We wanted the experience of the Panama Canal and also the longer cruise time. We were not disappointed at all. I had read some reviews of this ship that were far from favorable so I was pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed this ship. It is cozy and I loved the enclosed pool area with it's relaxing padded loungers and "Zen" type quiet music. Perfect for reading and napping. The pool area was fun as were the hot tubs. We were happy with the food in the dinning rooms as well as the great selection of foods at the Horizon Court. The staff was friendly and helpful when needed. The only disappointment was the last day when they had a problem with the dishwasher and there were no plates to be found to get your breakfast before disembarkation. The staff did their best to get the plates out as quickly as possible but it did create a bit of mayhem. We enjoyed the flexibility of any time dining in both of the dining rooms. Service was good. Since I am not a seafood lover I found the menu selection left room for improvement. Too much beef and fish. As for excursions, we toured the National Aviary Sanctuary in Cartagena, Columbia and it was a lot of walking but there were areas to sit along the way and the walking was at a slow pace. Watch out for the Crown Cranes as they walk along with you back to the gift shop and you have to keep your hands at your sides so they do not try to bother/attack you. When coming out the door of the gift shop one was perched on the side and tried to bite my shoulder. Did not get me but did get my husband on his elbow and did not want to let go. It was a small bite but due to his taking blood thinners, it appeared to be much more serious than it was. This tour should have first aid available and it was not. Also It is a long but ride to and from the area and I think they should add to the tour by taking a ride through the city of Cartagena so that we could have enjoyed seeing the actual old and new parts of the city as part of the tour. No getting off the bus but just allowing it to be part of the tour would be great. We took a bus, train and pontoon boat trip in Limon Costa Rica that was outstanding and very easy for people who do not enjoy walking a lot. Both were very beautiful areas and we saw so many varieties of birds and wildlife in their own habitat. The tour in Limon was very informative and again saw the many animals that were known for this region. The tour guide on the pontoon boat even took time to turn the boat around so that no matter where you sat you had an opportunity to see the wildlife and take pictures. I was also impressed with Falmouth, Jamaica. The port area was very clean and beautiful and even though we did not plan on an excursion there was a booth offering a trolley ride through the city which we decided to take and really enjoyed this short tour too. We stopped at a beautiful church and visited with a local artist who paints and does woodcarvings to sell. All in all my husband and I had a wonderful cruise experience on the Island Princess and would recommend it to friends. The other two couples we traveled with were in agreement with us as well.