Check it off the Bucket List! Panama Canal on the NCL Star October 1-16...with pics!

[biker@sea]

The Le Bistro demo on the Dawn drew a crowd also.

[DrFootball]

Mean Dr. Football.

 

Sorry Can't help it-Life long NYG Fan and Fmr. Seasons tixx holder-3rd generation long before there was a "Boston" Patriots, Until I got my Press credential...

 

Your review is rockin though!

 

Bill(DrFootball)

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will." Vince Lombardi

Bill's Brainiac Random Quote Generator V0.95 final beta for Mac

[RichNY]

Cubechick.

Thank you so much for the info....we are booked on Jewel NY to LA next April and your insight is invaluable. My wife is very concerned with security in Mexico Thanks again.

[BikerAl]

I am loving this review. Will be on the Star in December in a deck 12 suite. Can't wait, cause the pictures just keep calling us. Coka, gonna beat you, but then, when we get back, you will be looking forward to yours.

 

Al

[Cubechick]

Days 10 and 11…sea day and the Panama Canal

 

The sea day started out with a lot of rain…and mimosas at Cagney’s (thanks to friends who generously shared their champagne with us!). Had a great lunch at Cagney’s, napped a bit and had dinner at Blue Lagoon. I never have great success here. Dinner was okay. The best thing I can say is that the fries were hot.

 

Now…Panama Canal!

 

 

It was the moment we’d all been waiting for. The Panama Canal transit! We’d watched numerous documentaries on the building of the Canal and the current expansion project getting ourselves psyched up for this moment. Would the Canal live up to expectations? Could it?

 

The Star sailed under the Bridge of the Americas at 6:00 am. I missed this part because I was still asleep, but DH was up and gave me the full report. I wasn’t too concerned about missing this part as I’ve sailed under bridges numerous times.

 

 

It wasn’t too long before the Panama Canal guide was broadcasting a narrative of the area (you tuned in on your television). We angled our TV toward the balcony door and turned the channel to the bridge cam so we could both hear what was being said and see where we were going. There was a small delay and we entered the first locks about thirty minutes late. Watching them hook up the trains (called mules), which would help guide us through the canals was the first bit of excitement. Being that the Star is a Panamax ship (the largest that can go through the Canal), she needed eight trains (four in the front two on each side, four in the back two on each side) to keep her straight navigating the narrow passages.

 

 

We knew that we’d be glued to the action, so we ordered breakfast in the room for 8:00 am. Lucky brought everything right on time. He whipped out the white tablecloth and set the table. Before he left, I asked him to swap the wine we’d finally gotten from Jorge for white wine. Riveted, we ate breakfast on our balconies, not daring to miss a moment.

 

Once we entered the first lock, the giant 7,000-ton doors slowly closed behind us. Once they’d eased shut, forming a nearly watertight seal, the lock began filling with water to bring us even with the next level.

 

 

It only took about ten minutes to fill the lock and for them to open the front gates so we could inch forward. There was a much smaller ship making the transit next to us and that ship had two tugs in the lock with it. No such space left in our lock by the Star! I looked over the side and estimate we had at the most 12 inches of clearance. At times, we would brush against the sides of the lock. You go through the two-step Milaflores Locks first, then sail a short distance to the Pedro Miguel lock.

 

 

We ran forward to watch our transit from a different angle. They opened up the crew pool deck so we could have a great view as we proceeded. The sun was beating down and although we were very happy that we experienced that forward bird’s eye view, we were happy to get back to the air conditioning and our aft view. When we returned, we found that Lucky had already brought our white wine and had it chilling in an ice bucket for us. He continues to be very efficient!

 

Once through the last lock, you’ve gone up a total of 84-feet and are ready to sail Gatun Lake. I thought perhaps this part would be boring. Not at all! Even though the lake is large, you have to follow a narrow channel and there is quite a bit of maneuvering going on. The ship took several sharp turns to stay in the channel and to avoid on-coming traffic. So sharp that the ship listed quite noticeably…something you don’t expect when you’re sailing a calm lake! The lake itself is quite beautiful and held our attention all day, as did the dredging equipment and the activity surrounding the expansion project.

