Panama Canal Cruise – Page 5 – Fondest Travel Memories

PC – Day 10 – Costa Rica

Sunday, November 11, 2018 – Puerto Limon, Costa Rica

I got up at 5:30 to be dressed in case the room service steward was right on time at 6:00. Glad I was because he was 10 minutes early. We were scheduled to be in the main stage area for the only tour we took this trip – Wildlife Rescue Center & La Ceiba Private Reserve. It was to be a long tour – 7 hours but it did include lunch.

I went outside to gauge the weather. Partly cloudy and very humid. What a surprise (sarcasm). We were docked alongside a very large Celebrity ship. I was never sure of its name but it dwarfed our ship.

At 7:40 we joined the line of people getting into the main stage as there were several different tours leaving at 7:45. We got our stickers and waited for our number to be called. There were only about 12 people on our tour so we found our guide and were directed into a large van. There was a tour that was called right before us that involved a train ride and about 100 people got up to join that one.

Once we were on the pier, we located our guide and the van driver. The guide’s name was Roy. He was very informative as he talked about his country on our 50 minute ride to the Rescue Center. The van was air conditioned but we were packed in there. Narrow seats – big Americans – do not mix well. His native language is Spanish but he spoke English well. He said the children are taught both English and Spanish at home and in the schools.

What I learned – Costa Rica means “Rich Coast.” The first Spanish explorers thought that Costa Rica was full of gems and gold since they saw natives with jewelry so that is why they gave it that name. However, they found no gold or jewels after settling. But our guide still considered his country rich. Costa Rica is home to a variety of plants and animals. While the country has only about 0.03% of the world’s landmass, it contains 5% of the world’s biodiversity. Around 25% of the country’s land area is in protected national parks and protected areas, the largest percentage of protected areas in the world.

He talked about coffee, bananas, and cacao as big exports. He showed us a banana plant and a cacao pod. However, as suspected, tourism, and more specifically eco-tourism, is the biggest money-maker for Costa Rica. Birders are especially interested in coming to Costa Rica because over 840 species of birds have been identified here.

The climate is considered tropical. Since we were on the Caribbean side of the country, we had higher humidity than the Pacific side. The temperature was in the 80’s so we could have been in Georgia in the summer. Again, I was glad for the cooling cloths and the bug spray. Costa Rica’s seasons are defined by how much rain falls during a particular period. The year can be split into two periods, the dry season (December to April) and the rainy season (May to November). He told us that this rainy season had been particularly rainy and we should be happy to see the sunshine today.

We passed by a couple of beaches and the waves were high. He talked about how popular surfing is and there are several international tournaments held in Costa Rica. Since it was Sunday, there were a lot of people on the beaches, enjoying the nice day.

As we left Puerto Limon and when we passed through a couple of small towns along the way, I noticed several piles of trash/garbage on the sides of the road. Someone commented on it and he said they would be picked up the next week. I guess they just don’t use garbage cans.

The roads were narrow and at times only cars going in one direction at a time could go over the small bridges. At one point on the road, we had to swerve to miss electrical lines that were down as well as a big tourist bus which was over too far in the road. I was glad to get to the preserve.

The Rescue Center guide was from Spain and she had lived in Costa Rica for several years and loves working with the animals. They try and rehabilitate injured, sick, or abandoned animals so that they can go back to the jungle. If they can’t go back to the wild, they can live out their life at the Center.

We got to see sloths (they get injured from power lines a lot), crocodiles, monkeys, an anteater, ocelots, and a margay. Since this facility was a rehab facility, they don’t let tourists handle the animals. It is a good thing they don’t as I wanted to put a baby sloth in my backpack and bring it home.

From the rescue center, we took a short ride over to the preserve. There is only a small portion of the preserve open to tourists to hike. The rest is left natural and that is where the workers start introducing the animals back to the jungle. We took a short hike so she could tell us about some of the plants. At the end of the hike, we were offered a ginger/mango drink and some pineapple on a skewer. I liked it. Chuck didn’t like the drink. We did see some howler monkeys way at the top of some of the trees, making noise as howler monkeys do. Also saw one of their largest butterflies – a Morpho. It is a bright blue. I could not get a picture but I got a video of it flitting around.

On the drive back, we stopped at an open-air restaurant for lunch. They prepared a traditional Costa Rican lunch of black beans and rice cooked in coconut water, chicken, and fried plantains. We had lemonade or water to drink. Everyone enjoyed the lunch and the nice breeze supplied by the fans.

All aboard was 3:30 and we got back right before 3:00. Gave some of the people time to shop in the gift shops at the port area. Of course, some people had spent money at the gift shop at the rehab facility. Since Chuck had brought me Christmas ornaments from his previous Costa Rica trip with Michael, I didn’t need anything so we headed on back to the ship. We were met at the ship by stewards who were handing out cool washcloths and cups of lemonade. HAL had done this nice touch at Aruba and Curacao also.

It was 3:30 and the Captain had not yet made the announcement about getting underway soon. I went out to the deck and saw 3 large busses pulling in and people piling out of them. They were met by some of the ship personnel, I think to make sure the people kept walking to the ship and didn’t veer off to the souvenir shop. If they wanted to shop, I know they were ticked getting back late. The Captain has to keep a good schedule. We were able to leave a little after 4:00.

After we got cleaned up for the evening, we stopped by the Gallery Bar. As we were sitting there, the cruise director, Sabina, stopped by to ask us how our trip was going and was there anything we needed? The cruise director is very busy from morning to late at night. She and her team do everything from daily announcements, hosting special events (I saw a couple doing a vow renewal), hosting daily Q/A sessions between ship personnel/performers and guests, emceeing the main stage productions, etc. I thought it was nice that she stopped by to chat. We told her we were having a great time. I know she must hold her breath every time she asks guests how they are doing because I know some will do non-stop complaining (I have heard them).

We had dinner with 2 other couples. One couple was from Canada and we see them out on the dance floor at the BB King quite a bit. They are good dancers. The other couple was from Florida. We enjoyed the conversations. The whole table ordered the oysters Rockefeller for the appetizer. I had the eggplant parmesan for the main course. I usually love eggplant parmesan but this one was kind of tough to chew. Chuck enjoyed his steak.

