Panama Canal aboard the Wonder 12/9-12/23 - all photos now up as of 1/22/13!

[dvandkq]

After back-to-back port days in Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, we began the long journey south towards Panama. Since long before the trip, I had been looking forward to four consecutive days at sea. I was not disappointed! We came to love days at sea more than days in port. Days at sea were non-stop fun, excitement, and adventure - especially for our son. Days in port - especially for our son - were a bunch of "hurry up and waits" - hurry up and wait for the port adventure to leave the ship, hurry up and wait for the bus, hurry up and wait for the tender ride, etc. "At-sea" days had none of that. We could lounge around the pools. We could explore the ship. We could go to every character appearance we wanted. John could spend lots of time in the "Oceaneer's Lab", which he loved. Mom and dad could have spa days and dinner dates at Palo... There's so much to do aboard the ship!

Sunrise the morning after Puerto Vallarta

Dolphins playing in our wake

Character breakfast in the Parrot Cay dining room

Another one of the photos I'm sure Disney wants to buy from me...

It's okay to goof off at the table!

The morning of every at-sea day, there was a lecture about some aspect of the Panama Canal.

The lectures were given by Capt. Kenneth Puckett, who retired after 16 years as a Senior Panama Canal Pilot. He and his lovely wife stayed in Stateroom 5122, next door to us. They couldn't have been better neighbors - Capt. Puckett and John became quick friends.

We passed ships big...

...and small. I was amazed at how far out these tiny fishing boats came out to sea. Often we'd be out of sight of land, but still we'd pass tiny boats like this every couple of miles.

Passing Acapulco

Day Five was also a 'Formal Night', and an opportunity for pictures with the captain.

Everyone got dressed up!

 

[DisneyZell]

Great pictures! I didn't see the blimp! Guess I should have been paying attention. Looks like you guys had a blast. We did a similar letter to DCL, but wrote it that last night and submitted it with our survey. Hopefully they will change/improve a few of the things. Time to bring it back to being as magical as it was!

DZ

 

[dvandkq]

Day six was our second consecutive day at sea. John was spending the night in the grandma's cabin so Kathleen and I could have a date night - and so we had reservations for Palo that evening.

The day began with another beautiful sunrise.

Sailing in to the sunrise

The sea was rolling, so we went up and looked around

Capt. Puckett gave another lecture

We encountered Minnie as she was heading up for a deck party. We said that's where we were going, too, so Minnie took John's hand and he escorted her to the deck party!

Waiting for the elevator

To the party they go!

Everyone was there... Chip and Dale...

Donald and Goofy...

Our host for the party...

Mickey liked John's sprinkler dance!

John got to dance with Pluto...

Goofy challenged him to an air guitar jam!

Kathleen and I thoroughly enjoyed our 'Couples Massage' at the spa. Julie and Andrew were such wonderful masseuses that we booked a second 'Couples Massage' at the end of our first!

After the massage, we got dressed up for dinner at Palo!

After Palo, we found some of our friends!

While we were having dinner, John found Sorcerer's Apprentice Mickey!

Luckily, we also found Sorcerer's Apprentice Mickey. After taking this photo, I ran back to my stateroom for...

...MY Sorcerer's Apprentice hat!

Mickey loved that I had a matching hat!

 

[dvandkq]

Saturday, December 15th was our third consecutive day at sea.

Looking from the verandah early that day, we spotted a rainbow just behind us...

As we sailed ever closer to the Panama Canal, we got increasingly closer to the shore.

Just another day sailing in the Pacific Ocean.

Cruise staff hosted a "Farewell to the Pacific Party"

One of the chefs carved a swan out of a block of ice

Today was also a big day for character appearances!

 

[dvandkq]

Sunday, December 16th was the last of four consecutive days spent at sea. Tomorrow we'll transit the Panama Canal, but today we'll have fun aboard the Disney Wonder!

Catching up with 101 Dalmatians on Funnel Vision

Getting closer to the Panama Canal...

The crew was everywhere, sprucing up the ship for the next day's big event.

Ah the life!

Hanging out with Ariel...

Kathleen's favorite character is Tink, so she was a big fan of the ship's fairy godmother!

Tink in the art gallery

Islands off the coast of Panama

The Disney photographers came through our dining rotation at Animator's Palate.