 

 

As lunchtime approached we considered Cagney’s but scented the aroma of pizza. I’d wanted to try the pizza delivery anyway, so I called Lucky and ordered up a pepperoni and a couple of diet Pepsi’s. Like Domino’s used to promise, Lucky delivered the piping hot pizza in less than 30 minutes. I have had better pizza on other ships, but this wasn’t bad and you couldn’t beat the convenience.

 

Dark clouds threatened in the distance and we would get some sprinkles. The interesting part was when the wind kicked up when we were approaching the Gatun Locks. As the Panama guide said, our tall ship acted like a big sail and the tug boats had to be employed to nudge us into position.

 

The Gatun Locks have three steps lowering you to the Atlantic. The 84-foot drop was extremely noticeable…especially as on the last two steps, we could reach out and just touch the wall of the Canal (from the ninth floor of the ship)!! This explained why, right before we reached the Gatun Locks, they moved the window-washing unit, which had partially obstructed our view, to the front of the ship. Had it remained in position it would have scraped along the wall. As it was, an arm that marks the home of the window-washing unit did scrape the wall!

 

We opened our wine and sipped and nibbled on the cheese and crackers that I’d asked Lucky to bring. We passed the French Canal, which is remarkably small given how long they worked on it. Hundreds of ships waited patiently to begin their transit to the Pacific. The Panama Canal operates 24 hours a day, but the Panamax ships can only transit during the day. The sun set on our perfect day and we were back to reality. It truly is a marvel that this system can lift a 95,000 ton ship 84-feet, sail her 50 miles, then lower her safely on the other side…and in about 10 hours. Simply the best 10-hours we’ve been “at sea”.

[coka]

Aimee, my heart was pounding as I read through your last post. I was so excited to read about it and see it with your pictures. I am glad to know they opened the bow for passengers to go out on. The Panama Canal story from its beginning has always fascinated me. I will get there some day in a forward suite...although an NCL Captain once told me the best way to see it is out on the upper decks. THANK YOU very much for taking the time to share your journey with us.

With Much Appreciation,

Louise:D

[coka]

I am loving this review. Will be on the Star in December in a deck 12 suite. Can't wait, cause the pictures just keep calling us. Coka, gonna beat you, but then, when we get back, you will be looking forward to yours.

 

Al

 

Hi Al! I feel like a brand new NCL ship is coming to town! I look forward to finding out what you think of her too.

 

coka

[roger001]

We were on the Pearl PC cruise last April. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful...ship, crew, ports, the PC itself, and the people along the way. The construction of the PC, finished in 1914, is right up there with going to the moon with 1969 technology. Amazing. If you have interest in the PC or plan on the PC cruise, please read A Path Between the Seas first. Super book, really well written. Will make the event so much more meaningful to you.

[Cubechick]

Aimee, my heart was pounding as I read through your last post. I was so excited to read about it and see it with your pictures. I am glad to know they opened the bow for passengers to go out on. The Panama Canal story from its beginning has always fascinated me. I will get there some day in a forward suite...although an NCL Captain once told me the best way to see it is out on the upper decks. THANK YOU very much for taking the time to share your journey with us.

With Much Appreciation,

Louise:D

 

Louise, I think this is one of the loveliest compliments I've ever received. I'm certain my words did not capture the glory of what we experienced, but if I was able to impart our experience to you in some small way, I guess I succeeded.

 

:)

 

Needless to say, I couldn't post all of my favorite pictures here. I failed to pick and choose between all of them for an additional post because I'm enamored of them all.

 

But here's a link to my flickr account. It should take you (all of my readers) right to my collections so you can look at what interests you:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39515557@N04/collections/

[cathep]

Incredible pictures of the transit! It's now on my bucket list, too.