We went to see the late show of the mainstage performance. Tonight was a magician by the name of James Cielen. He was very good. Unfortunately, I was very sleepy and kept nodding off periodically. Thank goodness I didn’t snore.

We called it a night. The next two days are sea days before our arrival in Ft. Lauderdale. We set our clocks Forward one hour tonight. I am all messed up. Glad I don’t have to set an alarm. Tonight’s towel animal is a dinosaur I think.

Each leaf in the pod covered baby bananas.

Like the final chocolate products better

PC – More Panama Canal Photos

Thought it was a log until the tail started swishing

We take pictures of them. They take pictures of us.

Ships waiting in lake for their turn to go to the canal.

PC – Day 9 – Panama Canal

Saturday – November 10, 2018 – Panama Canal

Today is the day that is the purpose for this whole trip – traversing the Panama Canal. We have received enough paperwork regarding the canal – a FAQ sheet, a color brochure, and an encouragement to watch the hour movie: A Man, A Plan, A Canal. There have also been several informational sessions about the Canal during the past few days. If you don’t know what to do today or anything about the canal, it is your own fault.

What I learned – The first firm effort to build an all-water route through the Panama began with the French in 1880 but financial problems and tropical diseases ruined the initiative. When Panama consolidated its independence in 1903 it agreed with the United States on the construction of the Canal and that the US would help build, operate, and maintain it until December 31, 1999.

The Canal was opened in 1914 and in 2010, the bulk carrier Fortune Plum became ship number one million to pass through the Canal. In 1994, the Canal was named one of the seven wonders of the modern world by the American Society of Civil Engineers. In 1999, as agreed, Panama took on the administration and operation of the Canal. In 2007, construction on the new, larger locks began with the inauguration of the new locks held in 2016.

There are 2 lanes for the ships to pass from either Atlantic to Pacific or Pacific to Atlantic. The system of locks raises the vessels to the level of Gatun Lake, approximately 80 feet above the sea, to allow the crossing by the Central Mountain Range, and then lower the vessels to sea level on the other side of the Isthmus of Panama. The water that is used to raise and lower the ships in each set of locks comes from Gatun Lake by gravity and is poured into the locks through a system of main culverts which extend below the chambers of the locks from the sidewalls and center wall.

We set our clocks back an hour before we went to bed so even though I set the alarm for 5:30, I got that extra hour. I was up and dressed with camera and binoculars by 6:00. It was a cloudy day and I could see that it had rained heavily some time during the night. They did call for rain today so I put on my swimsuit with coverup so if it started raining, I was ready. Chuck was looking forward to seeing the Canal but did not feel he needed to be out on the bow as early as me.

All services were starting at 6:00 today instead of the usual 6:30 so I stopped to get my Latte. The Crow’s Nest was already filled with people. I did not want to see the canal from the inside so I got my Latte, went first to the sea view pool area to watch the sunrise over Panama, and then I went back to the front and joined the people in line to go out on the bow. There were several ships around us waiting for their turn to line up to head for the Canal.

I did not get a spot at the very front of the bow but I did get a good spot near it. I thought of it as a Black Friday shopping experience, get there early and stake a claim or snooze and lose. The ship also opened up the crew doors to the 5th, 6th, and 7th floors for people to stand. The crew was serving coffee and their Panama rolls – soft puff pastry with cream inside.

The narrator came on the speaker at about 6:45 as we were entering passing the breakwater and heading for the new expansion bridge (newly constructed and not yet named) and the Gatun Locks. Since this trip was a partial transit, we would only be going through the Gatun Locks, anchor a while in Gatun Lake, and then back out the same locks.

We watched as the ship in front of us entered the locks and it raised up to get it ready to go to the middle set of locks. Once it entered the middle set and the gates closed behind it, it was time for us to enter the locks. While we waited, I watched a couple of gators swimming around paying no heed to the large ship.

Each ship is charged to use the locks. Our narrator said that our ship was charged $300,000 for this trip. Every cruise has port fees added on to the cruise price. Makes sense why these port fees were some of the more expensive that we have paid ($380 pp). The passengers get to pick up part of the costs of this crossing.

When our turn came, the guiding lines were brought out to the ship from the locks by two men in a rowboat. A rowboat, seriously? The narrator explained that they had tried several other ways to get the ropes over but they proved either dangerous or too costly so rowboat it is. The lines were attached to vehicles on either side of the locks that looked like train engines that ran on a track. The narrator called them “mules.” They pulled the ship along through the canal. We watched as we slowly rose with the water level.

It was also interesting to watch other ships coming from the other direction. As we took pictures of them, the crew from those ships (mostly cargo ships) were taking pictures of us.

Once we made it through both sets of locks (Chuck did make it outside before we finished), we anchored in the Lake and they started calling for people who were on tours to start making their way to the tender area. They would be using most of the ship tenders to get people to shore. Guess they figured the rest of us could swim to shore if the ship started to go down in the Lake. (If you could get past the gators).

It was now 10:00 and the Lido would be open for another 30 minutes and the Panama roll was gone. I got some juice and cereal.

We could see the entrance to the new locks from where we anchored. I watched some larger tankers get towed into the new locks. Several other ships were anchored near us. One by one they made their way to either the old locks or the new locks.

At 1:00 it was our turn to go back through the locks. It had started raining hard so I went to the Crow’s Nest to see if I could find a chair. With so many people having left on excursions, I found a nice lounger in the front. It was interesting to see the process from higher up (10th floor vs the 4th floor of the morning). I watched until 3:00.

The shops on the ship were having a sale on Panama Canal souvenirs. I was able to find a keychain that I can repurpose into an ornament. The tag said “it has been handcrafted especially for you by friendly hands inside the Panama Canal Rain Forest.” I was also told there was no free WIFI at the port so there is no reason to get off the ship when we port at Colon which is good because it is still raining.

We didn’t dock at Colon until 5:00. There were several tours that were already back so there were a lot of people getting back on the ship. There were some people getting off to explore. The all aboard time is still 7:30.

With so many people off the ship, the main dining room seemed almost empty. We had our first table for 2 of this cruise. Service is always fast when there are just 2 people. I had the apple/cucumber salad and the vegetarian pasta. Chuck had the gumbo soup and beef brisket.

