Panama Canal on the Ruby Princess 2023 Christmas cruise-photo/ video journal by Bimmer09

[Bimmer09]

8 hours ago, perfect match said:

Norris, I do remember you having pneumonia and being in the hospital following your Apex cruise. I either missed or forgot (easier to do the older I get 😊) about any mention of you stopping smoking. I’m sorry about that At any rate, I’m happy to hear that you’ve stopped and hope that will make your recovery from Covid a little bit easier. I am, as always, thoroughly enjoying your GSJ.

 

@Deck Chair Queen Carol, I’m sorry to hear that you, too have come down with Covid. Hope your case is mild and your recovery is quick and easy.. Meanwhile, it was interesting to hear a little bit more about your Jamaican heritage. I hope you’re able to get back to Jamaica soon and are able to make your visit to the Great House that you were unable to do on this trip.

Nancy, as fate might have it we have a HAL Christmas cruise booked this year to the AB islands (no Curacao). First stop is Falmouth!

Thanks for your well-wishes.

Norris

[phabric]

Bring back memories.  Enjoyed our review with great pictures.

[Bimmer09]

On with the morning of December 23...

 

Mario Tani is a very witty Captain and gave a fun and informative presentation that spent about 2 minutes on Navigation and the rest on cruise ships 101 and the officer career path. Interesting was learning about the Arison (Mickey) Training Center (location not given) where they can do simulator training.It's an academy for Cruise Ship Officers and a great investment in the future by Carnival.

The three stools on stage were occupied later by him and Andrew  Frankl the motor racing journalist and broadcaster and his son Nicolas, the bobsledder. The main gist of this introduction of Capt. Tani's friends was to talk about Ferrari cars, Monaco and stylish yacht parties. Most people stayed to listen. It was harmless enough and gave us an insight into jet-set people, as we have kinda dropped out of that group. Our days of flying to Monaco in a private jet just to get gelato are on hold.

Immediately after the Captain's presentation Carol attended a Panama Canal talk. She can tell you about the lecturer on board.

I took my computer up to Adagio, a quiet bar beside Sabatini's to download my photos from my camera and work on them as they are not completed photos until I give them some mojo.

 

At lunchtime Carol's response to my text said she was ordering room service.

 

Turkey sandwich and a Greek salad

 

Room Service ain't my thing so I moseyed on down to Da Vinci...

 

 

[Bimmer09]

A warm welcome and a nice window table for Sir Norris. Rizza brought me a glass of swimming pool water as requested.

 

I see fish and chips on the menu and must have it. Mushy peas too!

 

This was a treat and I was so glad I popped in. 

 

Kevin talked me into trying the ice cream sundae

 

Just yummy! I think I enjoyed the lunch menus more than the dinner ones and it's very nice to see the daylight flood in and the sea sparkle. I was primed for a nap...

[Bimmer09]

Taking my shortcut to Tradewinds

Best deck on the ship

 

Oh, this is where we are by the way

 

I'll spend a couple mellow hours up on Deck 16. There's some DJ music for all the dancers at the pool.

Oh, scrub the dancing. No dance floor and everyone either swimming or sunbathing or, as in my case, questioning the CD's scheduling of a DJ at this time in this location. The DJ is oblivious of how goofy this is. She pretends she is mixing or shaping the sound, which judging by her dial twiddling is akin to flying a helicopter through the Red Rocks of Sedona. The music is downloaded onto her MacBook so she doesn't even have to blow fluff off a stylus. Get me a steel band from Barbados. I'm in the Caribbean for Pete's sake! Lose the DJ and pay some money to live musicians who can read the mood of the crowd.

 

Coming up-something I had despaired of seeing after the last couple of days....a sunset!! Yay!

[Bimmer09]

Tradewinds Bar is scheduled to close at 8 p.m (weather permitting) but in actuality all the spirits are cleared away by 7 pm. "Weather permitting" doesn't necessarily mean "weather where the ship is".

