Home Away from Home - on Board the Ship
Our home away from home, The Island Princess, looks so very large to me but it could be reasonably considered to be a mid sized ship, when compared to some of the much bigger floating hotels presently out on the worlds oceans.
The Island carries approximately 2,000 passengers and 895 crew members, is 965 feet long and including bridge wing has a beam of 122 feet, it has 16 decks for a height of 203 feet and its tonnage is 91,627. The much larger ships are, in some cases, more than twice as long as The Island, twice the height and width, much more than double the weight and carry up to 5,000 passengers.
Our ship is of a size that has space for many amenities, is not overcrowded and one can still find quiet places for reading etc., but more importantly, it is small enough that you will come across the same folks on a regular basis - we have met several interesting couples who we can spend easy chat time with.
On board there are two formal dining rooms, a casual dining buffet style restaurant, and two upscale restaurants, one of which is a New Orleans themed steak house and the other has an Italian theme. There is a coffee shop, numerous little bars both indoors and outdoors and there are a variety of shops, boutiques and specialty outlets. There is a pizza and hamburger bar situated close to the outdoor pool, and an ice cream and sundae bar close to the indoor pool.
There is a gym and, a health and wellness spa on board too. There is a crazy golf coarse, basketball court and I am sure that there is more that I have not discovered so far.
There is a theatre which seats 680 and hosts broadway shows, a variety of entertainers and special guest lecturers. There is also a lounge bar which seats 260 where one can watch cabaret, game shows, etc. and another bar accommodates 150 and that is dedicated to mostly live music and dancing.
On a daily basis there are many other options available too and one might choose to visit the library,
view the numerous art works on display in the art gallery, take an organized ‘how too’ event, listen to specialist lectures, or simply do nothing, after soaking in one of several hot tubs, or having had a swim in one of the two swimming pools. Maybe watch a movie, from a sun lounger, on the giant outdoor screen above the pool deck.
This is ‘no guilt’ relaxing at its best, particularly when there are no groceries to shop for, no beds to make, no laundry to do (perk of our loyalty rewards), no meals to cook or plan for and best of all, there is virtually no timetable to adhere too.
One starts to feel very, very, spoiled in a hurry - we love it.
.
The Island carries approximately 2,000 passengers and 895 crew members, is 965 feet long and including bridge wing has a beam of 122 feet, it has 16 decks for a height of 203 feet and its tonnage is 91,627. The much larger ships are, in some cases, more than twice as long as The Island, twice the height and width, much more than double the weight and carry up to 5,000 passengers.
Our ship is of a size that has space for many amenities, is not overcrowded and one can still find quiet places for reading etc., but more importantly, it is small enough that you will come across the same folks on a regular basis - we have met several interesting couples who we can spend easy chat time with.
On board there are two formal dining rooms, a casual dining buffet style restaurant, and two upscale restaurants, one of which is a New Orleans themed steak house and the other has an Italian theme. There is a coffee shop, numerous little bars both indoors and outdoors and there are a variety of shops, boutiques and specialty outlets. There is a pizza and hamburger bar situated close to the outdoor pool, and an ice cream and sundae bar close to the indoor pool.
There is a gym and, a health and wellness spa on board too. There is a crazy golf coarse, basketball court and I am sure that there is more that I have not discovered so far.
There is a theatre which seats 680 and hosts broadway shows, a variety of entertainers and special guest lecturers. There is also a lounge bar which seats 260 where one can watch cabaret, game shows, etc. and another bar accommodates 150 and that is dedicated to mostly live music and dancing.
On a daily basis there are many other options available too and one might choose to visit the library,
view the numerous art works on display in the art gallery, take an organized ‘how too’ event, listen to specialist lectures, or simply do nothing, after soaking in one of several hot tubs, or having had a swim in one of the two swimming pools. Maybe watch a movie, from a sun lounger, on the giant outdoor screen above the pool deck.
This is ‘no guilt’ relaxing at its best, particularly when there are no groceries to shop for, no beds to make, no laundry to do (perk of our loyalty rewards), no meals to cook or plan for and best of all, there is virtually no timetable to adhere too.
One starts to feel very, very, spoiled in a hurry - we love it.
The Island Princess
The Atrium at midship - the central hub for shops, bars, lounges and coffee shop.
Lounge bar - light entertainment, music and game shows.
The outdoor pool and giant screen for movies in daytime and under the stars.
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The indoor pool area.
Afternoon tea and treats.
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