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Just off Island Princess Panama Canal with Kids


Zozizar
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We just completed a 15 night full transit with 3 kids (7,5,3). We made it! Sad to be home though.

 

If you have any questions about kids club, please let me know. I have to upload the shockwaves/pelicans outline- a day or two (I promise).

 

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There seem to be less kids and more walkers scooters and wheelchairs on every Princess cruise I go on these days.

Maybe its because I take longer cruises?

Or not so many families with younger kids are not finding Princess quite what they want?

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Hi, am taking a cruise end of next month with my 3 children of very similar ages to yours.

 

Looking forward to any tips you can give me and the shockwaves / pelican uploads so we can see what it's all about.

 

Hope you all had fun !

 

 

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We just completed a 15 night full transit with 3 kids (7,5,3). We made it! Sad to be home though.

 

Appreciate your post and offer to sharing on the kids aspects from your Panama Canal cruise. BUT, we are getting ready next Tuesday to do a 15-day Ft. Lauderdale to San Francisco sailing that goes through the Panama Canal. This first cruise with Princess will give us our first visits in Colombia, Central America and Mexico.

 

What did you love most from this cruise, most liked port experiences, any super dislikes, etc., that apply and that would help us as "young-feeling" late 60's folks? Appreciate any special ideas, tips, secrets, suggestions!!! Don't be shy!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 171,424 views for this posting.

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Best port experiences were 8 mile beach on Grand Cayman after our (not great Dolphin excursion).

 

Embera Indian Village was amazing in Panama.

 

Zipline was exactly as advertised in Costa Rica.

 

Best tips- stop on the way to the pier and pick up water/pop/wine.

 

Prebuy the photo package online before if you even "think" you might buy it on the ship- it costs more after.

 

Dinner menu for dining room is posted outside the buffet (helps to decide where to eat)

 

7:30 show was insanely busy. Lineups before the 5:45 finished. We'd go to the early or late.

 

Very quiet on ship after 10:45- almost a ghost town.

 

2x a day happy hour- buy 1 get 1 for $1. Ours were 3-4 and 10-11pm in wheelhouse.

 

Say hello to strangers- everyone was super nice. Had some of the best conversations that way, or by sharing a table at dinner (anytime dining)

 

 

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Best tips- stop on the way to the pier and pick up water/pop/wine. Dinner menu for dining room is posted outside the buffet (helps to decide where to eat) 7:30 show was insanely busy. Lineups before the 5:45 finished. We'd go to the early or late. Very quiet on ship after 10:45- almost a ghost town. 2x a day happy hour- buy 1 get 1 for $1. Ours were 3-4 and 10-11pm in wheelhouse. Say hello to strangers- everyone was super nice. Had some of the best conversations that way, or by sharing a table at dinner (anytime dining)

 

Appreciate these many good tips, comments, thoughts and ideas. Share any more that come to mind. Less than a week till our sail-away time in Fort Lauderdale. Getting excited!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 221,904 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

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  • 2 months later...
We just completed a 15 night full transit with 3 kids (7,5,3). We made it! Sad to be home though.

 

If you have any questions about kids club, please let me know. I have to upload the shockwaves/pelicans outline- a day or two (I promise).

 

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Forums mobile app

do you have pics posted anywhere of kids club?

I have 9 year olds that will be in shockwaves- how is club with the revised island decks?

 

did your kids enjoy club?

 

we have been on island & Coral before but only before Island had remodel

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There seem to be less kids and more walkers scooters and wheelchairs on every Princess cruise I go on these days.

Maybe its because I take longer cruises?

Or not so many families with younger kids are not finding Princess quite what they want?

 

I think it's likely a bit of both but mostly the length of cruises. People with young children tend to take shorter cruises. We haven't seen many children either.

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Appreciate these many good tips, comments, thoughts and ideas. Share any more that come to mind. Less than a week till our sail-away time in Fort Lauderdale. Getting excited!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 221,904 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

We did 17 days SF to FLL through the Panama Canal in late 2015. Least favorite stop for us on the itinerary was San Juan del Sur Nicaragua. The town looked like it had been through a civil war in the past few years - likely because it had. The beach wasn't safe to walk without shoes as there was glass, etc.

 

 

Probably our favorite port was Puntarenas Costa Rica.

 

Join the roll call thread for your cruise. Get with some other passengers and book a private tour in Cartegena. I would suggest Dora at http://cartagenatour.com/ If you have ever been to Mexico you may have thought there were a lot of street vendors trying to sell you stuff. Hah! You "ain't seen nothin" until you try Cartegena. Dora "protected" us from almost all of them and our group (8 people) had a great tour.

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  • 5 months later...

Thank you for the Patters....It gave me a lot of information...but left me with questions too....

 

So....Am I correct...that the enrichment lecture topics were things like "Forensics, Making a Difference"....and "Death of Marilyn Monroe".... or "Beverly Hills Cop"....??? :rolleyes:

Were there ANY informative sessions about the Canal? Countries you were visiting?

