Teeara

On 5/30/2024 at 6:57 PM, cruisingbajan said:

@Teeara Cheryl-Ann and I are on this ship to Alaska in September (bucket list) so we really enjoyed the review.

 

Hopefully we will get to sail together again someday.

Keith!  You and Cheryl-Ann are going to love it.  Alaska is a great cruise (and land!) vacation.  Make sure to pack for cold weather.  It's quite a bit chillier than Barbados ;o)))

We've got our fingers crossed for a 20+ day RT Alaska cruise out of San Francisco on Princess for 2026.  Just waiting for it to open for booking.

It would be nice to sail together again someday, too.

On 2/15/2024 at 3:19 PM, wreckem2013 said:

The crown lounge on Allure is going to be moved. Everyone might as well accept it. Same with the slides. Sabor, is a goner as well. Those are all pretty much done deals. Giovanni’s Table is probabky be flipped to Giovanni’s Kitchen.
 

It’s what is replacing Sabor and the Crown Lounge that is not fully known. Sabor is probably playmakers but who knows what they will choose for the resturant to replace the crown lounge.

 

Hopefully they turn studio on air into a piano bar or something .

I'll gladly take Giovanni's Kitchen.  We loved it on Wonder.  We won't miss Sabor.  

I was never a fan of Sabor's, so Portside BBQ or Playmakers is preferential for us.  Bionic Bar was boring.  We never saw anyone at it on Wonder, so I think it was pretty much a novelty item for the first few ships.  I'm surprised they kept installing them.  I'd rather have more retail space or an expansion of Cafe Promenade.  That place is always hoping and I was surprised to find all the seating gone before 6 a.m. during one sea day.  Oh well.  We'll enjoy the TA nonetheless regardless of what they install.

23 hours ago, BillOh said:

Yes, as prepared as I need to be. I did learn something new watching her sailaway yesterday.  I have loved the cantilevered s since they came out on Freedom. 

The ones on Allure, Oasis and Sypmhony look nice, but I think I spotted on Wonder the glass goes all the way to the bottom making it an infinity hottub?

Go to 5:10 on my Pool Deck video.  You can make out that it looks like it's an infinity hot tub ;o)

On 5/7/2024 at 10:15 PM, BillOh said:

Watch here on CC for another BLUE COLLAR DIAMOND + review here around June 6th or so. I think  my last cruise planning decision is to decide if I am still taking my camera (Canon) or leave it home and just use my phone.  My phone usually goes in the safe as soon as we leave port, but now with needing to use their app so much I might have to have it out quite a bit.   

It will depend on how much memory your phone has and if you are planning on taking just photos or videos.  When I did the Wonder TA I only took photos on my phone and I was fine.  But for our Panama Canal cruise last month I took mainly videos and kept maxing out my iPhone storage.  I had brought a stick to download my videos to, but I had a horrible time with it.  I don't have much memory on this phone so I plan on upgrading next year and getting a phone with a lot more storage before the Allure TA since I expect to take a LOT of video on that cruise.

We did the full transit last month on Radiance of the Seas and did the Panama Treasures Just For You tour.  We did NOT see the locks on our tour.  We LOVED the Reprosa Museum and Factory tour.  It was fascinating to learn about how they were making the jewelry and then watched how they did it.

Journey through time as you explore the ruins of Panama Viejo and the pre-Colombian treasures at the Reprosa Museum and Factory. Founded by Spain in 1519, Panama was the first European city established on the Pacific Coast of the Americas. This area, known as Panama Viejo, was destroyed by the English pirate Henry Morgan in the late 1600s and was later rebuilt. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you’ll feel the history as you walk amid the ruins of nearly 100 civic and religious buildings, one of which served as headquarters for conquistador Francisco Pizarro during his conquest of the Incan Empire. Then enjoy some free time for lunch at Costa del Este, an upscale neighborhood teeming with delicious dining choices. At the Reprosa Museum and Factory, see Panama’s ancient civilizations, cultural traditions, and natural treasures come to life. See how pre-Columbian artifacts are made using the fascinating “lost-wax” process, the same casting method used by ancient goldsmiths. Afterward, try your hand at releasing a casting, then browse the factory’s variety of art and jewelry crafted on site.  (THEIR JEWELRY AND OTHER ITEMS WERE BEAUTIFUL AND AFFORDABLE)

Highlights

·         Explore the ruins of Panama Viejo and the pre-Colombian treasures at the Reprosa Museum and Factory.

