Photo Trip Report – Panama Canal Cruise plus 3 days in DLR

[jegsnakkernorsk]

That afternoon we put on swimsuits and hit the pools.


The adult quite cove pool was empty and we had it pretty much all to ourselves until later in the afternoon when the excursions started to get back.


Was neat to see the view of Cartagena from the pool deck.


We had the Columbian flag flying while in Cartagena.




Loved seeing the characters in different costumes through out the cruise and just wandering around.


We enjoyed the hot tub


And I read for a little while


This is one of the few seats at the adult pool that is actually joined together like for couples. I was wondering why DSis was sitting so close to me and I kept trying to pull the chair away from her. Embarrassed how long it took me to realize it was one piece of furniture.

So when folks started to roll back around 2pm DSis and I went to the family pool, which was always less crowded than the adult pool on this cruise. Mom and Dad went back to their stateroom.

We didn't have a romantic chair like at the adult pool but the towel creatures were snuggling


At the family pool we watched Honey I Shrunk the Kids which I hadn't seen in probably 25 years. So enjoyed the movies on the funnel vision this cruise. Never did that before on the shorter cruises.


We then went back to the room to get ready for the evening and raided mom and dad's room to see what they got from concierge today.

cookies

Tonight's show was Who Wants to be a Mouseketeer - a game show with audience participation. DSis and I decided to skip it and mom and dad went and said we had made the better decision.

DSis and I went to the Cadillac Lounge and I bought her and I a glass of Moet & Chandon Imperial Champagne - as soon as I had ordered, Mom appeared as if on cue and asked for a glass too. Funny how mom seems to appear when some one else is buying the round!

 

[Castillo Mom]

I'm really enjoying your TR! I'm hoping DCL continues to do the Panama Canal cruises, I'd really like to book one the repo cruises after we do Alaska.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

I'm really enjoying your TR! I'm hoping DCL continues to do the Panama Canal cruises, I'd really like to book one the repo cruises after we do Alaska.

Thanks! Yeah Alaska looks great from the trip reports being posted right now.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

This was our first cruise on the Wonder and so our first experience having the Triton menu. I enjoyed it.




corn fold




French onion


this was duck and it was delicious






sea bass

Patryk was great at helping suggest what to order

who's helpful - this guy






I skipped the soufflé - waiting for Palo but mom liked it.



Before DSis got started


after

this had some funky cherries in the center so even though it had chocolate, I skipped on this one. Think I skipped dessert this meal - imagine.


Ariel made an appearance and everyone waves their napkin

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

After dinner everyone else was tired and went to bed. I was still awake but didn't know what to do by myself so I went to read in the quiet cove area - the only time I sat here the entire 14 day cruise - these seats were always taken it seemed.



But after a little while a lot of off duty cast members came and hung out there and it got too noisy to read so I just went to bed myself.



oh and DSis wanted me to show you the room dividers in mom and dad's suite - this separates the bedroom from the living room in the one bedroom suite.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

 

[AmyBiff]

...and this clown... standing between the mime and my mom

 

[speedo]

Where did we leave off? Morning Day Six...



It's a sea day and here we are out at sea



I really enjoyed stepping out onto the verandah every morning



DSis went to the gym this morning with Dad


Here are photos she tried to take of the elliptical machine's monitor - the treadmills had the same and besides watching tv, you could pick a course and follow the video as your machine adjusted to the trail/course.





This was her view while doing crunches on a ball in the corner.



The ladies locker room has products by Elemis - cleanser, toner and moisturizer. I loved the cleanser - it was so gentle and moisturizing.



Two showers in the ladies locker room



With Elemis shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel.



Sauna in the ladies locker room



lounges and strange foot massagers in the ladies locker room

leaving the locker room, DSis stopped to see Mom getting a manicure in the spa

 

[speedo]

So I wandered around up deck








I was enjoying the goofy/family pool all to myself when I got a call on my wavephone that the rest of the family was down on the 4th deck relaxing on the chairs before our character breakfast.





Took this photo on the way to meet them - fun to enjoy spaces that I usually saw only packed with people

 

[speedo]

There was something strange with the character breakfast this morning but I can't remember the details. We were told by Patryk and Kristina the night before at dinner to be at Parrot Cay for our Character Breakfast at a certain time and to be sure to be on time. I think the time was 11:15am (we were second seating dinner, so our character breakfast was a second seating as well). When we got there, right at 11:15 (we had been sitting on the fourth deck special so that we wouldn't be late or have far to go), it looked like we were late. The place was less than half full (but our dinner was half full this cruise), but the characters were already moving around to the tables and Patryk and Kristina hurried to greet us. They said some people had received tickets in their staterooms that gave them a time of like 11:00am and so they had opened and started early. It was no big deal, we're not all that into characters, but it we felt bad about being late for our servers and throwing off their timing. We would have been in there at 11 had we known.







I took this photo but never actually read the menu



Patryk hurried to take our order and said he would bring DSis a plate of sweeter breakfast items and me a plate of savory breakfast things and we could share. Worked for us.