I realize I am not at the Sunset bar on an X ship where they are scheduled to close at 1 a.m. The temperature so far at night on this cruise isn't hot enough to make staying outdoors until 1 pleasant. It is December after all. July and August would be a different scenario. 

I never give up hope of seeing a sunset....

 

 

 

 

 

 

that's it!

 

[Walt fan]

The peek of sunset is beautiful on a ship; as you may remember I love Sedona, the mention of the Red Rocks beckons me to make a trip. But, travel is on hold for a while. Kitty issues.

 

Your lunch looked delish!

[Bimmer09]

I took a pic of these cakes to remind me to get a free slice when the time was right. It's a Princess Plus perk and I love me some cake!

 

On to dinner in Da Vinci

The usual Malbec and Prosecco, crispy bread rolls. Always the same. 

 

 

My chicken satay with peanut dipping sauce

 

 We both enjoyed the medallions of beef with shrimp and easily identified common vegetables

Celebrity also use the mashed potato scooper and get criticized for it-High School Cafeteria

 

 

Bananas Foster is my favorite dessert but I've usually had it flambed table side . No flames here nor brandy. I still liked it.

 

 

Carol's white chocolate mocha tart. Ruby desserts are on point!

 

I sent Rizza off to the International Cafe/Good Spirits bar to get me a Sambuca and some drinkable espresso. She came through for me. You'll get to meet her, and the gang, when I cover Christmas Day on video.

Off to a show....There's Magic To Do

Edited January 9 by Bimmer09
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[Bimmer09]

MAGIC TO DO

"I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY CLEVERLY STAGED AND IT KEPT ME GUESSING AS TO HOW IT WAS BEING ACCOMPLISHED"

So said a man at the back who smelled of Sambuca.

 

 

 

 

 

It's a show that's been around for a while but we've sailed with other lines for much of the meantime.

Carol wasn't impressed by the music but she's been spoiled by Stephen Sondheim, the Master.

[Bimmer09]

34 minutes ago, Walt fan said:

The peek of sunset is beautiful on a ship; as you may remember I love Sedona, the mention of the Red Rocks beckons me to make a trip. But, travel is on hold for a while. Kitty issues.

 

Your lunch looked delish!

Sorry to hear the kitty needs you nearby. 

We haven't been in Sedona for 20 years now. Magical place!

Norris

 

[Bimmer09]

After Magic we walked the Prom deck to our next engagement. A superb comedian called Scott Wood had the crowd doubled up with laughter in Club Fusion.

 

Tomorrow we see land again. We do like the Sea Day/port/sea day/port rhythm of the cruise so far.

When we wake we'll be docking in Cartagena

[Deck Chair Queen]

8 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

 

 

At lunchtime Carol's response to my text said she was ordering room service.

 

Turkey sandwich and a Greek salad

 

Room Service ain't my thing so I moseyed on down to Da Vinci...

 

 

Also via the miracle of technology listening to Tannheuser broadcast live from the Metropolitan Opera House. No lame DJ on my idyllic balcony. 

[Bimmer09]

We walk this every day. Sabatini's is close by vertically. IC is halfway along the deck and Theater is all the way to the end. We typically walked 3 miles a day on the ship.

 

 

Shadowy figures in the gloom. Extreme humidity adds a fog to there air. My camera has just come out of an air conditioned world and is now in a hot moist one-carry a microfibre cloth to clean your lenses.

My glasses were fogged up instantly.

The darkness will lift as I sip my first coffee of the day.

 

[Bimmer09]

It's like a mirage at first sight....

 

 and the sun will rise

 

Those were photos I took for FaceBook, to greet friends from each port and sea day.

 

[Bimmer09]

EYE CANDY

 

 

 

 

 

MORE...

[DANCING GRANDMOMMY]

Such great pictures. Thank you. 

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MisterMet]

40 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

EYE CANDY

 

 

 

 

 

MORE...

