Ken23

For non-French speakers they are saying the prefer the morning because they are on excursions or visiting port.  If it's a sea day they are at the solarium.

Maybe when they finish all the construction, they could offer a All Access Island Tour with behind the scene areas.

Maybe when they finish all the construction, they could offer a All Access Island Tour with behind the scene areas.

Cruise Summary
This was another bucket list cruise that lives up to that reputation.
It introduced me to several new destinations that each warrant a return visit.  Puntarenas and Cartagena stand out as top ports while the transit of the Panama Canal completely lived up to all my expectations.  Simply wow.  
This is my second time on Vision of the Seas and she fulfilled everything I needed for this cruise.  An issue with my cabin temperature was fixed within two hours on day one and I had no issues for the remainder of the cruise.  The crew were fantastic in all respects.  
The only thing I can think to complain about was the lack of enough tenders in Cabo San Lucas.  Using the four dual purpose lifeboat/tenders from the ship simply wasn't enough and it impacted out useable time in port.  The ship offered a lot of excuses for this but at the end of the day if they can't figure out how to execute tendering in Cabo they should drop the port. Fortunately I've been there before and it wasn't the reason I booked this cruise.
Seeing the operation of the Panama Canal locks firsthand and up close was amazing and I'm glad I experienced the original Panama Canal.  It's not an experience I'll soon forget.
When I return I'll spend more time down low watching all the action from lock level.  
My decision to save money by booking an ocean view cabin worked out fine.  Looking back I don't think I missed out by not having a balcony or suite.  Even if I had a balcony I wouldn't stay out there for the canal transit as there is too much to see on both sides of the ship.  Balconies were more than twice the price of my cabin so not only did my savings cover my stay on the Queen Mary, excursions and airfare but also left enough to pay for my next two cruises.
I have a few other bucket list type cruises in the future but I'll be looking out for another Panama Canal cruise after those.  
I hope you enjoyed following along and I thank you for viewing.

Our bus dropped us off at the other end of the cruise terminal.  The cruise terminal in Cartagena is kind of unique.  It includes an eco park.

This is free and you have to walk through it to reach the ship.



Giant anteater.

There are two aviaries within the park.












It's a very nice way to return to a ship.

On both sides of the canal there have been ships at anchor waiting to transit the canal.  This leads to the question how long do they have to wait?  
Bill Benny offered that the typical wait time without a reservation can be up to ~ 36 hours.  Timing varies based on demand and how many ships have reservations.    Typical volume is forty ships per day.  
The new locks don't have locomotives.  Each ship is allocated two tugs, one forward, one aft.  They do all the control, forward or aft or lateral movements that the locomotives do in the original canal.
The entire Panama Canal system uses gravity.  There are no pumps.  Water flows from Gatun Lake into upper lock chambers then to the next lock chamber down to the ocean.  This area of the Americas receives a lot of rain, it always has.  The Chagres River which was dammed to create Gatun Lake flowed into the ocean.  The man made Gatun Lake is a reservoir that flows water into the locks as they operate replacing the natural draining of the Chagres River into the sea.  
Too much rain isn't a serious issue as spillways can dissipate excess water.  If nature changed rainfall amounts downwards there are concerns about a lack of rain impacting canal operations.  If there was a major change in weather patterns that denied the region the rain it normally receives it is conceivable the canal would reduce operations compared to how it operates today.  
Gatun Lake is freshwater.  It also supplies drinking water to millions of people.  Gatun Lake has Crocodiles and Caiman.  
The canal generates around 3 billion USD in revenue annually.  Roughly half of this goes to the Panamanian treasury and half is consumed by the canal for operational use and development.
 

One of my dilemmas as I thought about how to capture this day was where to go on the ship for the best pictures.  I captured the timelapse on my GoPro while I waited on deck 10 forward for the morning approach and the first set of locks.  However I didn't want to stay there the whole day guarding my GoPro. 
At the same time I really wanted a full transit timelapse so I cheated a little bit.
Vision of the Seas has a TV channel dedicated to the forward facing bridge camera.  It's channel 41 on the TV system.   Hmmm.  What if I used my other phone to capture a timelapse of channel 41?
The full transit in 21 seconds.
 