I saw one title listed - "A Man, A Plan, A Canal".....but it was showing on the stateroom television...not a speaker .... ??

 

Is this just indicative of the Island Princess? or is this typical of a Princess cruise on the Panama Canal? We sailed to Alaska on the Star and were VERY impressed with their enrichment lectures on board... I had hoped to find similar in a Panama Canal cruise....?????

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There was a speaker who specialized in forensics, so those were the topics for his sessions. There was a showing and discussion on the building of the canal with an expert, as well the day of the transit there was live commentary as we went through. Between the excursion we went on in Panama and the transit commentary I felt a fully informed. Actually, I lost interest before we got through Gantun Lake.

 

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Star 81, we did the 10 day roundtrip Panama Canal cruise with a 2 year old nearly 5 years ago. He absolutely loved it, and there is a detailed review in my signature line if it would be helpful. I hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

Zozizar, I haven't sailed Princess since they updated the kids clubs. Do you know if they still allow children under 3 to use the kids clubs with parental supervision (I know your youngest was 3, so you might not know but I wanted to check since their website no longer lists this option).

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.........

 

Best tips- stop on the way to the pier and pick up water/pop/wine.

 

.......

 

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Forums mobile app

 

LOL - as soon as I saw that I looked up top as I was saying "gotta be a Canadian". And it was/is. I have spent enough time in the US, I always use soda. I mean I use the word - don't drink the stuff.

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Star 81, we did the 10 day roundtrip Panama Canal cruise with a 2 year old nearly 5 years ago. He absolutely loved it, and there is a detailed review in my signature line if it would be helpful. I hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

Zozizar, I haven't sailed Princess since they updated the kids clubs. Do you know if they still allow children under 3 to use the kids clubs with parental supervision (I know your youngest was 3, so you might not know but I wanted to check since their website no longer lists this option).

We did our first cruise with a 5 year old, ALMOST 3 and a 6 month old. They did allow us to be in the kid's club with the littles, there is/was an almost reception type space on the Grand we could play in. On the Island, which had been redone, had two large rooms that could be separated or made into one large room depending on need

 

There were only 8 kids on the whole ship so it was just one group.

 

And if anyone ever wondered what it's like to cruise with a six month old. "Just don't, ever" She was amazing during the day but awful at night. My husband walked her so she wouldn't wake the neighborhood, and I was trapped in our room with the other 2.

 

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And if anyone ever wondered what it's like to cruise with a six month old. "Just don't, ever" She was amazing during the day but awful at night. My husband walked her so she wouldn't wake the neighborhood, and I was trapped in our room with the other 2.

 

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Forums mobile app

 

We were on that same cruise and were blown away by how well-behaved your kids were. We saw you all out and about throughout the fifteen days.

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LOL - as soon as I saw that I looked up top as I was saying "gotta be a Canadian". And it was/is. I have spent enough time in the US, I always use soda. I mean I use the word - don't drink the stuff.

Growing up we called it soda pop, I don't think anyone says that anymore.

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And if anyone ever wondered what it's like to cruise with a six month old. "Just don't, ever" She was amazing during the day but awful at night. My husband walked her so she wouldn't wake the neighborhood, and I was trapped in our room with the other 2.

 

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Forums mobile app

 

We were on that same cruise and were blown away by how well-behaved your kids were. We saw you all out and about throughout the fifteen days.

We would walk through the halls and people would smile and say they were lovely. Never knowing the hostage-style negotiations we had for 40 minutes in our stateroom for them to just freaking get dressed so we could go out.

 

I'm glad we fooled people into thinking they were well behaved.

 

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Thank You for sharing. I think you must have the patience of a saint to cruise with three young children.:halo:

You will have some great stories & memories of you and your children to look back on.

I am very happy for you. Good luck and most of all Keep Cruising.

Tony

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Best port experiences were 8 mile beach on Grand Cayman after our (not great Dolphin excursion).

 

Embera Indian Village was amazing in Panama.

 

 

 

Hi,

 

We're doing the 15 day Panama Canal on the Coral 1/20/18.

 

Is it necessary to take the Princess tour for the Embera Indian Village or was there an option to take a private tour?

 

I realize this is a tender port and was not sure. Doesn't seen like a lot of people have done the private tour.

 

Thanks

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Best port experiences were 8 mile beach on Grand Cayman after our (not great Dolphin excursion).

 

Embera Indian Village was amazing in Panama.

 

 

 

Hi,

 

We're doing the 15 day Panama Canal on the Coral 1/20/18.

 

Is it necessary to take the Princess tour for the Embera Indian Village or was there an option to take a private tour?

 

I realize this is a tender port and was not sure. Doesn't seen like a lot of people have done the private tour.

 

Thanks

Quite honestly, the tour was amazing. I know there were other tours priced higher but the Princess one was excellent and took the full day. I would book it again.

 

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Quite honestly, the tour was amazing. I know there were other tours priced higher but the Princess one was excellent and took the full day. I would book it again.

 

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Forums mobile app

 

Thanks for your response. Glad to hear it!

 

Did Princess take you to a real village or was it set up for the ship?

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