Arriving in Panama City the night of December 16th

The mouse has arrived in Panama!

After we anchor, the refueling barge comes along side to fill our tanks. You don't want to run out of fuel in the middle of the Panama Canal!

 

[dvandkq]

Monday, December 17th was our date with the Panama Canal. Thanks to Capt. Puckett's lectures, we were all experts on the canal for our transit through one of the modern wonders of the world.

We set our alarm for 5:45 AM as we'd be pulling up our anchor in Balboa Harbor and beginning the day-long voyage at 7 AM.

Leaving our overnight anchorage in Balboa Harbor

The Bridge of the Americas and the start of the Panama Canal lies ahead!

Something you can't see very many places on the west coast of the Americas - in Panama, the sun rises over the Pacific and sets over the Caribbean! Here, the sun rises over the Pacific Ocean...

Sun rises over a refrigerated ship

Our three Panama Canal pilots arrive for our voyage. One will be stationed on the bridge, one will be stationed on the bow, and one will be stationed at the stern.

Panama City

"Flamingo Station", the first signal station on the Pacific side of the canal

The flags on the left designate the Disney Wonder as "November 17 Zulu". "N" or "November" indicates we're "Northbound" in the canal. "17" means we're the 17th north-bound ship of the day, and "Zulu" indicates we're a passenger vessel. The two flags on the right indicate we're in Panamanian waters (farthest right flag) and that we have a pilot on board (flag that is half red and half white).

Panama City

Ancon Hill, a landmark that played a prominent role in the construction of the canal over 100 years ago.

"Bridge of the Americas" North America on the left, South America on the right. There is a school bus on the bridge, partially hidden by our mast. Upon seeing the school bus, our captain sounded the ship's horn, which plays the first seven notes from "When You Wish Upon A Star". I'm sure it was a treat for those school kids to see and hear a Disney cruise ship!

We could plainly see the construction of the new Miraflores Locks on the "North American" side of the canal.

Approaching Miraflores Locks!

Looking back towards the Pacific...

Getting connected to the locomotives that will keep us centered in the locks. Our forward progress will be provided by the ship's engines. The locomotives only keep the ship centered within the lock chambers.

 

[moomy-san]

I am sooo enjoying your pictures... thank you so much. The Wonder is my favorite destination, and someday I hope to be lucky enough to do a Panama Canal crossing. Please, keep the pictures and info coming

 

[dvandkq]

Railroad bridge across Miraflores Locks

The catwalk with the yellow rails is actually the top of the lock gate. There isn't much room between the side of the lock at the side of the ship - 18" on each side!

The guys with the blue shorts, white golf shirts, and black backpacks are Disney ship photographers who disembarked when the pilot boat brought our pilots aboard. They would photograph the ship as we progressed through the canal. Here, they were photographing passengers on the ship from Miraflores Locks.

Leaving Miraflores Locks and heading out into Miraflores Lake, towards Pedro Miguel Locks

The rowboats are used to ferry small lines from the ship to the shore. Those small lines are attached to the locomotive's steel cables, which are then hauled aboard and attached to the ship, linking the ship to the positioning locomotive.

Looking back, the tower cranes of the new canal project rise in front of the Bridge of the Americas.

Digging the new approach to the new Miraflores Locks

18 inches between the ship's hull and the lock's wall!

Pedro Miguel Lock - our final step up in to the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is a tourist attraction to those aboard the 'Wonder', but the 'Wonder' is a tourist attraction to those who work at the Canal!

Pedro Miguel Lock, with the Centennial Bridge in the distance

The locks all have 'double-gates', as the failure of a single gate in a 'single-gate' system would result in the canal and Lake Gatun draining out to the sea. After the lock was replaced, it would take four to five years for Mother Nature to refill Lake Gatun to the level where the canal could once again be used.

 

[dvandkq]

Aforementioned photo taken by Disney photographers ashore at Miraflores Locks.

Disney photo of us just prior to going under the Bridge of the Americas and entering the Panama Canal

Approaching the Centennial Bridge. We're now in the canal proper, 85 feet above sea level

Culebra Cut, later Galliard Cut, is the deepest part of the canal as it bisects the Continental Divide. The 'range finders' are used by captains and pilots to stay in the proper traffic lane.

