you try one, drop it for another and so on but the Kenyan and Columbian are usually so good I just keep them coming. I got some beans in Guatemala from the place we had lunch at. The owner, a transplanted Frenchman who married a local and lives there told me its what he used for the Cappuchino we had that day and its amazingly good. The brand is cafe real BTW. Yes, there are great deals out there now not only on the mass market line but the luxury ones as well. Regent, for example is giving 2 for one deals, steep EDB's and in some cases the above AND free airfare. Well we still work so just getting up and going is not something we can do now. Hopefully by the time we're ready to go again the deals will still be there. Cheers, Larry.

Love my coffee and Columbian is usually the way to go. I will definitely pick up coffee on your advise. There are so many crusie bargains right now that (1) don't have enough time, (2) don't have enough money to take advantage of all the bargains. Afterall, there are more to life than crusing. And yes, work is one of them. NBA playoffs comes to mind too ...

Asia and south Pacific are deeply discounted right now. Princess offers a 2 for 1 deal for air to their South American cruises. I have a feeling that this bargain will last at least a couple of years. There are more new ships (more capacity) coming on stream this year and the next. With the economy, they will have to discount to fill the shps.
Good news for travellers for can afford it.

Actually I had some of that AA today. Its sooo smooth. I'm sure you will like it. Many cruise lines, even the luxury lines are offering big discounts such as 2 for 1's and or free airfare. I just got a 2 for 1 offer from Princess for a Baltic cruise on the Emerald which came to around $1800.00 for 2 for a JS cabin which is amazing. Too bad we did that cruise two yrs. ago. Oh well you can't win then all. I do think the economy will improve so I agree, take advantage while you can. Cheers, Larry

Good prices all around. The economy will pick up in 2 to 3 years. I think the worst is not over yet. I hope to see the turn around soon. I heard unemploymentmay hit double digit. Don't know who or what to believe anymore. Maybe I'll run into you on a ship one of these days. I'll buy you a "real" coffee.

If so you get the coffee and the "real" libation is on me. Best to have the coffee last.

I just spoke with my friend who had the complaint about this cabin. He wrote Princess and received a $300.00 OBC on a future cruise for the trouble. Bravo Princess!

Good for them ... When is your next trip and where?
I am heading back to Alaska again this August on Celebrity and to the Canal in November with Princess. I should bring my own grinder and beans. Maybe they'll brew it for me.

We are hoping to go to theBig Apple for a NE/Canada cruise in Oct. It sounds like you have some good times ahead. We too did Alaska in August. I assume you will be on the Island or the Coral, correct? Actually I prefer the coffee on RCI. They use a blend form Seattles Best and its pretty good. Next time on Princess I'll probably bring my French Press and hot pot. Larry

Actually, we are booked on Celebrity this time around for Alsaka but will be on the Island in November. Wife didn't want to be on the same boat (Island) so close together.

Funny how things turns out. We were originally planning on the Princess to NE/Canada via NYC in October. Get cheap cuise fare (free upgrade to Balcony) and real cheap airfare: $169 plus tax one way from Quebec City to go home)

Planned to fly into Syracuse to visit family and then they will drive us to NYC for a few days and then 10 days crusie to Qubec City, stay a few more days and then come home. Wife object to Quebec City so that was the end of that. She claims that the weather would be too cold in October (and it is going to snow!) and she doesn't want to go to 2 cold places the same year (Alaska and Quebec). Whatever ....

My biggest complaint with Princess is not the coffee. I just pay for the better stuff. My beef is the EGGS. I want soft boiled eggs and they can't do it consistenetly. Ordered two eggs, one is soft and one is rock hard. Go figure. The last trip on Ruby was good. The eggs were almost perfect every day. But then, the corporate chef was on board becasue it's the inaugural cruise. I will find out next trip if the eggs are still good.

No big boats for us this summer. Just hang around a fshing boat and a trip to the Rockies. Cheers!

Peace in life=having a happy wife. Good move. .