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LIVE from Radiance Apr. 21, 2023 - The Panama Canal - Canal au Niveau de la Mer

twangster
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h20skibum "Live from...." Rare

h20skibum

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7 hours ago, twangster said:

This time through the locks will be about seeing it from all sides so I'll be moving around a lot. 

 

I can't believe it has been 9 years since we did the canal on it's 100th anniversary.  I moved around a lot on the trip through the first set of locks.  Top deck, both sides and aft.  That is the way to get different perspectives, and to realize how close to the walls the ship is as they go through.

 

One thing I did, after traversing the first set of locks to Gatun Lake, was to traverse the remaining locks to the pacific on a small ship.  That gives you such a different perspective that you may not appreciate from being on the deck of a cruise ship.

 

I hope you do not mind my posting a couple photos from this vantage point, but this gives an up close view of the working of this magnificent wonder.

 

DSCN3630.thumb.JPG.3b4079f7e1f6b226993f72964aaf798a.JPG

 

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DSCN3663.thumb.JPG.10d8edfa6d07fa1cc91ee2342495ec60.JPG

 

If this type excursion is offered, I highly recommend.

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little britain "Live from...." Rare

little britain

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I’ll also be on this cruise with @twangster!  Looking forward to meeting you!  May chip in with a few thoughts and pics if you don’t mind!?

The only ship’s tour we are going is to the Embera village in Colon.  We are DIYers and DH is a photographer. Most looking forward to returning to Cartagena which I fell in love with last year when on Grandeur. 
Flying from London to Houston tomorrow to get this trip started! 

Edited by little britain
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twangster "Live from...." Rare

twangster

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48 minutes ago, little britain said:

I’ll also be on this cruise with @twangster!  Looking forward to meeting you!  May chip in with a few thoughts and pics if you don’t mind!?

The only ship’s tour we are going is to the Embera village in Colon.  We are DIYers and DH is a photographer. Most looking forward to returning to Cartagena which I fell in love with last year when on Grandeur. 
Flying from London to Houston tomorrow to get this trip started! 

 

Absolutely please join in and post to this thread.  The more of us that contribute the better it will be. 

 

Looking forward to meeting everyone on board!

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twangster "Live from...." Rare

twangster

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I'm going to make an effort to post pics of the nightly MDR menus.  The app just isn't friendly to posting the menu.  If my shipmates can help post a menu pic from the MDR when I forget that would be great. 

 

For a 15 night cruise I think it will be informative to see the MDR menu evolve over the cruise.  Will they mix up the entrees or just rotate back through the same menu on different days?  Time will tell. 

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twangster "Live from...." Rare

twangster

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Another interior cabin popped open in my category so I've moved from a connecting interior cabin to a non-connecting interior.  Nothing personal whomever used to be connecting to me, but I'm truly on my own now.  🙂

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ZOOM ZOOM & BEYOND

ZOOM ZOOM & BEYOND

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16 minutes ago, twangster said:

Another interior cabin popped open in my category so I've moved from a connecting interior cabin to a non-connecting interior.  Nothing personal whomever used to be connecting to me, but I'm truly on my own now.  🙂

With this group,.. You won't be on your own😁

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firefly333

firefly333

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6 hours ago, twangster said:

I'm going to make an effort to post pics of the nightly MDR menus.  The app just isn't friendly to posting the menu.  If my shipmates can help post a menu pic from the MDR when I forget that would be great. 

 

For a 15 night cruise I think it will be informative to see the MDR menu evolve over the cruise.  Will they mix up the entrees or just rotate back through the same menu on different days?  Time will tell. 

The 10 day march 27 cruise every night was a different menu, no repeats. The usa menu was new to radiance. Our waiter couldnt wait to try it. At least 3 different nights the floor mgr for the Mdr brought out different cooks 2 or 3 at a time. This is the guy who made your fried cod crispy tonight. This guy cooked your steak perfectly or your salmon. My food was cooked perfect all nights I went to Mdr. Best in a long time. I skipped italian. WJ just as bad. I ate bread and fruit. I dont like italian. But all the other nights I was happy. Except for lobster night when 2 guys at my ten top asked for their lobster and steak on the same plate and were told no, I was very pleased with the food.

