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| Seven ports of call along the way, transiting the Panama Canal and sharing the experience with some great people! |
Cruises that visit and/or pass through the Panama Canal are extremely popular. We had visited the locks on a past cruise ship excursion. Additionally, Beth had visited the locks one other time on a cruise with her mother and sister (Debbie). However, this was our first time making the 51-mile transit through the canal that connects the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. The canal transit was just one day of a 16-day cruise that took us from Miami to Long Beach, California.
We were excited to have the opportunity to have this experience. Making it even better, we weren't traveling alone this time. We were joined by Beth's cousin Brian and his wife M'liss. M'liss has been enjoying the retired life for a couple of years now. Brian joined her this summer. Thankfully they were able to join us even though they didn't have much advance notice............the benefits of being retired.
Our cruise was on the Norwegian Joy. The Joy was launched in 2017 and is one of Norwegian's four Breakaway-plus class of ships (Escape, Bliss and Encore are the other three). The Joy can accommodate just under 3,900 passengers with a crew of 1,821. It was our first time cruising on one of the Breakaway-plus class ships. We found it to be a comfortable ship, although it's a little larger than what we would typically choose. One of the nice things about the larger ships is that you're going to get in plenty of steps. You don't have to feel guilty if you make more than one trip to the ice cream machine!
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| The Norwegian Joy has a two-level go-cart track on the upper decks. Here's Brian.......... |
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| ........here's M'liss. They both looked like very skilled drivers! |
We got a head start on the adventure by driving over to the east coast the day before the cruise was scheduled to leave. Although the cruise was out of Miami, we spent the night at an ocean front Marriott property at Fort Lauderdale Beach, thanks to both of us having points and certificates we could use.
Unfortunately, Florida was experiencing an extended period of cold weather with a bit of rain mixed in, which made for a chilly and damp start. Someone once said, "you can't judge the day by the weather". We took that saying to heart and had a nice day and evening anyway. Looking for the positives, it wasn't crowded, and we didn't get sweaty.
We had scheduled an afternoon canal cruise on the Jungle Queen. The narrated tour of the canals showcases mansions, yachts and "super yachts". While there is no standard definition for a "super yacht", they are pretty easy to recognize and often times come with a helicopter perched on the upper deck. They're owned by folks with the last name of Zuckerberg, Bezos, Walton, etc. If you have to ask "how much does it cost?", you probably can't afford it. We admired them, but didn't need to contact a broker about purchasing one.
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| We weren't going to let the weather dampen our spirits! |
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| The cold, damp canal cruise was still something to smile about.......I think M'liss is smiling under there! |
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| One of the many mansions along the canals of Ft. Lauderdale |
Overnight the weather improved a bit, and we woke up to warmer temperatures and clear skies. That gave Beth and I a chance to enjoy a nice walk along the beachfront promenade before breakfast and heading to the Port of Miami.
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| Miami Sailaway! |
The cruise had a nice itinerary. There were seven ports of call with "sea days" interspersed, as well as the full day transit of the Panama Canal. We had only visited three of the ports (Colon, Panama and Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucus Mexico) on previous cruises. In addition, we were able to add the countries of Columbia and Guatemala to our list of countries visited. This gives us a total of 84 countries that we have visited...............so far.
Cartagena, Columbia-We had been hearing great things about Columbia in recent years and it certainly didn't disappoint. Just like every country, there are challenges, but it seems as if Columbia has come a long way toward cleaning up its act.
Cartagena has a population of around 1 million people. It has a very busy port with a strong industrial base, but tourism is the rising star in the city's economy. The majority of the tourist attractions are located within the historic walled city with it's colonial architecture. Arriving by ship we received an unexpected surprise. The cruise terminal has an amazing (and free) zoo. Many of the animals such as birds and monkeys are free to come and go as they please. To be honest, it's so nice they'd be crazy to venture too far away from the tropical setting. Other animals such as anteaters, tortoises and flamingos enjoy large, clean, very natural looking habits. The terminal was our first impression of Cartagena, and it was a good one!