[Cubechick]

We were on the Pearl PC cruise last April. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful...ship, crew, ports, the PC itself, and the people along the way. The construction of the PC, finished in 1914, is right up there with going to the moon with 1969 technology. Amazing. If you have interest in the PC or plan on the PC cruise, please read A Path Between the Seas first. Super book, really well written. Will make the event so much more meaningful to you.

 

I had every intention of reading that book...but someone on our roll call read it, and said it was so dry he had a hard time sticking with it at least in the first few hundred pages! Maybe I'll give it a go some day.

[NW Pacific]

Brings back such good memories of our Star Panama Cruise two years ago (over Thanksgiving). it was amazing (LA to Miami). Would recommend this to anyone and everyone. We want to do it again!

[DrFootball]

You go to see it up close! I got "bored" (if you can believe it!) seeing it 5-6days a week from 4500-7000 ft. up flying "recon" runs over it!! When I was "little" and real sick running a high fever one night my dad told me the story of both the Suez & Panama Canals(I must have been about 7, it was the 1960's), who know all i'd have to do is "volunteer" for Hazard duty to get ot see the canal every day(almost for) 180 days!

 

 

Bill(DrFootball)

"I need a Miracle every day, yes i do…."-Garcia/Weir

Bill's Brainiac Random Quote Generator V0.95 final beta for Mac

[jmcdon7230]

One more excellent photo and I'm going to buy that wide angle Sony camera!

[coka]

Louise, I think this is one of the loveliest compliments I've ever received. I'm certain my words did not capture the glory of what we experienced, but if I was able to impart our experience to you in some small way, I guess I succeeded.

 

:)

 

Needless to say, I couldn't post all of my favorite pictures here. I failed to pick and choose between all of them for an additional post because I'm enamored of them all.

 

But here's a link to my flickr account. It should take you (all of my readers) right to my collections so you can look at what interests you:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39515557@N04/collections/

 

 

Aimee, Yes yes yes...your words and pictures DID capture it for me. That is why I am so grateful. I too read the Path Between The Seas and it is probably one of the most comprehensive pieces written about it. There are also some wonderful documentary films as well on the History Channel and other stations. Knowing this trip was on both of our bucket lists, it was also very exciting to know you made it! Good for you! I am now off to check out those flickr photos...

[cruitenn]

Aimee, I feel like I know you after being on a cruise with you. :)

 

I wanted to let you know that I enjoyed your review and the photographs that you shared with us. It was like being there with you. Wished I had done this cruise years ago! Not sure when we will be able to do it but definitely also in my bucket list now.

 

Coka, Al, Donna and jimswims enjoy your cruise on the Star. Wish we were sailing with you but maybe next year.

 

Lita

[Urban trekker]

You keep outdoing yourself - every consider being a cruise travel writer for a newspaper.

 

That long stop at Miraflores was also because of the evacuation of a gentlemen who had a stroke - could hardly miss it as it was almost outside my stateroom window.

 

I missed the opportunity to watch the ship from the bow end - they closed off the stern end on deck 7 because they needed to use the area for the ropes to be attached to the mules.

 

Watching it from Deck 12 or 13 is quite different than from Deck 7 - when you are on Deck 7 you can see where the expression - they probably jumped ship in Panama made have come from.

 

Keep em coming

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[iluvdoxies]

I’m finding that writing this review has been like what I imagine wrestling a crocodile would be like. Tricky to say the least! It was a long cruise (15 days!) and my reviews of 7-day cruises can take on “epic” proportions. Well, let’s dive in, shall we and see where we end up. Hopefully you’ll be with me at the end.

