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LittleMissMagic's 17-Day ~Pacific Princess~ Panama Canal **PHOTO REVIEW**

LittleMissMagic

By LittleMissMagic,
in Princess Cruises

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LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

LittleMissMagic

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RULES??? Mom doesn't follow rules!!!

 

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LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

LittleMissMagic

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Since we signed up for a strenuous tour, we ventured as far as we could in our allotted 20 minutes at Masaya Volcano National Park.

 

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LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

LittleMissMagic

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LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

LittleMissMagic

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Miss Magic: We are a retirement age , but still working, couple with children older than you.

 

We would LOVE to cruise with you. Your attitude is infectious and you would be great dinner companions.

 

Love your photos. Sharp and on point.

 

We did a Princess canal cruise last year on the Coral out of Ft. Lauderdale (our favorite ship, by the way) It was 11 or 12 days and too long for me.

 

Happy cruising!

 

Thank you! Maybe we'll find ourselves on the same cruise in the future!

 

Hi Victoria! Hope all is well with you. :)

 

Hello, there! I'm doing well - it's been a busy summer!

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LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

LittleMissMagic

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Wow! Fantastic review thus far!

 

I will be honest - as I was flipping through brochure material after picking it up from the Future Cruise Consultant area on the Star last week, I turned to my boyfriend and said, "Mental note; never book on the Pacific Princess," simply because of all the amenities it doesn't have compared to other ships. However, seeing these photos has made me think I was a little too hasty.

 

Can't wait to read more as you post! I have a Nikon D3200 myself, and seeing your photos is really making me itch to get an upgrade soon!

 

Pacific Princess isn't so bad! It doesn't have all of the bells and whistles of the other ships, but she is beautifully decorated and well taken care of. Also, the small guest to crew ratio is a pretty great amenity in itself.

 

As for the camera, the upgrade is really worth it. Skip the 5000-series and head straight to the 7000-series. You will really see and feel the difference!

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LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

LittleMissMagic

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I always enjoy reading your reviews along with the pictures you post. This must be the slowest review in CC (if we get technical, the pace seems like it is one day per month). The suspense is killing me but do appreciate the fact that you come back and continue posting about the trip.

 

Thank you.

 

Thanks! I'm embarrassed that it's taking me so long to write this review. I'm afraid that I've bitten off more than I can chew, so I'm thinking about ways that I can make it a little easier on myself in the future.

 

I'm glad that my review is still worth the wait, and I hope to finish it up very soon! :)

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A&L_Ont "Live from...." Rare

A&L_Ont

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Thanks Victoria. This is why I love the subscribe feature on CC. A nice email said that there was a post on this thread and here you are.:)

 

I know you and your sis would have smoked everyone in the ginger bread house competition. Perhaps GS was just saving the others.;)

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westendgirl

westendgirl

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Thanks! I'm embarrassed that it's taking me so long to write this review. I'm afraid that I've bitten off more than I can chew, so I'm thinking about ways that I can make it a little easier on myself in the future.

 

I'm glad that my review is still worth the wait, and I hope to finish it up very soon! :)

 

Don't be embarrassed! It's definitely worth waiting for and we're all looking forward to the next installment Victoria. I've sung your praises so many times before I won't do it again and make you blush. But I do want to add that your parents are awesome and definitely reared you girls on the important things in life (Fins!!). :D

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Loonbeam

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If the budget permits even go for the D500 (I upgraded from the 7000) - you do need to think a bit more about what you are doing with it but the capabilities are insane.

 

 

As for the camera, the upgrade is really worth it. Skip the 5000-series and head straight to the 7000-series. You will really see and feel the difference!

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greenie082756

greenie082756

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Thanks! I'm embarrassed that it's taking me so long to write this review. I'm afraid that I've bitten off more than I can chew, so I'm thinking about ways that I can make it a little easier on myself in the future.

 

I'm glad that my review is still worth the wait, and I hope to finish it up very soon! :)

 

Thanks for contributing your photos and words to your review. Yes...its being stretched out over months bit we are listening :)

 

Your review is definitely worth the wait!! Do what you can, when you can.

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DLSHS_Mom

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Victoria,

 

We just got off the Pacific Princess and must agree with how wonderful the ship and crew. Nelson was an absolute treasure and a real asset to Princess. My son who is a few years older than you was on the trip so I really appreciated your review.

 

Thanks and good luck in school!

 

Julie

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LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

LittleMissMagic

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We stopped for lunch at Hotel Granada.

 

 

It was buffet-style, but not all you can eat. We got a choice of meat, and I went with my typical choice of carne asada. Also, made a good choice with the Mexican Coke. Don't choose the red Fanta like Rachel unless you like the taste of cough syrup (hey - my college roommate loved that stuff!).

