Carnival Panorama Jan 21, 2023 post trip review.

[LaRue1975]

15 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

Wow! Sounds like it will be great! A NYE cruise is high on the list for the Mrs. and I and we want to do one badly but missing Christmas with the extended fam would be tough. We actually missed our first one this year do to covid (dressed up as Santa for a school event and got a surprise present from someone or some family during photos) and it was tough but we are aiming to get one in, in the next few years. I'm really hoping to convince the extended fam to come along but it may be a tough sell. We are doing a Thanksgiving cruise this year though, a first for us and we are super excited about it.

 

The kids really do have a great time at the kids club and they get a real vacation too. It's nice to see them so happy and yet so sad when the magic is over. 

 

Agree with Pig and Anchor and Alchemy, those old fashion variants are great! The espressotini's over at Plaza bar are pretty solid also!  

 

Also agree with Rhythms of the Nights, especially for novice cruisers or those who have never done it on a land based Puerto/Nuevo Vallarta trip. Probably the most bang for the buck excursion as you get a sunset cruise, beach front dinner on the shore, a show and a combo nighttime starlight and lit up skyline view on the way back. Maybe even a whale bonus! It's like multiple excursions in one package.

 

Hope you have a wonderful NYE trip! It sounds fantastic!  

Oh no. sorry your family Christmas was Covid cancelled! Our son,  DIL and granddaughter all had it too so we didn’t get our full family Christmas. It was the first time for all three but my granddaughter was born in mid December 2020 in the height of Covid. Last year was the only year that we were able to enjoy Christmas together and even that wasn’t the same because we were outside on the patio and ordered a restaurant meal. Hopefully we are done now and the holidays will be 100% back to normal next year. 
 

You definitely need to get a NYE cruise in but you have plenty of time. Heck, we waited until we are on Medicare, lol! Thanks again for the great review and happy cruising! 

[LaRue1975]

7 hours ago, tonit964 said:

I’ve done two NYE cruises both on Carnival and they are an absolute blast. You are going to love it. They were held on “elegant “ night and had two parties, one in the atrium that was the more dressed up one and the other one up on the Lido deck that was more casual. They passed out champagne just before midnight and had music & dancing. So much fun.

In the dining room at dinner, they had the hats & noisemakers on the tables, they might do it differently now though.

 

It’s a great way to celebrate a birthday for sure.

Thanks for sharing your experience, we are so looking forward to it! We board on the 30th so NYE will be on the normal first formal night and it’s an 8 night cruise with a stop in La Paz which is a new port to us. In October it was unbearably hot and humid in Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan and just plain hot in Cabo so we are looking forward to better weather and whales. Hopefully lots and lots of whales! 

[cruisingguy007]

6 hours ago, RenoNanaOz said:

We are on Panorama in May and were looking at Rhythm of the Night. We have done the daytime excursion there twice and loved it. I have read of some having issues with bugs at the nightime excursion. Did you have any problem?

 

That is in summer when you have issues, if you go during the cooler months it's not as big of a problem. We had no issues with bugs as it was cooler and shaded when we arrived to the dock. Have a great trip!  

[cruisingguy007]

6 hours ago, cacruisin said:

I read everything I can on the Panorama but I feel like no one ever references the night club lol….if you checked it out on your cruise any feedback? Any other fun activities to not be missed? TIA

 

Yes, checked it out one night and it was jumping! Drinks are weak in there though so you may want to hit the casino, catch a server, order a drink and tip them out and return to the nightclub. They have this rinky-dink cart they push out and the selection is limited and pours are super weak. I got a fella a drink for his birthday and it was almost embarrassing with the drizzle pour lol. I handed it off, wished him a happy birthday and promptly headed out to find a proper drink. 😆 

[cruisingguy007]

7 hours ago, allinwonderland said:

I wonder if I ever said hi to you and didn't know it was you? LOL. Also spent a lot of time in Alchemy and Plaza. Thanks for inadvertently reminding me to go post all the notes and photos I took of this trip.

 

We had to have based on your review lol. 

[cruisingguy007]

3 hours ago, LaRue1975 said:

Thanks for sharing your experience, we are so looking forward to it! We board on the 30th so NYE will be on the normal first formal night and it’s an 8 night cruise with a stop in La Paz which is a new port to us. In October it was unbearably hot and humid in Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan and just plain hot in Cabo so we are looking forward to better weather and whales. Hopefully lots and lots of whales! 

