Panama Canal Cruise

Monday - December 4, 2017

Mike and I spent Sunday night at Amy and Don's house so that we could all go to the airport together.  On Monday morning we headed to the airport at about 9:30 am to  make our 11:30 am flight to Fort Lauderdale.  We had a connection in Houston and had a 5 hour layover (this wasn't the flight we originally booked, but things got changed by the airline).  We made it to Houston just fine and ate a late lunch at the airport.  When we were ready to board the flight to Fort Lauderdale, it was announced that our plane had a bad fuel pump so our plane was changed.  The flight was ultimately delayed 2 hours and we didn't get to Fort Lauderdale until after midnight.  We got a taxi to the Hyatt Place hotel.  We were all exhausted and were glad that we have an extra day before getting on the cruise ship.

Tuesday - December 5, 2017

We all slept in.  We got breakfast at about 8:30 in the hotel breakfast bar.  They serve a good breakfast with eggs, meat, potatoes, fresh fruit salad, and many types of bread.  After breakfast, we walked to the shopping strip mall about a block from the hotel.  We decided to get sandwiches for lunch at the Publix grocery store.  We ate at some picnic tables outside of the hotel.  The weather is really nice, warm and sunny, but not too hot.  After lunch we all laid out by the pool.  It was okay there, but the noise from the building construction finally made us want to go in.

Laying out by the pool

Mike is enjoying the shade.

After resting, we walked to the Outback restaurant for dinner.  After that we called it a night so that we would be ready to get on the cruise ship the next day.

Tuesday - December 6, 2017   Cruise Day!

After breakfast we caught the early shuttle to the cruise terminal.  We embarked on the MS Zuiderdam by noon, found our rooms, then had lunch in the Lido Market.  We walked all over the ship to get oriented - took lots of stairs and steps.

Mike by the Atrium

We returned to our rooms and organized our space.  Mike and I were in room 6151 and Amy and Don were in the adjoining 6155.  These interior cabins were TINY! They were a lot smaller that the ones Mike and I had on previous cruises.  After getting settled we went up to the upper deck for the sail away.

Port Everglades in the background

Leaving Port Everglades

After the sail away we got ready for dinner in the Dining Room.  It was really good and the service was great.  Mike and I bought a pick 4 wine package.  The wine was a bit cheaper doing it that way.  We should have done the pick 6 because we both ended up buying one more bottle of wine before the cruise was over.  After dinner we walked around the ship some more, had some drinks, then headed to bed kind of early.  We had a couple of really tiring days.

The towel art our first night

Thursday - December, 7, 2017    Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

I woke up about 5:30 not able to go back to sleep, so I went to the Lido to get coffee.  I drank coffee in the room, and read my Kindle while Mike slept.  Mike, Amy, and Don were ready for breakfast about 8:00 so we went to the Lido and ate.  We really enjoyed the breakfasts; you could get made to order omelets, eggs, waffles, fruit and lots of other things.  After breakfast we got ready and took the tender to the island at about 9:30.  Mike and I were on top of the tender and it started raining hard.  We got soaked by the time we had made it to the bottom level under cover.  It cleared up by the time we got to the island.

Half Moon Cay from the ship

Mike looking at the island before we got on the tender

Half Moon Cay is a private island owned by Holland America.  The water was crystal clear and the sand was powder soft.  We swam in the ocean and snorkeled (saw no fish) then ate lunch before heading back to the ship at about 12:30.

Mike relaxing on the beach

Mary enjoying the water

View of the island

We had fun on Half Moon Cay!

MS Zuiderdam

Mike, Don, Amy on the tender back to the ship

We took showers and got ready for dinner, then sat in the Crow's Nest while the ship left Half Moon Cay.  We had dinner in the main dining room then caught the show on the Mainstage.  It was a comedy ventriloquist named Mike Robinson who was very funny.

Mike, Amy, Don in our favorite seats at The Mainstage

We had drinks in the Ocean Bar where we met Mike's and my favorite bartenders, Cristian (aka Steamy) and Richel.  Then we called it a night.

Friday - December 8, 2017  Sea Day - First Gala Dinner

Mike and I slept in this morning then got breakfast at the Lido.  We walked around the Promenade Deck a couple of times than walked inside the ship.  We ended up in the Crow's Nest.   Before long we started seeing an island that we later learned was Haiti.  We were surprised at how mountainous Haiti is.   We met Amy and Don for lunch after they had finished their exercise class then went out front to get a better view of Haiti.

Haiti

Mike looking at Haiti

Mike and I went back to the Crow's Nest to read while Amy and Don went to the Lido hot tub.  We met back up at the Lido deck and played a game of music trivia.  We would have really been bad at this game if not for Don.  He knew a lot of the songs and artists.  After that was over, we went and got all dressed up for the Gala night dinner in the Dining Room.

Dressed up for Gala Night

After the Gala Dinner, Amy and I changed into more comfortable shoes and Mike and Don took off their coats and ties before we to the Mainstage for a dance show.  It was lots of fun.  We tried to go to the BB King show and the Billboard shows afterwards, but there was no seating so we went to the Ocean Bar for a while.  We visited with Richel the bartender about working on a cruise ship.  Then we called it a night.