We finished so early that we went to the 8:00 show of Planet Earth II in Concert instead of the 10:00 show. This show is a movie produced by the BBC and the score is performed by a live band on the ship. I have seen these performances on other ships and have enjoyed them. From the preview show, I thought this one was going to be one set in frozen areas (Antarctica, Artic, etc.); however, it was one that we had seen before on the Alaska cruise. It was still good.

We went to BB King but we didn’t stay long since we have an early excursion in Costa Rica tomorrow. They had a note in our mailbox that said due to the number of early excursions tomorrow, please be aware that room service would be very busy and that the Lido and main dining room would open early for breakfast for everyone’s convenience. We put out the room service menu anyway (yes, we are those people). We asked for delivery between 6:00 – 6:30. We’ll still be OK if it is later.

I also got the disembarkation paperwork turned in. I chose the early time since we will start driving on the day we disembark although I know we will not get all the way home.

The towel animal tonight is an elephant. Wait, wasn’t that the same animal as last night? Guess they didn’t think we would remember.

We are to set the clock back another hour tonight. Weird.

Waiting to enter – Container ship in front of us

Hooked to the Mule to help us move through canal

PC – Day 8 – Second Sea Day

Friday, November 9, 2018 – Second Sea Day

It was almost 9:00 before we got up this morning. I got us coffee but we decided to skip breakfast as the Mariner’s Brunch would be starting at 11:00. The Mariner’s Brunch is a nice brunch served in the main dining room for those guests who have gone on at least one Carnival Corporation cruise (Holland America, Princess, Carnival, etc). As we were walking down the hall toward the dining room, there was the medallion ceremony being held in one of the conference rooms. We got our bronze medallion for 100 sea days on the 2018 Alaska cruise. The next medallion is the silver medallion for 300 days. Not sure that we will ever make 300 days. I am really envious of the people who have 500 sea days or more.

The menu has been pared down from previous years. You now have a choice between one soup and one salad and then a choice of 3 main dishes – beef, fish, or vegetarian. Your choice of dessert is either take what they serve or skip it. I had the gumbo, the vegetarian pasta dish, and the coconut cream pie. Chuck had the gumbo, the beef dish, and pie.

After the meal was over, Chuck and I went to the informational talk on the next two ports – Colon and Costa Rica. Of course, the talk centered a lot on what to expect at the Panama Canal tomorrow. The biggest take away for tomorrow is “be flexible.” They will have a schedule of “when” things are to happen – “when” we enter the locks, “when” we tender the excursions, “when” we get to Colon to pick people up from their excursions. However, since everything is controlled by the Panama Canal Authority – our “when” might not coincide with their “when” and since they control everything that happens with the locks – be flexible.

We had already decided not to take an excursion off the ship. Maybe we are not flexible. I just want to experience going through the locks. I don’t need to see the new locks, or float down a canal to possibly see some monkeys or alligators, etc. The location director kept saying that if we wanted to get off at Colon after we arrive, we needed to use our “discretion” about leaving the port area. All aboard would be 7:30 but we the arrival time is supposed to be 4:00 but “be flexible.” Ship personnel always warn you about being aware of your surroundings while in port but this warning seemed a little more ominous.

I already have Christmas ornaments from all the other ports but I wanted one for the Panama Canal and I wanted to see if they had free WIFI. I told Chuck I was getting off at Colon but I wouldn’t leave the shop area at the port. He said he was going with me.

We walked the ship promenade and then I got my book and found a spot in the shade to read until it was time to get ready for dinner while Chuck spent some time in the casino.

We sat with two very nice couples though I can’t remember where they were from, probably Florida. Chuck and I both had the salad and the coconut curry chicken.

Listened to the first set of the BB King band and then went to the show. Tonight, the show featured just the Zuiderdam dancers in a show called “Musicology.” Interesting concept. Each song represented a musical instrument and the performers interpreted the instrument through dance. I enjoyed the show but still liked the first one better.

Since tomorrow is a very early day as I want to get a spot on the bow for the sail in to the locks, I decided to call it a night. Chuck decided to call it a night also. We set our clocks back an hour which was nice. The towel animal for tonight is an elephant.

PC – Day 7 – Curacao

Thursday, November 8, 2018 – Curacao

The port time today is 8:00 – 4:00. By the time I got up at 7:00 and went outside, we had already docked. It was cloudier today than the previous days on the cruise. Still very humid. I like the buildings in Curacao as they are all painted in bright colors. Locals say that it was the 19th-Century Governor-General Albert Kikkert who is responsible for the colors. They say he suffered from migraines that he thought were caused by the harsh reflection of the sun on the white buildings so he decreed that they could be painted any color other than white. They chose the bright Caribbean colors of blue, green, yellow, and reds. The architecture has earned a designation as a UNESCO Heritage Site.

They allowed people to start getting off of the ship at 7:45.

After finishing our coffee, we ate breakfast in the Lido this morning. It wasn’t as crowded as I expected. It was also raining pretty hard so we were debating about whether to get off or not. Once we finished breakfast the sun was back out, we got our backpack together, got a bottle of water and left the ship around 9:30. Stopped at the visitor center and got a map. Again, we ran the gamut of vendors. We walked along the paved trail by the ocean. It was considered the historical trail and every now and then there would be a sign describing some aspect of Curacao. They were very informative.

Curacao is the “C” in the ABC islands. It is named for the Portuguese word “heart” when it was discovered in 1499. Curacao is 38 miles long and is about 7-8 miles at its widest points. Like Aruba, Curacao has a multi-cultural population, speaking Dutch, Papiamentu, English, and Spanish. The currency is the Florin, like Aruba. The cuisine is a mix of Caribbean, Dutch and Latin American flavors. Traditional dishes include kadushi (cactus soup) and Keshi Yena (baked gouda cheese stuffed with meat, raisins and olives). We tried neither of them.

An important role was played by Curacao during WWII. It was a vital conduit for Allied oil from Venezuela, and there was a large oil refinery here (as well as one on Aruba), which became a target of German U-boats and bombers. At various times during the war, 43 to 100 percent of the oil required by Allied forces came from the refinery on Curacao.

Many people associate Curacao with the liqueur of the same name. It is flavored with the dried peel of the Lahara citrus fruit which is grown on the island. It is orange-flavored, with varying degrees of bitterness, and when it is made, it is colorless but many times it is colored blue or orange before bottling. The Blue Hawaiian and the Blue Margarita are popular drinks made with Curacao. I’m not really a fan.

