Live from Millennium Panama Canal East-to-West April 21 - May 6, 2023

[DaKahuna]

20 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

John, 

Thanks for a wonderful post.  I am relaxing in Amsterdam and enjoying sitting and sipping coffee while reading your post.   Safe travels home.

Jim, Thank you. I hope you and Iian enjoy your stay In Amsterdam and the time with family. 
 

Looking forward to reading your continuing adventures.

 

[Purplsmurf]

2 hours ago, Stratford1950 said:

WTH…when did this start?

It’s been like that for well over a year

[Stratford1950]

1 hour ago, Purplsmurf said:

It’s been like that for well over a year

Any reason why they changed their policy? We were on the Equinox in May and it was 16 and over in the Solarium then.

[WestLakeGirl]

Longer than that, family hours have been posted for years on various ships which had cold water itineraries or a lot of bad weather

[Tinknock50]

Thanks for all the reports from everyone aboard!

 

The ship is headed North to begin Alaska.

 

I will be onboard her June 9th and these reports made me even more excited!

Edited May 7, 2023 by Tinknock50

[SunandShade]

Yes, Thank you all. 
 

We will be onboard for Alaska in July and you have kept the fire of anticipation going.

[JintyGirl]

On 5/5/2023 at 5:06 PM, mahdnc said:

 

When you have time afterward, please let me know how that worked out.  I am asking because I think we will be doing something very similar a year from now when we get tossed off the ship at San Pedro.  We will likely be renting from Enterprise which has a location in/near the Crowne Plaza which is across the street from your Hertz location.

For info, the Crowne Plaza offers a shuttle to and from the cruise terminal for pre and post cruise passengers.

We used the pre cruise shuttle a few weeks ago (sorry can’t remember the price!) which was really efficient. Didn’t use the post-cruise one, so can’t comment on it, but mentioning it here in case it’s of any use for anyone. 
I’m sure if you contact them they can provide details.

[jagoffee]

On 5/3/2023 at 6:25 PM, Fly and Sail said:

 

I obviously checked before and was told it's not a problem. It was then written on the form. According to management, they do it all the time. Not my first rodeo either, so this is on them. Same as any other dry cleaner or laundry service, if they can't provide a service, just refuse it, and it's no big deal.

I did not realize that you were serious, I thought you were joking with your first comment.  I cannot even imagine any cruise ship air drying laundry.  Did you write the request on the form or was there a check box for an air dry option?  Did they air dry earlier in the cruise or other cruise ships?

Edited May 7, 2023 by jagoffee

[northwoods2]

Sorry I didn’t get a chance to report on our excursions live.  I only had basic internet.  DH had upgraded but I didn’t.  Not a big issue for me.

 

Dora private tour in Cartagena.  Good guide with nice air conditioned van and driver.  My only complaint was we got out to view the fort but then had to get back in the van.  No time to visit the fort.  Otherwise very knowledgeable guide.  Really nice for just the 4 of us.

 

Best of Panama. Too much time on the bus with too many other passengers coughing. Was mad I forgot my mask.  Nice to see the new canal locks from the visitor center.   Visit to the Embrea village was nice.  They did some dancing and has some crafts for sale.  

Costa Rica walk in the clouds.  Another too long bus ride which I did not think was worth it for what we saw.  Short walk down into the jungle with some nice plants but didn’t really see any animals except this rhino bug. 
 

antigua transfer.   This was a much better bus ride.  Roads are better. And our guide was informative.  Didn’t expect we would get any guide with the transfer 

Edited May 7, 2023 by northwoods2

[Tee & Chilli]

Thank you @DaKahuna and @Fly and Sail

Many more cruises ahead 

[mahdnc]

Yes, I also wish to re-iterate my thanks--especially to DaKahuna, Fly and Sail, and cruisestitch.  We are doing this same cruise next year (14 night Summit) and the information conveyed was helpful.

[txtechmk]

Thanks for the wonderful report!  And I love all the photos.  Our next cruise isn't until October, and it seems a long time away.....

[hcat]

16 hours ago, northwoods2 said:

Sorry I didn’t get a chance to report on our excursions live.  I only had basic internet.  DH had upgraded but I didn’t.  Not a big issue for me.

 

Dora private tour in Cartagena.  Good guide with nice air conditioned van and driver.  My only complaint was we got out to view the fort but then had to get back in the van.  No time to visit the fort.  Otherwise very knowledgeable guide.  Really nice for just the 4 of us.

 

Best of Panama. Too much time on the bus with too many other passengers coughing. Was mad I forgot my mask.  Nice to see the new canal locks from the visitor center.   Visit to the Embrea village was nice.  They did some dancing and has some crafts for sale.  

Costa Rica walk in the clouds.  Another too long bus ride which I did not think was worth it for what we saw.  Short walk down into the jungle with some nice plants but didn’t really see any animals except this rhino bug. 
 

antigua transfer.   This was a much better bus ride.  Roads are better. And our guide was informative.  Didn’t expect we would get any guide with the transfer 

very nice..thanks for sharing pics and info

[abbydancer2003]

Hi.  I'm rather late to this, as I started reading on Saturday in Newark airport.  I just finally finished reading (yesterday was my mom's memorial gathering and that took all day).  I have a few comments.

