FEB 2022: Ruby Princess Panama Canal Transit Cruise

 

February 23, 2022 

We decided to try something new and leave 2 nights before the cruise on the evening flight. We usually leave one night before and take an early morning flight. It was a delight especially due to the 3 hour time change. The United flight took off on time. We enjoy first-class first-class service. The entertainment was terrible, but we both had downloaded podcasts. The drive from the airport was easy. It was nice to wake up rested with a full day of exploring ahead of us. We are staying at the Intercontinental San Francisco. 

February 24, 2022 

I worked for a few hours in the morning. My parents arrived around 10:30 am. We headed out to Pica Pica in the Mission District for lunch. Glenn found it. It was all gluten-free and had yummy arepas.  Anchor Steam Brewing Company was our next stop. It's a great spot with really friendly staff and good beer. It was fun to get a preview of beers not on the market yet. 

Glenn found a wine bar a few blocks uphill so we got the San Francisco experience of climbing some hills. It was a cute wine shop with a patio built in a parking space. 

We headed back to the hotel for an early dinner. Dad found a 2017 Turley Zin on the wine menu so that was exciting. We had a Plays Pinot Noir Rose that was really good. For dinner, Mom and Glenn had burgers. Dad has a burrata appetizer and I had the organic grain bowl. All really good. We called it an early night. It was a fun day exploring new areas of the city. 

February 25, 2022 Embarkation 

We had a nice breakfast at the Intercontinental. We got a Lyft to the port. We were surprised to find out we had to take a COVID test at the port before boarding. All in, boarding took about an hour. We headed to the dining room for lunch. It was very good. After lunch, we headed to our cabins. Our luggage was there so we unpacked. We met up for a drink with my parents. Then, we watched sail away from our cabin. Going under the Golden Gate bridge was very cool. 

We headed to the Platinum happy hour. Dinner was very good but very slow. It seems the staff is really under pressure. Thought, Bernardo did not like that I ordered nothing for dessert.  After dinner, I was so tired so we called it an early night.

Feb 26 - Sea Day

We woke up early to a gorgeous sunrise. We headed down to Deck 7 for a morning walk around the deck. We had breakfast in the buffet. It reminded me of a standard hotel breakfast buffet. We lost at trivia and then enjoyed some time at the Vines bar. We tried the dining room for lunch, but it was way too busy. Service took a long time. After lunch, we headed to the pool deck for pizza and ice cream. I took a nap. Glenn played ring toss and darts. We had happy hour at Skywalker and Vines and then off to dinner. Dinner was tasty. We are shifting to a later time when it will hopefully be less busy. Bernardo made Glenn a napkin duck since he had the duck for dinner. It was quite impressive. 

After dinner, we heard the band and then Glenn got to sing a few karaoke songs. One hour ahead tonight.

Feb 27 - Sea Day 

We followed a similar routine today. We headed to Deck 7 for a walk after we took our COVID test. It was very easy and well organized. We lost at trivia but did better than yesterday. We went to Vines and then lunch at the buffet. We attended a very good lecture about whales. I didn't know that you can identify the species of a whale by the pattern of its spray when it blows out air. I also didn't know there are three types of orca whales. I took a nap. Then, we went to Captain's Circle happy hour, Vines happy hour, the Ventriloquist - Jerry Goodspeed. He was really funny. Dinner was a little delayed because our table wasn't ready, but we had a great meal. After dinner, we listen to the duo in the Wheelhouse Bar. 

Feb 28 - Cabo San Lucas 

Gorgeous day today. We woke up early to watch the sail into Cabo. I love the scenery. Glenn was a great whale spotter. We were able to see a whale slap her tail numerous times and then a baby breech through our binoculars. Plus a couple spouts and tails. We took the whale watching excursion through the cruise line since we had to tender into Cabo. It was quite a long wait to get the excursion started, but we had a great time. It was a large boat. My Dad spotted some great seats overlooking the front of the boat. We were in prime position for whale watching. We saw dolphins, sea lions, a whale fin, and a whale tail. 

After the tour, we hung out by the pool and I read on the balcony overlooking the famous Arch in Cabo. We had happy hour and then went to the show - an instrumentalist - Craig Richard. He did a good job playing to the audience. Dinner was very good. It's been great since we moved to the later time when it's not so busy.  Then, we listened to the band and lost at Motown Trivia. A very fun day. 

March 1 - Sea Day 

I worked in the morning. Mom, Dad, and Glenn went to trivia. We spent most of the day by the pool playing cards and enjoying the pizza, grill, and buffet. The show was Stephanie Hodgeson. She is a singer that focused on rock songs. Dinner was very good again. I had a great Moroccan vegetarian dish. Glenn sang Karaoke again. A fun night. 

