Dr. Ashkir’s LIVE super secret cruise to the Mexican Riveria on the Carnival Panorama April 15-22, 2023

[ashkir]

Brunch/breakfast is busy. There was a shift in our waiters so we had to wait. But they’re so nice. The orange juice today is perfection.  
 

I got a simple vegetarian omelet. 
 

my friend got an eggs Benedict with salmon and bacon. 
 

please note all photos have no filters so you can see what it looks like exactly without the touch up a lot of but time critics do. I want your experience to be as authentic as mine. 
 

 

 

[ashkir]

We’re back at the thermal spa. Took a shower and spent some time in the sauna. 20 minutes in the hydrotherapy pool and now enjoying being a seal on those lovely heated stones. 

[IntrepidFromDC]

2 hours ago, ashkir said:

...we’re in an interior called 8336. 
 

 

That's a ding-dong-ditch target if I ever saw one.  😁 🏴‍☠️

[lbfluffy]

20 hours ago, ashkir said:

So bad news… my parents didn’t make it! Stepmom lost her passport on the way and they couldn’t find it. 😭 wedding in Cabo is off now. 
 

so it’s now a regular relaxation vacation. Good thing I bought the 7 day thermal spa pass. 
 

also we got an inside cabin. These dates were chosen by my sister. So options weren’t good. Especially since I’m paying $6000 for our 25 day October cruise. So I booked an inside cabin for $1500 and got $500 on board credit. 
 

this is the smallest cabin I’ve been in so far. No couch, limited closet space just one closet. But, it’s in a great location hidden by the elevator. We really like it so far. It’s nice and quiet for us. I brought a mood light that comes up when the sun is up. 

 

[lbfluffy]

Thank you for doing this review. Could you let me know what days they have formal night. I want to book the Teppanyaki restaurant when we go in December. We have a party of 16 and I do not want to conflict with formal night.

Thank you 

[kelkel2]

Great start to your review. Congratulations on your doctorate! 

[ashkir]

1 hour ago, lbfluffy said:

Thank you for doing this review. Could you let me know what days they have formal night. I want to book the Teppanyaki restaurant when we go in December. We have a party of 16 and I do not want to conflict with formal night.

Thank you 

Second night (Sunday night) is the lobster formal night. 

[ashkir]

We’re at the Fun Pamper Party. It starts in a few minutes. On the Panorama they hold it I. The motion studio. It’s hidden behind the desk, but on the door opposite to the relaxation room/lockers. Very easy to miss. Next to the stairs. 
 

very few even here. Only seven showed up. 
 

in my past experience this was the BEST massage pricing. 
 

stay tuned for the prices in 20 mins 

[Saint Greg]

On 4/15/2023 at 12:03 PM, ashkir said:

We passed Six Flags! That means we’re an hour away!

 

Cool. That's where the Griswold's roller coaster is.

[ashkir]

This is the first time in 5 cruises I’m not happy with the spa prices. Last several times they were excellent. 
 

the pamper party discount is not as good as it normally is. 
 

Massage - discounted to $149. Doesn’t include the hot stones this time. Normally on most cruises this goes down to $99 to $110. Normally most cruises will include hot stones and extend from 50 mins to 70. This one didn’t. 

 

Facial - the facials are normally $229. This time the discount was down to $159. Normally on other cruises I’ve seen this go down to about $119 to $129. This is a much higher price than normal. 
 

ionthermie - usually $119. Discounted to $159.  Not that big of a discount. Usually I see this go down to $129. 
 

panorama spa party is a bust this time around. The spa is really really busy however. I’m willing to bet the prices are higher due to a higher demand. 

[LouChamp]

Aloha. Congratulations! Love your posts and pictures especially that of the food.  Enjoy 

[ashkir]

We went to Java Blue after the fun shops. We looked around. I only bought some sun screen for $14.99 because I forgot mine at home. So I’ll pay the $12 tax for that 😂😂

 

We saw new dark tumblers and wanted them. We didn’t get a beverage package this time because we barely used it last time. but, we really enjoyed the tumbler for on the go. The new colors are really nice. 
 

with them we got coffee for free. We got a mocha frappe and a Pepsi float. 

[d-train]

Going to be an epic trip report!

thanks for sharing your vacation/celebrations with us!

[ashkir]

Good morning all!! I tried to post some updates but the internet on the shop didn’t work for most of the night. 

 

Last night we went back to the thermal spa. Took a shower and spent some time in the sauna. 20 minutes in the hydrotherapy pool and now enjoying being a seal on those lovely heated stones. 
 

we tried to go to a comedy show, unfortunately we couldn’t get in. Apparently to get in you need to be about 45 minutes early. We were 30 early and it filled up and they turned us away. 
 

I did buy a nice necklace for my sister. She loves sea turtles. Her first born, Jacob passed when he was a month old. He always liked turtles  🐢.  When he was a month old he always stared and grabbed for things with turtles on them. It reminds my sister of him. 
 