John cannonballs his way through the Panama Canal

Prison where Manuel Noriega lives

Ship where Minnie Mouse lives

Railroad bridge spans the Chagres River. Damming the Chagres River with Gatun Dam was the single greatest engineering hurdle faced by the engineers building the canal

Panama Canal shipyard at Gamboa, where most canal maintenance is headquartered

Oncoming traffic!

The canal is always being dredged and widened

 

[dvandkq]

Entering Gatun Lake

We must be getting close to the Caribbean, as we've encountered pirates!

Sailing through Gatun Lake

Approaching Gatun Locks

Entering Gatun Locks

Dan, our dining room server, is spotted taking in the sights of the canal

Capt. & Mrs. Puckett

Canal/lock wall as seen through a Deck 3 window

Leaving Gatun Locks and entering Limon Bay, part of the Caribbean Sea

We're on Deck 3 for the character appearance of all character appearances!

Entering the Caribbean Sea!

 

[dvandkq]

After the exciting day transiting the Panama Canal, we were unprepared for the excitement and beauty of our port day in Cartagena de los Indios, Colombia.

Fort San Fernando, on Bocachica Island, protects Cartagena's harbor from pirate attacks

Cartagena de los Indios

Crewmembers paint over the scrapes from the prior day's canal transit

A 500 year old wall surrounds the Old City

Ft. San Felipe protected Cartagena from pirate attack. Cartagena was Spain's "Fort Knox" as Spain looted the treasures of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations, and thus pirates made Cartagena their prime target

We're going canoeing through a mangrove swamp!

Ice-cold coconut water after the canoe trip!

Section of the wall surrounding the old city

Residence in Cartagena

Back to the ship!

Scrapes and scratches from our passage through the canal the day prior

Dock in Cartagena

Pirate Dinner!

It's time for Pirates IN the Caribbean!

John joins in the interactive games for kids on deck!

Fireworks in the Caribbean!

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Wow! What an amazing trip! Thanks for sharing it with us!

 

[dvandkq]

Days 11 and 12 were both 'at-sea', meaning we had plenty of time to relax, make character appearances, attend a 'Princess Party', and generally just have fun aboard a darned-fun cruise ship!

The Caribbean was much rougher than the Pacific. 'Pacific' means 'peaceful', and that was our experience on this cruise.

This morning, we were awaken at 5:30 am when the closet door in our stateroom slammed open, making a heck of a loud bang. We were both immediately startled awake. Luckily, our seven year-old slept through it! Even more fortunate, we were both able to fall back asleep with the rocking ship, and slept in until 8:30, which is unheard of for us!

Mom MADE/FORCED John to escort her to the 'Princess Party'. There were two on our two-week cruise, and we'd missed the first one due to a miscommunication about a typo in the invitation. We made it to this one early enough to get a front row seat for Princess Kathleen!

Princess Ariel welcomed everyone to the party in her father's restaurant, Triton's...

Princess Belle paid our table a visit...

Anthony, our assistant dining room server, took over our table so he could serve us at the Princess Party...

Princess Minnie looked very elegant...

Cinderella and the Maitre d' gave waltz lessons to the princes and princesses in attendance...

While dancing with the Maitre d', Cinderella noticed a handsome young prince dancing with a beautiful queen. Knowing the queen was the prince's mother...

...Cinderella cut in so she could dance with the handsome young prince.

Cinderella and the handsome young prince waltzed around the dining room...

First Cinderella taught the handsome young prince how to twirl...

...And soon thereafter, the handsome young prince gave Cinderella a twirl...

After the dance, the handsome young prince bowed to Cinderella...

...And Cinderella curtseyed to the handsome young prince...

...And they lived happily ever-after!

Regardless of Cinderella and the handsome young prince, Princess Kathleen insisted on meeting all the other princesses

Even if you're going steady with Cinderella, you can always pose for a picture with Snow White!

All too soon, the Princess Party was over, and it was time to say 'good-bye' to all the beautiful Disney princesses - and Dopey, too!

Just another boring afternoon in the Western Caribbean...

 

[dvandkq]

Once again we had another 'at-sea' day as we sailed from Cartagena, Columbia to Costa Maya, on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. As we'd be arriving at Costa Maya on December 21, 2012 - the supposed 'last day' of the Mayan calendar, Kathleen actually overheard a guest complain to the Guest Services desk that it was improper and risky for the 'Disney Wonder' to be anywhere near the Yucatan Peninsula on 12/21/12. Umm - hello - did you not know where the ship would be on 12/21/12 when you booked your cruise?!? We were excited to be spending 12/21/12 climbing Mayan ruins - but that's not until tomorrow.