. Nightly towel art.

Saturday - December 9, 2017  Oranjestad, Aruba

We slept in again - the ship didn't dock until 1:00 pm.  We had breakfast in the Lido then later lunch.  We hung out until time to get off the ship.  We disembarked at about 1:30 then joined our excursion the Kukoo Kunuku party bus.  It was lots of fun.  We sang to the music and shook maracas to the rhythm. The driver went by the nickname 'Smooth' .  He drove the bus around the island to give us a tour of Aruba.  There was not a lot to see around Aruba, it is a small, poor island.  It is arid and has a lot of cacti.  We stopped at a small church and at the California Lighthouse before getting off at a resort beach.

Ready to get on board the Kukoo Kunuku

Ready for the Party Bus

A house in Oranjestad, Aruba

Cacti on the island

Alto Vista Church

California Lighthouse

The water was warm, but full of silt - not clear.  A little disappointing.  We had a nice time for about 2 hours.  We swam, laid out, had a beer, and watched an iguana.

Mike, Amy, and Don relaxing on the beach

The beach on Aruba

It was crowded

Back on the party bus

We took the party bus back to the ship.  We got back late enough that we just ate at the Lido Market after showering and cleaning up.  We got seats at the BB King Theater and watched a part of the show.  It was really good.  We called it a night at about 10:00.

Sunday - December, 10, 2017    Willemstad, Curacao

We woke up about 7:15 and put swim gear on to be ready for an early disembarkation.  We had breakfast delivered to our room.  About 8:15 we got off the ship to catch the 'Beach Express' Magic Bus.  We did a tour of the island (there is more to Curacao than Aruba), seeing historic houses and churches.  We stopped and looked at some flamingos in a lake before heading to the beach.

A typical house on Curacao

A cemetery with church in the background

A plantation house

Flamingos

We stopped at Blue Bay Resort for our 2 1/2 hour beach time.  Snorkel equipment was provided and we spent about 1 1/2 hours snorkeling.  It was AWESOME!  The water was very clear and we saw lots of tropical fish - flounders, pipe fish, angel fish, rock fish, puffer fish, groupers, and many I don't know the name of.

Area where we snorkled

Some of the types of fish we saw

An iguana we saw on the beach

The Magic Bus with our tour guide in front

We left the beach and got back to the ship about 1:00.  We showered then went to the Lido for lunch.  After lunch we got off the ship again and walked into the town  Most shops were closed since it was Sunday.  We were able to enjoy a beer at a local bar.

Typical buildings in the older part of town

Mike and Mary

When we got back on the ship, we got dressed up and went to the Dining Room for dinner.  After dinner we went to the Mainstage for the Trinidad Steel Drum Band.  They played Broadway and classical music.  Very Good!  After that we called it a night.  This was a very good day.

Monday - December 11, 2017   Sea Day

We slept until 7:30 then got breakfast at the Lido.  We walked a mile on the Promenade then lazed in our room watching the Panama Canal video.  We got dressed up and went to the Captain's luncheon in the Dining Room - Free Champagne!  We went back to the room and read and relaxed before going to the Crow's Nest for a while.  We went to dinner at 6:00, then to the Mainstage for singing and dancing by the ship's performers.  We ended the day with cocktails in the Ocean Bar.  We liked the servers there (they make the best gin and tonic),  We called it an evening at 9:30.  We enjoyed the down day.

View of South America from ship

Tuesday - December 12, 2017  Cartegena, Columbia

We had breakfast delivered to our room at 7:30 so we would be ready to disembark about 8:15.  We had booked the 'Stroll Through Old Town' to tour Cartegena.  We got on the bus and met the tour guide Kike.  He was nice, but we really could not understand what he was saying most of the time.  Traffic in Cartegena was crazy busy.  We stopped first at an old fort and were immediately accosted by street vendors.  A woman in a bright, colorful dress posed for a picture with Mike and then wanted a dollar for posing.

Motorcycle drivers went in very tight places

Woman in costume

Mike posing for the dollar picture

The old fort

Amy, Don, Mary at fort

Amy, Don, Mike at fort

When we got back on the bus we went to a shop for shopping and bathroom. I got a t-shirt outside the shop.  The bus driver had to back into a very tight spot.  WOW!  Next we drove to Old Town where we did about an hour walking tour.  It was very crowded, but interesting.  One of our stops was at the old Inquisition Museum.

A typical street in old town Cartegena

An old church

Guillotine in the inquisition courtyard

An interesting tree in the inquisition courtyard

Decoration in a plaza in old town

View of an old fort wall as we go back to the port

After that we rode through more parts of town and back to the ship.  We pretty much lazed around the rest of the day.  We ate in the Dining Room, had drinks in the Ocean Bar, then called it a night.

Wednesday - December 13, 2017    Panama Canal

We got up and around by 6:00 am to view the canal transit only to discover that it had been postponed until 8:30.  We ate breakfast then went to the bow observation area on Deck 4.  We found places by the rail and hung out until transit time.  While waiting, Mike spotted a crocodile on the shore.  The transit through the eastern side of the canal took about 1 1/2 hours and was very interesting.  Amazing that this could be built over 100 years ago.