 

 

Don't let my sloppy self-serving fool you - Oh my goodness, I think this might've been the best meal I ate the entire cruise. Really, I was so pleased. The rice and beans were perfection, and the carne asada was really good.

 

I wasn't really digging the raisins in the horchata, though -

 

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LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

LittleMissMagic

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"Should we drink the water?" "Just go for it."

 

 

There was a long line for a small two-stall ladies room right by the dining room, but I'm not one to wait in line. I ventured around the resort a little and found a huge, empty bathroom right by the swimming pool.... and that is the largest swimming pool in Granada ;).

 

 

It's one of those resorts that definitely feels nice enough. It tries, but doesn't quite make it. Like the water feature... with that white pvc water pump. Like... almost there, kinda tried, but overlooked the details.

 

 

While we were standing outside of the resort waiting for the last of the people who were waiting in that super long bathroom line, I was snapping photos, and a little boy approached me, begging in Spanish. Now way back when in undergrad, I was actually kind of fluent in Spanish. I took a summer immersion course in which I could only speak Spanish - no English - as well as three years of Spanish courses in college. But I don't practice, anymore, so most of it escapes me (don't mention it to Dad who funded my summer studies). I can understand a lot, but am super shy about speaking. The only phrases that I can rattle off with confidence are insults and profanities that I exchange with my buddies. So I can't really communicate with this kid. The only words coming to my mind are horrible insults and I'm not sure if he would find them as funny as my friends do.

 

Wait.... I can do this. "No. No tenga.... no tenga... no tenga..." "Please?" "Nada! No tenga nada." He starts pointing to my camera, and I'm not sure if he wants to take a picture... if he wants to see a picture... if he's offering a photo of himself in exchange for money. I start playing the can't-see-you-can't-hear-you game, but this kid is not giving up.

 

And then I remember... I have change from the bathroom! I'm never going to use that change! So I gave it all to him. "Thank you! Best friend! Best friend!"

 

So there we go. I bought a best friend in Nicaragua, and I did not swear at him. Or take his picture.

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LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

LittleMissMagic

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The next part of our tour involved us walking from Hotel Granada to Plaza de la Catedral where the bus was waiting for us. The distance was about half a mile - certainly covered under the classification of "strenuous".

 

Man, some of the passengers were very angry about this walk. Did not want to do it. "Have the bus come to us," one very vocal lady griped at our guide. Once they realized that they had no choice but to walk, so better get started so we can stay on schedule, they complained at the rate that the guide was walking. Also, I understand why some were so adamant about not walking - a few guests were really struggling, like seriously making me nervous struggling.

 

Our guide stopped us about halfway at a liquor store where we could buy Flor de Cana which is the Nicaraguan rum. We went inside to check it out, but that stish wasn't cheap, so no buy for us.

 

Somehow, we made it to the plaza... behind schedule, of course.

 

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LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

LittleMissMagic

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And then it was time for a long bus ride back to the ship (about an hour and forty-five minutes).

 

For the most part, I was pretty pleased with this tour. I wish that we could've spent a little more time actually at Masaya Volcano National Park. And then another downside was that it was a lot of time spent riding on a bus. That's really just the breaks with these smaller ports in which you need to go more inland to actually get to the attractions. And of course, it would have been nice if our fellow passengers wouldn't have complained so much about the "strenuous" parts of a tour that they knowingly signed up for. Our guide got a lot of attitude from some of the guests which was completely uncalled for. The description written in the Princess tour order form was very thorough and accurate (I know because I used it as a guide as I wrote this review), so if they didn't understand the level of activity that it would require, then it was due to their own ignorance.

 

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LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

LittleMissMagic

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LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

LittleMissMagic

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Tonight was Christmas Eve!

 

 

Growing up, Christmas Eve was always the fancy dinner for my family, but it seems like most people wait to celebrate until Christmas Day.

 

For an appetizer, Bay Scallop Cocktail with Pancetta & Sage Vinaigrette -

 

 

Tossed Greens with Cucumber and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds -

 

 

My entree, I'm sure you won't be surprised by now, Santa Fe Chicken Chili with White Beans and Corn -

 

 

Skipped on dessert tonight, but were treated back in the stateroom to candy canes and chocolate.

 

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LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

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[Day 09] Puntarenas, Costa Rica

 

We arrived Christmas morning in Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Puntarenas is on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, very far south. We'd visited Costa Rica before on our Panama Canal partial transit cruise at Limon on the Caribbean coast.