 

1.  The room,  We were on the Summit at the same time in a Sky Suite, and it seems to me they made the room less practical from the pre-revoluitionized Infinity.  They took out part of the closet to make the bench thing, and eliminated the grab bars in the way too high tub.  And does Ms. Hoppen have a thing against actual shelving?  We ended up putting the desk chair on the balcony and moving a balcony chair in.  

 

2.  When you described your DW's bruschetta in Tuscan, I'm pretty sure she was given the buratta cheese salad, as that matches exactly what I got when I ordered that.  This last cruise I did order the bruschetta, and it was a grilled slice of bread with olives, etc on top.  (Didn't love either one).

 

3.  December 63 - you briefly mentioned them.  Were they on this cruise?  

 

Thanks for an enjoyable read.  I will be updating mine again, probably today.

[Fly and Sail]

18 hours ago, jagoffee said:

I did not realize that you were serious, I thought you were joking with your first comment.  I cannot even imagine any cruise ship air drying laundry.  Did you write the request on the form or was there a check box for an air dry option?  Did they air dry earlier in the cruise or other cruise ships?

 

Yep, written on the form, and there has never been a problem with air drying on previous cruises. I wouldn't have a problem if they sent it to me wet and I dried it myself.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

6 hours ago, abbydancer said:

 

 

1.  The room,  We were on the Summit at the same time in a Sky Suite, and it seems to me they made the room less practical from the pre-revoluitionized Infinity.  They took out part of the closet to make the bench thing, and eliminated the grab bars in the way too high tub.  And does Ms. Hoppen have a thing against actual shelving?  We ended up putting the desk chair on the balcony and moving a balcony chair in.  

 

 

 

Ms. Hoppen seems to have a thing against anything remotely functional.

[Sarah1974]

@DaKahuna thank you for your fabulous blog; I've loved following along

[DaKahuna]

On 5/8/2023 at 11:53 AM, abbydancer said:

 

3.  December 63 - you briefly mentioned them.  Were they on this cruise?  

 

 

Yes, December 63 was on our cruise.  We had seen them before and enjoyed seeing them again. 

 

[DaKahuna]

 We arrived home this evening and are happy to be home.  Had a wonderful visit with our son, DIL and youngest grandson - Had not seen them since 2019.  Great news is we will see them again next month at the oldest grandson's wedding in ND. 

 

I would again like to thank everyone for following along and especially to those of you who contributed additional comments. 

 

 

[abbydancer2003]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Yes, December 63 was on our cruise.  We had seen them before and enjoyed seeing them again. 

 

Hmmm,  I assume they were on the first half?  We had them on April 30th.  I'm guessing they boarded Millennium at the start or first few days, and then on the 29th flew to Aruba or Bonaire, as they were first seen on April 30, and again on May 5. (We went to the first show, and enjoyed it, but didn't go to the second)

[RTShaker]

2 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 We arrived home this evening and are happy to be home.  Had a wonderful visit with our son, DIL and youngest grandson - Had not seen them since 2019.  Great news is we will see them again next month at the oldest grandson's wedding in ND. 

 

I would again like to thank everyone for following along and especially to those of you who contributed additional comments. 

 

 

Not quite home yet. We did this today...

 

[Fly and Sail]

35 minutes ago, RTShaker said:

Not quite home yet. We did this today...

 

 

We sailed underneath the GGB in 2018 on the Eclipse, and it was indeed special. Beautiful day, you're lucky!

 

[Fly and Sail]

3 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 We arrived home this evening and are happy to be home.  Had a wonderful visit with our son, DIL and youngest grandson - Had not seen them since 2019.  Great news is we will see them again next month at the oldest grandson's wedding in ND. 

 

I would again like to thank everyone for following along and especially to those of you who contributed additional comments. 

 

 

 

That was a very long trip for you. Now you deserve some rest, vacation from vacation if you will. 😄

[DaKahuna]

9 hours ago, abbydancer said:

Hmmm,  I assume they were on the first half?  We had them on April 30th.  I'm guessing they boarded Millennium at the start or first few days, and then on the 29th flew to Aruba or Bonaire, as they were first seen on April 30, and again on May 5. (We went to the first show, and enjoyed it, but didn't go to the second)

 

They performed on our second sea day, April 22nd.  Maybe they got off at the first port stop, Cartagena on April 24th. 

 

[DaKahuna]

7 hours ago, Fly and Sail said:

 

That was a very long trip for you. Now you deserve some rest, vacation from vacation if you will. 😄

 

Thank you.  That is exactly what we are doing.  Got a lot of TV programs that were recorded while we were gone to catch up on.  Temperatures are supposed to get up 79 tomorrow and I think I hear my fishing gear calling my name.