WONDERous adventures on the Panama Canal - 4/23/17

[Shock13]

@Shock13 I am so like you! Maybe it was sharing my space with sisters growing up that makes me say no now. I never married either and I am ok with sharing the 1 bedroom concierge suite this year with mom, but only because it has 2 bathrooms. I could maybe do another trip with either of my sisters as 2 of us did a two week European vacation sharing some small spaces. What memories those are!

Doesn't that extra bathroom make all the difference!
How fun to do a Europe trip with your sister. When I asked my sister if she wanted to join me on the cruise she asked if we could do another trip together like Europe. This would have many advantages as first of all, she and I could spend some much needed sister time together as she lives on the East Coast and I live in AZ so we don't get to see each other very often but the other reason is that I'm visually impaired and so nightly solo traveling is non-existent in my world. Being with my sister while land traveling helps me out at night. That's why I love cruises so much because I can still do so much in the evening because everything is right there. It also allows me to visit several places in one trip.
But Panama Canal has been on my mind for a long time so I just can't seem to give that up.

 

[KalamityJane]

No.

Has anybody tried to guess where your username comes from? Is it to do with THE Calamity Jane?

I had a screenname that started with Kala for other places and I like Calamity Jane so that became my name here So you are half right.

 

[Shock13]

I had a screenname that started with Kala for other places and I like Calamity Jane so that became my name here So you are half right.

Calamity Jane the person or movie? The musical with Doris Day is one of my favorites. My mom and sisters and I sing 'I Could Do Without You' to each other all the time.

 

[Huskiesrule]

Doesn't that extra bathroom make all the difference!
How fun to do a Europe trip with your sister. When I asked my sister if she wanted to join me on the cruise she asked if we could do another trip together like Europe. This would have many advantages as first of all, she and I could spend some much needed sister time together as she lives on the East Coast and I live in AZ so we don't get to see each other very often but the other reason is that I'm visually impaired and so nightly solo traveling is non-existent in my world. Being with my sister while land traveling helps me out at night. That's why I love cruises so much because I can still do so much in the evening because everything is right there. It also allows me to visit several places in one trip.
But Panama Canal has been on my mind for a long time so I just can't seem to give that up.

I am all about my own bathroom. I loved doing Europe and luckily the only thing my sis and I disagreed on was how much sightseeing we could get in. Nothing like a month before we go deciding to add in a day in Scotland cause she found out we had ancestors from there I actually tried to talk her into going(and sharing a bathroom!), but she couldn't get 2 weeks off work. Oh well, she still owes me 2 weeks in Australia for my birthday as Europe was her birthday trip.
And thanks for making me think how @KalamityJane got her name. Now I have another one to ponder Right off I am curious if the Kalamity part is true? Hoping not as we will all be on a ship together

 

[CarolynU]

My last cruise was a Western Caribbean on RCL. Overall it was a good cruise but realized fairly quickly that the style of cruising was not for me. Lots of loud music, drunk people and overall party central. Which is fine! I know people need to unwind but nope, it wasn't for me. I couldn't even find a quiet place to read. This was on a bigger ship than I what I've cruised on before and so smaller ships and longer cruises are going to be a definite priority.
I love the shows! And trivia and listening to the live music and relaxing with a good book...

Oh my goodness I would hate loud cruises with lots of drinking. Not my ideal at all. As for sharing a stateroom I've shared with my daughter, and my daughter in law's mom and that was fine, but wouldn't want to share with a friend really. I like having company but I also like lots of alone time, so any friend who came with me would have to also enjoy doing their own thing sometimes.

 

[Shock13]

So maybe some of you vet DCL cruisers could help me out. I have a week long trip to WDW planned the week before Thanksgiving. I'm entertaining the thought of doing a 4 night cruise on the Dream instead to kind of prepare me of Disney cruising before I do the 14 night Panama Canal. I do love the parks but I can only tour during the day so would miss out on all the cool night shows. And due to affordability would be staying at POP or possibly AoA which is not really my ideal location for relaxing. The con to the cruise of course would be that it's only 4 nights!!! And also that the Dream is a bigger ship which means more people and possibly less quiet spaces?
Thoughts?

 

[INDY1919A4]

I absolutely LOVE the trivia on the ship - Obscurity trivia was my favourite pastime on the last WBPC, I hope they have that again.

So can anyone tell what Obscurity Trivia is like?????

 

[TrySomethingNew]

Hey, I gave you all a hint - I said it had to do with my husband

There is a you tube channel called Wilma bride.... I did not go to it, though.

Also there is a "Wilma" wedding dress (vintage) that also pops up with a Google search.

