Overview
The Coral Princess is a lovely ship, done in soothing corals and soft blues
with plenty of marble and glass. Only 15 percent of accommodations are
inside and 83 percent of the outsides have private balconies. Other
introductions on the Coral-class include the first seagoing New
Orleans-style eatery and an extensive enrichment program with lectures,
classes and cooking demonstrations. Not only can you visit exotic Caribbean,
Central American and scenic Alaskan ports, you can take home a hand-painted
fish platter you made yourself or a checklist for hosting a Mexican-themed
dinner party.

The Coral Princess is a new class of ship for Princess Cruises, a 91,000-ton
vessel built to offer the maximum amount of public space and still squeeze
through the Panama Canal. The company says it's a true Panamax, which is the
term that describes the maximum width that can fit through the canal's
110-foot-wide locks. It ranks as one of the largest to fit through the
canal, with just mere feet to spare on each side - you can almost stretch
out to touch the clammy walls!

Cabins
Like the atrium, the cabins on Coral Princess are also decorated in soothing
corals and soft blues with pale woods. Standard cabins have convertible
twin/queen beds, color TV and remote with CNN, ESPN and Discovery and more channels, a mini-fridge, hair dryers, safe and bathroom with shower. There are 671 outside standards (162 square feet) and 108 inside (156 square
feet). The 527 standard balcony cabins measure 217 to 232 square feet,
including the balcony.

The 192 mini-suites (285-302 square feet with balcony, 300 square feet
without) have a queen-size bed and sitting area with sofa bed. There are two
televisions - one facing the bed, the other the sitting area -- waffle-weave
robes for use during the cruise, a mini-fridge with ice replenished daily, a
roomy closet with a safe, a hair dryer at the dressing table, and a bathroom
with lots of little glass shelves and a shower in the full tub. Don't expect
total privacy on your balcony; passengers on Deck 10 balconies, for example,
can look straight down onto those on Deck 9.

The Coral Princess has 16 suites, measuring 470 square feet with balcony.
These have walk-in closets, bathrooms with whirlpool tubs and a wet bar, in
addition to the other features found in the lower categories.

There are 20 wheelchair-accessible cabins measuring 217 to 374 square feet.
Sixteen have ocean views, four do not.

General notes: Room stewards several times knocked on the door when the
do-not-disturb sign was out (several other passengers mentioned the same
occurrence). Passengers' names were posted outside each cabin under the
mailbox. Fruit baskets are replenished only on demand by filling out the
"fruit menu." The so-so bath amenities are being upgraded with the
Lotus Spa brand.

Dining
The highlights are the two optional eateries - the familiar Sabatini's
Trattoria and the new Bayou Cafe. The former is an Italian eatery with
tables and bench seating framed by large soft watercolors of the boot
country. The food? A gazillion courses of antipasti such as artichokes,
olives, peppers and marinated shrimp; three kinds of pizzas; three kinds of
pasta; a lovely dish of sea scallop topped with caviar; a Caesar salad and
entrees, primarily seafood and a steak. Reservations are recommended, and
there's a $15 cover charge.

The Bayou Cafe is a lively spot of wrought iron railings a la Bourbon Street
and very good live jazz. (I thought the jazz was low enough so as not to
interfere with conversation, but ask for a table away from the band if you
want quieter dining.) Cajun and Creole goods are the order of the day here.
Start out with Smothered Gator Ribs or peel-and-eat shrimp char-grilled with
cayenne and Louisiana hot sauce. Follow up with a delicious crawfish bisque
or green salad with dandelion. Entrees include chicken and chorizo
jambalaya, cornmeal fried catfish, or a red pepper butter broiled lobster
(an extra $6). Meals are accompanied by dirty rice, fried green tomatoes,
slaw and warm Johnny cakes and cheese-topped biscuits. Desserts include
sweet potato pie, friend yellow peach pie, buttermilk bread pudding and
banana whiskey pound cake with a honey orange glaze. The $10 cover charge
includes a Hurricane in the signature wavy glass (although you can ask for a
substitute drink). Reservations are recommended. The restaurant has an
adjacent lounge where jazz fans would gather after dinner.

Princess has Personal Choice Dining in which you can select to be seated in
the Provence restaurant if you like traditional seating with the same waiter
and table every night at 6:15 and 8:30 p.m. or the Bordeaux to dine when and
with whom you choose between 5:30 and 10 p.m. In addition, round-the-clock
food is available buffet or bistro style in the Horizon Court. There's a
casual pizzeria and grill near the pool on Lido Deck 14. The Patisserie on
Deck 5 in the atrium is a pleasant spot to relax at bistro tables or on a
couch; there's a charge for fancy coffees but pastries and cookies are free.
The Hagen-Dazs ice cream bar on Deck 14 near the lovely covered spa pool
also charges for its treats ($4 for a sundae).

Confused? Don't worry. There's a cheat sheet in staterooms that lists
restaurant and bar hours and other pertinent dining info.

The Coral Princess has smoke-free dining rooms; smoking areas are available
throughout the ship.