The trail we took led to the Rif Fort which has been incorporated into the Renaissance resort and casino mall area on the Otrobanda side (residential side) of Willemstad. People could still walk up the steps and walk on top of what remains of the fort which gave us a nice view of the entire area. It started raining again but very briefly and not very hard. Actually helped to cool us though we did bring our cooling cloths again.

We then kept walking to the pedestrian Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge, the only wooden pontoon bridge in the world. Sixteen pontoons float as the bridge swings open. She is nicknamed “The Swinging Old Lady.” From the ship, earlier that morning, I saw it swing open to allow some boats to come into the harbor area. However, while we were over there, no boats wanted to pass so the bridge remained intact. You could also take the free ferry from one side to the other.

We walked over to the other side of Willemstad – the Punda side (commercial area). We entered the Governor’s Palace courtyard and looked at Fort Amsterdam. Looked a lot like the Rif Fort. Both forts guarded the entrance of the harbor with large cannons so it must have been well protected in its day. Chuck asked the security guard at the entrance to the Palace if she thought the Prime Minister would see us since we had made a special trip. She took us seriously and told him no. Didn’t crack a smile. Probably gets that joke a hundred times a day. Stupid tourists.

Had my picture taken by a Chichi sculpture. The word chichi means ‘big sister’ in Papiamentu, the eldest daughter of the family, who binds the family in a caring and loving way together. Chichi is represented in Caribbean artwork as a sensual well-rounded figure, representing the responsible, dynamic and vibrant older sister. I thought it was an appropriate option for my picture.

It seemed to be getting hotter by the second so we decided to head back to the ship. I did find some free WIFI outside near the Pizza Hut so I was able to check emails and Facebook while sitting in the shade. Got the all good message from our cat sitter but since she responded on Sunday and today is Thursday, I just have to hope all is still good.

We did a brief walk through of the casino. Saw slot machines that I recognized but they appeared to payout in Florins. We didn’t play.

Once we were back on the ship, we changed into bathing suits and cover-ups. Ate a light lunch at the Lido. Was the least crowded of this entire trip. Found a table easily. After eating, spent some time in the hot tub and in the sea view pool. For a long time, we were the only ones in the pool which is always nice but then more people starting returning back to the ship and the pool was a popular option.

After spending some time in the sun, drying off and reading, came back to the nice cool room and took a nap. Wasn’t long before we heard the announcement that we would be setting sail.

Tonight was our Pinnacle Grill reservation for dinner so we planned to dress up for dinner. Chuck got finished dressing first so he went to the casino while I finished up.

Our reservations were at 7:00 and we were seated promptly even though the restaurant was very crowded. Again, the service and the food was outstanding as it has been on previous HAL cruises. I had the shrimp cocktail and the king crab legs while Chuck had the crab cakes and the cedar-plank halibut. We split a cheese plate for dessert. I had some of the coffee which is always good but very strong. I had a hard time sleeping this night.

We went to the BB King show and then went to the main stage show – Island Magic. It was a quartet of people from Trinidad who played the steel drums. I was expecting a reggae and calypso show but they played show tunes and classical musical on the steel drums. Very entertaining. We listened to several tunes from Andrew Lloyd Webber including the one from Phantom of the Opera. Also played Ave Maria.

Tomorrow is a sea day so after the show we went back to BB King and ended up a very late night. Tonight’s towel animal is a stingray.

Seaside historical trail and bright buildings.

PC – Day 6 – Aruba

Wednesday, November 7, 2018 – Aruba

Time in port today is 1:00 – 11:00 so there was no rush to get up and out. I still woke up at 7:00 and we were both ready for coffee. From the looks of this morning, it was going to be a beautiful day. We had no excursion planned as we have taken both the island tour and done some snorkeling before.

Aruba, part of the ABC islands, is located just off the coast of South America and is 19.6 miles in length and 6 miles across at its widest point. Aruba is a former Dutch colony though it is now its own country. However, Aruba is still part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is considered outside of the hurricane belt. The average temperature is 82 degrees. Aruba’s slogan is “One Happy Island.”

Languages spoken are Papiamento, Dutch, English, and Spanish. The origin of Papiamento is still a bit of a mystery. However, Arubans say that it was developed from Portuguese-African pidgin which was used as the language for communication between slaves and slave traders.

Though the US dollar is widely accepted, the currency is the Aruban Florin which is worth about 0.56 US Dollars.

Aruba has a national park – Arikok National Park which houses the natural pool and the Fontein Cave which are famous for the decorative brownish-red Arawak pictographs etched by the Amerindians. There are over 20 miles of hiking trails. It is home to a rare species of the burrowing owl. It lives in burrows in the ground hidden by cacti. It is one of Aruba’s national symbols and appears on postage stamps. There are numerous Divi Divi trees all over the island and they all lean the same way because of the winds.

Decided to eat in the main dining room this morning. I like eating there when I have no need to be anywhere specific. But the service can be slow, so I avoid it when I am in a hurry. We were seated at a table for eight. There was a couple from North Carolina and two couples from Florida (one originally from West Virginia, the other I don’t remember). I finished my breakfast before the others because I ordered fruit and oatmeal and they brought them both out as starters. I don’t know who could eat a big bowl of oatmeal and then eat more, but oatmeal is not considered the main meal. I chatted with people and read the flyer on upcoming cruises while they finished. Chuck had the western omelet. He ordered turkey sausage to go with it but they forgot to bring it.

After breakfast, we went to the gym. We were supposed to be going every day but this is the first day we have made it. It is small but well-equipped – bicycles, steppers, treadmills, free weights, weight machines, etc. There was a yoga class being conducted in the corner. Chuck got on the bike while I went to the treadmill. Since the gym is at the very front of the ship, I could feel the motion. I don’t normally have to hang on to the handrails of a treadmill but I did this one. As I was finishing the treadmill, Chuck was finishing with the rowing machine. He didn’t like it as much as he does the one at the rehab place.

We decided to finish our walk outside so we headed for the promenade deck and walked six laps around the ship which was 2 miles. Very breezy. Did feel good to get in some real exercise.

