Princess Panama Canal Cruise 2018
Fort Lauderdale, Florida | Jamaica | Colombia | Panama | Costa Rica
09 Dec 2018 – 19 Dec 2018
10-Night Cruise
Princess Panama Canal Cruise 2018
Never Been on a Cruise
It’s interesting how after all these years, we had never taken an ocean cruise before. We had heard many positive and wonderful stories about cruises from co-workers and family members. Some of the pros they mentioned were:
- Offering a vacation that can give you plenty of time to relax while exploring new places.
- Get to enjoy the scenery of the open ocean, while also getting to visit multiple ports without having to worry about packing and unpacking your belongings.
- Ocean cruises can be a great value – as most cruise lines include your accommodations, meals, and entertainment in the price of your ticket.
We even have some family (cruising pros) who’ve taken cruises all over the world, with many of them over 30 days or more. Over the years we had talked about how we should give it a try but just never followed through. I guess you could say we were just waiting on that right opportunity.
Perfect Opportunity
Well, that perfect opportunity came in the winter of 2018 when the same family members (the pro cruisers) asked us to join them on a cruise through the Panama Canal. We were like YES!, let’s do it!
The Panama Canal is a man-made waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and is considered to be one of the wonders of the modern world. It was built over a hundred years ago and has over 14,000 vessels pass through the canal each year.
We could not think of a better ocean cruise combination – taking our first cruise and the opportunity to pass through the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal!
Our Itinerary
How Was Our Experience?
It was wonderful! After our 10-day trip, we now understand why so many people enjoy ocean cruising. It offers something for everybody.
Of course, with us being first-timers, we found everything to be new and exciting:
- Size and Scale of the Ship – very impressive
- Our room & bathroom – small but nice and comfortable
- Quality of Service – onboard staff was outstanding
- Food & Drink – included buffets and dining rooms provided overwhelming food choices
- Entertainment – of the few musical varieties shows we attended, they were all excellent and very entertaining
- While At Sea – seeing the vastness of the ocean all around us (as far as you could see) was a unique experience.
- Port Excursions – all of our stops (except for Grand Cayman) had interesting excursion options.
- Disconnecting & Able to Relax – surprisingly enough, this was something that caught us off guard. Not having cell service along the way allowed us to relax more than expected.
- Traveling Through the Panama Canal – it was the highlight of our trip and something we will never forget!
Will We Cruise Again?
Yes, we will definitely be ocean cruising again in the future – just not sure when. One destination that stands out is Alaska – we’ve heard a lot of good things about cruises in this region.