Cruise Map
The Cruise - Fort Lauderdale to San Diego
We took advantage of the offer from the RV park to provide us with transport to the cruise dock. Whilst we were at Fort Lauderdale we were not aware that the cruise terminal was about 15 miles away and the security required to be passed through, made us thankful that we did.
Once aboard the ship “Celebrity Infinity“ we were invited to lunch before going to the cabin as the cabins were not ready. It also allowed us the opportunity to explore the ship and find out where things are. The cabin was a bit of luxurious space after ten weeks in the RV. The onboard programs cater for all tastes and often one has to choose between a couple of desirables as they overlap.
There is a large stage auditorium where a great range of programs, musicals, lectures and of course the obligatory “Bingo” is held each day. The ship is dotted with several bars, dance floors, and venues for all sorts of programs. We were allocated a reserved spot on the early dining session.6pm on table 419.
We have 4 American men at our dinner table, they are all good company and it make the evening meal something to look forward to, they are amazed at what we have done and reckon we know more about American history than they do. We have already seen more of America than most of the Americans we speak to.
As usual there are some obnoxious travelers but we can be selective on this ship as it has so many nooks and crannies. Would you believe our cabin neighbours are from Wonthaggi Vic.Other couples are from Altona and South Morang. Another from Sydney and another from Brisbane, there are a lot more but we have not met them.
On the second day out we passed between the islands of Cuba and Haiti and headed for Columbia, where we docked at Cartagena ,
Cartagena, Columbia
We had arranged a tour of the area and were met at the dock by a string of buses, We were taken to the old 17th century Fort San Filipe de Barajas for a guided tour, then on to the walled city, an old part of the town which houses the Dungeons and the Inquisition Palace, where the persecutors used the “Spanish Inquisition” to torture and extract money from the inhabitants, in the name of the Catholic Church, for “Crimes against the church”. A gruesome display but fascinating.
Also inside the Walled City, The Church of San Pedro Claver was in session with mass at the time of our visit, so we were able to visit the adjoining monastery. After a look at the beaches with their black sand and the developing tourist trade by the look of the massive resort hotels being built, we headed back to the security of the ship.
Colon, Panama
Overnight the ship sailed to Colon in Panama, situated at the Atlantic end of the Panama Canal, we docked there in the morning and joined a tour that took us to Panama City where we toured the old “Colonial City” which is quite distinct from the new modern Panama City, which presents a skyline as large and modern as Sydney, with all the skyscrapers. The old city is where the history is and whilst there are a lot old buildings that are abandoned and in a state of decay, there is a huge amount of work going on to restore the buildings, give it another five years and it should be an eye-opener.
The Panama Canal.
We were then bused out to the Miraflores Locks the last set of locks that we would be going through the next day. Here we were able to see ships going through the locks, see some of the history and story behind the building of the canal and the plans that are already in process for the extension to the system. At the moment there is a term in marine technology known as “Panamax” which refers to the maximum width of a vessel to enable it to go through the locks of the canal. The use of the canal saves the shipping lines 4 weeks of travel were they to go around the bottom of South America.
The Panamanians, who now have total ownership and control of the canal since it was given over by the USA in 1999 after a 20 year progressive hand over program, following many years of political dispute The Independence of Panama by breaking away from Columbia was tied to the US building the canal. The canal project first muted by the Spanish in 1527, but it was started in 1880 by the French, however it was a disaster, as they had tried to employ the same techniques that they had used in building the Suez Canal just prior. But the Suez was built on a flat terrain and dredged through sand. The terrain in Panama was to go across the mountains which form part of the Continental Divide of the Americas. The Diseases of Yellow Fever and Malaria had caused many thousands of deaths for both the French and later the Americans. The USA then offered to build the canal as they saw it as a necessary defence project, to help accommodate their Navy which was split between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. After starting along the path that the French had taken, it was realized that the task was impossible and the project was halted for two years whilst new plans were developed. Instead of the one level canal proposed by the French, the newly appointed US Railroad Engineer John Stevens, designed the lock system that is in use today. The system relies on the Chagres River to provide the 26 million gallons of water to operate the lock for each ship’s entry and again for it’s exit from the man made Gatun lake. That 26 million gallons of water is delivered in 8 minutes. A ship of Panamax size has only 2ft clearance on each side whilst in the lock. Locos known as “Mules” are connected to the front and rear of each ship and whilst the ship moves forward under it’s own power, the mules monitor and adjust it’s direction. A huge container ship, fully loaded, which entered the locks just before us paid $450,000 in toll, our cruise ship was charged about $340,000 which equates to $175 per passenger. With 45 ships per day transiting the canal, it is not hard to see where the country’s main revenue comes from. Construction is well underway to build a duplicate set of locks at each end which will allow for wider ships with double todays load, to use the canal and with a 60% saving in water usage. This project should be completed by 2016.
We are both enjoying the cruise, aided very much by the fact that we have had very calm seas all the way so far. The Atlantic and the Caribbean were surprisingly calm, but we are now in the Pacific Ocean, so far all is calm and well. Life on board can be pretty hectic, working our way between all the eating facilities, meals are great, with a wide range to choose from. Our most important day of course was on Tuesday 18th, when we sailed through the Panama Canal. From Colon we entered the Gatun locks at 7am where the ship goes through three locks raising the ship 26 metres above sea level, where we enter Gatun lake, we then sailed 30 kms through the lake to the start of the Culebra Cut. This is the start of a 14 km section that was cut through a mountain range, to the Pedro Miguel Lock, the first of the locks to lower the ship 9.5 metres , another 1.6kms and we entered the Miraflores Locks which lowers the ship in two stages down to the level of the Pacific Ocean, the travel time through the canal is 8 to 10 hours. All very fascinating, we were up at 5.30 to get a spot at the front to take the photos we so desperately need. Of course once we secured a good spot on the rail, we could not leave it or we would not get back there, once through into Gatun Lake we returned to the cabin where we were able to take advantage of our balcony to watch the lake go by, then it was back to find another spot for the transit through the cut and the exit locks. Needless to say we were both like shining beacons after our day out doors, I look in the mirror and think I still have my sunglasses on with the shape of them clearly outlined from my sunburned face . There was little sun on the day, it was overcast and it was more wind burn that we got, all looks and feels the same. But given that we are in their “Wet Season” we were fortunate to have it clear all day.