The location director was going to start her narration into Aruba around 11:45 so we got showers and I went out on Deck 10 to watch us sail in. I could have gone to the bow but I knew it would be crowded. As I was watching the sail in, the pilot boat was beside us and there were 3 dolphins swimming just right in front of it. One veered off but the other 2 were staying just in front. The little boat was gaining on them and I got so caught up in telling them to swim faster or veer off that I forgot to get a picture. The boat finally went over the top of them. I have to hope that they had dived down or veered off as I didn’t seem them again in all the froth made by the boat.

They made the announcement exactly at 1:00 that people could get off. We were eating lunch by the Lido pool of grilled chicken sandwiches from the Dive In Burger spot on deck. We finished, got the backpack, and some water and walked off about 2:00.

Of course there were a lot of vendors on the street offering rides to the beaches or tours of the island. I looked for the free trolley but didn’t see one. We walked along the main road toward Fort Zoutman/William III Tower which now serves as the Historical Museum of Aruba. It is one of the oldest building on the island. We passed a number of high-end shops, casinos, and craft markets as well as sculptures. The fort/museum was small (at its heyday It only housed 25 people) but we enjoyed listening to the docent and looking at the artifacts. We climbed 4 flights to get to the top of the bell tower. And it was a climb as there were no regular steps, just ladders. But the view was great.

Walked back along a different street toward the ship and looked at the different artwork that had been built. Even turned some solar panels into a work of art. Before leaving home, I ordered from Amazon two “cooling cloths.” You are supposed to wet them with cold water, wring them out, and then “snap” them. The snap activates the cloth into getting cold. When the coolness starts to wear off, you snap them again and they are cold again. I specifically bought them for our tour in Costa Rica but we decided to try them in Aruba. I thought it worked pretty well. We had them wrapped around our neck and snapped them a couple of times during our walk to help stay cool because it was sweltering. It had to be higher than the average 82 degrees.

Once we got back, we needed another shower. Got cleaned up for the evening. It was casual night so we both just wore jeans. Went to the Crow’s Nest and talked to some people about their tours that day in Aruba. At dinner, we sat with one of the couples we had had dinner with on a previous night. They were from Florida and we really enjoyed their company. I had the carne asada – thin slices of steak on top of black beans and rice, with a side of guacamole and salsa. Chuck had the regular NY strip steak. I had ice cream for dessert. Chuck skipped dessert.

Since we would be in port until 11:00 tonight, there was not a lot happening on the ship. BB King band had the night off and there was no main stage production. They were going to show Mama Mia 2 on the big screen but neither Chuck nor I cared to see it. All the shops and the casino were closed. We did watch the one hour presentation on the history of the Panama Canal. There was a DJ playing some dance music in the lounge so we hung out there for a while.

Decided to call it a night about 11:00 and came on back to the room. Laundry was there, ready to be put away. Towel animal, I assume, was a flying fish. Tomorrow is Curacao. Again, no specific plans for the day.

PC – Day 5 – First Sea Day

Tuesday, November 6, 2018 – Sea Day

I woke up at 7:00 this morning (stupid time change). Walked out to the deck and the sun was already bright in the sky. Walked over the other side and I am going to assume that the island I saw was Cuba. It was large but that is all I can say for sure. Also saw another ship in the distance. Probably a cruise ship. Later today we are supposed to enter a channel that the Captain called the “sea highway.” It is very regulated and once you enter it, you have to be going in the same direction as the other ships on your side of the highway. Not sure how it is regulated. I have not seen any ships that have the bumper sticker “How’s My Driving? Call 1-800-BIG-BOAT”

I finished my Latte and got the clean laundry put away. With Chuck still asleep, I decided to go on for some breakfast and get some sun. Still talking about rain showers in the afternoon so I wanted to take advantage of the pretty day. Left Chuck a note and went to the Lido. As usual, it was crowded but I was able to find a seat. Had a bagel, some yogurt, and juice. I found a nice spot on the Sea View deck away from the smoking area and settled in with my book. A while later, Chuck came out and I went inside with him and had some fruit while he ate breakfast.

My chair was occupied when I got back but there were plenty of others. If it had been a Carnival ship, all the loungers would have been taken. I settled in with my book again but it wasn’t long before a lady one lounger away commented that she liked my ballet-type swim shoes. I thanked her and told her why I liked these instead of my heavier ones. For the next couple of hours, I found out about her travel interests and her health issues. I never got back to my book. Did watch a very tiny green bird (finch size) hopping around the deck. Woman said she thought it had been on since Ft. Lauderdale. Later I saw a dead one on a ledge near our cabin. I think it flew into a window. Also watched a hawk-like bird staying right with the ship. Never did see it dive for any fish.

We passed the island of Haiti. The sea was very calm. There were several long canoes with people in them sailing near the coast. I think I would be worried that the wake of the ship would capsize my canoe but it didn’t appear to worry any of them. The mountains were beautiful.

At noon, I decided I had had enough sun for the day and needed a shower. Wasn’t ready to get cleaned up for Gala evening but I didn’t want to walk around with all the sweat and sunscreen for the rest of the day either. Got my shower but just put on clean shorts and a t-shirt and a ballcap on my head. Met up with Chuck and went for some lunch in the Lido. Shared a table with another couple.

You just have to sit at an open seat in the Lido if you want to sit. Rarely are you going to find a private table. If you don’t go on and sit at an open seat, you will be circling the Lido until your food gets cold. Most people are fine with your sitting there.

Killed some time at the main pool area (in the shade) until it was time to go to the presentation regarding Aruba and Curacao. I used to avoid these presentations because I thought they were going to be hard sells on ship excursions. Went to one of them in Alaska and found out that they are really just informational. Since we don’t have anything planned for the next 2 ports, I wanted to see what was available. Believe we are going to take the free trolley ride around Oranjestad in Aruba and do some walking in Curacao. I would like to find places with free WIFI also if possible.

Before we left, the doctor had adjusted one of Chuck’s medication because his heart rate was too slow. But doing so, his blood pressure had started going back up. The doctor said to monitor it for a few days and if it remained high, to start taking his blood pressure medicine twice a day. The medical center opened at 3:00 so he went to get it checked. The nurse said that if she checked it and it was too high or too low, he would need to see the doctor and be charged for the visit. Since Chuck knew what needed to be done if it was still too high, she let him check his own without her presence. It was still high so he has started to take an extra BP pill at night.

