This was the first cruise of the Coral Princess after a rehab in dry dock. Carpets have been replaced, flat screens added to all rooms with satellite reception, new paint and improved internet access are among the changes. The ship is small and was built for the Panama Canal. Overall the cruise gets high marks. My husband and I are in our early 60's and were among the youngest people on the ship. Lots of folks with walkers, wheelchairs, scooters and canes. Excellent weather, no rain and not too hot.

We did the Princess excursion "Aromas and Flavors of Cartagena" which was excellent. Demonstration and coffee tasting, local cooking class and tour of the Old City. Very well done. We were a group of 28, split into two class groups. The small size allowed for a high level of interaction with the guides and young people who were teaching the classes. Humberto is the ship's guide to the Canal. He did a fabulous job of narrating the passage through the Canal all day. We made our way around the ship throughout the day. The emergency doors on level 11 was opened so we could view the locks from the front of the ship. This is not advertised. So check "non-traditional" access points.

Princess is one of the few ships that stops at Puerto Amador. We did the train trip and the new locks. We did the dome car which wasn't worth the extra expense. There wasn't much to see that you would miss if you were below. Save your money. The new locks are very interesting especially when compared to the old locks and well worth the time to visit. Our tour also took us through the city and past the old town. No stops just the bus ride. Read more