Anyone doing a transcanal Panama Canal cruise in 2004?

[VikkiGarcia]

Our family will be on Legend of the Seas Oct. 3 2004, San Diego/Ft. Lauderdale. Does anyone planning a similar itinerary have any tips or special shore excursions they are planning? Have you found any info in planning this trip you would like to share? Any great guidebooks? Our meet and mingle has only us (so far). I would love to find others planning a similar cruise to bounce ideas off. Thanks!!

[cathykb]

Hi,

We are doing the eastbound Serenade in October. We have a thread going, but only three regular posters. There is however a great thread on the Meet and Mingle board for the Serenade Canal trip leaving on April 24th. Lots of good info there!

Cathy

[bab]

Hi. We're doing the Radiance of the Seas on October 24th, from San Diego to Miami - in the roll call area there's a thread going about this cruise - we have 32 signed up so far for the meet & mingle! The thread has some great info though on some of the excursions from some guests that have done a cruise thru the canal before.

[DisneyBlonde]

We're on your sailing Vikki.[img]http://hometown.aol.com/rainbowfish61/images/wave2.gif[/img]

Was beginning to think Jimbo and I were going to be meeting and mingling alone. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

Looking forward to reading the responses on this thread.

[b]Diz[b]

[img]http://publish.hometown.aol.com/rainbowfish61/myhomepage/tink16_13487.gif?mtbrand=AOL_US[/img][img]http://hometown.aol.com/rainbowfish61/images/coloreds.gif[/img]
Miracle, 2/13/05
Legend, 10/03/2004
Adventure, 5/02/2004
Nordic Empress, 4/26/2003
Triumph, 12/7/2002
Voyager, 12/1/2001
Grand Princess, 3/1/99

[skiiergirl]

We are leaving on Radiance 4/18 for the westbound crossing. We did it last year and it was awesome. You will have a great trip. The canal transit is awesome and the trip itself is very relaxing with all of the sea days. Enjoy!

[Mexico]

Hi Vikki -

Thanks for starting this thread. We did a partial transit in December and are now looking forward to doing a full transit in October (the 17th sailing from Fort Lauderdale) on the Legend.

Sure hope that alot of suggestions come forth for shore excursions.

Ken and Pene

[jamminlion]

Mexico:

we are also travelling on the Legend on 10/17 out of Ft. Lauderdale.

We are ecstatic about it. Hopefully we will be able to meet up?!

7/02 NCL Wind - Alaska (honeymoon)
7/03 NCL Star -Hawaii (1st anniversary)
10/04 RCI Legend - Panama Canal (just because it's there)

[BEVEROO]

Hi, Ken and Pene -
I and my husband, Rad, will be on the October 17th sailing on Legend too! Have you guys signed up for the Meet and Mingle yet? Hope to see you on board! Happy Cruising!
Bev

Legend - Panama Canal - 10/17
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff00ff&cdt=2004;10;17;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]

Where The Ocean Meets The Sky I'll Be Sailing!!!!!

Past Cruises:

Majesty OTS - 06/1999
Splendour OTS - 11/2000
Radiance OTS - 05/2001
Radiance OTS - 09/2001
Infinity (Celebrity) - 10/2002

[BEVEROO]

Hi, Jamminlion -
Hope to see you aboard on the October 17th sailing too! Have you signed up for the Meet and Mingle yet? Happy Cruising!
Bev

Legend - Panama Canal - 10/17
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff00ff&cdt=2004;10;17;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]

Where The Ocean Meets The Sky I'll Be Sailing!!!!!

Past Cruises:

Majesty OTS - 06/1999
Splendour OTS - 11/2000
Radiance OTS - 05/2001
Radiance OTS - 09/2001
Infinity (Celebrity) - 10/2002

[VikkiGarcia]

Great to see others out there!!! We are looking forward to the every other sea day itinerary. Maybe this cruise I can do some relaxing and not feel as if I must cram as many activities into a day. So far for ports my thinking is this.....
CABO: walk around ,shop
HUATULCO: taxi to beach, shop
ACAPULCO: taxi city tour, cliff divers, shop
PUNTARENAS: find a zipline tour (can't
do through ship, daughter too young)
ARUBA: rent a car, explore ( I think jeep may be too bumpy for grandma)
If anyone knows of a MUST NOT MISS tour or restaurant, please speak up.

Disney: Yeah!! I first person I've found for our cruise!! We will be a family of 4, 2 kids 13 and 9.(probably the only kids on the ship [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]) Plus the in-laws.

[Bookit]

Vickigarcia,

Just thought I would drop in -- as so many of our past cruise (Rhapsody 09/28/03) have some really exciting plans ahead. Your children are so well behaved and mature for their ages, I imagine they will really enjoy the itinerary. We are going back to Panama in November on Celebrity Galaxy, and really looking forward to it.

Bookit

[soonerman]

We are booked on the west bound but in Jan 2005--leaving the 23rd I think. We are on the Legend and can't find much info on her that seems to be current. Any ideas where to find some current info? We all should have great cruises going through the Canal.

[froghollow]

We (me and my husband) will be on the Oct. 3rd Legend of the Seas sailing from San Diego to Ft. Lauderdale too. Thanks for asking the the good questions. We're looking forward to learning all about this.

[jcriticl]

My parents cruised the Canal from Florida to San Diego on Legend of the Seas just last month.