·         See the ruins of nearly 100 civic and religious buildings once headquarters for conquistador Francisco Pizarro.

·         Learn how artifacts are made using the "lost-wax" process, and browse art and jewelry crafted on site.

Important details and advisements

·         There are three steps to board the bus.

·         Guests will have free time in Costa del Este for lunch on their own, which is not included in the price of this tour. (WE HAD LUNCH IN A SHOPPING MALL AT BURGER KING).

·         Costa del Este area is wheelchair accessible; Panama Viejo and the Reprosa Factory and Museum are not.

·         The drive to/from Panama City is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. (IT WAS INDEED 90 MINUTES TO AND FROM PANAMA CITY WITH EXTREMELY HEAVY TRAFFIC AS WE WERE TRYING TO LEAVE PANAMA CITY - 6 TOURS WERE LATE GETTING BACK TO THE SHIP, BUT THEY OBVIOUSLY WAITED FOR US SINCE WE WERE ON SHIP SPONSORED SHORE EXCURSIONS)

So, expect a 90 minute bus ride to Panama City and at least a 90 minute ride back to Colon.  There's 3 hours.  I would expect you to spend about an hour at the Casca Viejo district (we did) and then I would expect they will take you somewhere for lunch before heading back to the Colon area to see the locks where you'll probably get another hour there.

For our tour we spent about an hour at the Reprosa Factory, then got on the bus for a quick 20 minute ride to the mall for lunch (we were given about 45 minutes), then we drove another 20 minutes or so to the ruins and we were indoors at the museum there for about an hour, then back on the bus for our 90+ minute ride back to the ship.  We were already late when we arrived so we pretty much just hustled through the shopping area at the port and boarded the ship.

In any event, whatever you do decide to do, definitely get off the ship and go to Panama City.  You can't see the canal from the freeway (and it is all freeway and city streets with lots of trees alongside the freeway portion, so it's not bumpy or bad streets), but you do pass the Chagras River which feeds into Gatun Lake.  We really enjoyed our shore excursion.

Although my tour wasn't the same as the one you're thinking of taking, I hope this gives you a little bit more to think about.  Again, you won't be on the bus for a full 7 hours.  You will have time off in the middle.  Also, we were told that there is a cut off in the number of people who "qualify" to ride in a big bus versus a smaller passenger van.  Our tour qualified (barely) for a big bus (I think we had 25 people in our tour).  If your tour is going to the visitors center I would think it would qualify for a bigger bus.  Unfortunately you won't know until you arrive at your shore excursion bus area which kind of transportation you'll be on.

I've started posting videos on our Panama Canal cruise (right now I'm posting on our time in Tampa two days prior to the cruise), but I will eventually be posting about this shore excursion.  You can find a link to my YouTube channel, The Empty Armchair, under my signature if you're interested in checking it out.  I don't expect to be posting about the Colon/Panama day until sometime in late June since I only post once a week.

On 5/9/2024 at 9:14 PM, Coral said:

Here are the files:

 

 

2026 Europe Reference Flyer_Release_JG.pdf 511.91 kB · 260 downloads Europe 2026 Cruise Sailing Schedul_0508e_fares_Amenities_2024_0509.xlsx 144.42 kB · 383 downloads Europe 2026 Cruisetour Sailing Schedule_fares_Amenities_2024_0508.xlsx 924.14 kB · 114 downloads PC_2026 Europe At a Glance Flyer_050124 FINAL-es.pdf 5.3 MB · 176 downloads

Do you know when 2026 Alaska cruises will be opening for booking?

They dropped us off in Colon after our 7 hour shore excursion to Panama City and had to walk through the mall area next to the port.  It was hopping with people, but we had no trouble walking through (we were late getting back to the ship, but since it was a ship-sponsored shore excursion they weren't going to leave without us and there were 6 other late buses behind us).  I think we would've been okay just hanging out in the mall, but again, keep an eye on your belongings and don't leave that mall area.  It didn't look safe in the surrounding neighborhood.

On 4/28/2024 at 1:13 PM, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

We're going from the Caribbean side (Gatun Lake) to the Pacific. I'd love to get a quick summary of just how a Panama Canal journey by cruise ship works.  For example: 

 

Are cruise ships given a likely time to report to the Canal starting point for their journey?  I'm wondering if I'll need to get up early on our "daytime transit" day. And we're on what I would call a medium sized cruise ship (if that matters).  Are we likely to go through the new canal or old, or is that anyone's guess?  Are the 2 canals pretty close to each other?

