Last Minute Questions before I leave on Thursday for Panama!

[umbluemusic]

Hi all,

 

I can't believe it is almost time for me to leave on my cruise...my aunt and I have been talking about this for the past five years, so for it to finally be only days away feels a bit surreal.

 

*1*As of right now, I'm slightly overwhelmed packing for this trip. I realize it is going to be super hot and humid (it is Panama, after all), but I'm worried my estimation for clothing to bring is unrealistic and I may run out to get a couple more pairs of Bermuda shorts for excursion days. I also have read many topics about bringing sweaters or wraps for inside the ship, and I feel like that is the part that is kind of throwing me for a loop. I have two fancier lightweight sweaters (one gold, one silver) that I figured I could wear to dinner if its chilly over my dresses and tops, and then I was only planning on bringing one cardigan otherwise, just in case it is chilly on the ship at night or in Guatemala (which is what my excursion notes say it could be). I was going to wear one pair of nice jeans on the plane so that if I felt like wearing them to dinner, I could...plus it is still about 50 degrees here, so I'm not planning on wearing summer clothing to the airport at this point. Other than that, I have sundresses (mostly cotton, a couple blends though) and two pairs of regular shorts, a pair of yoga/sweatpant type shorts, and that is it on the casual end of things for bottoms. I'm not really into shorts. I hate to buy more if this is all I really need for the rest of the summer post-cruise, and I am bringing a couple sealed packets of detergent so I can do laundry at about the halfway point. Should I drop any of these items? I'm kind of at a loss at this point. I feel like I've been preparing for months and now it is crunch time and I can't decide what to do. I also have two pairs of lightweight parachute type pants that I was thinking of bringing in place of extra shorts, but they might not be practical.

 

*2*Bug spray - has anyone on a canal trip felt like they really needed it? I am constantly bitten by mosquitoes here in the summer, so I felt compelled to buy some with Deet just in case. I'm assuming I wouldn't really need it in Aruba since it is a short port day and beachy, but for the rest of the ports is it something I should wear? Generally I hate wearing repellent, but then again, smelling like repellent would be better than getting malaria...I'm assuming malaria isn't common though on cruises or they would have issued me some sort of requirement to get a vaccine, right? *crossing my fingers*

 

*3*Are there kleenex in the rooms?

 

*4*I guess lastly, this is just a general poll...but if people post a "Live" thread of their cruise during it, would it be stupid to then do a photo review afterwards? I was thinking about trying to do a live thread just because most of the ones I see are also from seasoned Princess cruisers, so I thought it would be good for newer Princess travelers to maybe see what it is like when everything is still pretty fresh and new. However, I also saw that Pia is doing a live of basically the reverse itinerary, so then I was thinking maybe I should just journal it myself and then share when I'm back. I take a lot of photos (it is my favorite part of traveling besides actually getting to see the destinations).

[Aus Traveller]

1. Clothes - This is a bit difficult. I wore shorts and a summer top for the Panama and Caribbean section of our trip. I didn't need anything warmer for inside the ship on sea days for that section of the trip. I had a couple of wraps for evening, but didn't actually use them. I suggest what you have sounds fine. I wouldn't rush out and buy more.

 

2. I bought good 'bug' spray with DEET for our Panama cruise plus the following South American cruise (January to March). We didn't see one bug. The authorities eliminated Malaria and Yellow Fever from the Canal Zone by 1906.

 

4. There is a box of Kleenex in the bathroom. If you want an extra box for the bedroom, just ask your room steward. I had two boxes the whole time.

 

I suggest you secure yourself a spot overlooking the bow of the ship for the Canal transit through the locks. We took a series of photos and it is amazing.

 

Have a wonderful time.

[newport dave]

Don't worry about running out of clothes for the daytime, Princess have self service laundrys on each deck. They cost a $ or so each and take quarters which you can get from Reception(had a complete mind block and can't remember what it's called on board, but you'll know where I mean..).

 

Bug spray, it all depends on how much you normally get bitten. We gave ourselves a quick spray every port day once we got to Panama Canal and were fine. Also no need for Malaria tablets as you're not going deep into the jungle.

[IECalCruiser]

We did a similar itinerary in January but without the stop in Guatemala. DW prefers capri's and wore them every day except in the dining room on formal nights. This was our first cruise as Elites and we sent out laundry twice on the cruise.

 

We didn't do to the Embera Indian tour but did do the train and river cruise in Costa Rico. DW has repellant wipes but we never saw a bug. Bring a few wipe packets but don't expect to need to us them.

 

Enjoy your cruise and take your photos :). Don't try to use your Internet minutes for a "Live From". It can be frustrating. When you get home you can submit a review with your photos and let people know what a newer cruiser thought.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Have a great cruise ...

[akeasley]

These are answers based on my trip from two weeks ago.

 

1) It wasn't that hot or humid.....don't overpack with a bunch of things you won't need. I had bought some extra shorts for the trip and ended up never wearing them. I ended up doing two loads of laundry which is probably why I brought too many items of clothing.