Yesterday they stopped by with photos and cruise memorabilia, and spent hours telling us what happened each day (!), so I sort of feel like I was cruising right along with them1

So...I'll share secondhand their impressions with you.

It was their first cruise, but they were so impressed they're planning to cruise Alaska next summer (and take me and hubby along!). They had reserved a verandah room, but their travel agent secured an upgrade, so they had a suite which even had a bathtub!

They had very positive comments regarding the restaurant staff (Mom said she cried when she had to say goodbye to her beloved waiter); food (they liked everything they tried, except one night's chicken dish was a bit hard to cut, but was tasty); cleanliness of the ship (Mom said the brass was polished continually).

They were with 3 other couples, one seasoned cruisers, and they arranged all shore excursions when they got off the ship. They enjoyed Costa Rica, Acapulco, and Cabo, but didn't think the Hualtulco stop was necessary -- not much to see there.

Of course, the highlight was definitely the Canal transit. Mom said she spent the entire transit moving all over the ship getting views from every angle, while Dad was content to watch the action from their large balcony (2 chairs plus 2 chaises).

Have a great cruise -- sounds like you won't be disappointed!

[fritztange]

Hi all
We'll be on the Serenade on April24th going westbound through the Canal. 16 more days and can't wait.
Check out our thread on the roll Calls. There's pictures and discussions about the various tours.

fritztange [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

[bobnsandi]

We're on the Legend San Diego/Fort Lauderdale leaving December 12. We, too, are interested in learning everything we can as it'll be our first RCCL cruise.

June & Dec '03 [I]Norwegian Star[/I]
June '00 [I]Columbia[/I] / [I]Matanuska[/I]
Mar '97 [I]Star Clipper[/I]
Oct '81 [I]Azure Seas[/I]

[Mexico]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BEVEROO:
Hi, Ken and Pene -
I and my husband, Rad, will be on the October 17th sailing on Legend too! Have you guys signed up for the Meet and Mingle yet? Hope to see you on board! Happy Cruising!
Bev

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hi Bev -

Thanks for the welcome BUT if your check the roll call thread you will find us posted and signed in a few weeks before you.

Looking forward to meeting you all -

Ken and Pene

[VikkiGarcia]

Bookit: HI!! Thank you for the nice comments on my kids. We loved that Rhapsody cruise group. It set a bar that will be hard to beat.

Froghollow: Yeah! Another for our sailing!

[sandi]

We will be on the Oct 3 Legend of Sea cruise also with two other couples. Can't wait.

[VikkiGarcia]

Sandi, Froghollow, Disney....Right now my family is the only one registered for Meet&Mingle. If you all will, we can hopefully get the 25 needed. My hubby bet me that there was NO WAY we would get the amount needed for this cruise. Please prove him wrong. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]
Thanks!

[Jimbo]

No Problem Vikki, we will get the 25 needed for the Meet n' Mingle. Ship is just about full already. If anyone has any friends that are still interested in the October 3rd sailing on Legend of the Seas, my agent has some cabins on hold, he also has some of the reduced airfares that were offered from RCCL. If interested please email me, my email address can be found in my profile by clicking on my name in this post.

Jimbo

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff0000&cdt=2004;5;2;22;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
May 2nd, 2004
Adventure of The Seas

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=008000&cdt=2004;10;3;20;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]
10/3/04 Legend of the Seas
Panama Canal 14-Nights


[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=111111&cdt=2005;2;13;16;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
2/13/05 Carnival "Miracle"
[img]http://hometown.aol.com/build17/myhomepage/partaepiratessmallsmall.gif?mtbrand=AOL_US[/img]

[VikkiGarcia]

Jimbo: Glad to hear you think we will make it. My hubby will have to eat crow! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]

[BEVEROO]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mexico:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BEVEROO:
Hi, Ken and Pene -
I and my husband, Rad, will be on the October 17th sailing on Legend too! Have you guys signed up for the Meet and Mingle yet? Hope to see you on board! Happy Cruising!
Bev

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hi Bev -

Thanks for the welcome BUT if your check the roll call thread you will find us posted and signed in a few weeks before you.

Looking forward to meeting you all -

Ken and Pene<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ooops! My mistake. Sorry.
Bev

Legend - Panama Canal - 10/17
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff00ff&cdt=2004;10;17;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]

Where The Ocean Meets The Sky I'll Be Sailing!!!!!

Past Cruises:

Majesty OTS - 06/1999
Splendour OTS - 11/2000
Radiance OTS - 05/2001
Radiance OTS - 09/2001
Infinity (Celebrity) - 10/2002

[Hoopster3145]

I will be on the Legend on 12/26 New years sailing.

Can't wait!

1/01 NCL Majesty
1/02 NCL Majesty
1/03 RCCL Brilliance of the Seas
3/03 Carnival Jubilee
8/03 RCCL Navigator Of the Seas
1/04 RCCL Adventure of the Seas
3/04 RCCL Radiance of the Seas


8/15/04 Rhapsody of the Seas
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=228b22&cdt=2004;8;15;18;00;00&timezone=GMT-0600[/img]

14 DAY LEGEND OF THE SEAS PANAMA CANAL CRUISE (12/26/04)
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=800080&cdt=2004;12;26;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]

3/13/05 SPRING BREAK on the Explorer of the Seas
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff0000&cdt=2005;3;13;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]

[VikkiGarcia]

Hoopster: Did Santa get you this cruise as a Xmas gift? [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]