Panorama Transpacific 08/22/24 - 09/10/24 - Live-ish 'cause that's how I roll

[CoffeeGoddess]

 

Greetings!

 

I'm back for another live-ish cruise blog and this time it's a doozy! My first time on a Carnival ship longer than 4 days and I pick an 18 day Transpacific on the Panorama. How did this happen, you might ask. Well, it happened because they gave me a deal I could not refuse; no severed horse heads required.

 

It was a free interior room but I went for a balcony because I couldn't hack all that time in an interior and hey, Alaska! This will be my second time in Alaska having taken a cruise on Royal in 2022 that actually disembarked on August 22nd. What a coincidence, eh? It will be my first time in Japan though and I am really looking forward to that. I'll be spending 4 more days once we disembark; two in Tokyo and two in Kyoto. I'll probably stop posting here after I disembark but will still be posting to the 'gram.

 

Normally I'd wait until I was onboard to start one of these but I wanted to add in the screenshots and itinerary so figured I'd start it now just before I head to bed. I need to get up at 4:30am for my flight to Long Beach at 8:00am. Normally I will fly in the day before a cruise to try and avoid any delays but with me being in Vegas and the flight only an hour on Southwest, I usually do the day of for LA ports.

 

Here's the itinerary for the cruise:

 

As usual I'll post at least a couple of times a day although on this one it may be pretty boring during the seven (7!!!) sea days after Alaska. I already have two spa appointments booked and will be doing a Wilderness Hike in Icy Strait Point which is my only ship excursion. I do have an event onboard after we leave Ketchikan called "El Fuego - A Latin Incident Class with Dinner" It sounded like fun and I would tell you what the description was but when I went to check I can't view the description in my order and it isn't showing in the dining which probably means it sold out. I may also try to get in to one of the Chef's dinners since I'd bet they would have more then one on this long of trip, but that's still up in the air. 

 

Originally I was not going to get Cheers since there would be no way that even I could maintain the level that I imbibe on a shorter cruise over 18 days. My liver would probably find a way to shiv me from the inside. But when I was working out what I'd probably buy during a regular day with the coffees, waters, probably a few mocktails, and then a couple cocktails added in it was right below the daily cost of the package. Add an extra shot to those coffees or a glass of wine at dinner and I would be over the daily cost so I bought some AARP gift cards for my fare and online bookings and saved a couple of hundred that way.

 

Okay it's time to go to bed and try to get some sleep or otherwise I'm just going to crash in the early evening. And I have bartender friends to make so can't do that.

[TravelE]

I’m here and excited to follow along. I loved all the sea days on my Transatlantic last year. You settle into a daily routine and do activities at your leisure. 
 

Is this a Journeys branded cruise?

[pe4all]

Can't wait for your adventure!  Loved Alaska, and going to Japan sounds amazing. That is some jump from a 4 dayer to an 18 dayer, but I am sure you will find something to do to fill those sea days.

[CoffeeGoddess]

2 hours ago, TravelE said:

I’m here and excited to follow along. I loved all the sea days on my Transatlantic last year. You settle into a daily routine and do activities at your leisure. 
 

Is this a Journeys branded cruise?

 

 

I don't believe so since I didn't see anything that stated it was a Journeys one.

[CoffeeGoddess]

Fun times at the airport. I knew my bag was heavy so tried to use my little bag weigher but the battery was shot and it wasn't just a regular size. So I used my bathroom scale but it wasn't quite as big as my bag but the bottom of the bag was lower then the scale. It said 48lbs and I figured that even if the wheels might be touching the floor a bit that it wasn't going to be more then a 2lb difference.

 

I got to the outside bag check and as soon as the guy lifted it he said it was overweight.  I was like no, I weighed it but their scale showed 53lbs. It was a $100 charge for an overweight bag so I opened it up to see what I could take out and put in my carry-on. As I was kneeling on the concrete and going over the contents I realized I couldn't fit any thing of consequence in my carry-on anyways. So I said screw it, zipped it up and told the guy I'll pay the charge.  He asked if I was sure becit would "just be a pair of jeans" and I said I just didn't even have room in my carry-on. So he just took it and said to be more mindful of the weight next time but he's got me this time. I thanked him profusely and tipped him $5.

