The ship
Coral-class Princess: mid-size, Movies Under the Stars
Island Princess is Coral-class Princess: mid-size by today’s standards at about 2,200 guests, Movies Under the Stars on deck, and a quieter pace than the Royal-class giants. Built 2003 with ongoing refits. She is classic Princess you can still learn without an app.
Main dining rooms with traditional or anytime seating, Horizon Court buffet, International Café in the Piazza, then Crown Grill and Sabatini’s (or the Italian room of the day) as specialty extras. Reserve specialty on sea days.
Evenings run through Princess Theatre productions, then Wheelhouse Bar and Piazza-adjacent rooms. Daytime is pool decks, Lotus Spa and The Sanctuary adults-only deck space. She is balcony-heavy Princess without Sphere sprawl.
Island is Coral-class Princess: balcony-heavy, showtime under the stars, and a ship that still feels learnable — budget Crown Grill and Sanctuary.
On board
Dining, Piazza, Movies Under the Stars
- 01
Anytime and traditional
Main dining rooms offer traditional set seating or anytime-style flexibility depending on your booking. Horizon Court covers buffet hours; International Café handles coffee and light bites. Specialty nights — Crown Grill and Sabatini’s — are worth booking on sea days. Price drink packages against the nights you will actually use.
- 02
Princess Theatre and Movies Under the Stars
The main showroom runs production shows and guest acts sized to the ship. Programme changes by season — check your sailing. Movies Under the Stars turns the pool deck into a cinema after dark with blankets and popcorn energy. Book spa or specialty slots on sea days before the popular times vanish.
- 03
After dark
Wheelhouse Bar and the Piazza-adjacent rooms cover piano, cocktails and conversation. The casino and shops fill the midship wander. Drink packages sit outside many prices — price what you will actually drink. Claim shade early on warm sea days if a lounger matters to you. Sign kids into clubs early on school-holiday embarkation afternoons.
- 04
Pools and Lotus Spa
Pool decks and hot tubs cover daytime sun without a waterpark skyline. The Sanctuary is the adults-only sunbelt, often extra. Lotus Spa treatments and thermal time are extras — book ahead on sea days. Arrive early for centre seats on sea-day production nights. Sign kids into clubs early on school-holiday embarkation afternoons.
- 05
Kids and adults
Youth clubs run for families, but Island’s guest mix often skews couples and older multi-gen groups on longer itineraries. She is family-capable without Sphere-scale clubs. Sign kids into clubs early on school-holiday embarkation afternoons. Treat brochure show titles as current-season colour — programmes change.
Crown Grill
Crown Grill is the classic specialty steak room and one of the pricier covers on Island Princess. Quieter and more dressed-up than the buffet or main dining rooms. Go here when you want a splurge dinner, not a cheap filler night.
Sabatini’s / Italian
Sabatini’s / Italian is the Italian specialty night — pasta and trattoria plates as a paid evening rather than the included main rooms. Mid-spend specialty: less than the steakhouse, more of an occasion than the buffet. Book early on sea days if Italian is your treat.
Horizon Court
Horizon Court — the big casual option for breakfast, lunch and low-fuss evenings on Island Princess. Included in the included dining and usually the quickest seat on a port morning. Ideal if you prefer self-serve over a long dining-room sitting.
Main Dining Rooms
Main Dining Rooms — the included evening dining on Island Princess, assigned or flexible depending on your cruise. Proper plated meals without a cover charge. Best for guests who want a classic cruise dinner without budgeting extras every night.
International Café
International Café covers coffee, light bites and gelato in the Piazza — some items included or low-cost, fancy coffees often extra. Perfect between meals when you do not want a full restaurant.
Princess Theatre
Princess Theatre is the main house for Island Princess’s production nights — cruise-stage spectacle sized for a large ship, not a West End transfer. Titles change by season, so check your sailing. Included with the cruise; grab a centre seat on night one if the headline matters.
Movies Under the Stars
Movies Under the Stars turns the pool deck into an evening cinema — blankets, popcorn energy and a big screen under the sky. Included once you are on board. Ideal for a low-fuss night when you do not want the main theatre.
Wheelhouse Bar
Wheelhouse Bar is the British-leaning social heart — ales, sport when it fits, conversation volume. Drinks sit outside the simple cruise. Best after the theatre when you want chat, not a nightclub.
Lotus Spa
Lotus Spa sells treatments and thermal-suite access as a day pass or package — not in the simple cruise. A calmer daytime reset than the pool deck. Book ahead on sea days if heat loungers and steam are your plan.
The Sanctuary
The Sanctuary is Princess’s adults-only sunbelt — cabanas, quieter loungers and its own calm, often sold as an extra. Not in the simple cruise on many sailings. Book ahead on sea days if heat and quiet are the plan.
Fit
Who she is for
- Couples and friends who want classic Princess mid-size living — Piazza, Movies Under the Stars, Crown Grill — without Royal-class size.
- Guests booking Alaska, Panama Canal or longer warm-water itineraries who prefer a learnable deck plan.
- Not the ship if you need megaship thrills, Broadway-scale arenas, or a brand-new Royal-class feature list.
Where
Where Island Princess tends to go
Princess often programmes her on Alaska, Panama Canal and longer warm-water itineraries. European seasons appear less often.
Treat this as the ship’s range, not a fixed timetable. When this guide is public, sailings with two or more UK agent prices will sit at the bottom.
Before you book
What the brochure skips
- Specialty dining, drinks packages and The Sanctuary are extras. Princess Plus/Premier-style bundles change the cost of drinks and Wi-Fi — compare for your habits.
- Compare UK agents on the same sailing — cruise-only, two sharing. The hero price should be the lowest bookable one, not the first logo you recognise.
Next step
Find a sailing
Compare cruise prices for Island Princess, or open the live map and see where she is now.
Compare all Princess Cruises prices