Cold? Warm? Hot??

 

[INDY1919A4]

So maybe some of you vet DCL cruisers could help me out. I have a week long trip to WDW planned the week before Thanksgiving. I'm entertaining the thought of doing a 4 night cruise on the Dream instead to kind of prepare me of Disney cruising before I do the 14 night Panama Canal. I do love the parks but I can only tour during the day so would miss out on all the cool night shows. And due to affordability would be staying at POP or possibly AoA which is not really my ideal location for relaxing. The con to the cruise of course would be that it's only 4 nights!!! And also that the Dream is a bigger ship which means more people and possibly less quiet spaces?
Thoughts?

Crip both are good choices...The Parks can be tiring but so much to do... The Dream has a lot of quiet places Adult pool, Upper deck, Coffee place..
I really do not know if you need a cruise to get the the hang of Disney cruising but I really like that kind of Passion & logic...

I wish you asked me which child I loved more it would be easier....

 

[Huskiesrule]

So maybe some of you vet DCL cruisers could help me out. I have a week long trip to WDW planned the week before Thanksgiving. I'm entertaining the thought of doing a 4 night cruise on the Dream instead to kind of prepare me of Disney cruising before I do the 14 night Panama Canal. I do love the parks but I can only tour during the day so would miss out on all the cool night shows. And due to affordability would be staying at POP or possibly AoA which is not really my ideal location for relaxing. The con to the cruise of course would be that it's only 4 nights!!! And also that the Dream is a bigger ship which means more people and possibly less quiet spaces?
Thoughts?

Even though it is the week before Thanksgiving, there will be a lot of people at the parks and those 2 hotels in particular. Don't get me wrong, I love staying at POP but I would do a cruise in a heartbeat. You have the adult only area on the Dream which is very nice and never seemed crowded. Also, you can stay onboard at Nassau or get off, your choice. Castaway Cay-enough said! I am biased though as I am sailing the Wonder the day after Thanksgiving.

 

[QuiltTeddy]

So maybe some of you vet DCL cruisers could help me out. I have a week long trip to WDW planned the week before Thanksgiving. I'm entertaining the thought of doing a 4 night cruise on the Dream instead to kind of prepare me of Disney cruising before I do the 14 night Panama Canal. I do love the parks but I can only tour during the day so would miss out on all the cool night shows. And due to affordability would be staying at POP or possibly AoA which is not really my ideal location for relaxing. The con to the cruise of course would be that it's only 4 nights!!! And also that the Dream is a bigger ship which means more people and possibly less quiet spaces?
Thoughts?

It's a toss up. Having done the Dream (and Fantasy), we much prefer the smaller ships. There were just too many people onboard. The parks during holiday time will also be busy. So, it's a toss up as far as I'm concerned.

 

[QuiltTeddy]

We went to DL straight after last year - we drove up from SD, stayed a couple of nights and then flew home from LAX. Next year we plan to just drive up to LAX straight from SD to fly home the same day.



Hey, I gave you all a hint - I said it had to do with my husband

Too bad you aren't going this time, we could have shared a ride.


AND, that's hardly a hint!

 

[wilma-bride]

Oh my goodness I would hate loud cruises with lots of drinking. Not my ideal at all. As for sharing a stateroom I've shared with my daughter, and my daughter in law's mom and that was fine, but wouldn't want to share with a friend really. I like having company but I also like lots of alone time, so any friend who came with me would have to also enjoy doing their own thing sometimes.

Loud cruises, no. Lots of drinking, yep - I'm there Just kidding! I do like a drink or two when I am on holiday and enjoying a DOTD by the pool was one of my favourite pastimes on previous cruises. But I can't bear obnoxious loud drunk people - which is one reason why I avoid a certain cruise line which is famous for that kind of cruiser

So maybe some of you vet DCL cruisers could help me out. I have a week long trip to WDW planned the week before Thanksgiving. I'm entertaining the thought of doing a 4 night cruise on the Dream instead to kind of prepare me of Disney cruising before I do the 14 night Panama Canal. I do love the parks but I can only tour during the day so would miss out on all the cool night shows. And due to affordability would be staying at POP or possibly AoA which is not really my ideal location for relaxing. The con to the cruise of course would be that it's only 4 nights!!! And also that the Dream is a bigger ship which means more people and possibly less quiet spaces?
Thoughts?

I would choose cruising every single time. I really don't enjoy being in the parks so much nowadays.

So can anyone tell what Obscurity Trivia is like?????

So, I will try to explain it the best I can.

