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Date Posted: Sun, Feb 3 2008 1:36 PM
Miracle Panama Cruise 1/18/08
My wife and I had previously sailed with RCL and worried about the "young" oriented CCL. I chose CCL because they are one of the few lines that offered Panama, Belize, and Costa Rica ports of interest (Panama Canal, Rain forests, Mayan ruins) in one trip. I also chose to book via the cruise line travel agents. Prior to the trip our CCL travel agent, Lee M., was absolutely fantastic! She helped us through every facet of the trip with patience, humor and attention to detail. We had a party of 14 very different relatives and friends with whom she worked. We even had a table of 6 and a table of 8 sitting next to each other at dinner! Embarkation was a snap with no long lines and we were on board in less than 30 mins. We were struck by the obvious service professionalism and attitude of CCL staff at the port. They seemed to really like their jobs working with people, yet still were very efficient. I was always amazed at how the Disney resorts moved people and now have added Carnival at Ft. Lauderdale as equals. The Ship had bright and interesting decor which we did not find to be overwhelming as some reviewers have claimed. The seating was comfortable everywhere on board. The extended balcony room seemed large and the bedding was really comfortable. The deck had a chaise and two chairs. The hotel service staff on board was 5 star. From the Purser to the assistant food help, everyone was pleasant, courteous, and helpful. Lounge servers, waiters, and bar tenders remembered special requests, drinks, and names. The ships crew from captain down took the time to answer questions if asked and were professional in all ways.
The food and wait staff were superb in the dinning room. We were never rushed so we could enjoy "never having eaten so well in one week!" Message to CCL, "Keep the Chocolate Melting Cake dessert, and I will never sail a different cruise line!" Lido was good but dinning room was outstanding. I did find the Lido coffee weak, but the dining room coffee was wonderful. There were enough activities for every age to have a great choice. We had lots of days at sea on this cruise and always had something to interest us. The entertainment was a
mixed bag. The shows featuring bands, singers and dancers were daily highlights for us, but the comedian was just OK and the Karaoke night was easily missed. The "red" team vs. "blue" team competition in trivia and games show formats was fun. This cruise had more of the 50+ crowd on board (ports of call orientation.) It did get a little "dead" after mid-night, but there were still enough partyers to make it interesting if that's what one was looking for. The excursions were good. We went on The "Two Oceans by Railroad" in Panama, "Exploration Canals and Banana Plantation" in Costa Rica, and Altun Ha and Belize by Bus" in Belize. All had good points and some OK points and I still would recommend them. The timing of the movie about building the P.C. got messed up by the guide and we missed the movie which would have helped the understanding of this feat of engineering for most people. Some felt that a part of the cost should be remitted. I'm not aware of the final outcome of the controversy. The debarkation was smooth and we went on the "Everglades" excursion which was fine for the money and effectively killed time until our flight home. Our hats are off to Carnival for providing a trip to remember.
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