Recent Panama Canal Reviews, or Comments Would Be Appreciated

[PanamaCruiser]

Hi

Just wondering if anyone would post their comments on the last Panama Canal Cruise. Since these only happen twice a year, any information would be appreciated.

Weather, Ports, anything that would help.

Thanks so much

[kiberkid]

I would be really interested in this info as well.

[Iowagal]

This past April we were on the Sun from the Atlantic to the Pacific Panama Canal cruise. It was wonderful! We had very good weather, although as usual, it was hot and humid going through the Canal. We enjoyed all the ports and generally did the NCL bus and sightseeing tours. I would certainly recommend this cruise and the 16 days on board were not too long! I would be glad to try to answer any specific questions you might have.

[PanamaCruiser]

lowagal

Thanks for your thoughts. It seems like you had a good time. Can't wait for my turn.

[insidecabin]

I was planning to do my review for a UK board but since you asked so nicely I will comment on our 15night LA-Miami Panama on the Sun.

 

This is a fairly long trip and the Sun is geared to 7night cruises so the 15n meant menus that are not used much, and repeated game shows. Alternate resaurants were available most evenings by booking the day before or even on the same day. The food on the Sun was much better than we had on the Dream over easter. We found the menus and quaility in the mains so good we did not bother with the alternatives. Days at sea the Sushi was open and it was great. Service in the main restaurants is OK with a couple of teams being vgood down side of freestyle i guess. Peak times 7-7:30 there was often a 15min wait, but there were some big groups on this trip which blocked out a large number of tables for there prefered eating time.

 

They only have 3 production shows so the rest of the trip was filled with a good variety of entertainment. The comedy(aimed at the american market),jugler,ventrioquist,and a couple of singers we had never heard of and Fabio the flamenco guitar player featured every night the second half of the cruise. They did a couple of BIG band night under the stars which were very well attended. The daily program was full every day so there was something fore everyone and if you like to eat after 6 you would have to miss something in the evening. There did not seem to be much activities round the pool which I guess for a slightly older crowd on this longer trip was OK. There is plenty of sun chairs but the prime places were taken on days at sea but you could always find a place. Bar waiters in the pool area got a bit pushy but there was not a lot of drinking so they may have been down on quotas .

 

I won't cover the mexican ports since they will have been done before other than to say we were just too hot with us being used to the Med.

The panama transit was the hightlight of the trip and we were the 2nd big ship through that day so a very early start sailing under the bridge in the dark and heading into the Locks around 6.00am. The spirit was 2 ships behind so we missed seeing another cruise ship in the docks. The operation in facinating being basicly the same as it was when they built the thing. There is a narator on board to give information about the transit but you need to be in a good location to hear this when on deck. The canal is effectify one way due to the narrow cutting so once through you hang around for a few hours in the lake before heading out through the atlantic docks. By this time the weather had changed and it was raining so plenty of room on the decks to see the lock operation and all the warnings about sunscreen etc were redundant(us brits carry rain gear everwhere) Oh we did hit the side lock.

 

Overall this was a great cruise and restored our interest in NCL after the Dream. The onboard costs are still higher than on UK ships but as long as you plan for it you can work round them.

 

Looks like the new Jewel will be doing a couple of ex-uk trips before heading to the US we will monitor the prices and hopefully get a deal.

[kiberkid]

Insidecabin... thank you for your review. We have been on the Sun & loved her, but it was only a 7 day cruise and I sure did not want to get off.

 

Thanks for the tip on the rain gear...I will definately take some...although if I get wet, it won't matter.. I am not made of sugar & will not melt... lol.

 

What is the address for the UK web page? I bet we are missing a ton of great information from that site.

 

Insidecabin & Iowagal, I have a couple of questions for you..

 

Were there any excrusions in Colon or Panama City or did you just ride thru the canal?

 

How many times did they have laundry specials? I don't want to over pack, but I don't want to be washing stuff out in the bathroom sink either.. We will be leaving home about 5 days before the cruise so I am not sure if I should be doing laundry b4 I hit the ship or if they have a couple of specials during the 2 weeks.

 

Thanks for your help. I am so glad you enjoyed your cruise.