 

9 1/2 days they have something i think called barra bread on the WJ for lunch and I'm not a bread lover but loved this bread. They ran out the 10th lunch and by night 10 only had lemon cookies and fruit was getting iffy. Hope they bring on more cookies for you guys. 

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Amy1118

Amy1118

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On 4/17/2023 at 5:19 AM, clochette said:

We are group 1.  I am really looking forward to the tour

I’m in group 1, too.  I’ll look forward to meeting you if we haven’t already met at an earlier event!

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Teeara "Live from...." Rare

Teeara

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On 4/16/2023 at 11:37 AM, long4acruise said:

Will be following along. Have always loved your narrative reviews and great photos!

Currently on the Brilliance Panama Canal sailing from Ft Lauderdale to LA. Surprised how chilly (59°) it is today in Ensenada.

Like you, we did the eastbound PC route about 10 years ago. It was so convenient to sail from San Diego and enjoyed our pre-cruise stay there.

We were in Ensenada last week on Royal Princess from Hawaii en route to San Francisco.  It was 55 and foggy.  Brrr!!!

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twangster "Live from...." Rare

twangster

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28 minutes ago, little britain said:

It is reported on the RC that 2 daily stateroom services are still in place on Radiance and will be so until after this cruise. Let’s see! 

 

Interesting. 

 

The once daily doesn't bother me. I'll often tell my attendant to just do evenings.  

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firefly333

firefly333

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1 hour ago, little britain said:

It is reported on the RC that 2 daily stateroom services are still in place on Radiance and will be so until after this cruise. Let’s see! 

I got off radiance april 6th and still had 2 services. My steward said she was told they would change to once a day in 2 weeks ... vague since there arent 7 day cruises on radiance.

 

Makes sense to me. I had Joy forward deck 9. She was so awesome. 

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FionaMG "Live from...." Rare

FionaMG

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26 minutes ago, twangster said:

In other news, Southwest had a mini meltdown yesteday and asked the FAA to groundstop themselves across the US.

 

I'm flying Southwet tomorrow.  What was I thinking?  Ugh. 

 

Oh no! Now you have me worried too as DS is flying with them tomorrow too to get from the west coast to NYC to join us for our cruise on Anthem on Sunday. Luckily that's a 3 day cushion but we have lots of touristy stuff planned for the pre-cruise stay.

 

Fingers 🤞 both you and he have smooth travels.

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twangster "Live from...." Rare

twangster

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https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/panama-canal-reduces-the-maximum-depth-limit-on-vessels-due-to-drought/

 

Drought forces the Panama Canal to change the maximum allowed draft for neo-Panamax vessels.  

 

This shouldn't impact Radiance as it applies only to the largest ships using the new locks but it is interesting to see even rain soaked Panama is expereincing drought.  Maybe that means less chance of rain for us. 🙂

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Another_Critic

Another_Critic

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2 hours ago, FionaMG said:

 

Oh no! Now you have me worried too as DS is flying with them tomorrow too to get from the west coast to NYC to join us for our cruise on Anthem on Sunday. Luckily that's a 3 day cushion but we have lots of touristy stuff planned for the pre-cruise stay.

 

Fingers 🤞 both you and he have smooth travels.

Are you continuing on the Anthem TA?

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Jimbo

Jimbo

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4 hours ago, twangster said:

https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/panama-canal-reduces-the-maximum-depth-limit-on-vessels-due-to-drought/

 

Drought forces the Panama Canal to change the maximum allowed draft for neo-Panamax vessels.  

 

This shouldn't impact Radiance as it applies only to the largest ships using the new locks but it is interesting to see even rain soaked Panama is expereincing drought.  Maybe that means less chance of rain for us. 🙂

Could that mean larger ships take the old canal and your ship is switched over to the new canal?

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