This will be our second cruise since the start of the pandemic. And it’s a special cruise, because we’re both retiring, and want to celebrate. Who knows when our next chance to cruise will be?
Oh no…
Two years ago we had booked a cruise to the Panama Canal on the Carnival Legend. Well, we all know how that went. We kept hoping that cruising would start again, but then we got the dreaded cancellation email from Carnival. We had a choice of getting a full refund, or getting $600 on board credit on a future cruise. We rolled the dice, and decided to take the on board credit.
Time to rebook
When cruising finally started back up, we decided it was time to rebook. We found a partial transit cruise to the Panama Canal, but now the ship sailing to the Canal was the Carnival Pride. No problem. The Pride is a new ship to us, and I always enjoy exploring a new ship. Plus, we’ve never been to the Panama Canal. There’s nothing like seeing something new for the first time.
So, when are we going and what are we going to do?
Our eight day cruise is scheduled for early April. It’s best for us to book in non-summer months, just to avoid hurricane season. We decided to book an interior cabin because balcony rooms come at a premium on a Panama Canal cruise. But…this interior cabin is different. It’s actually an exterior with a picture window that overlooks…the lifeboats. It won’t be much of a view, but we will get light. Better than an actual interior cabin, with more room.
Food
Of course we’re going to eat! Way too much I’m sure. Thanks to our $600 onboard credit, we are going to eat at David’s Steakhouse for the first time. We’ve heard so much about it, but never saw the need to pay an upcharge since the food in the main dining is so good. But since we’re celebrating our retirements, David’s Steakhouse seemed like a good idea.
Ports
Our first cruise port will be Limon, Costa Rica, which is right on the edge of the Panama Canal. We’ve never been to Limon before, and are looking forward to seeing it. Our excursion in Limon has already been booked. We’re going on a train, boat, and bus tour through the area. I’m really hoping to see some native wildlife. Be sure to check back after our cruise to see my review of the tour.
We are also scheduled to visit Grand Cayman Island, although a lot of the Grand Cayman stops are being changed to other ports because of restrictions in Grand Cayman. We’ve been to Grand Cayman before and totally enjoyed it. We’ve been to Stingray City to kiss the stingrays. We’ve also walked around the town. It’s a cute little area to visit.
Panama Canal Partial Transit
Of course the highlight of our cruise will be the Panama Canal Partial Transit. It will be interesting to see how that small ship gets through such a tight space in the Gatun locks. I plan on filming the transit through the locks, so check back when I do my review of the Panama Canal. Then after we traverse the locks, we will sail to Lake Gatun, then turn around and come back through the locks towards the Caribbean.
We can’t wait
Seriously! We can’t wait for this cruise on the Panama Canal. Make sure you check us out in early April to learn more about the Panama Canal Partial Transit. I’m definitely ready!
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The Quiet Cruiser 