Norris,

It seems that Cartagena has a Miami vibe to it from the looks of all those high rises?  They seem to be right on the water, kind of like the sail out from Port Miami past Miami Beach.

[Bimmer09]

We were up at 5 a.m this morning to make an early excursion (8 a.m)  so passed on Sabatini's as it encourages you to linger. The buffet understandably needs you to eat and move on.

I hit the buffet for a quick corned beef hash, baked beans and bacon while Carol got room Service to pay her another visit. She was very impressed by the promptness, service and food quality of RS. One thing to note-if you call RS after you're done they'll come pick up the used dishes.

Otherwise they will wait (and wait) until your room Steward removes them.

When the ship is on fire and you're crawling on your stomach down the corridor as advised be aware you'll probably be crawling through someone's discarded breakfast. It will be cold, sticky, wet and  maybe sharp.

I'd have a staff member with a trolley go through the corridors once an hour for pick-up. It's ugly and a safety hazard. Hotels are lazy this way too.

 

Carol's RS omelette with ham and cheese

 

We'll be in the Princess Theater at 7.30 like you ask. Then we'll sit and wait and wait. Then you'll call us and we'll walk slowly towards the stairs on 6 and once there we'll wait some more in a big bunch and slowly like molasses move our way  down the stairs towards deck 4 to exit to a fleet of buses clearly marked.

View from the bus

 

 

[Bimmer09]

16 minutes ago, MisterMet said:

Norris,

It seems that Cartagena has a Miami vibe to it from the looks of all those high rises?  They seem to be right on the water, kind of like the sail out from Port Miami past Miami Beach.

It's a tale of two cities unfortunately. The Miami style residential areas and the gritty poverty and trash heap-town for those less fortunate. I'll have some out the bus window shots during our excellent excursion coming up next. 

The divide between rich and poor is a very wide one. These white towers are all from the past 25 years and far be it for me to suggest that drug money might have been  used in their purchase. 

Great comment!

Norris

Edited January 9 by Bimmer09
Saw the babadook-caused error

[MisterMet]

1 minute ago, Bimmer09 said:

It's a tale of two cities unfortunately. The Miami style residential areas and the gritty poverty and trash heap-town for those less fortunate. I'll have some out the bus window shots during our excellent excursion coming up next. 

The divide between rich and poor is a very wide one. These white towers are all from the past 25 years and far be it from me to suggest that drug money might have been  used in their purchase. 

Great comment!

Norris

Thanks for the description.  Looking forward to seeing your great photos.  Well done as always.

[MacMadame]

6 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

Carol wasn't impressed by the music but she's been spoiled by Stephen Sondheim, the Master.

As she should be!

[Bimmer09]

Carol was the Chooser of Excursions for this cruise and leaned towards wildlife. Wildlife we don't see in Chicago. I was happy to get out into the countryside and see what's there (answer: trash and poverty)

 

The bus was state of the art comfort. As usual we sat at the back, each of us having a window seat.

The dock is big and modern and uncluttered. Once we drove out of the narrow dock gates that changed. I took some iPhone photos as we drove.

A canal built by the Spanish  to open up the interior

 

 

 

Relaxed building codes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After 45 mins or so of driving we turn off the two lane road and into the Aviario Nacional

 

 

[nini]

I absolutely LOVE your caption, "Relaxed Building Codes"!!!

[Bimmer09]

The bus will be parked here for the next couple of hours. Our guide was Marcos, who as we were disembarking told us to use the trash cans in the aviary rather than discarding our trash on the ground, as is the national custom apparently.

He wandered off and we would have to keep up with him-or not. We were unlikely to get lost.

 

We will see some birds. Carol is the keen birdwatcher. I don't know all the names. I just took pictures of beautiful creatures that weren't pigeons or seagulls after my French fries.

You'll recognize most yourself.

 

 

The temperature is 90F with humidity over 90%!