Panama Planning

[Andrew DEREK UK]

So for the cruisers on the two repos with a transit of the Panama Canal, what are your plans for this long day?

Will you plan to watch from deck 10 forward, or deck 4? Or will you stay on your verandah if you have one? Go to the secret decks at the aft, or sit at Topsiders all day?

For May cruisers have you booked Palo that day, or August cruisers do you hope to get Palo that day.

If going up on deck, will you stay there all day, or just for the transit of the locks? What are you looking forward to seeing? The little mule trains pulling the ship in the locks? Waving at the locals? Seeing Mickey and Minnie on the bridge? Waving at the webcams?

Getting a sunhat and suntan cream to protect you, and if on deck getting up early to snag a place to watch the crossing.

Or are you going to the laundry that day, as you think it will be empty?

It’s a very long day, so are you just going to wear your swimming clothes and hope to jump in the pools to cool off, stay at the bar, or raid the Deck BBQ?

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Some pictures.

 

[granmaz]

Thanks Andrew. That has upped my excitement level.

I'm really not sure how we will organise the day. I think I will want to see the approach and the first lock from on deck, together with everyone else, then no doubt will wander, sit on the balcony, and now you have mentioned it, perhaps do the laundry!!!

We have our Champagne Girls meet at 4pm, where about 40 or so ladies will taste champagne.

Other than that I guess we will be playing it by ear and hope it isn't raining.

 

[cruisin'Mike]

We'll probably bounce around from Deck 10 to the verandah. The kids will probably want to swim for a while.

We'd like to try for Palo brunch that day. I've read different people saying that there would or would not be a Palo brunch on the canal day. Can someone from the WB cruise verify if Palo is serving brunch that day?

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Thanks Andrew. That has upped my excitement level.

I'm really not sure how we will organise the day. I think I will want to see the approach and the first lock from on deck, together with everyone else, then no doubt will wander, sit on the balcony, and now you have mentioned it, perhaps do the laundry!!!

We have our Champagne Girls meet at 4pm, where about 40 or so ladies will taste champagne.

Other than that I guess we will be playing it by ear and hope it isn't raining.

Yes the rain might be an issue, we were ok in August last time, it looked like it would rain all the time, overcast and black clouds, but it didn't, but one of the other reasons for the PC being built in that location apart from the short strip of land, is the amount of rain locally that can supply the water to keep it all going.

Glad I upped the excitement level, it is now coming very soon your you, and getting closer of our cruise.

The Mrs wanted to do the laundry that day??????? went there the logic, it will be empty, wrong!!!!!!!!! very full indeed, go on a panama cruise and do yuor washing that day?????

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

We'll probably bounce around from Deck 10 to the verandah. The kids will probably want to swim for a while.

We'd like to try for Palo brunch that day. I've read different people saying that there would or would not be a Palo brunch on the canal day. Can someone from the WB cruise verify if Palo is serving brunch that day?

It was open on panama day for 2005 cruise.

Good plan to bounce back and forth, use the verandah and also have a walk about as you can miss whats going on on the other side.

 

[DCL Repeaters]

We plan on doing what we did in 2005. Move from deck to deck to get a different view and spend some time in our room cooling off in between. That is my suggestion to those who many think you need to be up before the sun to secure a chair. I promise you won't be sitting in it very long as it's a long, hot, humid day with the ship moving ever so slowly with no breeze. I'm working on a sign to hold up for my family (they'll be watching us on the webcam!) when we go through the Mira Flores locks (that's if it fits in my suitcase!). Andrew, looking at the Navigator you posted brought back fond memories as we were on that cruise with you. Sure do wish the Charles Marshall band would be with us again and hope that they have that super yummy barbecue up on deck again!

 

[geffric]

Thanks Andrew for posting.I will share with DH. I am so excited to be on the WB cruise.. and go throught the canal.. I hadn't thought about laundry.. maybe that will be DH's turn

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

We plan on doing what we did in 2005. Move from deck to deck to get a different view and spend some time in our room cooling off in between. That is my suggestion to those who many think you need to be up before the sun to secure a chair. I promise you won't be sitting in it very long as it's a long, hot, humid day with the ship moving ever so slowly with no breeze. I'm working on a sign to hold up for my family (they'll be watching us on the webcam!) when we go through the Mira Flores locks (that's if it fits in my suitcase!). Andrew, looking at the Navigator you posted brought back fond memories as we were on that cruise with you. Sure do wish the Charles Marshall band would be with us again and hope that they have that super yummy barbecue up on deck again!

