Live from the Emerald Princess - Panama Canal - 1/22-2/6

[fpsphil]

Hey Everyone!

 

Starting up this live from thread as we embark on our 15 day Panama adventure. We booked this cruise over a year and a half ago and have been really looking forward to it for quite some time and it got enhanced a few months ago when my work announced a conference down here in Miami and a company retreat on a Carnival cruise last week. That meant not just flying out here and jumping on the ship back to LA but getting to extend and bridge the gap between that and this cruise by flying back to the Bahamas and escape the winter cold. This cruise will be amazing contrast after what we just experienced on a “fun” ship…

 

We are all checked in at the W Ft Lauderdale now as we wait to board on Monday. The Sky Princess was in this afternoon as we made our way from MIA and got to watch it sail out around 3:30.

 

Will post more later this evening. Hope you follow along on this adventure with us!

 

[canadarocks]

Looking forward to your posts. Have a wonderful cruise. We’re boarding on Feb 6. 😊

Edited January 21 by canadarocks

[tml1230]

we will be following along as we board the emerald in a few months, Have a GREAT cruise!

[Grammy J]

Looking forward to your posts as we will be on her in March.  Thanks for doing this. 

[fpsphil]

Couple of notes as we celebrate my birthday today.

 

1. Carnival Cruise… first one ever and it cemented everything I had come to know and believe about Carnival. Was a complete nightmare of contestant noise and just general chaos. Lines for everything, people screaming and yelling up and down the halls all hours of the day, couple face plants… yep lived up to expectations. Ship itself was nice and didn’t have any direct issues with service but the crowd onboard was just beyond rowdy being a holiday weekend… if it wasn’t for my company events and coworkers onboard we probably would have just hid in the room the entire 3 days. Couple pics down below.

2. Flight back to NAS - super super easy, you are in the air less than 30 minutes. Stayed out at SandyPort Beach Resort to avoid the chaos of Atlantis and paradise island and it was perfect. If you ever find yourself needing a quiet place and can bite the $80 cost for the flight from Miami I’d highly recommend

 

Caribbean Princess is in port today. Will watch it sail out later

[homedepot124]

We will be on the canal cruise with you.  Looking forward to boarding tomorrow.

[jaycruising]

Have the best time! We did the transit on Emerald last April and I loved it so much!  Best crew ever. 

[coldweather]

@fpsphil. Which Carnival ship were you on?  It's been my experience that a 7 day Carnival when kids are in school is a much different (more pleasant) experience than a weekend cruise when kids are out of school.   

I am looking forward to following your Emerald cruise. Thanks for making the effort to post. 

[fpsphil]

3 hours ago, coldweather said:

@fpsphil. Which Carnival ship were you on?  It's been my experience that a 7 day Carnival when kids are in school is a much different (more pleasant) experience than a weekend cruise when kids are out of school.   

I am looking forward to following your Emerald cruise. Thanks for making the effort to post. 

We were on the Conquest for a 3 day Nassau/ “fun” day at sea

[fpsphil]

We are onboard. Embarkation is was a breeze and we were through the terminal in about 10 minutes. Tons of supplies still on the dock so don’t see us leaving on time. Here is the day 1 patter.

[nini]

Enjoy your cruise! We did the full transit on the Coral in January 2018. We were able to go through the old locks. Our onboard commentator and lecturer was amazing. I think he said it was like his 217th transit (maybe more). He pointed out the place where he trained for Vietnam (ugh... hot and muggy).

Even though it is January, it does not cool off until after leaving Cabo and heading north.

[fpsphil]

Sailed out about an hour and a half late. We’re rocking a bit with the heavy winds down here. Captain did say he’ll have the stabilizers out the next 2 days

[fpsphil]

Dinner menus tonight

[fpsphil]

Day 2 patters

 

 

[kcl491]

Only 2 formal nights?  Interesting.  I will be on this cruise next month and I was advised by previous cruisers that there were 3 formal nights on the full-transit cruise.  Good.  Less to pack!

[DUCHESSRN]

We do the Solar Eclipse full transit so following along .

[fpsphil]

5 hours ago, kcl491 said:

Only 2 formal nights?  Interesting.  I will be on this cruise next month and I was advised by previous cruisers that there were 3 formal nights on the full-transit cruise.  Good.  Less to pack!

I guess the dress to impress could be implied as a formal night

[fpsphil]

Super super rough today. It’s more of a shaking rough than rolling one. Especially here on the back there have been some massive shutters today.

 

 

[kcl491]

Ooops, missed the Dressed to Impress listing!  Yes, I would consider that the equivalent of Formal Night.  Thanks for your thread.

[MacMadame]

So they aren't doing White & Gold night anymore? 

[fpsphil]

2 hours ago, MacMadame said:

So they aren't doing White & Gold night anymore? 

I think that was just a princess fad that has passed

[fpsphil]

Day 3 Patters and day 2 Menus. Seas calmed down finally tonight but look to pick up late morning

[MacMadame]

54 minutes ago, fpsphil said:

I think that was just a princess fad that has passed

Thank goodness!

[fpsphil]

Another rough and windy day. Captain came on at 10 and announced 3.5-4 meter waves and 40 knot winds. Poole are also empty as they were overflowing this morning onto the decks

[fpsphil]

Production show just got moved to Panama Canal night due to weather as well