Island Princess-Ft. Lauderdale to Acapulco-Feb 18, 10
My husband and I just returned from our first full transit of the Panama Canal on the beautiful Island Princess. We had done a partial transit last year on the Island and loved the comfort and space of this ship, so we chose to do the same ship two years in a row. It was a good choice as we thoroughly enjoyed our trip.
We arrived in Ft. Lauderdale a day early and stayed at the Hampton Inn on Stirling Road. We splurged a little and booked a suite. It was really nice having a separate living space to watch television that evening and the next morning. We used the hotels complimentary airport pick up service. In the afternoon we walked about ½ mile to Kmart to purchase some last minute items for the cruise. That evening we walked to Michael's Pub at the Comfort Inn next door for a barbequed burger and draft beer. The food was great, although the service was very poor. No matter! We weren't in a hurry. The hotel complimentary breakfast was surprisingly nice and I used the gym for a last minute workout.