A little bit about the Panama Canal.
In order to make it from one ocean to the other the ship needs to reach the man made Gatun Lake that lies in middle of Panama.  That involves three canal locks that are used to lift the ship a total of 85 feet (~26m) to reach the level of Gatun Lake.  Once across Gatun Lake another series of three steps in canal locks lower the ship back to sea level.
From West to East we will go through the Miraflores locks, across the small Miraflores Lake and then into the Pedro Miguel locks.  Once through those locks we will be at the level of Gatun Lake.  On the Atlantic side of Gatun Lake the Gatun Locks will lower us in three steps to the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. 
Miraflores Locks
There are two steps in these locks.


These tugs are an important part of the canal operation. Ships our size are assigned two tugs.

Two people in a row boat...

They bring "messenger" lines over to the ship that will be used to haul the steel cables from the locomotives over to the ship.  Ship lines are not used in the transit.

The crowds at the front of the ship do become somewhat thick.  An opportunity to meet new friends. 


The Miraflores locks will lift us two of the three steps required to reach the level of Gatun Lake.

The locomotives on each side will help guide the ship into the lock channel and keep the ship centered. These have been upgraded over the years but their function remains the same as it was in 1914 when the Panama Canal first opened.

The locomotives are nicknamed "mules" and operating under guidance from the control room,  the onboard seamen and the pilot they keep the ship moving centered in the lock chamber.  The ship uses it's own propulsion to move forward.

As the ship moves forward we approach the lock door that hold back massive volumes of water.  Behind us a set of lock doors will close creating a chamber for us to ride in.

Once the doors behind the ship close the lock is flooded with water.  The spray seen here is normal leakage, the chamber is actually filled from below. 

As the chamber fills we can sense we are gently rising.

It's a subtle rise that can be hard to notice.  The water line against the lock doors can be used to see how far the water has risen.  


With our first lift complete the lock doors in front of us open and we advance into the next lock chamber.

The ship before us is already moving into Miraflores Lake.

The orange ship in the new locks has already reach the level of Gatun Lake and is starting to move forward to continue the transit.  The Borinquen Dams separate the new Pacific access channel where this ship is from Miraflores Lake.


These Miraflores locks were originally completed in 1913. 

A visitors center allows people to view the locks (and us) in operation.

One more lift to go to reach the level of Miraflores Lake.

Day 11 - Panama Canal
This is going to take a few posts, bear with me.  

In the early morning light you could see a virtual fleet of ships at anchor waiting their turn.


Panama City was becoming visible through the morning fog.


I was surprised by the number of high rise buildings.

We continued to glide through the flotilla of ships until we approached the Bridge of the Americas.


This bridge is the lowest of three bridges that now span the canal.  This is the original and lowest of the three.  The NCL Bliss as the largest cruise ship to ever transit the Panama Canal squeaked under but only at low tide.

Vision was built within Panamax standards so there is no question we'll slide under quite nicely.

Once past the Bridge of the Americas our adventure really begins.

I forgot to mention the phone call the other day.   My cabin phone rang and a woman from guest services introduced herself.  
They had noticed I was booked on Empress out of Miami when this cruise ends.  They would be offering transportation from Vision in Ft. Lauderdale to Empress in Miami.  Details would be forthcoming as we get closer to Ft. Lauderdale.
This was unsolicited.  I didn't mention my plans to anyone. 
I was planning on using a rideshare figuring I could take my time debarking and making my way to Miami.  This is even better.  
#royalwow

For our next stop we get off the bus and walk to the Central Park of Antigua.  


The ladies you see walking around with merchandise are not aggressive but they are plentiful and each is eager to offer you something.  You'll need to repeat 'no' several times but they are just trying to make a living and are not aggressive so be patient and understanding.  Negotiating your price is expected.  All items are handmade in Guatemala and there are many beautiful items to choose from. 