You are asked a question and you have a choice of answers (usually 10 different answers). Most of the answers are correct, one or two are incorrect. You have to choose the most obscure answer (i.e. the one which the least number of a panel of people would say as the answer to the question). The aim is to get the lowest score possible.

We have a TV show in the UK called Pointless, which is the exact same format. And I have a bit of a girly crush on one of the presenters - which might be why I love it so much

Hey, I gave you all a hint - I said it had to do with my husband

There is a you tube channel called Wilma bride.... I did not go to it, though.

Also there is a "Wilma" wedding dress (vintage) that also pops up with a Google search.

Cold? Warm? Hot??

Cold, very cold, sorry. I am totally checking out that wedding dress though

Too bad you aren't going this time, we could have shared a ride.

That would have been fun. Road trip

AND, that's hardly a hint!

OK, so here's another hint - it has to do with a joke

 

[Huskiesrule]

Obscurity Trivia sounds interesting, but I have enough trouble with just the normal trivia. After the last cruise I decided I don't watch enough TV, don't listen to enough music and I don't know Disney characters as well as I thought! There was a 10 question quiz the other day for the first lines in Disney movies and I only got 4 right I really need to brush up on my answers.

 

[CarolynU]

Loud cruises, no. Lots of drinking, yep - I'm there Just kidding! I do like a drink or two when I am on holiday and enjoying a DOTD by the pool was one of my favourite pastimes on previous cruises. But I can't bear obnoxious loud drunk people - which is one reason why I avoid a certain cruise line which is famous for that kind of cruiser


Do you know amazingly on my first DCL cruise which was a 5 nighter with my DD they were offering two for one on all drinks around the Quiet Cove Pool on the sea day. So many people had drinks stacked up and they were allowing glasses in the pool. Folks got super rowdy and were cheering the band by the pool Midtown, and asking for encores. Except of course that during the set they were chatting and laughing loudly all the way through. so couldnt have actually heard them at all. Drinks were actually being passed around in the pool from group to group.
Being newbies we thought that this was horrible but standard. It was only when speaking about this to my Platinum son and daughter in law that I realised that this wasn't how things are usually done.
I don't know why DCL chose to do this, but I am grateful that on no future cruises has this ever been repeated.

 

[CrockettTraveler]

When we did the East Bound Panama cruise a couple years back we went thru Hurricane Odile and a couple of tropical storms. We didn't see land til the 9th or 10th day after we sailed. Our first stop was Cartagena.

I loved it. Some others on the ship, not so much, including the crew.

Funny! We were on that same cruise. I LOVED it. This cruise we are sailing with our daughter and granddaughters. They will be missing school for two weeks, but this is an educational trip!!!!

Did your cabin creak and groan that night we were passing Hurricane Odile?

 

[Cruisin]

Funny! We were on that same cruise. I LOVED it. This cruise we are sailing with our daughter and granddaughters. They will be missing school for two weeks, but this is an educational trip!!!!

Did your cabin creak and groan that night we were passing Hurricane Odile?

Hello fellow "I survived Hurricane Odile and whatever they called those tropical storms we skirted around!" cruiser.

I always thought if someone at Disney were really thinking they would have had some tshirts made up real quick. I bet they would have sold a bunch.

I honestly don't remember if the cabin creaked and groaned LOL. It was a great cruise though. Not every cruise has a change of captains in the middle of it!

 

[CrockettTraveler]

Is anyone arriving a day before we cruise? We are flying in from California. I need some suggestions for a hotel near MCO so we can take DCL transportation to Port Canaveral on Sunday morning. DH doesn't want to rent a car. I know Hyatt is at the airport, but it's too expensive for me. I'm looking in the $150 range per night.

 

[TrySomethingNew]

Is anyone arriving a day before we cruise? We are flying in from California. I need some suggestions for a hotel near MCO so we can take DCL transportation to Port Canaveral on Sunday morning. DH doesn't want to rent a car. I know Hyatt is at the airport, but it's too expensive for me. I'm looking in the $150 range per night.

A few days ago I did this, but did not find very good availability near/at port in the couple of days leading up to April 23, 2017. I ended up at a Marriot property for approx 200 per night. I'm just going to keep checking for any cancellations. Good Luck.

 

[gmc824]

So thinking aloud, for all you previous WBPC cruisers, has anyone gone from the port in San Diego to DL? We are considering doing that, staying the night there and then going home from LAX as flights seem to be easier from there. Just wondering about transportation from the port to DL.....

My daughter and I are planning on doing this exact same thing. Looking to leave the ship as early as possible, so we can make our way to DL and get in a pretty full day. Would love to see some responses from anyone who has done this already.