Fall in Love with the Quirky but Lovely Coral Princess
Revised
4/2021
Dear
Polite Traveler,
So,
after several cruises on the much larger ship—the Grand Princess—we now are on
a smaller ship; our first time on the Coral. While the Grand is
grand in size, it is not as homey...or quirky. The Coral hosts 1,000
guest cabins compared to the Grand’s 1,301. The Coral’s cabin sizes
are much smaller, as well, with the average balcony cabin at 225 square feet
compared to Grand’s 253 square feet which makes taking a shower even more
interesting than on the larger ships—not that it is ever easy.
Note:
Follow CDC and Princess guidelines when visiting. Always wear your face mask when in public.
Many
fellow passengers shared the same first impression of the Coral: it’s
quirky. For my fellow polite cruisers of larger ships, you probably
recognize the long, sometimes tight, hallways leading to our
staterooms. Coral definitely follows suit with one notable
exception. On most floors, these hallways include
turns. It’s somewhat like walking
a maze. Interesting.
The
negative aspect of quirky is found in the middle of the ship. The
International Café, which serves yummy sandwiches, beverages, pastries, and
salads is open to the Casino. Gasp! Yep, cigarette smoke
wafts in to mix with our cappuccinos and pastries. Granted, most
often it was barely noticeable, but still... Call me crazy, but as
a non-smoker, I am not a fan of secondhand smoke.
Does a Smaller Ship Equate to Limited Activities?
Absolutely
not! Nevertheless, grunts and grumbles greeted us quite often during
shows. The Universe Lounge layout restricts viewing of the stage in
several seating areas. Plus, I’m sad to write, that some guests are
not as polite
as others. Some insisted on filming
productions. Not only is this prohibited due to copyright laws, but it
also obstructs other’s viewing pleasure. Sigh.
That
said, the shows are good—some great—and the smaller rooms didn’t affect the
typical daily activities, like bingo and Zumba.
Small Ship, but Grand Atrium!
This
might be a small (ish) ship, but the atrium was very interesting and...
shiny. Many of the exciting activities and entertainment is found in
the center of the ship—the atrium.
Panama Canal is Amazing, But Much of the Fun is on the Ship.
There
are so many continuous and various activities at all times of the day, it’s
difficult to choose. Nevertheless, I was able to fit in my Zumba,
walking the decks, swimming, and chatting with passengers from all over the
world. We sat in on a few games as well, like the daily trivia games
and nightly couple’s games. The couple’s games were
hilarious!
Below
is a video of my favorite FUN times on the Coral.
Please share your experiences!
The new locks are
directly next to the old. Our videos show both.
Extended video cruising through the Panama Canal.
Fun on the Coral Princess.
Food on the Coral
Princess.
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