LIVE from the Coral Princess - LA to FLL - 14 days - April 20 to May 4, 2013

[Shadavi]

Hi Pia, glad to see that they have your favourite SB on board. Can you tell me how much it is on the Princess wine list?

[jnshig]

I'm sure Pia will answer herself' date=' but I think I'm safe to assure you that Pia and Mike are enjoying themselves very much. Their days are not jam-packed with activities or tours, as there are very few cruises that they haven't done - a couple of times! [/size']

Her "Live From" posts are simply a snapshot of HER day. Rest assured that there are numerous other passengers rushing around, fitting all the activities into their day that they can manage. Everyone's cruise experience is different. I'm sure you will enjoy yours as long as you keep your mind open and positive! :)

Tks so much! I feel better now. Packed and ready to go and have fun!

[Whimsy]

Pia, we will be sailing on the Coral next March for the first time doing a partial transit. Since you have done these sailings many times can you give me a little insight on passenger make up and how busy the pools and decks tend to be? I am expecting an older crowd, I am 51. With it as hot as you have had I am wondering how many people are by the pools? I am assuming they are still plenty crowded on sea days.

 

Thanks for doing the live thread. I am enjoying reading about your cruise.

[vickie_bernie]

Hi Pia and Mike, so happy to see you are both travelling and doing another live thread. I enjoy reading them and dreaming about another adventure.

 

I agree with another poster here - Pia writes about her day and her likes, that is what is nice and as an avid cruiser as they are their days are spent relaxing and enjoying the ship.

 

 

Pia, I think you mentioned on another thread that you were in a minisuite OV. We are considering Coral C202 (minisuite window) on our 7 night Alaska Southbound this July 2013. We are on Sapphire Northbound prior to Coral. The minisuite OV is $200 more than a regular balcony. We do not mind motion and generally like forward cabins. I find the forward cabins quieter, less foot traffic, door slamming etc. Also I think the extra space would compensate for no balcony, but there is the scenic glacier cruising to consider. I am lucky to only have these tough decisions to keep me up at night :) and what ever we decide I know we will be happy. Saw a few pictures and the window looks bright and large enough.

Sandra (mom 51 yrs) and Kyle (11 yrs)

 

We had this cabin but on the Island a few years ago and I agree the extra space is great. There was quite a bit of open space in the sitting area which would be right below the balcony above. We occasionally heard noise from the Princess theater but only in the bathroom - guess it came in thru the vents. Not sure and I am very noise sensitive but I am sure others would not even notice.

 

Vickie

[Jasperdo]

Pia, we will be sailing on the Coral next March for the first time doing a partial transit. Since you have done these sailings many times can you give me a little insight on passenger make up and how busy the pools and decks tend to be? I am expecting an older crowd, I am 51. With it as hot as you have had I am wondering how many people are by the pools? I am assuming they are still plenty crowded on sea days.

 

Thanks for doing the live thread. I am enjoying reading about your cruise.

Here's a photo I took on a sunny sea day on the Coral Princess last year. The pool area was busy, but not what I would call overcrowded:

 

Coral Princess by Jasperdo, on Flickr

Edited April 29, 2013 by Jasperdo

[rdsqrl]

Pia, we will be sailing on the Coral next March for the first time doing a partial transit. Since you have done these sailings many times can you give me a little insight on passenger make up and how busy the pools and decks tend to be? I am expecting an older crowd, I am 51. With it as hot as you have had I am wondering how many people are by the pools? I am assuming they are still plenty crowded on sea days.

 

Thanks for doing the live thread. I am enjoying reading about your cruise.

As a dedicated and obsessive pool person, I'll weigh in. I sailed this itinerary over the Christmas/NY holiday and because of the families onboard for that, I would say that our passenger make-up ran the gamut from old to young, maybe skewing a little older than on a Caribbean. We had kids, but only about 250. However, despite it being a busy full cruise, there was never any problem finding a lounger (and I am definitely not an early riser, out by 9am type!). Nor was the pool itself jam-packed with bodies. It was very different than the pool deck experience on a 7-day Caribbean cruise. I think it's due to the general spaciousness of the Coral given the number of passengers she carries, not so much because the heat kept people inside. The pool deck was still busy -- I don't want to give you the impression that there'll be acres of empty loungers! -- but always a place to sit and always a space to slip into the pool and swim around.

 

Well, see, whilst I was blathering on for four lines, Jasperdo cut to the chase with a photo and a short, pithy sentence! I would say that our cruise had a few more people than that on deck, but only because of the demographics of a holiday cruise. In mid-March, yours will probably look like the photo.

Edited April 29, 2013 by rdsqrl

[Whimsy]

Thank you both for the replies and the photo. One of our best sea days was when hubby and I found two loungers a bit back from the pool that gave us some morning sun and afternoon shade with a table in between for drinks and food. We spent a nice day relaxing, sunning, reading, swimming, listening to the music, eating fries and pizza and enjoying drinks. With a longer sailing I hope we get to do the same again.

[kath00]

So is it so unbearably hot in December through the canal too?? :eek:

[IECalCruiser]

So is it so unbearably hot in December through the canal too?? :eek:

We did the canal mid January this year. It was hot in the sun on deck but not that bad otherwise. No real issue in Fuerte Amador/Panama City on the covered upper deck of the HoHo bus or on the Train/Boat Ride in Puntarenas. It was pretty warm inside the train car before it started moving and air flowed through the window. We were on a "Galleon" cruise in the harbor in Cartegena and there was a breeze again. We were in the Sanctuary everyday (except the $70 canal day :eek:) and with shade it was never too warm. We really weren't bothered by the heat. Edited April 29, 2013 by IECalCruiser

[Pia1913]

　

　

Great night for us last night. It was Movies Under the Stars with pizza and wine (for me) and pizza and beer (for Mike). The weather was gorgeous and the movie was silly/funny. We saw Parental Guidance with Billy Crystal and Bette Midler. No matter where/how you see them, they are always good.