The other bright news is that our agenda on the ship has included a dance just before dinner and then again a couple more . Yep we have been slowly working up with the dances and actually had a few compliments passed yesterday, so that is a great relief in our stages of hip recovery.
So now it’s a point of pacing ourselves, so we do not over do it and checking out the different bands and dance floors. We found that the main floor is made from stainless steel with strips of lights set in it, bugger to dance on, at least with our style of dancing anyway, so we have given that one the flick.
Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
Once through the canal the ship headed north, with it’s next port of call being Puntarenas in Costa Rica. Our shore excursion here was a train, boat and bus trip through the area, we were very fortunate with the weather, at the time of our arrival it was fine and had been so for the past two days, during the week prior to that, there had been 120 inches of rain. The rivers were swollen and running very fast. We learned that the Republic of Costa Rica was the original “Banana Republic” as it’s wealth was built on the supply of bananas to the world markets, Coffee and Pineapples are now major exports. It appears a tax of 40% on wages, allows for education, medical to be provided. As in Panama, there is no army, they wish to remain neutral with the world. Back on board for lunch and we were planning a trip to the local market, however the sky opened up and those on the afternoon excursions from the ship came back drenched, needless to say we passed on our market visit.
Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala.
A day at sea before our next stop which was Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala, Our excursion here took us to the City of Antigua Guatemala, a ninety minute drive from the Port. Antigua is set in the mountains, at 4500ft above sea level, it is surrounded by 3 active volcanoes and coffee plantations. Antigua was listed by UNESCO in 1979 for it’s Cultural Heritage. Whilst a lot of damage has been caused by the volcanoes and earthquakes over the years it still seems to hold together, we visited the ruins on and old Cathedral and a monastery, which is in a state of preservation and still being used, it was being set up for a wedding while we were going through. The Mayan Civilization was active in Guatamala from 300BC to 1500AD and whilst the remains of their temples etc are some 200 miles to the north of Antigua, there are many artifacts that are displayed in the old buildings in the area. The streets are all paved with cobblestones and the buildings all appear to be held to their original structures. The country is basically dependent on it’s rural crops of Coffee and Sugar. Jade is a major industry here, it was lost for 300 years as the Spanish deemed the wearers of jade to be worshiping a false god and was punishable by death, so the use and mining of jade was set aside, until an American Geologist went searching for and found the old mine sites around 1980.
Sunday and we woke to a real ocean, none of this mandy pandy flat stuff, now we have white caps all over, with waves to about 6ft, still the ship did not pitch too much, but by lunchtime we were back to the norm of calm seas.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Monday, also a day at sea before we reach Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We are travelling at about 18 knots, so it takes us two days to do the 850 miles from Guatamala. This gave us the opportunity to get in a bit more dancing, hope we don’t wear out the new hip before we get home. We are advised that US Customs is to make a full inspection of all passengers when we dock at San Diego on Friday and will probably be delayed by about 3 hours. As our plane doesn’t leave until 11pm from LA we will still be OK to make it, have organized a hire car, just need to get a cab to the airport in San Diego to pick it up.
Our day in Puerto Vallata was a just OK excursion, not well organized, but at least we were able to have a tour around the area, It is hard to come to terms with umpteen buses all flooding the town with tourists from the ship, groups wandering off all over, following a guide holding up a stick, you never seem to be close enough to hear what is being said so you turn off and just look, (and photograph). We had lunch at a Hacienda and were entertained by local dancers and entertainers in national costume. We left port at 3pm and set sail for Carbo San Lucas, Mexico, our last port before San Diego.
Carbo San Lucas, Mexico
It was quite strange, as we are traveling up the West Coast, but when we sailed into Carbo San Lucas the sunrise was behind us, which meant we were facing West. Carbo San Lucas is just around the corner of Land’s End, a group of rocks which define the entrance to the Gulf of California or as it is more widely known “The Bay of Cortez”, which at that point is about 50 miles wide. Carbo San Lucas has no deep sea port, so we had to go ashore by tender. There were two other cruise ships in the bay so there were tenders going back and forth to all three all day. It was a busy bay with glass bottom boats, parasailing, jet skis and fishing boats all zipping around the bay. We had no organized tour arrangements, so we went ashore to have a look around, we were approached by a pedal cycle taxi to be chauffeured around town. We finally gave in to the 2nd approach and were pleased with the result, the poor guy pedaled for an hour showing us the sites of the town, he got a midway break when we arrived at the beach at the front of a nice set of condominiums, maybe a time share facility. Along the way we were told of the influence of US movie stars that have homes in the area, Madonna being one of them. Apart from the tourism and fishing there doesn’t seem to be much industry, so it was a big deal that there were three cruise ships in the bay. It also meant that bargaining was not as fierce between competitors as there was an oversupply of customers. There were no trees apart from those obviously planted for street or hotel adornment. The surrounding area was just barren rock, with houses seemingly hanging on to the cliffs overlooking the water.
The Ship left promptly at 3pm and we took advantage of the time to start packing our bags for the disembarkation.
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