March 2 - Sea Day 

We started the day by handing over our passports for review by the Panama authorities in a few days. It took about 20 minutes. We lost at trivia. I set up working by the pool Glenn took his fav seat at the bar and my parents played cards.  We had another nice afternoon poolside. The show was a production show - Stardust. My parents said it was good. Glenn and I went to Good Spirits to try some of their signature cocktails. The watermelon one is still a favorite. Dinner was very good. Dan, the Maitre'D for special diets, and our waiter Bernardo surprised my parents with a gorgeous floral arrangement celebrating their 50th anniversary. The fish has been really good onboard, especially the Snapper. After dinner, we went to the 50s and 60s night. It was fun to see all the dancers. We have some really good dancers among the guests. 

March 3 - Sea Day

Glenn and I went for a walk on Deck 19. The wifi was challenging most of the day. We had another good game day by the pool. Glenn's medallion fell off in the pool so I had to use my diving skills to get it. We had a nice happy hour in Vines and then went to Jeffery Allen's Elton John show. 

It was very good. I loved how he highlighted the Princess band. Dinner was very good again. I got the Steak Diane. The sauce was very good, but I think I like how they prepare fish better. After dinner, we lost at 90s trivia because I got the Backstreet Boys song Everybody wrong AGAIN. 

March 4 - Sea Day 

Another great day losing at trivia, hanging by the pool, happy hour, and dinner. We got to play craps a little before dinner so that was fun. Dad had a good run. 

March 5  - Puntarenas, Costa Rica 

We had an early start for a 9-hour tour with six hours of driving. That's just what happens when everything is far from the port. We rode an aerial tram through the rainforest and had a short nature walk. Sebastian, our nature guide, was fantastic. We learned about lobster claws and cow's tongues. We also learned about plants that grow from trees storing water. The animals use these plants as their own private reservoirs during the dry season. Sebastian pointed out an amazing butterfly that evolved to have outer wings that look like an owl eye and a snake mouth.

 Lunch was good: salad, black beans and rice, chicken, shredded beef, and vegetables. We tried a couple local beers. We then went to Costa Rica Animal Rescue Center. We were so lucky to have the founder show our group around. She originally started the rescue center on the Caribbean coast. Her work rescuing turtles threatened a mega port development. Her partner was killed and she had 15 days to pack up and move. The animals absolutely love her.

 

We got back in time for happy hour. Dinner was a success. Scallops were the favorite main dish. We jammed out with the Supersonics and lost at Classic Rock trivia. 

March 6 - Sea Day 

Another fun Sea Day. We all slept in due to another hour ahead of the time change. We played games and tried out the Spa pool. It was nice to use a pool with steps going into the pool versus the other pools that require ladders in and out. We had fun at Vines happy sitting at the bar trying wines with Marvin. The show is a Dolly Parton tribute with Donna Campbell. It was fun. Dinner was the least successful so far. The menu was rough. I had the Beef Ramen bowl and it seemed the best option. After dinner, we went to Crooners lounge to hear piano player Gavin Burke. He was really fun and picked great sing-along songs. 

March 7 - Fuente Amador

The ship anchored off the coast of Panama City for the day. We decided to stay on board since it was going to be very hot. We had a fun day by the pool playing games.

 I worked most of the morning and then had a pedicure. After happy hour, we went to see comedian Carlos Oscar. He was terrific. We laughed so hard. Dinner was decent. After dinner, Glenn and I hung out by the Vines bar.

March 8 - Panama Canal Transit New Locks

We had a great day going through the locks. We started at 6 am. Woke up and turned on the bridge cam to see we were close to the bridge. Watched from the balcony as we went under the bridge and headed to the first lock. Glenn went up to the deck over the Bridge to get a chair for my Mom. I grabbed coffees. At 7 am, I went to get my parents and we headed up to Deck15 Forward to meet Glenn. We had perfect timing. We were just outside the first chamber. 

 While the ship was in the second chamber, we headed down to breakfast. We watched the third chamber from Deck 8 forward so we could get a good lock inside the chamber doors.

  Then, it was scenic cruising. We headed back to our balconies to enjoy ourselves. Glenn and I got room service. In the afternoon, we went up to the pool deck and played games at a table near the window. We watched the final locks from our balcony. Then, we went up to Skywalkers at the back of the ship to watch the exit and go under the bridge. 

It was so fun. We had happy hour at Vines and dinner in the Dining Room. It was Italian night and the best dinner yet. The eggplant parm appetizer was so good. Mom loved the veal scallopini. 