 

2) Bugs love me and I only got two bites the whole time and that was when I went white water rafting in Costa Rica and then had to stand in a forest like area and wait for the bus to take us back to the ship.

 

3) There are Kleenex in your bathroom.

 

4) Please do a live thread if you can, they are also very interesting to read!

[umbluemusic]

We did a similar itinerary in January but without the stop in Guatemala. DW prefers capri's and wore them every day except in the dining room on formal nights. This was our first cruise as Elites and we sent out laundry twice on the cruise.

 

We didn't do to the Embera Indian tour but did do the train and river cruise in Costa Rico. DW has repellant wipes but we never saw a bug. Bring a few wipe packets but don't expect to need to us them.

 

Enjoy your cruise and take your photos :). Don't try to use your Internet minutes for a "Live From". It can be frustrating. When you get home you can submit a review with your photos and let people know what a newer cruiser thought.

 

Thanks! I actually have internet covered and wouldn't be paying for it, which is the only reason I was thinking I would do it. But what would bother me more is that the internet won't be fast enough to post pictures, which is my favorite thing, so I'm leaning towards just posting it when I'm back. :-)

[Treven]

I definitely would NOT do pix from the ship. The internet connection is just so slow.

When I was on the Canal cruise a couple years ago I wasn't bothered by mosquitos at any of the stops, Aruba, Cartegna, The Canal, Costa Rica, or the two stops in Mexico.

I would suggest you take advantage of the ship's laundry rather than take a bunch of clothes you may or may not wear. As was posted, you can get quarters from the Purser's desk or bring a roll of quarters from home. That's what I do, I don't want to bother the folks there just for quarters.

[GradUT]

We did the Panama Canal cruise a couple years ago and only took a rolling carry-on bag as we didn't want to pay the bag fee. With careful planning of outfits and being willing to wear clothes multiple times, we had the right amount of clothing and did not need to use the ship's washers either.

[Pam in CA]

I took the Island Princess last October from Vancouver to FLL. I wear lightweight washable linen slacks here in SoCal and wore them both during the day and on smart casual nights. With either a T-shirt or nice top, they were very flexible. I feel that lightweight, loose natural fiber clothing is the key to comfort. It was hot and humid (if you live where there's little or no humidity, you'll really feel it) and the sun was very strong.

 

As for a sweater, I wore one only from Vancouver to south of LA. Inside the ship, I brought a wrap to dinner but rarely used it. Public spaces are cold if you are the first one in the area. Once people arrive, it warms up.

 

I never bring bug spray and haven't since an Amazon cruise many years ago. If you plan to go to a beach or do a nature walk in the jungle, you might need it but otherwise, no.

[AKman2495]

I was on the Embara Village tour last year and we went a ways into the jungle and I never saw many bugs. Now, I suppose things get worse at night, but in the middle of the day in the heat, there were no too many....

[Arlened236]

So far all the posts have been correct about the clothing you should take. We love this itinerary and we are doing it again in March 1014.

The only tip I would make is take a sweater or wrap for the dining rooms...Princess loves A/C and I always find it too cold after being in the heat of the day.

 

Have a wonderful cruise...you will love Panama

 

Arlene

[ceba]

We were on the Coral last year at this time. Fabulous cruise!! However it was unbelieveably humid and hot during that trip. I ended up wearing shorts (that I just planned on wearing ziplinning) and a tank top for at least half the cruise. Thank heavens for the laundry. I packed way more than i needed to. My hair is naturally curley and I didn't even try to fight it! My skin looked great with all that moisture ;). The atmosphere was extremely casual for everyone on board. Bugs don't like me but do like my husband but we really didn't see any. Make sure you tell your family members to watch you go thru the canal on www.mylivestream.com. We didn't know about this and really wished we had. This cruise (with the exception of Antarctica) has been our favorite cruise and we'd do it again in a skinny minute!! Have a great time!

[melody hounddog]

I would love to read your review of this trip, being a Princess newbie and all. I really don't mind if it is live or after your trip. Whatever you decide to do is fine. I would LOVE to see tons of pictures. Lots of canal photos and food photos (please!) would be great.

 

Post your link here so that we can all follow it!

 

Have a great trip!

[sminfiddle]

During or after, if you post it, I'll read it.

I would love to do Panama half or full transit...

 

Enjoy!

[PescadoAmarillo]

Regarding the DEET: we have a very small bottle of DEET in lotion form that we always take with us on cruises and throw into our backpack for excursions off the ship. I would hate to have a great day ruined by pesky bugs. I am a magnet for mosquitoes, but since I've been carrying around this bottle (it's been a few years now), I haven't used it once, nor have I had a single bug bite. I'm convinced that just having it with me is making all the difference. ;)

 

But, for me, it's really peace of mind.

[Mom33]

I would recommend taking pictures from the aft of the ship as you are going through the locks. Try Dolphin deck and you will be right in front of the gates as they open and close.:D Have a great trip!

[Jasperdo]

I would really enjoy seeing a photo review when you return. My wife and I did this same cruise on the Coral Princess last year. It was fabulous!

