Panama Canal Cruise - What to do on all of those sea days

[rkwier]

We will be sailing on the Westbound Panama Canal cruise. It is the longest cruise that we have ever taken, and there are just so many sea days. Any suggestions on what to do to keep from being bored? Also, do they do anything different with the food? This will be our tenth cruise and frankly, I am a little over the food. It is great if you are new to DCL, but unfortunately for us, it has become "same ole, same ole."

 

[Flossbolna]

We will be sailing on the Westbound Panama Canal cruise. It is the longest cruise that we have ever taken, and there are just so many sea days. Any suggestions on what to do to keep from being bored? Also, do they do anything different with the food? This will be our tenth cruise and frankly, I am a little over the food. It is great if you are new to DCL, but unfortunately for us, it has become "same ole, same ole."

We did the WBPC cruise in 2014. It was a fantastic cruise! There will be lots of activities added on those sea days. More cooking demonstrations, more trivia, we had an imagineer giving talks, there is an expert giving talks on the Panama Canal. There is lots of additional entertainment, some of the evening shows were excellent! As far as menus: There will be a different menu every night. So, you will have the standard ones, but then the rest of the nights will be filled with menus that should be new to you.

If you want to know more details about our experience, I wrote a lengthy trip report: If You See It: Eat It! Via Panama to Disneyland

 

[rkwier]

Thanks so much for the information. That is very helpful! I just glanced at your trip report. Ohhhhh, I will definitely be spending time reading there. I saw some pictures of the food. Yummmmm!

 

[Flossbolna]

Thanks so much for the information. That is very helpful! I just glanced at your trip report. Ohhhhh, I will definitely be spending time reading there. I saw some pictures of the food. Yummmmm!

Yes, lots of food pictures!! However, we got tired of the MDR at some point during the cruise. And one thing we did was to go to BBB for dinner one night - it was actually really nice and different. And we also just had fast food from the pool deck for dinner. Instead we had a nice sit down lunch in Tritons. And some of those lunch menus were really good!

 

[MickeyEarrings]

I've also seen in some on the Navigators people posted that they show classic movies like Casablanca on the big screen in the Buena Vista Theater.

 

[thumpie's mom]

We have done 2 east bound PC cruises and they are our favorites! There are so many activities on sea days as previously noted. The navigators are posted on the Disney Cruise Line Blog and will give you a excellent overview of the cruise. With the extra days, we did have different menus besides the usual DCL ones. We enjoyed the food and the different selections. On the last cruise we took, the entertainment was some of the best we have seen. We were lucky to have a Disney historian and animator who gave several presentations, which were excellent. Overall, I think it would hard to be bored on the Panama Canal cruise. Enjoy!

 

[jrabbit]

All of those sea days - that was our concern the first time we did a PC cruise. And 14 nights - isn't that too many The answer is a resounding NO!!

We are not big lay by the pool people, but we did spend a lot of time up on the pool decks relaxing in the sun and reading. We spent a lot of time with Trivia, cooking demos, towel folding, the Captain Puckett talks (former PC pilot), other talks, walking deck 4, listening to music, the onboard entertainment, etc. NEVER made it to a movie - didn't have time!!

 

[clten]

I would bet that after all those sea days, you will be asking "Where did all that time go?" The longer cruises, the entertainment steps up a few notches. Not only will you have some of the typical -- trivia, Mickey 200, crafting, etc. They add so many other activities that it is hard to find time to relax and do nothing! There is usually a guest speaker (Capt Plunkett is typically on the Panama Canal cruises and does give very informative talks) a guest entertainer, don't miss it if they have a Crew Talent show one night in the theater.

As far as the menus, they have the normal 7 and then add -- some oldies and some new. With all those sea days we do try to hit Tritons for breakfast or lunch more often just to change things up. I really enjoy most of the lunch menus where I think some of the regular dinner menus are just okay. (We usually have servers who try to mix things up since you are dining with them for so long so we have been surprised with things that aren't on the menu that we haven't requested. This is probably not the norm and we don't get this on each of the long sailings we do with DCL but just mentioning it to show that everyone tries to make these very special cruises.)

 

[dreadpiraterose]

We did the WBPC cruise in 2014. It was a fantastic cruise! There will be lots of activities added on those sea days. More cooking demonstrations, more trivia, we had an imagineer giving talks, there is an expert giving talks on the Panama Canal. There is lots of additional entertainment, some of the evening shows were excellent! As far as menus: There will be a different menu every night. So, you will have the standard ones, but then the rest of the nights will be filled with menus that should be new to you.

If you want to know more details about our experience, I wrote a lengthy trip report: If You See It: Eat It! Via Panama to Disneyland

THANK YOU for this. Now that I know that I could be hanging with sea lions, this itinerary is so going on my bucket list.

 

[Flossbolna]

THANK YOU for this. Now that I know that I could be hanging with sea lions, this itinerary is so going on my bucket list.

The sea lions were so great! My boyfriend still talks about his "other girlfriend Cassandra" who kissed him like no other woman ever could!

However, if it is mainly the sea lions you are after, I think Chakanaab in Cozumel also offers sea lion experiences. Maybe not as a Disney sponsored excursion, but it sounds easy to do on your own. I still would recommend the Panama Canal Cruise! It is amazing!