 

Since I'm in first class flying home from Japan the limit is 70lbs so I'll be fine. Especially since 1/3 of one side of my checked bag is taken up by a collapsible wheeled duffle I got for all the stuff I know I'm going to buy.

 

I learned that lesson on my first Alaskan cruise were I got a bunch of great art at a store for local artists in Ketchikan. If it's still there, I know it'll have some great stuff.

 

Now I'm hanging at the gate with about an hour until boarding.

 

[jimbo5544]

super excited to follow along.  Enjoy, what a unique experience.

[Jamman54]

We'll be following along! We would like to do a TP one day. 😎

[flyguyjake]

We'll see you onboard! 3 of us joining from So Cal. First transatlantic cruise, first time visiting Japan. We're super excited.

[flyguyjake]

For those that have sailed a transatlantic cruise, what are we to expect weather wise? What are the seas like? Also how do they ease us in to the major time change? Thank you!

[TravelE]

29 minutes ago, flyguyjake said:

For those that have sailed a transatlantic cruise, what are we to expect weather wise? What are the seas like? Also how do they ease us in to the major time change? Thank you!

 

The weather varies but I would plan on at least a day of fog and the foghorn sounding every minute or so. The seas were typical and no rougher than on a typical sailing.

 

We cruised from Europe to New York(East to West)so we had several port stops before we started the crossing. During the 6 day crossing, the would roll back the clocks by an hour each day. The only hardship was waiting for the coffee place to open since you gained an hour.

 

I have read that the West to East crossing can be more difficult on the internal body clock but likely no different than a transatlantic flight.

[jimbo5544]

2 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

We'll be following along! We would like to do a TP one day. 😎

I resemble that remark.

[CoffeeGoddess]

At the Long Beach airport waiting on the transport bus. Decided to that this time since last time it was more expensive for just me to take an Uber or taxi.

 

While I have done a few Transatlantic cruises on brand new Norwegian ships, (See my post history for those live one) this is my first transpacific one so it will be interesting to see how the weather compares to those. Of course the were all either in the spring or late fall so taking one now might have been a less cold, rough, and wet.

 

 

Cool to see the shop from the plane!

Edited August 22 by CoffeeGoddess

[rogueriver]

I'll be following along and excited to hear your thoughts on the ship, atmosphere, etc.  My sis and I will be boarding the Panorama in October in Singapore after it goes through drydock in Japan, then sailing back to LA.  We did a transpacific cruise last year, Sydney to San Francisco, and loved it.  Our first long cruise but we always found something to keep us busy, or just enjoyed quiet days reading.  And there is always trivia!  Hope you enjoy your cruise.

[CoffeeGoddess]

9 minutes ago, rogueriver said:

I'll be following along and excited to hear your thoughts on the ship, atmosphere, etc.  My sis and I will be boarding the Panorama in October in Singapore after it goes through drydock in Japan, then sailing back to LA.  We did a transpacific cruise last year, Sydney to San Francisco, and loved it.  Our first long cruise but we always found something to keep us busy, or just enjoyed quiet days reading.  And there is always trivia!  Hope you enjoy your cruise.

 

 

Oh, nice! A couple that was seated near me on my flight is going to cruise back and will be gone something like 32 days. More power to them, man.

[KKB]

6 minutes ago, CoffeeGoddess said:

 

 

Oh, nice! A couple that was seated near me on my flight is going to cruise back and will be gone something like 32 days. More power to them, man.

Now THAT's the way to travel. 

We just did 28 days on Regal Princess in April & LOVED IT. 

I don't mind flying but I'd rather cruise back than do long haul in economy! (bulkhead for the win)

 

Following along as we, too, hope to do a TP one day. 

