Island Princess cruise ship: who it suits and which cabin to book

Island Princess at a glance

Line

Princess Cruises

Class

Coral

Entered service

2003 (refurbished 2024)

Gross tonnage

92,822

Guests

About 2,200 (double occupancy)

Crew

About 900

Decks

16

Part of the Princess Cruises fleet. Sister ships: Coral Princess. Home ports: Vancouver, Whittier (Anchorage), Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles / Long Beach.

Island Princess was built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France and entered service in July 2003. It and its sister Coral Princess are the only Panamax ships in the Princess Cruises fleet, sized to fit the original Panama Canal locks. A 2015 refit added 121 cabins, raising capacity from about 1,970 to about 2,200 guests. A 2024 drydock refreshed carpets and the casino and turned the Bayou steakhouse into a Crown Grill.

Who it suits

Panama Canal travelers. Island Princess sails full transits of the canal, the classic long voyage on this route. Its size lets it use the original locks, while bigger ships use the newer, wider ones.

Alaska cruisers who want a one-way route. Its Voyage of the Glaciers cruises run between Vancouver and Whittier, the port for Anchorage, which makes it easy to add a land tour to Denali. Compare lines in our best cruise lines for Alaska.

Retirees and couples who prefer a mid-sized ship and longer trips.

Who should look elsewhere: families with young children, and anyone who wants the newest ship. For Alaska round trips from Seattle, see Royal Princess or Star Princess.

Standout features

• Panamax size: about 2,200 guests and 92,822 gross tons, small enough for the original canal locks.
• Crown Grill: the steakhouse added in the 2024 drydock.
• The Sanctuary: an adults-only retreat.
• Movies Under the Stars by the pool and the Princess Theater for production shows.
• The Piazza, the central shopping and café area.

Cabins to pick, cabins to avoid

There are 987 guest cabins, from interiors to suites with balconies.

Pick:

• Aft-facing penthouse suites at the back of the Lido deck (Deck 14) if you want a wraparound balcony with a wake view. On a canal transit that means watching the locks close behind you.
• Midship balconies for glacier days in Alaska and for the least motion on open-sea days.
• Interior cabins at the front of the ship if you want the lowest fare and will spend your time on deck.

Avoid or think twice:

• Deck 12 (Aloha deck) cabins directly under the Lido pool deck, where deck-chair noise and early cleaning carry down.
• The most forward balconies, which catch the wind and can be closed in high winds.
• High forward and aft cabins if you get seasick.
• Cabins next to guest laundry rooms, and unpaired connecting cabins, where noise carries through the connecting door.
• Obstructed-view oceanview and balcony categories (sold as obstructed at booking), where lifeboats block the view.
• Balconies on decks 9 and 10 that are overlooked from the decks above, and high aft cabins that can collect funnel soot.

Dining and activities

The main dining room, the World Fresh Marketplace buffet, Princess Pizzeria, The Bar & Grill, La Patisserie, Swirls ice cream and afternoon tea are included. Extra-charge options include Crown Grill (steakhouse), Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria, the Crab Shack pop-up, the Chef’s Table dinner hosted by the executive chef, Ultimate Balcony Dining, served on your own balcony, and Reserve Collection dining.

Activities include the Princess Theater, the casino, the Lotus Spa, live music, the art gallery and Movies Under the Stars. On Panama Canal days, the outer decks and the front of the ship are where you’ll want to be. Drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities are extra unless you buy Princess Plus or Premier; see our Princess line guide.

Where Island Princess sails in 2026–2027

• Summer 2026: Alaska. 7-day Voyage of the Glaciers cruises between Vancouver and Whittier (for Anchorage).
• Autumn 2026: Los Angeles. After Alaska, Island Princess moves to Los Angeles for a 32-day round trip to the South Pacific islands and Hawaii. See our Los Angeles cruise port guide.
• Winter 2026–27: the Panama Canal. Princess’s full-transit ship for the season, on one-way voyages between Fort Lauderdale and the West Coast. It has 16-night Transcanal sailings on sale from San Diego, Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale in early 2027.
• Summer 2027: Alaska again, on 7-day Voyage of the Glaciers cruises between Vancouver and Anchorage (Whittier).
• Winter 2027–28: the Caribbean and the Panama Canal. Princess lists Island Princess among its Caribbean ships and among the five ships sailing its Panama Canal voyages that season. Itineraries and home ports for it were not detailed in the announcement.

Sample Island Princess sailings. From-prices per person, checked September 2026.

Departs	Line and ship	Nights	Itinerary	From	Link
Jan 29, 2027	Princess Cruises, Island Princess	16	16 Night Transcanal Cruise (from San Diego, California)	$1,619	Check price
Mar 2, 2027	Princess Cruises, Island Princess	16	16 Night Transcanal Cruise (from Los Angeles, California)	$1,399	Check price
Apr 19, 2027	Princess Cruises, Island Princess	16	16 Night Transcanal Cruise (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida)	$999	Check price
May 12, 2027	Princess Cruises, Island Princess	7	7 Night Alaska Cruise (from Vancouver, British Columbia)	$309	Check price
May 19, 2027	Princess Cruises, Island Princess	7	7 Night Alaska Cruise (from Anchorage, Alaska)	$404	Check price
Oct 6, 2027	Princess Cruises, Island Princess	7	7 Night Pacific Northwest Cruise (from Vancouver, British Columbia)	$484	Check price

Sister ships

Coral Princess (2003) is Island Princess’s only sister. The two share the Coral-class design. If Island Princess’s dates don’t suit you, Coral Princess offers nearly the same ship, and it also sails Alaska from Vancouver in 2027. For Voyage of the Glaciers on a larger, newer ship, Princess also uses Royal-class Discovery Princess on the route.

Island Princess FAQ

Where does Island Princess sail?

Alaska in summer, on Voyage of the Glaciers cruises between Vancouver and Anchorage (Whittier), and the Panama Canal in winter, between Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles or San Diego. In autumn 2026 it also sails a 32-day South Pacific and Hawaii voyage from Los Angeles.

Does Island Princess sail through the whole Panama Canal?

Yes. Its Panama Canal voyages are full transits between the Atlantic and the Pacific, not the shorter partial transits that turn around inside the canal.

How big is Island Princess?

About 92,822 gross tons, with about 2,200 guests at double occupancy, about 900 crew and 16 decks. It is one of the smallest ships in the Princess fleet.

Where can I find the Island Princess deck plans?

Princess publishes deck plans on the ship’s page at princess.com and in its booking engine. Check the cabins above and below yours, especially on the Lido deck under the pool.

Do you have Island Princess reviews?

We don’t publish ship ratings or passenger reviews. Our view: it is a well-sized ship for long itineraries such as the Panama Canal, with fewer restaurants and newer cabins than the big Princess ships. See how Princess compares on our cruise line rankings.