Kristina came around with breads



The sweet plate:


The savory plate:


And mom had the lox


We got to meet all the characters in their festive tropical attire.




Just be careful if you tell Goofy, he's your favorite



He may eat you



Rodrigo often stopped by at our meal time and it was always nice to see him


Part of the fun of the breakfast was all the crazy napkin hats they made


I've never done a character meal in WDW but I enjoyed it on DCL. I didn't feel like I had to be a kid to enjoy it - just act like one!

 

[speedo]

So here's how we spent the rest of the day until dinner...

First a little shuffleboard to digest breakfast


Followed by a nap in our stateroom

Then we woke up in time for this


chocolate and wine/liquor pairings - this was given by the wine staff though it did include a whiskey.





The only chocolate on board - everything is made from scratch as far as the chocolate desserts go - they all start off as chocolate chips in either white, milk or dark. The wine team melted the chocolate down so it was a tasting of pure chocolate with the wines.





I didn't take notes, but I took photos







Then before heading back to the stateroom for another nap/more relaxing, we walked past this massive party for gold and platinum members - which on this cruise was just about everyone but us.



We got ready for dinner and went to the show - I have to find my navigator for today I can't remember what we saw, but I know DSis drank this -



And then DSis and I went down to Diversions


and we ended up playing checkers


By this day we had really gotten into the leisurely pace of cruising - drinking, eating, shuffleboarding and checkers!

DSis played goldie locks and the VO old fashions on the sweet side.



they didn't know how to make it so just brought out a couple for her to try. later we learned the drink to order was a strawberry daiquiri and from Aleksander.

 

[chris31997]

Did you like the wine and choclate tasting??? I read mixed reviews. Thinking of doing some tastings on our Alaska Cruise.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

I think you should do the tasting. The tastings on our cruise that were done by the wine team were very good. I think it depends on the cruise staff running it to some extent. The other factor is the quality/uniqueness of what you are being served. I wasn't interested in the beer tastings since they were all beers I drink all the time, for example. This tasting, on our cruise, was very good. One of my favorite.

 

[chris31997]

I think you should do the tasting. The tastings on our cruise that were done by the wine team were very good. I think it depends on the cruise staff running it to some extent. The other factor is the quality/uniqueness of what you are being served. I wasn't interested in the beer tastings since they were all beers I drink all the time, for example. This tasting, on our cruise, was very good. One of my favorite.

Thanks. I think I would skip the beer tasting, not a big fan of beer But I think your right, we should do the tastings.

 

[speedo]

DSis and I ate here on the Magic but never remembered the menus looking like this - Patryk gave us each a different menu with a different Disney animation. DSis got Cinderella - perfect choice for her.





Kristina had DSis' tea all set for her at the table!



I had a virgin strawberry daiquiri



DSis still had one of her not-quite-right-but-tasting-better-by-the-sip old fashions from Diversions to drink.



Tonight's bread was olive bread with sun dried tomato dip





Confetti Tomato Salad



Mushroom Risotto



Smoked salmon & trout with goat cheese salad



Potato & cheese soup







Veal chop



Lemon-thyme chicken breast



Stir-fry vegetables - DSis ordered this and ate the veggies but the noodles were like eating sticks and hay. The best stir-fry was on the first day at the Beach Blanket Buffet



Veal chop





double fudge chocolate cake



apple crisp



the room changes through out the meal







And sorcerer mickey joins us

 

[speedo]

So after dinner the four of us went up to the 10th deck to see what's what.



It was a nice, warm evening and the band Higher Ground was preforming at the family/goofy pool.



soccer and basketball was set up





a few people were at the adult/quiet cove pool and hot tubs





mickey pool was closed





Palo staff were cleaning up



And we could start to see lights from land and other ships









If you do the Panama Canal cruise someday, you have to go to the top deck the night before to see all the lights and boats approaching, departing, and waiting at the canal.



We had a fuel ship come up to our ship and refuel us.










view off the back of the ship


next - the canal!

We went to bed early knowing we were going to wake early to see us through the first lock of the canal. Mom and Dad planned to wake up at 5 am because we were scheduled to go through the first lock at 6:30am.

 

[speedo]

I remember now the show - the hypnosis/mind reader wasn't very good. DSis and I left during the show. He also wasn't as handsome as his photo in the navigator.

 

[aan1701]

I know what you mean. I am not a fan of those show either. Sorry I just can't by into it. When he tried to hypnotize the whole audience I tried to follow his instructions but later realized it just is a crock. I wanted to yell that from the top of my lungs but that would have been inappropriate so I just stayed quiet and was laughing my butt off in my head.

Sent from my iPhone 5 using DISBoards

 

[jstkpswimming]

My husband was one of the people up on stage being hypnotized, and he was truly "put under." He is able to relax very easily and therefore can easily be hypnotized. It also helps if you believe, obviously.

 

[atlfan4]

Thanks for the great report so far and especially for posting all the navigators. Do you have the other two pages for the day 6 navigator you just posted? The schedule insert pages?

Thanks!