 

We’d booked this cruise in March of 2010, a full 18 months out. Wanting an aft cabin, we knew we had to move quickly (hey, we could always cancel if we changed our minds!). I left a message for my PCC telling him I wanted an aft balcony. By the time he called me back, we told him we wanted an aft suite. What can I say? We’re weak. LOL Actually we decided that a 15-day cruise screamed for a suite, and the Star has the wrap-around balconies on decks 8 and 9. Perfect for a Panama Canal cruise. Our first cabin was deck 8 on the port side. After the renovation to the Star and reading reports of the noise from the newly moved Spinnakers, I watched the cabins and was able to move to deck 9 on the starboard. Come final payment time, our cabin on deck 9 on the port side opened up and we moved a final time to the cabin I wanted to begin with. It’s nice when persistence pays off!

 

Day One

 

I won’t spend a ton of time on the pre-cruise activities, but want to mention that the Crowne Plaza in San Pedro, about a mile and a half from the Port of Los Angeles, can be booked through Priceline for $65. The hotel was perfectly fine and clean and runs a free shuttle to the port. Wanting to avoid the rush (which was turned out to be non-existent at 10:00 am) DH and I hooked up with another Cruise Critic on our roll call to rent a cab. The first car that showed up was a Toyota Prius. We looked at the three of us and at our six pieces of luggage (plus carry-ons) and went, “Nah”. The Prius drove off and we requested a van. 30 minutes pass with no van so we throw in the towel and ask for 2 cars. Another Prius arrives and don’t you know we all managed to fit in that thing? Three of us squished in the back and luggage piled in the trunk and front seat. I wouldn’t recommend it for a long ride, but for 5 minutes it was fine, especially when the windows were rolled down for elbowroom. Total cost for the three of us? $7.50. Good deal.

 

The delay at the hotel rendered our timing perfect. We spent a couple of minutes watching Princess passengers get into our line by mistake, then the doors to the terminal opened, and we were able to begin the boarding process.

 

 

We moved quickly through security, but when we went to check in we were turned away from the area clearly marked “VIP/Suite” to the Latitudes line. If you don’t get the answer you want the first time, ask someone else. We asked someone who looked a little more authoritative where we should go and he directed us to the VIP line. Ha! We checked in, met the concierge Patrick, and before I had time to think about being bored; we were being escorted onto the ship. I glanced at my watch and saw it was 11:39. Awesome!

 

 

We dashed to deck nine, through the closed doors (we aren’t rookies) to drop off our carry-on bags. Clarizia, our room steward, rushed up to us, assuring us that she’d prioritized our room and it was ready for us. Clarizia would turn out to be one of the best room stewards we ever had. Super efficient (she could make-up the cabin faster than anyone I’ve ever experienced) and very friendly, she made our 15 days wonderful.

 

 

Lunch would be the first of many at Cagney’s. I had my beloved asparagus salad and a shrimp and scallop dish with risotto that I found quite tasty. DH had the fettuccini and thought it delicious.

 

Off to the Bier Garten for the first of many sail aways. The Star would sail about an hour past her scheduled time as she needed extra provisioning due to the length of the cruise. No worries. The sun was shining and the beer was flowing and it was the first day of our cruise!

 

 

Back at the cabin getting ready for dinner, Lucky, our butler, stopped by to introduce himself. All we asked for at that point was some milk so we could make cappuccinos later. He takes a page out of Clarizia’s book for swiftness. I swear a minute didn’t pass and he was back with a carton of milk.

 

Dinner was at Cagney’s as well. I enjoyed the lobster bisque as always. It’s not the traditional bisque that you’d get in New England, but is very good.

 

 

Cagney’s was a bit deserted this first night. In fact we could walk in any specialty restaurant the entire cruise. I chalk it up in part due to the length of the cruise (figuring people were spreading out the budget), and also the older demographic. A line for Versailles began forming every night by 4:30, so you get the idea.

 

 

After dinner we wandered off to the casino where DH tripled his money playing craps. While we were at the casino I tried to order a bucket of beer. I was told we couldn’t buy them there anymore. I figured this was limited to the casino and shrugged it off. When DH was done gambling for the night we stopped by Spinnakers to purchase our bucket and were told we couldn’t.