March 9 - Cartagena / Dad's Birthday

We decided to stay on the ship in Cartagena. It was very hot and we'd been there before. We slept in. Dad got a pedicure. We spent the day poolside playing games. We had happy hour at Skywalkers and then Vines. We tried our luck at the casino. We had dinner at Crown Grill. The food was very good especially th,e seabass, scallops, and black and blue onion soup. The ambiance needs some work. It was so hot in the restaurant. Something dripped from the ceiling on my Dad and Glenn sat in a chair with a broken arm

After dinner, Glenn and I went down to the Good Spirits bar. It was quite interesting. A man from Seattle brought the bar to a standstill as he had the bartender make drinks to his exact specifications including cutting up and juicing a grapefruit he bought in Colombia. It was wild. 

March 10 - Sea Day

We had a great Sea Day. We planned for this to be our "inside" day since it'd been so hot. My parents found a great spot just outside the Explorer s' Lounge. We listened to the Japanese lesson and the art auction. The big table became available at the wine bar so we headed down there to play games.

 Mom, Glenn, and I went to afternoon tea. Everyone went to the casino while I read my book and answered some emails. We had happy hour, played some craps, and then went to dinner. Dinner was decent. After dinner, we listened to the band and then went to Vines. We met a nice couple from Seattle - Norm and Chandra and had. A great time chatting with them.

March 11 - Last Sea Day

We went to the culinary demonstration. It was so funny. Glenn and I had lunch at the buffet while my parents went to the dining room. We spent the afternoon playing games at Vines. We had one last night of happy hour, dinner, and the band.

March 12 - Disembarkation 

Both of us had a rocky day - my parent more so. Their flight was cancelled. They got rebooked on a 9 pm flight that was then delayed. They got home at 4 am. We had a little trouble getting our necessary COVID test for the Carnival Freedom cruise. 

December 2014 Holiday Cruise

We decided to take our time heading to Fort Lauderdale for our 11 night cruise on the Celebrity Equinox. On Saturday we drove to Naples. On the way we stopped at Alpine Steakhouse which had been featured on DineIns, drive ins and dives for its turducken. The place was very cool. The turducken was pretty good but it as covered in gravy so we had a hard time deciphering the different birds. 

Then we checked in to the Inn at Pelican Bay. We thought Pelican Bay was a body of water but really it's an office park. While the location was a bit surprising, the hotel was great. The lobby was gorgeous and our room was very nice. 

A large outdoor mall is within walking distance so we headed over there for dinner. We chose The Pub. It had a great beer selection and the food was good. We had the calamari and the wings. We headed back toward the hotel but stopped for one. Ore beer at Taps. We were delighted to see it had Goose Island Bourbon County stout on tap. This is a limited release beer so I was very excited to get to try it. In the morning we took a 20 minute walk to the beautiful beach. Then we headed to Miami for a ship inspection of the Regal Princess.

Turns out the Regal Princess was in Fort Lauderdale. Oops. Good thing the ports are only 30 minutes apart. We had a nice lunch and tour of the ship. The ship was beautiful  and we were really impressed with the unique dining spaces and the huge buffet. 

After the ship tour, we headed to check into our hotel. I navigated us to the wrong one.  Two hotels named Holiday Inn Express Fort Lauderdale Cruise make things a little confusing. We finally found the right hotel. It was also within walking distance of a lot of restaurants so we headed to a sports bar - Duffy's -to watch the rest of Sunday football. We headed back to the hotel early to try for a good night'a sleep. Monday we went for a walk go the beach and then headed to the port!!

The check in process was very easy and we were sitting in Bistro on 5 within an hour of leaving the hotel.

The Equinox -  The ship is large with many lounges or public spaces.  We really like the decorations for the holidays.  

We have an Aqua class cabin so we eat at a special restaurant called Blu and have access to an area of the spa with a special steam room and shower plus showers and heated lounge chairs.

The first night dinner in Blu was fantastic: corn velouté, ahi tuna, filet mignon, beets and the service was great.

Filet Mignon

Activities - We attended trivia, a lecture on the ship's recycling programs, a meringue dance lesson.  This ship also has a live hot glass show that is really interesting to watch. The glass makers sculpt and blow glass into some amazing shapes.

Bars - The Gastropub is brand new and no other ship has it. It's a great beer bar with a solid beer list. 

Santos, the bartender, is fantastic. He enrolled in a very rigorous training program for bartenders called World Class. I don't think we ordered a drink by name. We would just walk up and say something refreshing or something with bourbon. 

The Molecular Bar is another great bar. The bartenders use foam, liquid nitrogen, and unusual fresh ingredients to make unique cocktails.

The ports

Grand Cayman - You have to take a tender into Grand Cayman. Because it's limited how many people can leave the ship at one time, the ship hands out tickets. Our plan was to have a leisurely breakfast and then to head ashore around 11 am. Usually by that time, the ticket system is finished and anyone can go ashore. Well, we were surprised it was going to still be an hour wait at 11 am so we decided to just stay on board and have a relaxing day on the ship.