Location of crocodile - barely visible on dirt by shore

Cruise ship in front of us making transit

Mike, Don, Amy holding our spot

Mike, Mary, Don with Panama in background 

Train that pulls ships through canal

Large ship in canal next to us

Gatun Locks

Panama Canal

By the Gatun Locks

We went to the Lido pool area and sat at a table with a view of the canal while the ship sat in Gatun Lake.  We ate lunch there and watched ships most of the day. Later in the day, we found a spot on Deck 3 to view the passage back through the canal.  We were able to get a close view of the trains that pull the ships through the canal.

View of Panama

Amy and Don with Panama in background

When that was finished, we showered and got ready for dinner in the Dining Room.  After dinner we sat in the Billboard Piano Bar for a while then called it a night.  Disappointing news - the stop in Costa Rica was cancelled because of 11 foot sea swells.  Very disappointed, but unavoidable.  The ship is going to Georgetown, Grand Cayman instead.

Thursday - December 14, 2017    Sea Day - Gala Dinner #2

I slept in - getting breakfast about 7:45.  I met Amy in the Lido, then Mike joined in.  Mike and I walked 3 laps on the Promenade deck then sat in the Crow's Nest until lunch.  After lunch Mike and I napped and I watched the movie 'La La Land'.  We got dressed up for the Gala Night dinner in the Dining Room.

Don, Amy, Mary, Mike - we all dress up pretty good

We went to the Mainstage to watch the singers and dancers from the ship.  After the show, we sat in the Ocean Bar for a while then went to our rooms to watch TV and read before calling it a night.

Friday - December 15, 2017      Georgetown, Grand Cayman

Mike and I ate breakfast in the Lido then got ready to go on shore in Georgetown, Grand Cayman.  We got off the ship by tender about 9:30.  We did some tourist shopping, ate a burger at Sharkeez Bar and Grill, and got a beer at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville.  At Jimmy Buffet's we saw a limbo dancer who was very entertaining.

Mike just as we got on the island

Mary posing with pirate

In front of the clear, pretty water

Don and Mike being silly

Enjoying a Caybrew in Sharkeez

In front of Sharkeez

Beautiful!

Mike and Mary at Jimmy Buffet's

We went by a small beach where we saw tarpon swimming in the clear, clear water.  If we ever come back sometime maybe we will take advantage of the good snorkeling water.

View of Zuiderdam from shore

Having a good time on the island

We got back on board the ship about 2:30 then had dinner in the Dining Room.  We didn't watch a show, but sat around in the Ocean Bar for a while before calling it a night.

Saturday - December 16, 2017     Sea Day

Our last day on the cruise.  I got up by 7:00, went to the Lido deck for coffee, and ran into Amy and Don.  We ate breakfast together while we watched a pretty sunrise and Cuba in the distance.  I went back to the Lido to sit with Mike while he ate breakfast.  Mike and I spent most of the morning in the Crow's Nest reading.  We met Amy and Don and ate lunch together in the Lido.  After lunch we went to the Mainstage to watch and listen to Island Magic steel drum band play 80's music.  Really wish they would have played some more traditional island music, but they were really good.

Mike while we were walking on the Promenade

The Atrium decorated for Christmas

Gingerbread house display

Island Magic Steel Drum Band

After the show we cleaned up and got ready for our last dinner in the Dining Room.  We really enjoyed our meals there and the great service from the stewards.  They made us spoiled.  After dinner we hung out in the Ocean Bar for a while.  We said goodbye to the bartender, Cristian (we nicknamed him 'Steamy' because he was cleaning glasses releasing steam the first time we met him).  He was a funny, friendly, kind person.

Hanging out in the Ocean Bar one night

We went back to our rooms and called it a night after putting our suitcases out in the hall

Monkey towel art 

Sunday - December 17, 2017    Disembarkation Day

We got our backpacks ready then went to the Dining Room for breakfast. We enjoyed breakfast in the Dining Room and being waited on. We were not scheduled to get off until 10:00 am since we are only going to our hotel for the night.  After going back to our rooms and getting our backpacks, we sat in the Ocean Bar area until our turn to disembark - about 11:00.  We retrieved our luggage, went through customs, and took a shuttle back to the Hyatt Place Hotel.  Our rooms weren't ready yet, so we had them store our luggage while we went to Publix Supermarket to get sandwiches for lunch.

Chameleon in a bush by picnic table at hotel

Ibis on our way to Outback

When our rooms were ready we lazed around until we went to dinner at Outback then called it a night.

Monday - December 18, 2017  Flight Home

We ate breakfast at the hotel then caught a hotel shuttle to the airport.  Our flights were all on time, so it was an okay flying day.  Jennifer picked us up at the airport, we got our car at Amy and Don's, and got home about 8:00 pm.  We had a really good trip and are glad to be home for a few days.

Sunset view from airplane

Sunset view just before landing

Until next time, Caribbean