[Iowagal]

kiberkid--

There were no excursions at Colon or Panama City. The ship does not stop at either port.

 

I believe they had two laundry specials, one in the middle of the cruise and one toward the end. If convenient, I would do your laundry before boarding the ship to start out fresh.

 

We also had the entertainer Fabio in April. He was wonderful!!--the heart throb of the cruise!

[PanamaCruiser]

Insidecabin

Thanks for taking the time to share your review. I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise. I know the Panama Canal is something to see. Thanks for the heads-up about the rain, and the Bridge of the Americas. I'll have to be up real early that day.

The Jewel will be heading to the West Coast spring of 06. Maybe you'll be one of the first ones to get a change to cruise her in Europe.

So The Sun side swiped a lock. I hear that there is only a small clearance on the sides.

I have a medication that I take, that has sun warnings on the lable. I have some sunblock with 70spf that should get me through the cruise.

Thanks again

[fin]

Last month I rode thru the canal Pacific to Atlantic on the carnival Ecstasy.

 

Some people got up at eleven PM the night before the transit and slept on deck to reserve their place at the rail. Many others were up at 4AM to stake out a spot. On the west to east transit, most of the interesting sights at the beginning were starboard.

 

At the Gatun locks, waiting to let down to the Atlantic side, we experienced a tropical thunderstorm which cleared the decks completely before we began the second part of the transit.

 

As close as it is to the equator, it was warm and humid, and bottled water was being sold on deck for $3.25 a bottle. The ship also put a video crew ashore to film the transit from the land. IMO they did themselves no favor by adding a rock sound track to it, speeding up the film in many instances, and cutting from one scene to the next with the speed of an mtv video.

 

But I ended up buying it anyway.

[PanamaCruiser]

Last month I rode thru the canal Pacific to Atlantic on the carnival Ecstasy.

 

Some people got up at eleven PM the night before the transit and slept on deck to reserve their place at the rail. Many others were up at 4AM to stake out a spot.

Thanks for the info. A camp-out sounds cool!

[insidecabin]

More info,

 

When we got up the front rails were already full but I think there was loads of space on the prom. deck and you can see the mules(trains) real close at the stern there. I believe it is normally hot and humid the rain was a godsend cleared the decks and stopped me getting sunburnt and NCL did not make a packet selling water. Many just stuck a towel on their heads to keep the worst of the rain off, It is still warm so a v.lightweight water proof is all that is needed.

 

Transit is a same as a day at sea so shops, casino stay open and there is no getting off.

 

The front suites are an option for personal viewing space.

 

Laundy special was day7 return day9 and aday near the end. $20 fill a bag.

We got 21 shirts/tops, 2shorts,1 long pants and 7days of underware for 2 in our bag = bargain.

Crew cannot get any laundry done for 2 days due to the special.

 

They also had a complimentary(free) Caricature artist on a lot of days which was a nice touch.

On day one you get 2 extra programs for the trip one covers the movies and the other all the fitness activities.

 

The 2 UK sites I use mainly cover the UK budget cruise lines. For US lines I always point people here.

 

http://www.ship-happens.co.uk/

http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=35 (I think this will work)

[jeanied]

insidecabin - that's a lot of laundry! How big is that bag??

[kiberkid]

Inside, thanks so much for the info. I will have fun poking around those sites.

ttp://www.ship-happens.co.uk/

http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=35

Laundy special was day7 return day9 and aday near the end. $20 fill a bag.

We got 21 shirts/tops, 2shorts,1 long pants and 7days of underware for 2 in our bag

Hoooolllllllleeeee... that is a lot of a laundry for $20. You must be the champion in stuffing bags!! lol

 

PanamaCruiser, do you think they will let us have campfire too? lol

A camp-out sounds cool!

[insidecabin]

Laundry bag tips. FOLD and ROll.

The bag is flat at one end and when full the top is round. So fold everything for the flat end. TO get extra stuff in use the freestyle daily to give a smooth surface to slide in each item. NExt take the small items and roll into a tshirt very tight and make the next layer by stacking the tubes together. I could have got more in by having the rolled stuff stick out of the bag.