Numerous colonial churches exist within Antigua.  A series of earthquakes in the 16th through 18th century did extensive damage and eventually led to moving the capital away from the region.  At the time people believed the earthquakes were caused by volcanic eruptions and the proximity to the volcano Fuego was determined to be undesirable.  Only later with modern science was it noted that this area of Guatemala sits where three of the earth's tectonic plates come together making it rife with earthquakes.







The outside of these businesses only tell a little bit.  The real beauty is in the courtyards within.

I even spotted some foreign food:



Several hundred years ago this was the seat of the Central American government.  

You're gonna have to bear with me because I am about to go overboard with Queen Mary pictures.  I just love this old ship.
Arriving later than expected once settled in my cabin I made my way to the Observation Bar for a drink and a bite to eat.

Walking around the ship you feel a deep sense of history.







Not a bad place to catch the end of game six of the World Series with the city lights of Long Beach across the bay.

I can't start into the actual cruise until I mention the Queen Mary.  As a cruise geek this is the ultimate way to kick off any cruise.  

The Queen Mary is an ocean liner that began service in 1936.  She was built with one mission in mind - sailing the North Atlantic between Southampton and New York.  Before the days of airplanes flying between the continents there was only one way to make the journey - by sea.  She isn't a cruise ship exactly, she just had two destinations repeated week after week.  However you can see where many of the things we have come to enjoy on modern cruise ships have evolved from the days of ocean liners. 
The Queen Mary ended service in 1967 and was sailed for the last time to the harbor in Long Beach California.  The City of Long Beach bought the Queen Mary outbidding a Chinese scrapyard and so the QM lives on now as a museum and hotel.  I've stayed here before since Carnival sails from Long Beach right next door, within walking distance of the QM.  


On this occasion I booked a Deluxe King room for $129 per night plus local taxes.  This is pretty competitive with local hotels so given the opportunity to stay on this historic old ship I'll do it every time.
The QM isn't a small ship.  In dimensions she approaches Voyager class and she was too big for the Panama Canal the day she was built.  

This cabin was considered first class in the day but the decor is more modern compared to what a guest in 1936 would have experienced.  While not a suite it was a large step up above third class.  In 1936 a one way first class fare was $1,074.  



As a means to conserve limited fresh water supplies, guests could choose hot salt water, cold salt water, hot fresh water or cold fresh water.  Those aren't functional today, the modern shower control above and to the left controls the water now.


Several vents that double as thermostats.  Want it warmer?  Slide to left.  Want cool air?  Slide to the right.  These are not operational today, modern thermostats are used but it's cool to see how guests would have warmed their cabins in the cold North Atlantic.

Working portholes!  No balconies on ships in those days, these portholes were a luxury.


The flat panel TV's were added during a renovation to meet modern expectations for a hotel room.

That very well could be an option we'd do

While a different itinerary, here is a live blog from 2019 as an example of what to expect for a Panama Canal transit on a Vision class ship:
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/16344-panama-canal-vision-of-the-seas-oct-30-2019
 
Start here to avoid the unrelated preamble:
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/16344-panama-canal-vision-of-the-seas-oct-30-2019/&do=findComment&comment=167099
 
Or start here to cut to the actual Panama Canal transit:
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/16344-panama-canal-vision-of-the-seas-oct-30-2019/&do=findComment&comment=168624
 

$11 for Silver and $13 for Añejo. Hopefully they only charge for Silver when asked and they substitute for an aged one.

@Matt couldn't even manage to get on a horse after that bar crawl.

Looking forward to seeing you at the Blackjack table again
Been too long, Ken!

I am in. 
Excited to cruise with some familiar faces again. 

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/event/royalcaribbeanblogcom-group-cruise-mariner-of-the-seas
Who's in?

WHO:
Myself (mid-30s M)
Wife (mid-30s F)
Nanny (early 20s F)
Kids (5F, 3.5F, 2M)
 
WHAT:
Cruising on Anthem!
Two (2) connecting interior staterooms (2U and 4U)
One (1) Deluxe Beverage Package
Chef’s Table for two (2) (me and Wife)
No cabanas, no excursions
Other than Chef’s Table, no specialty dining (MDR and Windjammer all the way!)
 