Family
Princess continues to offer an extensive children's program as well as a
separate program for teens. Generally, the fun playroom and teen area have
activities scheduled from 9 a.m.-noon and 7-10 p.m. Advance bookings is
required for late-night kid-sitting (10 p.m.-1 a.m.) and for in-port
activities (2-5 p.m.). There is a small pool just for the young ones on Deck
12 aft, along with the playroom and video arcade.

Princess Pelicans, ages 3-7, and Princess Pirateers, ages 8-12, are
entertained with arts and crafts, videos and cartoons, scavenger hunts, ice
cream parties, sports tournaments, and tours of the bridge, galley and
backstage areas.

Off Limits, designed for teens ages 13 to 17, offers a wide range of
activities such as teens-only disco parties and dinners, shipboard Olympics
and T-Shirt painting.

Dress Code
The dress code is either smart casual or formal; generally there is one
formal night on a week-long cruise. Formal attire includes evening gowns and
cocktail dresses for women and tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits for
men. Tuxedo rentals can be arranged prior to the cruise on certain
itineraries.

Smart casual attire skirts, dresses and pantsuits for women and shirts with
collars and/or a sports jacket for men.

Daytime wear includes casual sportswear and low-heeled, comfortable shoes.
Shorts, cut-off T-shirts, torn jeans and bare feet are not permitted in
dining rooms.

Gratuity
The Coral Princess has an automatic gratuity program. A charge of $10 per
person per day for dining and stateroom personnel will be automatically
added to passengers' shipboard accounts. Passenger can add gratuities for
specific staffers to their shipboard account by visiting the Purser's Desk.
By the same token, passengers can also reduce the amount automatically
added.

Gratuities for other shipboard staff such as casino dealers and spa
personnel are at the passenger's discretion. A 15% gratuity is automatically
added to all bar tabs so a $1.50 can of soda actually costs $1.73.

Public Rooms
Most of the public rooms are located on Decks 6 and 7. Deck 6 is the deck
for meandering from the boutiques to the English-themed casino (slots in an
old double-deck bus or a red phone booth), past the photo gallery, and to
the African-themed Explorers Lounge with Moroccan-inspired mosaics of
brightly colored tiles. The Explorers is used for after-dinner music, game
shows and late-night disco dancing. Aft, spanning Decks 6 and 7, is the
Universe Lounge, with theater-style seating for after-dining shows, three
revolving stages and a state-of-the-art facilities for the enrichment
program (more about that later). Forward on Decks 6 and 7 is the main
Princess Theater, used for headline shows and big-screen viewing of
almost-first-run movies.

A level up on Deck 7 are the destination rooms - spots you plan to visit
like the optional eateries and the wedding chapel. Right off the panoramic
elevators are the 1960s-cool Crooners Bar with Rat Pack photos on the walls
and martini menu; the Churchill Lounge smoking room; and the always-popular
Wheelhouse Bar, with its big leather chairs, couches, nautical atmosphere
and maritime memorabilia.

Princess does not serve alcohol to guests under age 21 and bartenders may
ask for identification. The line also bans the onboard consumption of
alcoholic beverages brought onboard. All alcoholic beverages brought onboard
will be collected and returned to prior to disembarkation. Liquor for
stateroom consumption is available for purchase from specific locations).

Outside is the Promenade Deck lined with cushioned teak chairs - always a
welcome touch.

On Deck 8 are an oft-crowded card room, an extensive library and an Internet Center (50 cents/minute) with about 10 terminals.

One nice touch is a flower shop, at which you can order three roses in a
vase ($15), an anniversary arrangement ($55) or Godiva chocolates ($20) for
delivery to a cabin with a personal message. Orders are taken at the
Passenger Services Desk in the atrium lobby on Deck 5.

There are self-serve launderettes conveniently located on every stateroom
deck with irons and boards.

Fellow Passengers
Princess is an ideal line for passengers of all ages. While the typical
passenger is about 45 years, longer cruises, such as the Coral's 10-day
canal cruises, often attract an older clientele, especially during school
months. Once perceived as a destination for seniors, Alaska is becoming
popular for families.

Entertainment
Entertainment mixes with enrichment and education on the Coral Princess, the
first of the fleet to offer the Scholarship@Sea program. Always had a
hankering to throw some clay around? Join the Introduction to Pottery class
($40 include materials). Like to cook? Pick up some culinary tips from
famous cooks, such as the Too Hot Tamales or the ship's own head chef. Want
to learn about MS Word or Excel ($20), travel photography (free), or the
inner workings of Scotland Yard (also no cost) ? It's all here.

Much of the program is centered on the first seagoing pottery kiln and the
high-tech Universe Lounge. The kiln is used to fire ceramics painted by
passengers (cost varies) while the Universe Lounge features a full kitchen
set just like ones used by TV chefs. There are even overhead cameras so you
can look into a simmering pot of sauce.

Of course, splashy revues are still part of the entertainment lineup. The
Coral Princess debuted "Curtain Up!" featuring Andrew Lloyd Weber music and
"Tribute" with popular music from the Rat Pack to Madonna. Most nights there
are two big shows in the Universe Lounge and the traditional show venue, the
Princess Theater.

The Coral Princess also features a half-dozen other performances a night,
from the resident crooner in Crooners, the lively jazz combo in the Bayou
Cafe, and several other danceable bands to disc jockeys.