 

Here are a few photo hints. Going through the Canal, don't go to the forward section of the upper decks. There is an annoying blue glass there which makes taking pictures difficult.

 

Coral Princess by Jasperdo, on Flickr

 

Instead, go down to Baja Deck 11 and head all the way forward. There is a set of doors there:

 

Coral Princess by Jasperdo, on Flickr

 

Go through them and you'll be here:

 

Panama Canal: Gamboa by Jasperdo, on Flickr

 

When you go through the first set of locks, it will be very crowded here.

 

Panama Canal: Gatun Locks by Jasperdo, on Flickr

 

But after awhile the crowds will go away. Don't spend all day there, however. Promenade Deck 7 midship is a great place to get low level shots.

 

Panama Canal: Pedro Miguel Lock by Jasperdo, on Flickr

 

The upper decks aft is also a great place to go:

 

Panama Canal: Gatun Locks by Jasperdo, on Flickr

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Mom33]

Here is a perspective from the aft.

 

[VibeGuy]

One alternative to the slimy DEET feel and smell is Picaridin/Saltidin/Icaridin/Bayrepel. It's an active ingredient rather than a finished repellent, so check the label. I find it very effective in the tropics, but I doubt you'll need any on this itinerary.

[KruzPrincess]

I like LIVE threads and reviews. I agree that it would take a long time to try to upload pictures. Everyone has a different perspective and yours, being new to this itinerary, would likely be refreshing. I haven't cruise nearly as much as some of the people who post here, but I have done some live threads and it's been fun. Do a thread if it will add to your cruise experience. Do a review when you get back if you want to add a lot of pictures. Both are good.

 

The old saying goes to take half as much clothes and twice as much money. I always make piles of things to take and then start rejecting things as I pack. There's self serve washing machines or you can send your laundry to be done for you.

 

I took bug wipes once, but never used them. I don't do excursions into the jungle, though.

 

The only time it might be chilly is when you're sailing by the Baja. I come from a cold climate and wear jeans and a warmer shirt for the flight. If it's really cold I can wear those clothes. I never have had a problem with temps inside the ship, but A/C can be chilly to some.

[NavyVeteran]

4. There is a box of Kleenex in the bathroom. If you want an extra box for the bedroom, just ask your room steward. I had two boxes the whole time.

 

Based on my last cruise with Princess, I believe this statement is not completely correct. They did not have Kleenex in the bathroom. They did have tissue in the bathroom, and although it was usable, it was definitely not Klenex - it was a lower quality. This may matter if you are particularly sensitive.

[rdsqrl]

I'm a little confused by your post, because I can't figure out what you're planning to wear every day. I was there in December/January and it was hot every day. Maybe the last day wasn't hot, but it was still warm. Imagine the hottest day in Pittsburgh and think about what you wear then. Then multiply that by 14 days -- that's your wardrobe for this itinerary. In other words, I can't imagine cruising with just two pairs of shorts -- I'd be doing laundry every second day!

 

If you don't like/need more shorts in real life, what about cotton skirts? Check out the Fresh Produce website, for example. Or Target often has cheap but cute cotton skirts that you can pair with tees or a Polo and sandals for a casual daytime look. I find them much cooler and easier to wear than capris for daytime. Just a thought...

 

 

[umbluemusic]

I'm a little confused by your post, because I can't figure out what you're planning to wear every day. I was there in December/January and it was hot every day. Maybe the last day wasn't hot, but it was still warm. Imagine the hottest day in Pittsburgh and think about what you wear then. Then multiply that by 14 days -- that's your wardrobe for this itinerary. In other words, I can't imagine cruising with just two pairs of shorts -- I'd be doing laundry every second day!

 

If you don't like/need more shorts in real life, what about cotton skirts? Check out the Fresh Produce website, for example. Or Target often has cheap but cute cotton skirts that you can pair with tees or a Polo and sandals for a casual daytime look. I find them much cooler and easier to wear than capris for daytime. Just a thought...

 

 

 

I have some cotton sundresses for the ship, I'm really only planning on wearing shorts in ports. I did find another pair on sale today and wound up getting them but if I do laundry on the sea day between the four humid hot ports I could theoretically get by with only two pairs. Anyway, I've packed, I'm comfortable with what I have at this point, and I think it will be fine. I'm planning on spending all my sea days for the most part at the pool, so I have more things for coverup type stuff instead.

 

I'm just not a shorts person. Now that I have three pairs that fit well and are lightweight, maybe I'll wear them more. But I generally wear long pants or jeans year round so who knows.

[5326jan]

If you like to watch MUTS, bring a warm up suit or something similar. Between Cabo and LA we were cold on deck in the evening. Other than that a normal summer weeks worth of clothes (breathable) with plans to wash once should be adequate. I don't like to wear shorts either and mostly wore capris.

 

The washers/dryers are $2 each (8qtrs) and the load takes about 30 min to wash and 20 to dry. No one else was using them at the time I went.

 

We brought a couple of OFF! packets and stuck them in our day bags. The only place we used them was zip lining in Costa Rica.