So I got her a necklace of a sea turtle. Because he’s always a part of her. She cried and put it on immediately. This is a larimar gemstone from Marahlago in the Dominican Republic. The proceeds to back to help them. 

 

This morning I had a breakfast burrito from the cantina. 

[lennythenose]

So obviously your sister knows you’re onboard now. Beautiful necklace and even more beautiful meaning. How did she find out you are there?

[ashkir]

Library update. The library is now an art gallery. This was a recent change and it looks like it is here to stay. Students and workers beware! This will likely role out to the fleet now it’s being trialed on the Panorama. I don’t like this change. The overpriced art is fun to look at. But it robs us of our library. 
 

The library is now only available pretty much when we’re in port. It’s now an art taller. It’s only available in the mornings pretty much. John Heald stated this was used because the library is always empty. I found this to not be true it’s always busy when I’m there. I’m at the library right now and there’s a lot here. It’s not packed. But it’s always having activity. 
 

This is the library right now at 9am 

this is the new schedule

 

this is John Heald’s response:

 

you can see the response and post about the library here:

https://www.facebook.com/144285012280735/posts/9384530114922799/?mibextid=SDPelY

 

this is the new normal for the library it seems. It will now be an art gallery. 

[ashkir]

2 minutes ago, lennythenose said:

So obviously your sister knows you’re onboard now. Beautiful necklace and even more beautiful meaning. How did she find out you are there?

She does! My dad surprised her with us at the first dinner with her 😄

[ashkir]

Update!! Ship is diverting towards Cabo San Lucas. A crew member is really sick and needs an emergency medical lift. They’ll be doing this in 30 minutes. Hopefully the crew member is okay! 

[pe4all]

37 minutes ago, ashkir said:

Update!! Ship is diverting towards Cabo San Lucas. A crew member is really sick and needs an emergency medical lift. They’ll be doing this in 30 minutes. Hopefully the crew member is okay! 

Have had this happen to us a few times with ill passengers - even witnessed 2 coast guard helicopter medical evacs on CCL .  Prayers out to the ill crew member.

[ashkir]

Here are some of our towel animals so far. 

 

[pppiglet]

We were on the cruise before you and the ship had no mechanical issues that held us up.  We had 5,000 people on this cruise and Cabo time was originally scheduled to leave at 3.  They changed our time to 1:30 last tender, but at 1:30 there were still hundreds in line that wrapped around the mercado shopping area.  I have never seen the line that long.  We did finally leave at 3.  We actually made it to Long Beach 1/2 hour earlier than scheduled.  

 

The parking garage when we got back was packed because the credit card machine as you pay to leave broke down.  Some were in line in the garage for over an hour.  They let everyone go without paying to get them out of the garage so your cruise people could get in and park.  🙂

 

Comedy shows were packed on our cruise and we barely made one of them.  The line started 1/2 hour before.  We never made it to the other shows.  

 

I'm enjoying your report. It's interesting to see the differences in just a week. 

[ASR1996]

I am following along and really enjoying your review and all of the pictures, thank you for taking the time to post and congratulations on all of your good news this past year. 

 

I also live in Bakersfield, California and will be driving to the Long Beach cruise terminal next month for a week on the Carnival Panorama.  It sounds like getting into the cruise terminal may take some time so I will be sure to pack my patience. 

 

I hope you are having a great time and I look forward to reading more! 

[ashkir]

We’re in Puerto Vallarta. We went to Canopy Jungle. This isn’t a cruise line excursion and is outside carnival. However we were able to do 8 people for $200. We spent all day on ATVs and are currently m hanging in some awesome hammocks witn views to die for. 
 

we’re completely covered with mud from running the atvs through water. But it was an experience well worth it. 
 

they pick you up outside the cruise port. It was a ten minute walk. they drive you about 30 minutes up into the mountain range and you take atvs from there. 
 

[ashkir]

Canopy River tequila tasting was awesome. They told us the history of it. How it’s made, how it’s discovered, and did so much more. It’s pretty cool. A dozen different shots as well. 

she’s telling us how to use them which recipes and the occasions. Really fun. 

[ashkir]

3 hours ago, ASR1996 said:

I am following along and really enjoying your review and all of the pictures, thank you for taking the time to post and congratulations on all of your good news this past year. 

 

I also live in Bakersfield, California and will be driving to the Long Beach cruise terminal next month for a week on the Carnival Panorama.  It sounds like getting into the cruise terminal may take some time so I will be sure to pack my patience. 

 

I hope you are having a great time and I look forward to reading more! 

Hey! Another condor! 
 

Usually we just park our car at a hotel that has shuttle service to the port. However because of the Grand Prix the hotels were overpriced and it was cheaper to park. Normally one night will cost about the same as parking and you don’t have to deal with the stress of the parking or traveling the grapevine the morning of.