First, we have yet another day of fun, relaxation, and smiles aboard the 'Disney Wonder'!

The sun rises over our stern

Sailing towards Costa Maya, Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula!

This afternoon, John plays along with the characters at a "Deck the Deck" party

Pluto can out-Hula-Hoop Goofy every time!

That's John in the front row with the goggles on his head, keeping an eye on his BFF Minnie.

Minnie leads the 428th conga line dance of the cruise!

I included this picture because it shows our Mickey, Tinkerbell, and Jake beach towels. My mom thought we were crazy for bringing our own towels on a cruise. I thought we were brilliant.

Of course John - and his buddy from the Oceaneer's Lab - are in the conga line!

We finally figured out how to get everyone to the rear deck on deck 7!

 

[LisaHK]

I have really enjoyed your photographs. I can't wait to show my boys your canal pictures as they would love to do this cruise.

 

[dvandkq]

[Background music: REM's "It's The End Of The World As We Know It"]

The date: December 21, 2012
The place: Chacchoben, Mexico
The reason: Touring Mayan ruins on the day some say the Mayan calendar foretold the apocalypse!

Our final port call of this exquisite and amazing adventure was Costa Maya, Mexico, a relatively new port stop on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. The cruise terminal was built around 2000, but most of the area - including the cruise ship dock - was terribly damaged by Hurricane Dean in 2007. Costa Maya claims the closest access to Mayan ruins for cruise ship passengers. Our bus drive took about an hour to go the approximately 45 miles to the site of the Mayan ruins at Chacchoben.

Approaching the dock in Costa Maya

Commercial complex of 'Costa Maya' exists almost exclusively for cruise ship passengers

Looking back at the 'Wonder' as we walk down the pier to our tour bus for the ride to Chacchoben

Mexican military personnel were ubiquitous

The world hasn't ended yet...

What archeologists believe 'Chacchoben' looked like when an active Mayan community.

Map of the Chacchoben archeological site

We'll presume the TV crew was there to witness the end of the world

Back at the Costa Maya cruise terminal after the bus ride back from Chacchoben

Fountain celebrating the 'Mayan arch'. The 'Mayan arch' dispensed with capstones, and thus it wasn't as strong as other architectural arches. Thus, Mayan structures periodically collapsed when the Mayan arch failed

Heading back to the ship

After lunch in Triton's, we spent the rest of the afternoon by the pool, Goofing off

 

[bheyman]

I am enjoying your trip report. Where did you get your hat?

 

[mom24cuties]

Love the photos! I can see my kids in the pool in the background on the sea days. Sure was fun! Thanks for posting.

 

[dvandkq]

I am enjoying your trip report. Where did you get your hat?

If you're referring to the Sorcerer's Apprentice hat, I got that at the Mad Hatter shop on Main Street, U.S.A. in Disneyland last April.

I was so glad I brought it on the cruise, although they also sell them on the ship in "Mickey's Mates".

 

[dvandkq]

December 22nd was our last day at sea and our last full day on the ship, as we arrive in Miami before dawn on Sunday, December 23rd. We decided to do all we could to stave off the sadness that comes at the end of two amazing weeks.

Waiting for a reading of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" with the Disney characters!

Here come the characters and princesses!

John scratches Pluto's nose!

John gets a prime seat on Minnie's lap!

John and Santa Goofy!

Holland America's "Westerdam" sails towards Miami as well

Plowing through the heavy swells in the Florida Strait between Florida and Cuba

The 'Til We Meet Again' party!

Another dance with Minnie!

John takes the stage in the Walt Disney Theater for "Friendship Rocks", a fun way to say 'goodbye' to the new friends made in the Oceaneer's Club and Oceaneer's Lab

Our final sunset aboard the 'Disney Wonder'

John with Deniz, our dining room supervisor

Dinner our final day was in Animator's Palate. Here Dan takes Grandma Pat's order

Assistant Server Anthony (from France) was almost in tears when we ordered a bottle of French wine for our last dinner aboard the ship

Last plate of Mickey ears ketchup

Continued below...