BON VOYAGE Coral Princess World Cruisers 2023

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Coral Princess arriving in to Pedro Miguel Locks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Coral Princess arriving in to Pedro Miguel Locks:

 

 

Edited August 22, 2023 by Kiwi_cruiser

[Kiwi_cruiser]

 

[arxcards]

I am awake, but no, I haven't pulled an all-nighter.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

25 minutes ago, arxcards said:

I am awake, but no, I haven't pulled an all-nighter.

 

Good Morning 🙂

[Kiwi_cruiser]

 

[Kiwi_cruiser]

 

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Coral Princess arriving in to Miraflores Locks:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 22, 2023 by Kiwi_cruiser

[Kiwi_cruiser]

 

 

 

Edited August 22, 2023 by Kiwi_cruiser

[Kiwi_cruiser]

 

 

 

 

Edited August 22, 2023 by Kiwi_cruiser

[Kiwi_cruiser]

 

 

Edited August 22, 2023 by Kiwi_cruiser

[Kiwi_cruiser]

 

 

 

 

Edited August 22, 2023 by Kiwi_cruiser

[Kiwi_cruiser]

[Kiwi_cruiser]

The last few webcam captures of Coral Princess the leaving the Panama Canal:

 

 

 

Edited August 22, 2023 by Kiwi_cruiser

[cruiser3775]

Wow, it's a tight fit!  How do wider ships get through the Panama Canal?

[sewgood]

11 minutes ago, cruiser3775 said:

Wow, it's a tight fit!  How do wider ships get through the Panama Canal?

 

The Coral was built for the old locks, there are now the new locks which are wider.

When booking canal cruises some go through the old and some go through the new locks.

[Jean C]

33 minutes ago, cruiser3775 said:

Wow, it's a tight fit!  How do wider ships get through the Panama Canal?

Hahaha, we went through the canal a few years ago on the Sea Princess. Something went wrong with one if the mules (their fault) and Sea Princess took a scrape along the hull. It is indeed a very tight fit.

[arxcards]

4 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

Wow, it's a tight fit!  How do wider ships get through the Panama Canal?

The Crown Princess will not fit those locks during the world cruise in 2025, but will transit through the new Cocoli & Agua Clara locks. Just a few years ago, ships that couldn't fit would have navigate around the bottom of South America. I wouldn't have minded if we had to do that and go around the horn or through Drake's Passage instead.

[cruiser3775]

3 hours ago, arxcards said:

ust a few years ago, ships that couldn't fit would have navigate around the bottom of South America

I'm doing that cruise in December - San Antonio to Buenos Aires. Looking forward to seeing Patagonia and penguins!

[Jean C]

16 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

I'm doing that cruise in December - San Antonio to Buenos Aires. Looking forward to seeing Patagonia and penguins!

You'll love it. Our cruise went there, also through Drake's Passage and around the Horn twice - the conditions were so uncharacteristically favourable that our captain said he'd go around a second time.

 

As a funny aside, once back in NZ I would see a fair few guys wearing tee shirts with Patagonia on the back. I mused to my daughter that I was surprised to see so many had been there, being that it's off the usual tourist routes. Doh, it's a "label" brand, not a souvenir tee shirt!

[cruiser3775]

I hope I get calm seas around the Horn, and the weather is favourable for getting into the Falklands. I know that is sometimes hit and miss.

[Jean C]

6 minutes ago, cruiser3775 said:

I hope I get calm seas around the Horn, and the weather is favourable for getting into the Falklands. I know that is sometimes hit and miss.

I hope you do too. We were very fortunate on our South America cruise with good weather every single day. The captain said how unbelievable it was that it was so good.  The Falklands is interesting, very British. We also got to Easter Island, although the tender we were in was caught by a rogue wave that nearly slammed us into the rocks. There was panic "reverse, reverse, reverse" commands from the operators and thankfully we were spared that fate.

 

Enjoy your cruise 🙂

[Jean C]

18 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

I'm doing that cruise in December - San Antonio to Buenos Aires. Looking forward to seeing Patagonia and penguins!

At the Falklands we'd booked to see the Rockhopper penguins but they'd emigrated/migrated/gone to sea, whatever they do, earlier than usual, so we booked Bluff Cove instead. It was a good choice, Gentoo and King penguins, and a delightful morning tea made and served by the locals, in their cafe overlooking the beach.

 

We had a full day scenic tour, including the historic prison, booked for Patagonia. We'd done scenic tours in Chile (fantastic) so decided to cancel it and do our own thing instead. We walked to the prison/maritime museum and wandered around ourselves. It's really fascinating and we were pleased to have as much time as we wanted to see and read everything, without being rushed. We'd heard it's history and about the more notable inmates from the shore tours presentation.  Entry was USD20 per person. We then walked back around the town, very quaint and delightful. 

 

Funnily enough, whenever we did our own thing at port stops, we'd invariably bump into our cabin steward. He was on his way back to KFC as his friend had left his cruise card behind!

[Kiwi_cruiser]

After a day at sea from the Panama Canal...

 

Coral Princess has arrived in Manta, Ecuador today:
 

 

[Tranquility Base]

Yep,

1 hour ago, Kiwi_cruiser said:

After a day at sea from the Panama Canal...

 

Coral Princess has arrived in Manta, Ecuador today:

 

Yep,

Having been a couple of times we stayed local.

Wandered ashore late morning for a couple of drinks at one of the numerous beach bars.

Then across the road to the large mall for supplies.

 

They have built a new larger cruise terminal at the port entrance since we were last here.

The shuttles were quick and frequent from ship to terminal.

A number of local venders inside.

 

The Galapagos tour left today.

Machu Picchu leaves from Lima.

Edited August 24, 2023 by Tranquility Base