While he was doing checking on his blood pressure, I was reading in the shade. Once he was finished, he went to the casino. I told him I would be getting ready for the evening around 5:00. I started getting sleepy so I went to the room for a nap. Set the alarm for 5:00 but Chuck got there about 4:45.

It was Gala night so Chuck put on his sport coat and I got out my blue/black dress. We had a drink in the Crow’s Nest. The comedian from the night before was at the bar. We talked with him a while. He is getting off of the ship in Curacao. Will be home for a while and then getting back on the Prinsendam to do a show. The dinner was very good. Chuck had the cracked peppercorn beef with shrimp. I had the yellowtail sole. We both had the shrimp cocktail. We skipped dessert.

We sat with a couple from Florida, a couple from Detroit (he was a speech pathology professor at University of Michigan), and a priest. Holland America offers Mass every morning and he was the priest who was hired to conduct the services on this cruise. He is retired from Pennsylvania and now lives in Florida and offers his services to cruise ships part-time. We had a nice evening. However, there was an announcement for a medical emergency at the Sea View deck. The priest said he hoped he would not be called. It has happened to him before. There was no more announcements.

Went to the first set of the BB King band. Only played one song that was suitable to dance – Midnight Train to Georgia. We enjoyed listening to the other songs. They have a wide selection. After that set, we went to the main stage area for the show – Zuiderdam Singers and Dancers performed “One World.” Had some interesting special effects and even had one dancer perform on the ropes like they do in Cirque du Soleil. I have found the shows performed by the ship singers and dancers to be a hit or miss (seen better high school musicals). This one was definitely a hit- very professional. I look forward to the other ones.

I called it an evening while Chuck went back to the casino. Instead of hitting the 10 button on the elevator, I pressed the 9. I don’t think I meant to hit the 9 but maybe my stomach was controlling my mind because I thought, well, as long as I am here, I might as well get a dessert to take to the room. I got some ice cream and a cookie. Once I got in bed, I tried to read but only got through a couple of pages before I fell asleep. Not sure what time Chuck got back to the room. Tonight’s towel animal is a question. I thought it was a frog. Chuck thought it might be a dog.

Tomorrow is Aruba. Approximately around noon, the location host is going to narrate as we sail into the Aruba port. The bow will be open but I think I will just be on the 10th deck near our room.

PC – Day 4 – Half Moon Cay

Monday, November 5, 2018 – Half Moon Cay

Woke up at 6:00 and walked out to Deck 10 for the first look at a beautiful sunrise. Sun was peaking out behind the clouds and turning them a gorgeous peach and pink. The sky was shades of purple and blue. Not sure my picture can really do it justice.

Today is our tender port at Half Moon Cay, the private island owned by Carnival Corporation. It was first bought by Holland America in 1996 for $6 million dollars. When Carnival Corporation bought Holland America, they also bought the rights to the island. Carnival ships use the island too but only if a HAL ship is not using it. It has one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. The only other beach that I can think of that rivals it is 7 Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. The sand is like fine sugar and the beach is well maintained. The water is that beautiful turquoise color.

The island’s true name is Little San Salvador Island and it is one of 700 islands that make up the archipelago of the Bahamas. It is located approximately 100 miles southeast of Nassau and it covers 2,400 acres. Only 50 acres has been developed as Carnival wants to keep the habitat intact as it is a significant nesting area for waterfowl. They only employ a few full-time residents to watch over the buildings and take care of the horses. Everyone else who works there comes by boat every day. Would be an interesting commute.

We have done a couple of excursions here – parasailing and taken a catamaran out to some coral for snorkeling. We decided for today that we would just snorkel off the beach in the designated snorkeling area.

I went for a latte at the coffee bar at 6:30 but Chuck was still asleep. He woke up when room service delivered our breakfast at 7:30. They have a limited breakfast menu but others say you can write-in request items but we have not tried it. I had Special K and some fruit. Chuck had the omelet. Some more coffee and we were ready to go.

We got on the tender and it left about 9:15. Short ride to the island and we found two nice loungers in the shade. The water was calm but chilly. Took some getting used to. We swam out towards the rope and where we assumed the coral was. There was both artificial areas for the fish and some coral. Unfortunately, the coral was dead. Too much exposure to humans. The water was fairly shallow in a lot of places and the sun was out the whole time so visibility was very good and we were able to see quite a few small fish and occasionally a larger one.

Most of the fish were not scared of humans and didn’t really swim away. However, there were some fish that I called Waldo because they darted in and out of the rocks to stay hidden. They occasionally popped up in my pictures. Weird looking fish. Reddish but their eyes seemed to be ringed with big black circles.

We snorkeled for about an hour and then sat on the loungers to dry off. Just as we were exiting the water, one of the ship’s photographers stopped us for a picture. I can’t wait to see it. Chuck was squinting into the sun and I could feel my hair sticking straight up for the salt water. I know we will not be buying this picture. We sat next to a couple from Arkansas who we soon found out were also on the 10th deck but on the opposite hallway. Coincidental. We watched some of the resident chickens walking under the lounge chairs looking for dropped crumbs. They really love to hang out at the pavilion at lunch.

We have eaten the Bar B Que lunch on the island before but decided to go back to the ship for lunch this time. We had had enough snorkeling for the day. We got on the next available tender but it didn’t get far until it turned around and came back to the island. I thought maybe someone on the island had a medical emergency.

One of their motors had frozen up and they thought it best for us to get off the tender and on to another one just in case this one completely conked out before reaching the ship. We gathered up our bags and trooped over to the other tender. We watched as one of the workers put on a dive mask and prepared to take a look at the motors. Would not want that job. We were back on the ship about 12:30.

Left our swimsuits on and went up to the Lido buffet. One side of the Lido is still shut down. I thought it might be because many of the servers as well as the passengers were over at the island. However there was a sign that said maintenance in progress and I heard someone talking about a leak. I meant to check at dinner time to see if both sides were open but I forgot.

We enjoyed sitting in the hot tub for a while. After getting dried off, decided to go ahead and get cleaned up for the rest of the afternoon/evening. I wanted to go to one of the Microsoft workshops on organizing photos with Windows 10 and it started at 5:00.