WHERE: 
Day 1: Port Bayonne, NJ
Day 2: Sea Day
Day 3: Port Canaveral (not sure of gantry is 12pm or 2pm)
Day 4: Nassau, Bahamas
Day 5: Coco Cay
Day 6: Sea Day
Day 7: Sea Day
 
WHEN:
5 December (Sunday) through 12 December (Sunday)
 
HOW: 
Driving from Maryland the morning of embarkation (11:30am check-in)
 
WHY: 
I will try (and fail) to keep this brief. I’m a Disney Parks nut. I love planning, logistics, fast passes, dining, touring plans, and everything that goes into a Disney Parks trip. My first cruise was 2015 on Grandeur out of Baltimore, 7-night to Bermuda. I had never considered a cruise beforehand, but it was an invite from the Wife’s extended family. About 2 months out, I started researching cruising the same way I researched a Disney trip, and I was hooked on cruising. I started looking at cruise compasses to get an idea of activities, dining, etc. Fast forward to the cruise, and it completely changed my life. Looking back, I’m really glad my first experience was on Grandeur, because I’ll likely never sail on something that small/old again! 🙂
Not long after that cruise, we found out about another life-changing event: a baby! The next several years zoomed by: a blur of babies, jobs, houses, etc. 
When the Wife and I hit our 5-year anniversary (2020), we decided to do an adult Disney trip - just the two of us. Unfortunately, COVID hit and 2 months before our flights was when quarantine struck, parks shut down, and we’re dead in the water. 
This past summer (2021), we (Me, Wife, 3 kids) took a trip to Florida with the Wife’s extended family. It was hard. 3 kids, one condo, no car, limited things to do in walking distance. We had the beach and a pool, but during COVID times, there’s not much else. We cooked, we kept the kid entertained, but It’s not something we’d do again. 
When we got back, we needed a REAL vacation - what about our adults-only Disney trip? Perfect! I worked on a plan for flights, hotel, food…only to find out everything was at a premium price. None of my tricks were working. For everyone following Disney, you know they took advantage of COVID to restructure FastPasses (Genie+), Annual Passes, pretty much everything. Our 2-person 72-hour trip was becoming WAY more expensive than we wanted. Thus begins disillusionment with Disney, but now I need a new hobby…
Back to the drawing board: What’s something the whole family can do, that includes activities, but we don’t need a car, don’t have to cook, or don't have to worry about groceries? The Wife says, “What about a cruise?”. After some quick pricing, it turns out 6 people for 7 days on Anthem isn’t much more than 2 people for 3 days in Disney. We locked in a date (same date as our failed Disney trip), and I’ve been following everyone’s adventures here ever since!
This has been an incredible community to be a part of, and I can’t wait to give back! We’re already (loosely) planning another cruise in October 2022 - same route, but on Oasis, and having another family join us!

One more day! One more day!
What a week it has been? I finally started driving again. With my surgery, that can be a painful task. The more I do it, the better I will feel and the quicker I will heal. I am back on the streets of Atlanta getting a pedicure, hair cut and picking up last minute items.
Yesterday, I took the online COVID test. After I received my negative result, I walked around the house acting like a guy on Maury who received a negative paternity test.

 
Now, I have finished packing. I am waiting for Kiesha so, my fiancée can take us to the airport.

Yes, as far as I know the annual cruise comp must be used (sail by) 3-31-22.  I am losing 4 of them (2 from 2020 and 2 from 2021).

Just got notified that my Royal up bid for a Jr suite got accepted, we are still 2 weeks out for our new years eve sail. This  is the first time winning a bid and it turns out they put us in an aft jr suit with the large balcony my wife will be extra happy since she lives on the balcony.

We like to do this as they always seem to appreciate it. For us it is an extension lead, mattress topper, and robes.
Then depending on the wife's mood, either beds together or separated. Ouch, the bride just backhanded me