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| Pre-dawn arrival in Cartagena |
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| Entrance to the very impressive cruise terminal |
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| Sloth, just hanging out and enjoying the day |
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| This guy was funny. Right before Beth took the picture, he moved over on the branch to get closer to me. I guess he wanted to make sure he wasn't left out. |
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| In honor of the late, great Jimmy Buffett......true parrotheads! |
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| Anteater looking for.........ants |
Although we don't typically book too many excursions through the ship, for this cruise we ended up booking a few. This was mainly because we had some on board credit and we weren't that familiar with some of the places we were visiting. They all turned out to be pretty good choices that let us get a nice feel for areas.
Our Columbia excursion was a unique one. It was a city tour on a Chiva Party Bus. The Chiva Buses are typically used by the locals as a primary source of transportation, especially in the rural areas. They are old school buses that have been modified and colorfully painted. The unairconditioned bus was surprisingly pretty comfortable. The "party" was provided by the cheerful guide who had everyone singing, clapping and even dancing as we made our way around the city. Of course, the open bar of beer, rum and soft drinks helped.
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| Our Chiva Party Bus! |
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| Castillo San Felipe de Barajas,,,,,,,,,,guarding Cartegena since 1639 |
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| Colonial architecture & craft market in the walled city. |
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Sailing away..........
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Colon, Panama-Colon is the port city on the eastern (Caribbean) end of the Panama Canal. It has a population of around 100,000 people. Although there is a nice duty-free shopping area and craft market at the port, it really isn't what would be considered a "tourist destination". We had a full day in port and we did what most cruise passengers seem to do while in Colon, travel across the country to the larger, more vibrant, capital city of Panama City. Traveling "cross country" in Panama isn't that difficult, it's only an hours drive.
Unlike in Cartegena, we booked our visit to Panama City with a local guide once we were off the ship. We joined a group of 7-8 other people who were looking for the same sort of adventure and off we went. Our transportation was in a van which made the Chiva Party Bus we had in Cartegena seem like first class transportation. Our knees were up around our ears and the width of the seats would have probably been somewhat comfortable for a five-year-old. Loading and unloading the van looked somewhat like the cars you used to see in the circus where a bunch of clowns would somehow pop in and out of a very small space. At least the air conditioning worked......a little!
In spite of the crowded conditions, the cross-country drive was actually enjoyable due to the lush tropical scenery. Panama City itself was spectacular. It's a very clean city with lots of green spaces and a combination of an old historic city center and a sleek, modern district with high rise apartments/condos, hotels and restaurants.
Our first stop was in the historic district, which is known as Casco Viejo. It's a very walkable area with numerous well maintained Spanish architecture buildings dating back to the 16th century. In 1997 the area was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site to assure it is maintained for future generations to enjoy.
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| Independence Square is the central plaza in the historic (Casco Viejo) district |
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| Metropolitain Cathedral Basilica is located adjacent to Independence Plaza |
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| An example of the great colonial architecture throughout the historic district |
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| Great scenery and a bench in the shade! |
After spending time enjoying the Casco Viejo district, we had a nice tour around the modern city before returning to Colon. We'd see Panama City again the next day, only this time it would be from the balcony of our room on the Norwegian Joy as we exited the Panama Canal and made our way into the Pacific Ocean.
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| Just a few miles from the historic city center is the modern new section of Panama City |
Cruising the Panama Canal-The Panama Canal is truly an engineering masterpiece that has to been seen to be fully appreciated. The ambitious plan to build a canal across the narrow strip of land started in 1881. The goal was simple, significantly reduce travel time from transiting from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. A simple goal, but easier said than done.
A lack of funding, high worker mortality rate and other issues shut down construction in 1889. In 1904 the US took over the project and the first canal was completed in 1914. In 2007 construction on a wider, longer set of locks that run parallel to the original locks began. The new locks opened in 2016 allowing for larger cruise and cargo ships to take the shortcut between the two oceans. Ship traffic passing through the canal has increased from around 1,000 ships in 1914 to over 15,000 annually.
There are three sets of locks at both ends of the canal and a man-made lake (Gatun Lake) in the middle. We entered the first lock on the eastern side of the canal around 7:30 AM and exited into the Pacific Ocean around 5:00. The shortcut not only shaves off around 8,000 miles it also avoids having to pass around the often very rough Drake Passage at the tip of South America. Of course there is a small fee for using the canal. The cost for a cruise ship the size of the Norwegian Joy is around 1 million dollars per transit!