 

Now I admit we don’t really like change, but we really don’t like change that has a negative impact on the passenger. We were told that it was now policy that you could only by buckets of beer at outdoor bars. WTH? This was confirmed by the Beverage Manager Gianina Butiseaca in a rather blunt manner. We asked her what outdoor bar was open at that time and she looked at her watch and said, “None”. Well we went off on her at that point (not proud of that at all) but really it was her demeanor that set us off more than the situation. We didn’t really want 6 beers at this point, just wanted to stock the fridge. But most managers I’ve dealt with would have given us the 6 beers as the policy is new and just told us to know what to do in the future. I think the situation was poorly handled on all sides.

 

 

Well I put that all out of my head when we turned in for the evening. All-in-all, it was a wonderful first day. As I snuggled down into my comfy bed I looked forward to the first of many wonderful sleeps at sea.

 

Tomorrow the meet and greet and our first sea day in two cruises!

 

would you mind telling me your cabin # we have 9732, was wondering how it compared to the suite we had on the Sun

 

Thanks !

[welove2cruise232]

Aimee I am loving your review -- the Panama Canal is on my bucket list as well; unfortunately these repo cruises are typically at times of the year I can't get off from work (October and April...), so I may have to do an "in and out" PC cruise on another line (unless I retire VERY soon :rolleyes:).

 

Thanks for sharing!

[spirit rev]

Aimee I am loving your review -- the Panama Canal is on my bucket list as well; unfortunately these repo cruises are typically at times of the year I can't get off from work (October and April...), so I may have to do an "in and out" PC cruise on another line (unless I retire VERY soon :rolleyes:).

This is why we "jumped ship" from NCL to Princess this January - to do a full Panama Canal sailing. Still it will be a 14 day cruise.

 

Aimee - your description and all your pictures of the canal are really getting me excited about my upcoming transit through the canal.

[Cubechick]

would you mind telling me your cabin # we have 9732, was wondering how it compared to the suite we had on the Sun

 

Thanks !

 

We were in your cabin. You'll love it!

[Cubechick]

Aimee I am loving your review -- the Panama Canal is on my bucket list as well; unfortunately these repo cruises are typically at times of the year I can't get off from work (October and April...), so I may have to do an "in and out" PC cruise on another line (unless I retire VERY soon :rolleyes:).

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

Thanks Peggy! I had to do some finagling myself to get the time off of work. ;)

[RichNY]

Aimee I am loving your review -- the Panama Canal is on my bucket list as well; unfortunately these repo cruises are typically at times of the year I can't get off from work (October and April...), so I may have to do an "in and out" PC cruise on another line (unless I retire VERY soon :rolleyes:).

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

Hey Peggy our cruise leaves 4-28-12 from NY.. but if you want you can join it from Miami on May 1...just do it...we already have the OS...great for viewing..:D...you MUST come....:D

 

 

Aimee...Loving the pictures...especially the ones of the canal, the reason we booked this cruise.....

[roger001]

I had every intention of reading that book...but someone on our roll call read it, and said it was so dry he had a hard time sticking with it at least in the first few hundred pages! Maybe I'll give it a go some day.

 

 

David McCullough who wrote it is an excellent author. I had trouble putting it down. However, it is lenghty and covers the entire PC project in depth, including the French initial efforts, detailing all of the politics and individuals involved there. To me though, that portion was just as fascinating, educating me to how very much was involved in the 44 year effort. But....it does take some time to read.

[time2cruise1]

David McCullough who wrote it is an excellent author. I had trouble putting it down. However, it is lenghty and covers the entire PC project in depth, including the French initial efforts, detailing all of the politics and individuals involved there. To me though, that portion was just as fascinating, educating me to how very much was involved in the 44 year effort. But....it does take some time to read.

 

I read all 2500 iBook pages. Great detail put a painful very dry read for me. 800 pages before the US effort even starts to debate building a canal. I learned more about dozens of Frenchmen then I ever wanted to know. I am glad I got thru it as in made the crossing even better.

 

 

 

 

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