Cartagena, Colombia - We arranged a private tour for the two of us through Dora the Explorer. We visited a church on a high hill for a great view of the city. 

Our guide told us every year there is a big festival where people climb the hill carrying the statue of the Virgin and there's a contest for the fancy dress the Virgin will wear. He also pointed to the small silver baby boy charm he had given the Virgin as a token of appreciation for curing his son. We also saw the fort, the San Pedro Cathedral, the  Old City and a shopping district in the new city. The Old City reminded us a lot of San Juan, Puerto Rico with the Spanish architecture. I was surprised to learn Colombia was 70% Catholic and all the public schools are Catholic. If you want non-religious education, you have to go to the private schools. The country is very rich from the gold and emerald mining plus a good climate for agriculture. After our tour, we had a relaxing day at the indoor spa followed by trivia.

Colon, Panama -We took the Panama Canal tour through the ship. It was incredible. We transited two of the Canal's locks on a ferry boat. This up close view of the locks and gates was really impressive. 

We even touched the wall of the Panama Canal. I was surprised how narrow and small the locks are. It's really incredible to see all the rock the engineers had to cut through to build the canal. I am in awe of the engineering it took and that the canal has stood for 100 years. Some estimates say as many as 40,000 people died building the canals. Malaria was a big problem. They originally thought it was caused by ants so they would leave bowls of water by their beds to drown the ants which just magnified the problem.

Puerto Limon, Costa Rica - We took an excursion through the cruise line called Rainforest Extravaganza. It was terrific. We started the day with a one hour drive through Costa Rica. Then we stopped at Veragua Rainforest Research and Adventure Park. The Park has zip lining trails,  but we visited the research side and the animal exhibitions. We saw a great collection of frogs, butterflies, and snakes. We took a short tram ride through the canopy and walked to a waterfall.

 Lunch was a plate of great Costa Rican food and of course, we tried the local beer. Then we got back on the bus to the Tortugero canals. We saw iguanas, birds and a SLOTH!! We had also seen sloths during the drive, but the viewing in the canal was awesome because the sloth was moving around in the tree and I could zoom in on his face with the binoculars provided by the ship. Then it as a drive back to the ship. It was a full day, but I can really appreciate the biodiversity of Costa Rica. I was impressed to learn that the money all has pictures of animals or plants rather than people.

Belize City, Belize - We decided to do the cave tubing. 

Belize City is a port where you have tender - take a smaller boat to shore. The tendering process was chaotic. When we finally go to shore and had all our people together (it took 2 hours or so), we boarded a school bus for an hour drive through Belize. The cave tubing itself was great, but all the transportation and waiting led us to the conclusion we would not do it again. The first time we took the excursion on a Carnival cruise and it seemed to go much smoother. 

Cozumel, Mexico - We have spent a lot of time in Cozumel. This time we decided to do a tequila tasting at Discover Mexico. 

The tequila tasting was really well done. I learned a lot about tequila. Then we explored Discover Mexico including a required 20 minute stop in the gift shop. There was also a video, an art museum, and a very large collection of scaled building from Mayan Temples to the current landscape of Cozumel. We joked it would make a great mini-golf course. The iguanas seemed to like it. 

After lunch, we watched a presentation of an ancient ritual where men climbed a pole, tied a role around their waist and swung all the way to the ground while the elder stood on top and played music. 

I was very concerned about how the Elder would get down. 

Holiday activities

Christmas - The ship is beautifully decorated. Christmas Eve they led caroling in the atrium and had a special holiday show in the theater. Christmas Day Santa arrived and led a parade through the ship and handed out gifts in the main atrium. 

Glenn and I upheld our tradition of wearing our Christmas pajamas. 

The crew got a big laugh about it.

Glenn's birthday - We went to the specialty restaurant Murano and had a lovely meal. Glenn had a great pork belly appetizer and an incredible salad with bacon, fried egg, spinach, and truffle. 

Pork Belly

I had a scallop Wellington and a tomato and mozzarella salad. Our main entrees were version and Dover sole. Glenn said the venison was the second best dish he ever had. We had a dessert sampler that was very good and the sommelier did a great job pairing wines for us.  We spent the east of the evening in the casino hoping for a little birthday luck.

New Year's Eve - The ship held an awesome deck party with a party band and a DJ.  Center stage was a large ice sculpture with the year. At midnight, the Captain broke up the 4 and then it was replaced with a 5. 

Our favorite bartenders even shared their secret stash with us to celebrate. 

Sebastian and Santos

Overall, it was an incredible cruise. We had a wonderful time and the most fun with the crew. We'll remember it as the best bartenders, room stewards, and great excursions. Can't wait for our next adventure.  Happy New Year!