 

 

If you read my Panama Canal partial transit trip report (2012), you might remember that we had an excursion-gone-wrong in Costa Rica. Since we didn't have the best luck with a DIY shore excursion last time, we decided to not take any chances and book through Princess.

 

We really wanted to do the Rivers of Joy Hot Springs & Spa excursion, but it wasn't offered for our sailing... maybe because we were there on Christmas Day. We ended up settling for the "Corobici River-Raft Float, Scenic Drive & Lunch" (PA4-735) - This active excursion is suitable only for passengers in good physical condition. The minimum age required to participate is 8 years old. All passengers must complete a liability waiver and release; safety vests must be worn during the raft trip. Bring a change of clothes, an additional pair of shoes, and a towel, you will get wet. Wildlife sightings, while common, are not guaranteed.

 

They were not messing around with this liability waiver...

 

 

After a long bus ride, they brought us here, RCR Rafting, to sign the waivers and change if necessary. But they loaded us back onto the bus to take us up the river to raft.

 

 

So they had three rafts for eight and one raft for six. And the guide was not strategic in his method of grouping people. The first thing he should've done was ask if he had any odd-number parties, because that really determines how the rafts can be split up. If he had a family of five and one of three, then obviously he had a raft for eight.... two families of three, then he should put those together in the raft for two. But he asked for a family of four (which my dad quickly raised his hand to volunteer because he was so annoyed on waiting for all of the slow people yesterday) and then a family of two, and we were appointed the raft for six. And then he assumed that everyone else could group themselves into groups of eight. Rookie mistake!

 

So we get there and they vest us up. They had a funny time with me because one guy kept adjusting the straps of the adult-size life jacket, trying to tighten it up, and then another guide pushed him aside, took the jacket off, and strapped me into a child's vest. So by the time I was fitted, my party was well ahead of me waiting to board that raft of six.

 

It was a huge cluster...show. The party of six was down at the front ready to load, but it turned out that they actually needed to load the rafts for eight first, so we were all in the way and had to do some rearranging on a a very narrow and slippery path. Also, as had happened the day before, several people either didn't read the advisory or overestimated their physical condition because it was a struggle to get a few of the guests safely down the hill and into the raft.

 

So they filled two rafts with eight, then were ready to fill our raft with six... when they realized that they only had five more people who were supposed to go in the raft of eight. The guy didn't even count how many people he had to begin with! So switcheroo, and they put the party of five in the smaller raft and our party of six in the larger one. It all worked out, but it was really annoying for me to watch.

 

I actually don't have any photos from the rafting. They warned us so heavily about things getting wet that I was sure we were in for a soaking, and I didn't want to risk my DSLR, or even my Nikon 1. So I brought Rachel's AW100... but I forgot to take the memory card out of it, and the battery died on me because I didn't remember to charge it the night before. And I have a feeling that none of the "wildlife" photos really turned out well, anyway. I had some cool ones of the rafts, but that's about it. One day I'll check that memory card and see what I'm missing out on.

 

It was HOT, and we were in the sun the entire time. Also, the river moved along very slowly and smoothly. We encountered one rapid. Our guide sat in the back of the boat to help us steer and direct us on which side of the boat to paddle, but the couple that partied up with us was really bad at stroking on beat (which drove my mom INSANE) or stroking at all. And I was getting mad that my mom kept her persistent rhythm while this lady flailed her pattern at an irregular rate because I also need to keep the rhythm, so I just stopped paddling altogether. I think my mom single-handedly rowed that raft for the most part.

 

We saw a few small crocodiles, some monkeys, iguanas, and birds. It was slow, hot, and long. Pretty boring for the most part actually, and I couldn't wait to get out of the sun.

 

Then the raft of five approached us, and two of our water volleyball buddies were in the raft. I don't remember who struck first... I think it was their guide... but our rafts got into a huge splashing war. It was refreshing. Our guide, especially, got really into it and was soaking the crap out of the other boat. That was the best part of the entire tour.

 

Back at the rafting center and oh, look... now the clouds come out!

 

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LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

LittleMissMagic

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Lunch wasn't bad, but it wasn't nearly as good as in Nicaragua.

 

This glass is full of lemonade, not beer. The beer is still in the bottle...

 

 

Cloud coverage didn't last long!

 

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LittleMissMagic "Live from...." Rare

LittleMissMagic

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This tour was not enjoyable to me. I would not do it again, and I wouldn't recommend it to others. It just wasn't nearly as thrilling as I would have enjoyed, and the lack of organization annoyed me. I'm learning that you just can't really see much of Costa Rica by cruise ship - not the good parts, anyway.

 

After a long bus ride back, we returned to Pacific Princess.

 

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