　

The day has finally arrived; Canal Day. Good Morning folks as we make our way through Lock number one; Miraflores. We entered at approx. 7:00 and will depart about 8:10. Next on the schedule is Pedro Miguel from 8:45 to 9:35. And in the afternoon, Gatun, from 1:05 to 3:30. Port lecturer Bill Keene will be doing commentary/narration intermittently throughout the day.

　

There is nothing happening on board during the day, so I now give you a few facts that I’ve found interesting.

1. The Atlantic entrance to the canal is 22 ½ miles west of the Pacific entrance.

2. The locks of the canal are 7 feet thick.

3. Panama was the first Latin American country to adopt the U.S. currency as its own.

4. Panama City is the only capital city with a rain forest within the city limits

5. Sen. John McCain was born in Panama, in the Canal Zone. At that time it was considered U.S. Territory

　

Post canal viewing will be the movie Beasts of the Southern Wild (in Universe at 5:00 PM) and The Devil Wears Prada on MUTS ( twice; first at 8:00 and again at 10:15). Main entertainment tonight is ventriloquist Michael Ziegfeld in the theater and Country & Western night in Universe. We always choose the dummy. :)

RESPONSES:

1. Jnshig: We always have a good time and food to me is unimportant.

2. Jackie and Vickie: Thank you :D

3. Shadavi: Haven’t bought Sauv Blanc; using my own stash. Will try to check for you, but I believe it’s $7.95 a glass and not the kind I like. I prefer Santa Carolina from Chile, and that is $27.60 a bottle.

4. Whimsy: I have not seen the pools crowded at all. .Always vacant chairs

　

Right now I’m headed to the gym and Mike went outside through the secret door with his trusty camera.

Back later.

[Tyskie]

We were in the Sanctuary everyday (except the $70 canal day :eek:) and with shade it was never too warm. We really weren't bothered by the heat.

 

May I ask what you mean about the $70 canal day in the Sanctuary? Do they charge more for that day? Curious :confused:

[chamima]

May I ask what you mean about the $70 canal day in the Sanctuary? Do they charge more for that day? Curious :confused:

 

 

 

I think that depends on the ship.

We were on the Coral and signed up for the Sanctuary for the whole cruise and paid the same $15/pp/day for Canal day but I read about people on the Island that had to pay the extra.

 

 

 

BTW -it was a GREAT place to be for Canal viewing. They opened early (6:30 or 7) and the Sanctuary manager brewed coffee for us and got a tray of pastries and fresh fruit. It was only open for people that had booked it so was never crowded.

Edited April 29, 2013 by chamima

[dmwnc1959]

A few screen grabs:

 

 

 

 

 

[dmwnc1959]

Edited April 29, 2013 by dmwnc1959

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Hi Pia - I have been following your posts and I'm getting a little worried about whether or not we'll enjoy ourselves (we leave from Fort Lauderdale on May 4th) - lol. You don't seem to be having a very good time apart from the movies! Appreciate the critiques on the live shows though - they are not my forte anyway. How is the food?

 

I'm sure you will have a wonderful time, I believe Pia has done most of the excursions that interest them as they have been to these ports numerous times before (this is the 3rd time in 6 months for some ports) so cruise for the R&R.

Enjoy your cruise and don't base it on what other people do and say:D

[dmwnc1959]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dmwnc1959]

 

 

Edited April 29, 2013 by dmwnc1959

[san diego sue]

Wonderful photos.:D:D

[IECalCruiser]

May I ask what you mean about the $70 canal day in the Sanctuary? Do they charge more for that day? Curious :confused:

We were on the Island in January. We booked the Sanctuary for the entire cruise at $15/day, BUT that did not included the Panama Canal transit day. That was an additional $70/person :eek: We met friends in the HC for breakfast and stayed there for the couple of hours while we transited the Gatun Locks. We watched the Pedro Miguel Lock transit from our Plaza deck Oceanview cabin. Our cabin dropped two deck below the top of the canal and we were able to get "up close and personal" with the canal walls. You can do the same in the Atrium. Quite interesting!

[chamima]

dmwnc1959

Great photos!!!!!!

Thanks :D

[dmwnc1959]

[dmwnc1959]

Wonderful photos.:D:D

 

dmwnc1959

Great photos!!!!!!

Thanks :D

 

Looks like Pia is having a spectacular day and the weather looks perfect. :D

[dmwnc1959]

 

 

 

 

Edited April 29, 2013 by dmwnc1959

[CruzinNoony]

Love the awesome photos!!! Thank you so much for posting them.:)

[dmwnc1959]

Love the awesome photos!!! Thank you so much for posting them.:)

 

Hate that I'll miss Pia exiting the Gatun Locks. Maybe someone can get some screen grabs? ;) Just have to monitor Marine Traffic for when she gets nearby or watch the Coral Princess Bridgecam...

 

Bridgecam

http://www.kroooz-cams.com/coral/coral1.php

 

Gatun Locks Webcam

http://webcams.pancanal.com/webcam/hd-gatun.jpg

(keep hitting 'refresh' every minute)

 

 

 

 

.

Edited April 29, 2013 by dmwnc1959