Does a cruise line normally have someone on board who narrates what's being seen?

How long might passage take, and are some areas of the passage faster than others? We are scheduled to arrive Panama City by 8 PM, with the ship staying overnight.

Are any parts of the passage more scenic than others?

Does anyone know how many lighthouses there are on the passage, non-functional or not? And can anyone give me a link to good articles/blogs, or photos?

I just got off Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas Panama Canal cruise two weeks ago.  Radiance is a medium size ship and went through the old (original) locks.

Yes, you will need to be up early if you want a spot in the front of the ship, however don't stand exactly in the middle!  Our ship kicked several people away in order to set up a photo opportunity for cruisers, so try to stand about 6 feet to the left or right of the front.  You'll still have an excellent view.  

The captain will tell you when you should be going through the locks, but that can change.  We originally had an 8 a.m. time to start our transit from the Atlantic side.  Onboard we learned it had been changed to 10 ish.  We didn't actually enter the first lock until after 11 a.m. due to some issues with the locks.  Folks were at the front of the ship starting at 5:30 a.m.  If you're going to be out there early make sure you have water, a hat (especially one that you can tie on since one guy next to me lost his baseball cap when the captain decided to take us in a big circle away from the entrance when we were delayed entering and the wind suddenly popped up) and maybe some snacks.  You won't be able to leave your spot and get it back later on.  I had people 8 deep behind me and some were mad that we weren't moving so they could be in front. Um, riiiiiiight.  You slept in, had breakfast and expect to be at the very front of the ship whenever you leisurely show up?  No, I don't think so.

Passage times depend on whether there are issues.  We were told that it would take 8 hours to do the full transit.  It ended up taking nearly 12 hours due to our first locks issue.  You will also want to see the passage through the 3 sets of locks at different places around the ship, too, so don't plan on being at the front the entire time.  If you're on one of the outer decks that are level with the mules you'll be able to wave to the drivers and they'll wave back ;o)

There are lots of scenic places, but my favorite was approaching the Culebra Cut and going under each of the 3 bridges.

We did have people who spoke about the canal as we were going through it, but we could not hear them at the front of the ship.  We only heard them later on when we were inside the ship.

I just started to post videos of my Panama Canal cruise on my YT channel.  Last week was my first video and was on pre-cruise packing.  This week's video will be on flying to Tampa and our hotel (I post Wednesdays at 6 p.m. EST).  I don't expect to get to the canal portion for probably 6-8 weeks (I post videos in order of what happens on the trip and the Canal was a week into our cruise), but if you want to check it out, here's the link to the playlist where I will be posting my videos:  

In any event, have a wonderful time!  The Panama Canal is a true wonder to behold and it was a fantastic cruise for us.  Make sure you're active on your Roll Call.  I met so many great people on the Roll Call and then when we finally met up pre-cruise and on the cruise it was so much fun.

On 4/24/2024 at 3:15 AM, FionaMG said:

Thanks very much @Teeara for bringing us along and for the heads-up about your youtube channel. 😊

 

If you remember, would you mind coming back here just to say when you put the first video up?

As requested, the first video is now up!

On 4/26/2024 at 3:37 PM, firstimer2009 said:

What was the name of the backpack? I’m looking to do this for our Sept cruise. 

I bought this one in 2022 for our Wonder TA and have been using it for regular commute too since then.  I like that it can be locked in several places and holds a lot.  It has space for a laptop and can slide over the handle of your carry on.  I just used it again for our Radiance Panama Canal cruise and it still retains the original shape with no issues whatsoever.  Lots of colors, too.

Monsdle Travel Laptop Backpack... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DHMPTRW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Mine is the purple one.

My roommate has the red one.  Here’s a better look at it.  Again, at this point we’ve had them for 2 years.  These photos were taken 3 weeks ago.  We love them.

7 hours ago, 2travelcats said:

Perhaps I missed it but would you share what transportation you used from the port to the airport?  And thanks for the great review! 

I used Lyft.

11 hours ago, Tolkmit said:

I did a transatlantic on Serenade in fall of 2019, heading to Boston when Hurricane Dorian hit the area. It resulted in us missing 2 planned ports, going to one unplanned port, and getting into Boston 1 day late. The seas were only mildly rougher than other transatlantics I've done; they did a great job sailing around the rough stuff.