We were ready by 4:00 so played a little blackjack (my no luck streak continues) and then Chuck switched to three card prime (a variation of three card poker) and I went to the workshop. After it was over, I decided to implement what I had learned.

I went to the room and retrieved my laptop and the two cameras. Went to the Crows Nest for a Tai Chi Latte and worked on importing my photos to the laptop and editing them. I ended up deleting several of the underwater photos that just did not turn out well.

Chuck came to get me about 7:00 and we went to the main dining room for dinner. Sat at a large table of 10. I don’t mind that size table but you just have to realize you are not going to be able to hold a conversation with the ones at the other end. There were 2 couples from Kansas traveling together and 2 couples from Florida (not traveling together). I thought one of the Florida couples seemed familiar like we may have been on a previous cruise with them but who knows?

I had the mango, cucumber, and goat cheese salad and the sole. Chuck had the crab cakes and the halibut. We skipped dessert. The dinner was very good.

We got out in time to catch the first set of the BB King band. We only danced to one song. The previous night at the 10:45 set, they played a lot of danceable music. This set, it was a lot of blues and jazz songs. However, the crowd watching was a very enthusiastic audience. After the set was over, we went to the main stage to watch the comedian. He had some funny moments but overall was so-so.

I decided to call it a night but Chuck stayed for some more 3 card poker. When I got to the room I found that the laundry was back (yay) but there was also a notice that we would be moving the clocks forward an hour (boo) tonight. Glad tomorrow is a sea day. It will also be the first of two Gala nights. Tonight’s towel animal is a stingray.

The weather forecast calls for sunny skies in the morning but the possibility of rain in the afternoon (typical Caribbean). The captain announced that at approximately 6:00 tomorrow morning we would be near the coastline of Cuba. I am probably going to miss that view.

PC – Day 3 – Embarkation

Sunday, November 4, 2018 – Embarkation

Knowing that the ships rarely board until after 11:00 and not wanting to sit or stand at the Port, we opted to sign up for the 11:00 hotel shuttle. By doing so, we were able to have a relaxed morning at the hotel. I slept better last night but Chuck said he slept fitfully.

Could see out our window that it was a beautiful sunny morning but that it must have rained hard during the night. I didn’t hear anything. Local TV weather said it was 78 degrees and 93 percent humidity. Welcome to south Florida.

Went downstairs for their free breakfast. A large group in the lobby, apparently waiting to be taken to the airport, had wiped them out of the hot food earlier in the morning so the ladies were busily cooking more breakfast potatoes and bacon. I had the oatmeal, a banana, and split a bagel with Chuck. He got the eggs.

While we were sitting at our little table just outside of the food area, an elderly man (or at least someone who looked older than me), walked into the food area and as he was waiting for his waffle to be cooked, let loose a loud long fart. Chuck’s eyes got so wide and I nearly spit out my coffee. The man just got his waffle and walked back to his table where his wife was sitting. I assume that she either didn’t know what happened or just chose to ignore him. I didn’t see her scolding on him. Wow. I told Chuck that if I saw him on the ship, I was definitely going to stay upwind of him.

Since we had time, we decided to walk 30 minutes around the hotel area. Whole area had nice sidewalks so we picked a direction and headed off. Humidity jumped on us early. Yesterday it was a brisk 50 degrees. Today, an oppressive 80. We walked for 30 minutes but it was definitely not the pace that we had yesterday.

Got back to the room and cleaned up and went downstairs to checkout and wait for the shuttle. Well, the front desk lady said there was a lot of traffic around the Port (duh) and the driver would be about 15 minutes late. Well, 30 minutes later, he was getting our bags as well as 8 other people. There were 4 ships in port today. Four people were sailing Carnival Conquest, 4 of us were on the Zuiderdam, and 2 people were on the Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas. Nobody on our shuttle was sailing the Nieuw Amsterdam today.

Porters were there to get our bags (and tip money). We began the long, slow process of going through security (empty your pockets before you get to the scanner, people), standing in line for our sail and sign cards, and waiting for our boarding number to be called. We were group 18. They were just starting to call group 7. Sigh.

Once we had our number called, we had to navigate the picture line. We have longed stopped getting the pictures as we don’t buy the pictures so it is a waste of their time, our time, and paper, but you have to wait in line and then tell the photographers, no thank you, to keep moving past them. Finally, we were on board and up to our room on the 10th floor by 1:00.

The observation deck (10th) has a small number of inside rooms and balcony rooms far forward. We have never been up this high. I hope I can deal with the motion. We typically book a guaranteed room so we take our chances on where we will be on the ship. The Zuiderdam is a sister ship to the Westerdam which is the ship we took to Hawaii in February. At that time, we were on the lowest floor near the middle, very convenient to guest services and the area to get off the ship at ports, but it was a trek every morning to get coffee from the coffee bar on the 10th floor.

Our room is just down the hall from the Crows Nest which has the coffee bar and a regular bar combined. Very convenient. On the other end of the hall, you can walk outside to a promenade deck that will take you all the way back to the Sea View pool area (one floor down) as well as the Lido pool and buffet. I really like that point too.

We ate lunch in the dining room and had a nice conversation with two ladies from Canada and a gentleman from Colorado. The women have been friends since College and always take a trip together every year, leaving husbands and children behind. One was from Ontario and one was from Calgary. Either the man was traveling solo or his significant other/spouse was not with him for lunch. I didn’t ask. We each had a steak sandwich. I just ate the steak off the sandwich. We each had a piece of carrot cake.

After finishing, I made our Pinnacle Grill reservations for Thursday evening at 7:00. On some ships, they assign you times since it is a free meal as part of the Explore 4 promotion. If you don’t like the assigned time/date, you have to call and see if you can change it. Other ships, you make your own reservation. We then went to the Mariner reception. Reception was kind of lame or maybe we just missed the opening. We didn’t see any officers walking around greeting people, etc. Just waiters passing out cheap champagne and mimosas. The appetizers looked good.

Went back to the room and our luggage arrived shortly. The room is different. We have a lot of floor space. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a couch but only two chairs. I guess because the last time, they put us in a room meant for 3 to 4 people and this room is designed just for 2 people. But it did make it nice to spread out all the luggage for the unpacking. I was able to get everything in closets and shelves. Very limited drawer space. Got the luggage under the bed. All just in time for the announcement of the safety drill.