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| Sunrise as we approach the canal |
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| Entering one of the first locks |
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| Gatun Lake is a man-made lake between the two sets of locks |
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| The two lighter sections are the actual "gates". They open and close to allow ships to enter and exit the locks. The reason for the two gates is to allow for maintenance to be done on one gate without having to close the canal. |
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| Exiting one of the locks on the western (Pacific) side of the canal. |
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| We did it! That's the Panama City skyline in the background |
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Into the Pacific............
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Puntarenas (Puerto Caldera), Costa Rica- Puerto Caldera is the main freight port on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. Recently they have added a dock that is suitable for cruise ships. While there is nothing at the port other than a few vending machines, there are a number of interesting excursions to places nearby. Based on what we saw, booking a taxi or tour from the port was very limited. If you are going to be on a cruise ship that visits Puerto Caldera you would probably be better off to book your excursion through the ship.
We booked an excursion titled Coffee, Chocolate and Sarchi. We weren't sure what Sarchi was but at least we were familiar with and liked the other two. As it turned out, it was a nice tour that included a really good lunch and we now know all about Sarchi.
As it turns out, Sarchi is a small, artsy town in Costa Rica's central valley about one and a half hours from Puerto Caldera. Much of the "art" that Sarchi is known for is it's decorative, handmade and handpainted ox carts that are still used by farmers in the area. Our tour stopped at a factory that explained the history of the decorative oxcarts as well has showed how they are made and painted. Not surprisingly, the factory also had a gift shop. Although the merchandise was nice and reasonably priced, we left the purchasing of souvenirs up to our shipmates who were gobbling up the bargains.
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| The carts and wheels are all handpainted |
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| We were told the small cart would sell for around three thousand US dollars, and the larger cart for around 4 thousand US dollars. |
After a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, we were off to the Espiritu Santo Coffee and Chocolate Plantation. Costa Rica is one of the Central American countries with a reputation for producing very high-quality coffee. Due to limited space, coffee production in Costa Rica is significantly less than their neighbor to the south, Columbia. Costa Rica produces approximately 87 thousand metric tons per year, while Columbia produces over 14 million metric tons annually. That's a lot of caffeine!
Espiritu Santo Coffee Tour
The tour focused mostly on the coffee production process, although there was a nice explanation of the chocolate production as well. The plantation tour guide was funny, informative and energetic. Probably a result of leading multiple groups through tastings on a daily basis.
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| The Costa Rica way......... |
Costa Rica is proud to be a world leader when it comes to protecting the environment. Their efforts are being studied and duplicated around the world. It's nice to see how they are continuing to grow their tourism footprint and preserving the natural resources at the same time.
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| Brian and M'liss had different tours/excursions they were interested in during the day. When back on the ship we enjoyed swapping stories over meals and games of Mexican Train Dominos. They're tough competitors! |
Puerto Quetzal (Antigua), Guatemala-With a population of around 17.5 million, Guatemala is the most populous of the Central America countries. Over 3 million of its citizens live in or around the capital city, Guatemala City. It is also home to three active volcanoes and numerous other volcanoes that have shaped the land over millions of years.
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| One of the many volcanos we saw on our way to Antigua. |
Although the port was mostly an industrial port, there was a nice area for cruise passengers with craft markets, shops and bars conveniently located just off the dock. Tourism is a growing industry in Guatemala and they are certainly putting a great deal of effort into expanding this part of their economy.
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| Handmade crafts were available at the market just off the ship. |
We booked a ship excursion that took us about 1.5 hours inland to the old capital of Antigua. The drive was very interesting, as we made our way close to several of the volcanos. Our guide pointed out one of the active ones that frequently has lava flows that can be seen from miles around. We also passed a small village that had been overrun by lava flow from a volcano that decimated everything in its path. The city of Antigua is a world heritage site with narrow cobblestone streets, a huge central plaza and numerous historic buildings and churches. In recent years tourism has replaced coffee production as the main economic driver. Tourism certainly seemed to be driving the economy on the day we were there. It seemed as if many of the various ship excursions had Antigua as part of their itinerary, so the city center was fairly busy, but there was still plenty of room to roam about the interesting historic city center.