 

I always prefer west bound due to time changes. You deal with jet lag either way; but 25 hour days on board >>> 23 hour days on board.

I’m with you on those 25 hour days.  So sweet!

10 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

Great video, we have done 5 Westbound TA'S and all have been just like your video. After leaving the Med it has always been shorts and T Shirts every day. Oasis Class TA'S are fantastic, super bonus when 1500 kids are not there. , 

Glad to hear the weather is consistent!

On 4/23/2024 at 2:47 PM, DbPA said:

Considering a repositioning cruise. What is weather like?  Which region and which season will have better weather?  I am apprehensive about rocky seas?? I worry about Fall during Hurricane season.  Appreciate thoughts from frequent cruisers. 

We did the westbound TA on Wonder in October/November of 2022.  We had a fantastic time and we only had a few days that were a little "rough".  I made a video showing what the conditions were like during the crossing.  I hope this gives you an idea as to what to expect.

4 hours ago, 2funtime said:

Thanks for your reply.  I was only going to do internet for one so with getting the key it would be 3X.  I only need internet to stay connect with things  back home while we are away.  If it would go back to the price of the internet,  I would do it for all 3 of us..... we will see how it plays out.  

Our main reason was for getting off the ship fast at the end of the cruise in order to make our flight home.  But again, everyone has their own reason and budget.  Good luck in your decision.

5 hours ago, 2funtime said:

Teeara,  I have enjoyed your postings and look forward to our Oct sailing through the Panama.   
What's your opinion of The Key on the Radiance since it's a smaller ship.   There are 3 of us and I'm trying to rationalize paying the price.  

For us it was worth the price.  We boarded and disembarked with the suites, so we were on and off the ship close to first.  The internet usage was huge for us.  We didn’t use it for shows.  We plan on using it again for our Allure WB TA next year.

I would say it’s definitely worth the price if it’s close to the daily price of the internet which it was for us.  I got it last year during Black Friday week.

6 hours ago, FionaMG said:

Thanks very much @Teeara for bringing us along and for the heads-up about your youtube channel. 😊

 

If you remember, would you mind coming back here just to say when you put the first video up?

I will certainly let you know.  I usually post on Wednesdays at 6pm.  Fingers crossed for next week (definitely not tonight since we’re still unpacking and getting settled here at home).

I hope you enjoyed the photo journey of this Panama Canal cruise.  We had so much fun (even if I did catch a cold).

I will be doing a much more in depth review on my YouTube channel.  If you’re interested in a lot more video content from this cruise, please feel free to check it out.  I expect the first video in the series to drop in a week or two.

https://youtube.com/@TheEmptyArmchair?si=3lkqT_1hVRg9-fTp

Last of all, I wanted to share all the new Alaska items for sale in the shops.  They brought it in a couple of days before the end of the cruise.

Sadly, these are the last 2 days of photos I have to share with you for the last 2 sea days.  
 

We went to Giovanni’s for dinner.

It’s 11:30 pm here in Boston and we’ve been traveling since we got off the ship at 8:30 am PST (11:30 am EST) and we still aren’t home.  
Major traffic leaving Boston due to road construction.  Ugh. 
 

Anyway, I do plan on finishing up this thread tomorrow after a shower tonight and good sleeps in my own bed tonight.

2 hours ago, RobInMN said:

From Guest Services:

2014 passengers

 

Captain's Q&A (and hotel director):

Only 29 kids.

Didn't give numbers or percentage, but said that the Noro counts were "not severe"

Project Discovery is still in design phase, and looking like 2029/2030 (not sure if that's a build start or complete).

Delay on entering first lock was multiple pilot delays followed by a worker shortage for the locomotives(mules). Went slower than normal in the lake so that when we reached the Pedro Miguel locks, we could go right in without waiting again. 

 

 

 

 

 

I knew there weren’t that many kids onboard.  Only saw about 10 during the entire cruise.  They were all well behaved (as opposed to some adults we came across during the cruise).

15 hours ago, Jimbo said:

@Teeara You said you weren't feeling well. Do you think you may have caught noro, since it has been reported on your sailing.

Nope.  I didn’t have any noro symptoms.  Just a garden variety head cold. 

30 minutes ago, RobInMN said:

Some ship pics:

 

The Puerto Vallarta port is pretty compact for fitting 3 ships:

Love your shots, especially the one with the 3 ships!