Yes, it seems like yesterday, we were on that together, and it was hot and humid and the cruisers staking out the top deck did 'wither' quickly in the heat, thats why its best to plan what you will do. If anyone plans on staying up there, you need protection from that sun and heat.

Glad it brought back memories, I must say when I first cruised I didnt like the CM band so much, but they grew on me, and on following cruises the bands were not as good, so yes I would like to see/hear the CM band back.

Thanks Andrew for posting.I will share with DH. I am so excited to be on the WB cruise.. and go throught the canal.. I hadn't thought about laundry.. maybe that will be DH's turn

Dont tell my Mrs that its my turn, I would do it at midnight and ensure I see the crossing, albeit my third time.

The cruise will be great you really will enjoy, worth looking at all the tips posted here.

 

[ericamanda01]

Thanks so much for posting this Andrew. I was wondering what the days activities were. We will most likely roam the ship and make it a pretty lazy day! But my poor camera will get no rest!

 

[samily]

Andrew, you always have great pics to share!!

 

[tink too]

I plan on wandering around the ship, taking loads of photos and video.

I'm not a "just sit there" type of person, especially in very high heat and/or humidity, so I will probably spend some time in our room, too.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Thanks so much for posting this Andrew. I was wondering what the days activities were. We will most likely roam the ship and make it a pretty lazy day! But my poor camera will get no rest!

No problem, as you will see from the last list, they had a deck BBQ which was very good indeed, ( they did it again in the Med so no reason not to repeat it).

Ships activities were cut down during the day to leave us all to watch the passing points of interest, Stateroom TV had a channel to listen to with commentary from an expert on Panama canal, and pointing out all the interesting features and telling us what was going to happen, we put it up in our stateroom and listened in from the verandah.

Ensure you have lots of film/space, and batteries for the camera

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I plan on wandering around the ship, taking loads of photos and video.

I'm not a "just sit there" type of person, especially in very high heat and/or humidity, so I will probably spend some time in our room, too.

It is well worth walking around there is so much to see, deck 4 is often overlooked and a good place to watch and wave at the shutters staff.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Andrew, you always have great pics to share!!

Thank you!

 

[thomprod]

Thanks for all the photos and Navigators. We will be cruising with you on the August Eastbound repo in an inside cabin, so we thought we'd move around quite a bit on "canal day" to see all the available vantage points.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Thanks for all the photos and Navigators. We will be cruising with you on the August Eastbound repo in an inside cabin, so we thought we'd move around quite a bit on "canal day" to see all the available vantage points.

Hello, thanks for the post, nice you will be cruising with us, its a happy nice bunch of people, please do join in on the Captain Jacks repo thread there is lots of support information there.

Good idea to walk around and as other posters say, after the first early morning rush, thnigs will ease off and you will be able to see a lot, Deck 4 as I posted before is often less crowded.

Enjoy and I look forward to seeing you on this great cruise.

 

[Skallywag]

As most of us still have no staterooms we shall be on deck already before anyone else I think.

Just thinking of all the pictures I am going to take and perhaps will pack my little downloader device, last thing I need to do is run out of cards for my camera.

Love the pictures Andrew thanks a lot.

Brenda

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

As most of us still have no staterooms we shall be on deck already before anyone else I think.

Just thinking of all the pictures I am going to take and perhaps will pack my little downloader device, last thing I need to do is run out of cards for my camera.

Love the pictures Andrew thanks a lot.

Brenda

Yes lots of memory cards will help, lots to see, the good news its very slow so for photos you can take a lot,

any answer re passports being taken? (UK Cruisers)

 

[Skallywag]

Have an Epson Photo Stgorage thing with 40gb -= do you think that will be enough for me perhaps?

Still waiting for Customer services to find out more information on this passport thing and come back to me also our agent at DU has promised to investigate.

Brenda