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| Colorful buildings and narrow streets in the historic city center |
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| Street hawking Guatemalan style! |
The country of Guatemala and the city of Antigua are a bit off the traditional beaten path, but well worth checking out if you're in that neck of the woods.
Acapulco, Mexico-The first of our three ports of call in Mexico was Acapulco. This was the first time either of us had been to what was the first of Mexico's ocean front resort towns. Dating back to the 1940"s Acapulco was known as the "playground for the rich and famous".
Unfortunately, Acapulco's reputation began to change in the 2000's as drug related gang violence increased dramatically. In October 2023 Acapulco suffered another devasting blow when it was hit by Hurricane Otis, the first category 5 hurricane in the Pacific Ocean. The damage was estimated to be in the 15-billion-dollar range and hundreds of lives were lost. Efforts are underway to restore the city to its previous glory, however it's understandably a long, slow process.
We opted to do a ship sponsored city tour that included a show by the famous Acapulco Cliff Divers. Brave young men and women climb the sheer cliffs to heights of up to 135 feet and hurl themselves into the shallow waters below. According to legend, it all started back in 1934 on a dare between a group of fishermen, who challenged each other to prove their bravery (or stupidity) by taking the leap of faith. I would assume that a hefty amount of tequila was involved! The divers were featured on ABC's Wide World of Sports back in the 70's. They continue to entertain crowds with several shows a day.
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| Pre-dawn arrival into Acapulco |
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| Before the city tour we did a short walk along the beachfront promenade. |
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| Off they go! The water is very shallow, and the dives have to be timed to assure the depth of the water is sufficient to keep them from hitting bottom. |
Will Acapulco be able to rebuild itself to it's previous glory days? It's going to be a challenge, but they sure seem to be trying hard.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico-Our travels over the years haven't taken us to many places in Mexico. The places we've been to would be considered the traditional tourist areas. The one that stands out as our favorite is Puerto Vallarta. The city of close to a quarter of a million people has a colorful, vibrant and safe waterfront pedestrian only area known as the Malecon. It is popular with locals and tourists and has attracted a large expat community.
The modern cruise terminal is located about 3 miles from the Malecon. There are numerous shops and restaurants at the terminal and a large Wal-Mart across the street. In the old days we would have probably walked from the terminal to the Malecon, but those days are behind us. We opted for a cab that dropped us off at the start of the Malecon ($10). It was an easy day of walking, people watching and bench sitting while watching whales frolicking close to shore. It was a fun day of relaxing and reminiscing in the very cool city of Puerto Vallarta.
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| We were off the ship early and the Malecon was just coming to life when we arrived |
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| Two asses sharing a drink |
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| One of the numerous beach front restaurants and bars along the Malecon. If you were any closer to the water you'd be wet. |
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| Fresh Mangos! |
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| The very nice and colorful cruise terminal |
Cabo San Lucas-Our last stop on the Norwegian Joy adventure was the only port that required the ship to use tender boats to transport passengers to shore. We were in no rush to get off the ship since we had no real plans for the day other than wandering around a bit. In spite of the large size of the Joy, the tendering process was fast, which gave us plenty of "wandering time". The Christmas season crowd was long gone, and the spring breakers hadn't arrived yet, so Cabo was relatively quiet, which is just the way we like it. If you haven't been to Cabo, but have it as a destination in an upcoming adventure, there is no real need to book a ship excursion unless you're not comfortable booking with a third party. You'll have more options than you can imagine at a significant savings once your tender drops you off at the marina.
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| Coffee before Cabo! |
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| Part of the Cabo Welcoming Committee |
After a final "sea day" we arrived at Los Angeles (Long Beach Terminal) to chilly, wet weather. The wet weather may not have been perfect for those looking to tour LA. However, the rain provided welcome relief to the areas that had been plagued by the recent wildfires.
Beth and I said goodbye to Brian and M'liss, who had been wonderful travel companions. They were heading back to Florida. Our plans were to stay in California for several more weeks. We'd be working our way up the coast with stops in Carpinteria and Monterey before heading to the bay area to spend time with Sarah, Joey, James, Emma and welcoming a new arrival to the family!