I see a 57 day LA RT on Princess spring of 2026...

[stobe1]

2 hours ago, flyguyjake said:

We'll see you onboard! 3 of us joining from So Cal. First transatlantic cruise, first time visiting Japan. 

 

This won't be your first one, either. 

[CoffeeGoddess]

Waiting in the terminal for boarding to start which should be soon.

 

Before getting into the waiting area after check-in they lined us up with our bags on the ground to have a drug dog check. The first one went down the line and right near the end alerted on a bag. They sent another down after it and that one alerted on the same bag.

Somebody probably thought they could get away with packing some of the devil's lettuce. I hope they catch all of them cause it's awful when you're on your balcony and get skunked off it.

[MizMoon]

OK - I'm in!  Cruise on...........

[sternfanla]

Can't wait to read more.

[CoffeeGoddess]

Did my muster station check in first thing. Then went up to Lido for tacos and a margarita. On the Radiance back in February I hit gold right off the bat at the Blue Iguana with Dante. He quickly became one of my all time favorites so I will hit this bar first on every Carnival ship from this point forward.

 

Blue Iguana chicken and fish tacos for lunch with an Ultimate Margarita.

 

 

 

 

I took the stairs to get up to the muster station but needed to use the elevators to get to ludo deck. I knew what to do because I read threads here but I can tell a whole lot of people are going to have a bad time.

[ninjacat123]

Awesome!!  I just heard about this cruise today (thx @jimbo5544!) and now I can follow along this incredible itinerary! Woo hoo!!  And I hope you write about your time in Japan.  We just finished a week in Tokyo and Kyoto and thought it was wonderful!  Looking forward to more!

[CoffeeGoddess]

Well that was not fun times.

 

After eating my delicious tacos I reached down to grab my little carry-on bag. Only to realize it wasn't there. Was it at the taco stand? No, so it must be down in Pig and Anchor where I stopped to try and log into the internet and was denied because I needed my folio number which is on the card.

 

So I booked on down to deck 5 and thankfully it was right where I left it. Of course after that scare I required some fortification so headed to the Havana Bar. I got a Papa Doble to enjoy while waiting out the remaining minutes until the cabin would be ready.

 

 

 

 

I'll probably be enjoying some coffee in there over the cruise.

 

Speaking of cabins, I have a basic balcony on deck 6 right off the aft elevators. It's about the same as any other standard ship balcony.  Except it has a shower curtain instead of sliding or other doors. Not a fan since it's easier to water on the floor with just a curtain.

 

 

 

[CoffeeGoddess]

Phone is charged, everything in the carry-on has been unpacked. Now I'm just carrying a little bag to fit my phone, card, tips and Invisalign holder.

Since I'm on deck 6 right by the aft elevators and stairs it's easy to get to the main decks and avoid the elevators.

 

I've heard good things about the Pig and Anchor so am currently on the bar sipping on a Bacon Manhattan. It's pretty good but I like a smoother whiskey then what they use for the infused one.

 

 

 

 

 

Back in 2022 on the Breakaway there was Lawrence, AKA Dr. Love who was at Sid Norman's Pour House. Loved him! You can read all about him in that review but I was on the Premium drink package that covered up to $50 per drink so he'd just keep on making me another drink as soon as I was finishing one up. One of my favorites he did was his version of an old fashioned using Whistle Pig 10 year. On NCL if your drink is over what's covered you just pay the difference.  According to Lucci, the bartender here, if your drink is over then you pay the total cost but with a 25% discount. All of that to say as you can see from the Whiskey list that the 10 year is $25 so not part of Cheers.

 

Sadness. However, he did recommend a couple of small batch ones that were in the package and made an old fashioned with one. It's not as smooth but it is pretty damn good.

 

[princess76021]

Thank you!! 

I've been transatlantic but not transpacific thanks for taking us along!

hugs from Texas

[Frank12]

Following this one for sure!