 

[Justacruiser]

We enjoyed the classic movies, a few were non-Disney. One of the best things for me on board was the search and find game they played. On all the sea days, you pick up the sheet at customer service. One the sheet is 20 or so snip-its of different things on the ship. For example, one day will be art and another day will be carpet and so forth. When you complete the sheets you turn them in to port adventures. We received a keychain for each sheet. You can sneak a peak and fellow cruisers or work along. It kills a lot of time and you get to see stuff on the ship you never noticed. Two thumbs up for that, IMHO.

On the Canal Day, do not run to get a spot early in the morning unless you just want to. Seriously you will need to be out there about 3 hours before you hit the locks to get a rail view and they don't allow chairs out on the top deck. Get a nice breakfast and enjoy the canal. In the afternoon around 2-3 you can get a great view in the canal. As many pictures you want can be taken then.

Menus were ok, after 27 cruises, we have had about everything they serve. They did offer different menus each night. By the way, after night 10 you won't care about the menu, you may not be that hungry. Was I bored? Not in the least, my favorite cruise ever. No a lot of kids so unless it's Panama Canal Day you will never not find a spot on deck the top decks. Only 250 kids on the September 2015 cruise.

 

[dreadpiraterose]

On the Canal Day, do not run to get a spot early in the morning unless you just want to. Seriously you will need to be out there about 3 hours before you hit the locks to get a rail view and they don't allow chairs out on the top deck. Get a nice breakfast and enjoy the canal. In the afternoon around 2-3 you can get a great view in the canal. As many pictures you want can be taken then.

How long does it take to pass through the entire canal?

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

How long does it take to pass through the entire canal?

It varies, but 6 to 8 hours on average. DCL pays the big bucks to have canal passage during daylight!

AKK

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Don't forget a good set of Binoculars. Panama Bay has one of the biggest shark populations in the world!

AKK

 

[shelbell77]

It was our 10th too and I was never bored. My days fell into a routine.

Wake up
Gym or walking track
Cove cafe
breakfast
Back to gym
Trivia or crafts
Maybe reading I'm outlook cafe
Lunch
Shower
Afternoon movie (they did the full marvel cinematic universe from start to finish and that was always the afternoon movie)
Character greetings
Dinner
Shopping
Show or movie

I think I only spent 3 hours all cruise at a pool! Was incredible relaxed and thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

[bwvBound]

Panama Canal Cruise - What to do on all of those sea days

We will be sailing on the Westbound Panama Canal cruise. It is the longest cruise that we have ever taken, and there are just so many sea days. Any suggestions on what to do to keep from being bored?

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. We've done 2 EB Panama Canal transits, 2 Trans-Atlantic crossings (EB and WB), and are looking forward to our first Trans-Pacific later this year (San Diego to Sydney). We never have enough Sea Days!

I would bet that after all those sea days, you will be asking "Where did all that time go?"

^^^ THIS! ^^^

 

[MunFam]

Yes, lots of food pictures!! However, we got tired of the MDR at some point during the cruise. And one thing we did was to go to BBB for dinner one night - it was actually really nice and different. And we also just had fast food from the pool deck for dinner. Instead we had a nice sit down lunch in Tritons. And some of those lunch menus were really good!

We did this too, because we got tired of the MDR meals.

Have a look at old navigators. There is SOOOO much to do and the cast members seem even more excited because they are off autopilot and doing new things too. We chose the WBPC because of all the activities on sea days. I never even opened the book I bought for the trip.

 

[MunFam]

We enjoyed the classic movies, a few were non-Disney. One of the best things for me on board was the search and find game they played. On all the sea days, you pick up the sheet at customer service. One the sheet is 20 or so snip-its of different things on the ship. For example, one day will be art and another day will be carpet and so forth. When you complete the sheets you turn them in to port adventures. We received a keychain for each sheet. You can sneak a peak and fellow cruisers or work along. It kills a lot of time and you get to see stuff on the ship you never noticed. Two thumbs up for that, IMHO.

On the Canal Day, do not run to get a spot early in the morning unless you just want to. Seriously you will need to be out there about 3 hours before you hit the locks to get a rail view and they don't allow chairs out on the top deck. Get a nice breakfast and enjoy the canal. In the afternoon around 2-3 you can get a great view in the canal. As many pictures you want can be taken then.

Menus were ok, after 27 cruises, we have had about everything they serve. They did offer different menus each night. By the way, after night 10 you won't care about the menu, you may not be that hungry. Was I bored? Not in the least, my favorite cruise ever. No a lot of kids so unless it's Panama Canal Day you will never not find a spot on deck the top decks. Only 250 kids on the September 2015 cruise.

My tip is to watch the boat sail in to the first lock from deck 4...then go inside and ask for a window seat at Tritons for breakfast. You will be "inside" the locks and see the wall go by. Then, spend the 2nd lock in the back patio area of BBB and the final lock at the front (because all the people that got there early will be sun burnt and tired and not manning the rails any more.

 

[Flossbolna]

My tip is to watch the boat sail in to the first lock from deck 4...then go inside and ask for a window seat at Tritons for breakfast. You will be "inside" the locks and see the wall go by. Then, spend the 2nd lock in the back patio area of BBB and the final lock at the front (because all the people that got there early will be sun burnt and tired and not manning the rails any more.

Great strategy!!

 

[MickeyEarrings]

Don't forget brunches!!!! Bunches and bunches of Palo brunches - it's on my PC to-do list