 

We have La Paz over thanksgiving and that will be a new one for us. I hope the excursions improve, the options are pretty dismal. I'd like a trip to Badlandra or Playa El Tecolote, heck, even just some way to get there and back reliably and not an excursion per sey. I've heard they have busses now to ferry folks into town and back but I'm not sure on the limitations. FYI, you can swim with whale sharks in La Paz!  

[LaRue1975]

4 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

We have La Paz over thanksgiving and that will be a new one for us. I hope the excursions improve, the options are pretty dismal. I'd like a trip to Badlandra or Playa El Tecolote, heck, even just some way to get there and back reliably and not an excursion per sey. I've heard they have busses now to ferry folks into town and back but I'm not sure on the limitations. FYI, you can swim with whale sharks in La Paz!  

We still have no Carnival excursions listed for La Paz, looking forward to seeing what they will be. No matter what I will be swimming in the Sea Of Cortez, not sure yet if it will also involve sea lions, seals, whales or other assorted sea life. Except sharks, definitely no swimming with sharks! Other than Rhythm Of The Nights this is the only excursion I’ll book or maybe there will be a nice beach we can taxi too.
 

I have yet to do any research on LA Paz, I have 5 cruises coming up before the New Years birthday bash. A side to side on the Vista and Breeze for our 47th anniversary in April, the 4 day Radiance in May, our first Journeys cruise on the Miracle 14 day to Alaska in September and back on the Miracle in November for a 5 day in a Vista suite. Retirement life is absolutely the best life, every day is Saturday. You’ll get there and it is worth the wait! 

[rwest898]

Thanks for the review.  We are going to be the Panorama the end of April and it will be our first time on this ship.  I'm looking forward to it.

[Theosprey247]

Thanks for the review. The Panorama is our favorite ship. 

[pandncruisers]

We are on the Panorama in May and our first time cruising carnival so been reading everything we can about panorama.  Thanks for the review, if anyone has recommendations regarding the ship that would be great.  We do this cruise at least once a year on a different line but looking forward to being on the panorama.

[Californian]

Thanks very much for your review.  I enjoyed your observations and tips.

[BethID]

How was the weather at this time? We are thinking of the NYE cruise but are hesitating because we are worried it might be too cool. 

[cruisingguy007]

On 2/4/2023 at 10:40 PM, BethID said:

How was the weather at this time? We are thinking of the NYE cruise but are hesitating because we are worried it might be too cool. 

 

Weather is great year round in the Mex Riv, well, except summer IMO. Some like the high heat and high humidity but I don't like humidity so it's not for me but the weather itself is great year round. January is a great time for a Mex Riv cruise. It can get a little chilly at night but the days are very nice. 

[Caribensun]

Thanks for your great review! It was a huge help.

[vwrestler171]

On 2/6/2023 at 12:26 PM, cruisingguy007 said:

 

Weather is great year round in the Mex Riv, well, except summer IMO. Some like the high heat and high humidity but I don't like humidity so it's not for me but the weather itself is great year round. January is a great time for a Mex Riv cruise. It can get a little chilly at night but the days are very nice. 

I was on the Jan 14-21 cruise and it had several nights that it was too cold to enjoy the movie on deck.  On the 19th, just after leaving cabo heading to Long beach, we left the movie early and went to the cabin and the TV said it was 46 degrees outside.  Cabo was also a little on the cool side.  High was only supposed to be 68 the day we were there.

[john91498]

Nice review. We're going to be on her this June after the kids get out of school.

 

this is the first time we'll be on her. We were supposed to be on her in 2020, but Covid shut that down.

[cruisingguy007]

On 2/7/2023 at 1:13 PM, vwrestler171 said:

I was on the Jan 14-21 cruise and it had several nights that it was too cold to enjoy the movie on deck.  On the 19th, just after leaving cabo heading to Long beach, we left the movie early and went to the cabin and the TV said it was 46 degrees outside.  Cabo was also a little on the cool side.  High was only supposed to be 68 the day we were there.

 

Yeah, that cruise was on the back end of the crazy storm we had out west. We lucked out and it ended the Thursday night before the 21st so we had sunshine and better weather but it was still pretty chilly some nights to be sure. Always smart to bring a sweatshirt and a jacket during the colder times just in case the evening gets nippy.