Coral Princess

Coral Princess entered service in January 2003, built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique and christened by Mireya Moscoso, then president of Panama. That choice of godmother was not incidental. At roughly 91,600 gross tons and about 2,000 guests at double occupancy, she is mid sized by today's standards, but the defining figure is her beam of about 32 metres, or 105 feet, deliberately kept narrow enough to clear the original Panama Canal locks. Every other design decision follows from it. The hull is long and slender rather than broad, public rooms stack vertically instead of spreading across a wide beam, and the gas turbine sits inside the funnel casing, which returned space to the lower decks that a conventional plant would have consumed. She and near sister Island Princess form a two ship class built for canal transits larger vessels cannot make.

The distinguishing venues are the ones that reward a slower ship. Sabatini's Italian Trattoria and the New Orleans themed Bayou Cafe and Steakhouse are the two specialty rooms, backed by the Bordeaux and Provence dining rooms, the Horizon Court buffet, the Explorers and Universe lounges, the Wheelhouse Bar, and an enclosed Lotus Pool that earns its keep in Alaska. A 2009 refit added Movies Under the Stars and the adults only Sanctuary. A genuine full wraparound promenade survives, which reviewers repeatedly single out.

Criticism is consistent rather than severe. Cruise Critic's editor review scores her 4.0 out of 5 while faulting limited included activities set against numerous upcharges, an atrium too small to function as a social hub, cramped showers and unreliable internet. Independent reviewers add age related notes: public rooms wanting a refresh, no waterslides or climbing walls, and an awkward mid ship layout on the dining decks where corridors do not run through, forcing detours by stairwell. Standard cabins are tight, with interiors near 156 to 166 square feet and no sofa below mini suite grade, which tells on long voyages.

She suits travellers who book for the route rather than the hardware: Panama Canal transits, Alaska glacier itineraries, and extended repositioning or world voyages. Cruise Critic reports more than half of passengers aged 60 or over. Families wanting flumes, and anyone expecting a modern megaship's variety of venues, should look elsewhere. Recent and announced deployment pairs an Alaska summer season out of Vancouver with Caribbean sailings and a long world cruise in winter.

**What this means for choosing a cabin.** About 83 percent of outside cabins have balconies, so the practical choice is balcony versus interior rather than balcony versus oceanview. Emerald Deck 8 oceanviews include lifeboat obstructed grades, and forward cabins on the upper decks catch wind and motion. Avoid anything directly beneath the Lido pool deck or Horizon Court, where deck chairs and early galley traffic carry down, and cabins beside deck laundries and service doors. Midship and lower is the quiet choice.