We were herded to our life boat stations in the sweltering heat and humidity. Some elderly people who were clearly not able to take the heat and looked like they were going to faint were ushered into a special room inside. Then a baby started wailing and that family was also ushered inside. I thought about getting Chuck to start wailing to get us out of there but then I just figured they would think he was drunk and disorderly and would end up in ship’s jail.

Thankfully, it didn’t last too long and we were released to join the sailaway party. The Conquest had left at 4:00. We were scheduled to leave at 5:00 but it was closer to 5:30. The Nieuw Amsterdam took off before we did. Not sure what time the Adventure of the Seas was scheduled to depart.

Had a good time talking with people at the sailaway party. Then Chuck got his information about his free play money and took it to the Casino. They gave him his chips and he played some cards while I went to the liquor store and ordered 2 bottles of Grey Goose. Been a while since we have driven to a port so we can easily bring home the bottles. Holland America also delivers the bottles to your room the night before disembarkation. I don’t buy the bottles from Carnival any more because they make you line up the morning of debarkation and get your bottles. I don’t need that stress on the day you have to leave.

I listened to the piano player in the Oceans Bar for a while and then went to the dualing piano bar and listened to them. By then, Chuck was ready for dinner. We went to the Lido because Chuck had shorts on and you have to wear slacks to eat in the main dining room. The Lido had already closed. We decided to try the main dining room. They let Chuck come in as it was the first night and the dress code is more relaxed since people are still getting luggage. However, they told him that all other nights, slacks were required. We had a very nice dinner and shared a table with two women from South Carolina. Chuck had the scallop appetizer and jerk pork dinner and I had the potato soup and pasta dinner that had various vegetables diced up in it. We skipped dessert.

We were out in time for the 9:30 evening show which was called “Preview” and it did just that. It previewed some of the upcoming stage shows for this trip. I think the one featuring music through the decades is going to be the best one. They also said there would be a couple of comedians and one of those BBC movies that have the ship musicians playing along with the scenes. I have really enjoyed those movies on other ships so I hope to catch this one too.

Chuck played a few more hands of cards and then we went to the BB King nightclub for their last set of the evening. Excellent musicians and two singers. Played songs that got people up to dance the entire set.

By the time we got back to the room it was close to midnight. So glad the room cooled down to a nice sleeping temperature. I think the towel animal is a crab. Chuck thinks it is a shrimp. We filled out the room service breakfast card to be delivered between 7:30 and 8:00.

Tomorrow is Half Moon Cay. It is the Carnival Corporation private island and the beach there is beautiful. However, it is a tender port and that is always tricky. Even if the weather is nice, if the current is too strong, the tender boats can’t run safely. We hope to snorkel off the beach. If not, we dragged all of our snorkeling gear on this trip for nothing. The tendering is to begin at 8:30 so we will let the crowds go on and we’ll probably take a 9:30 or 10:00 tender. We’ll snorkel for a while and then come back to the ship at 12:30 or 1:00. The last tenders will be at 2:30.

PC – Day 2 – Travel to Ft. Lauderdale

The nice thing about staying in St. Augustine is that it is only 4 hours to Ft. Lauderdale so there was no reason to get up early. Although the bed was comfortable, I still slept fitfully so I was not surprised that I woke up close to 7:00.

Breakfast was the usual hotel fare of make your own waffles, scrambled eggs, sausage, various breads, yogurt, cereal, etc. I had an English muffin and yogurt while Chuck had eggs and toast. I was surprised at how good the coffee was. Met a couple that was heading for Port Canaveral for a Carnival cruise. I should have asked them what ports they were visiting.

There was a nice sidewalk along the road so we walked for 30 minutes before going back to the room to get cleaned up. Beautiful sunny morning but 50 degrees so it was a cool walk. Did our last few minutes with laps around the property. Still no alligator but we did hear rifle shots in the distance. Hunting? There was a lot of still wooded property near the hotels but still it was disconcerting to hear so close to the road.

We were on the road by 10:30. Traffic, for the most part, flowed smoothly down I-95 south. I do hate those drivers that are going so much faster than everyone else and weaving in and out of the lanes. Especially when the drivers are on motorcycles. Accident waiting to happen.

We did run into a lot of construction but that is normal for I-95. The GPS wanted to take us off I-95 and onto the Florida Turnpike but we kept going and got to the hotel from a little different direction and not that much further. Save those tolls. Tax on tourists.

Arrived at the Hampton Inn hotel at 2:45. We have the park and cruise package so we will leave our vehicle at the hotel. The hotel shuttle will take us to the port at 11:00. Really no need to get there any earlier as we don’t have the Faster to the Fun fastpass that we usually get with Carnival. Holland America doesn’t offer it but they are usually pretty fast with their embarkation.

Got in the room with our bags just in time for the UGA vs Kentucky football game. Important game as the winner will more than likely get to play in the SEC championship. Know the opponent will be Alabama. It is always Alabama.

The room is a very nice one with a king bed, refrigerator, microwave, and large comfortable reclining type chair. It adjoins the next room but since we don’t know those people, we will keep that adjoining door locked.

At half time, we took the hotel shuttle to Duffy’s Sports Bar and Grill so we could eat and watch the last half of the game. Huge place with a number of TV’s so they were happy to turn one of them to the UGA vs KY game. Only game that had sound was the Florida vs Missouri which is understandable but we enjoyed our game even if we couldn’t hear the play-by-play. UGA won so on to the SEC Championship!

Hotel shuttle was prompt and when we got back to the hotel we found that they were bringing out hot, freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and milk for their guests. Score!

Once we were back in the room, it was time for Alabama vs LSU. I may or may not be able to keep my eyes open for the entire game. We’ll see. But, I get an extra hour of sleep. Time to turn back our clocks.

Category: Panama Canal Cruise

PC – Day 10 – Costa Rica

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PC – More Panama Canal Photos

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PC – Day 9 – Panama Canal

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PC – Day 8 – Second Sea Day

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PC – Day 7 – Curacao

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PC – Day 6 – Aruba

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PC – Day 5 – First Sea Day

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PC – Day 4 – Half Moon Cay

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PC – Day 3 – Embarkation

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PC – Day 2 – Travel to Ft. Lauderdale

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