Formal Night---IV

As indicated in a previous post, I got a sinus infection on our cruise. I went to the Medical Center within 24 hours of my first indicator (sore teeth). We missed our excursions to Panama and Costa Rica, but I was better on the ship than being miserable on boats. I was very impressed with the medical center and was stunned by the bills. I am hoping my insurance company will ask that I go on a cruise at the first indication of a sinus infection. These fees are BEFORE the insurance company pays.
The Island Princess certainly was not trying to gouge us. The medical staff and drugs were all British. But, after 48 hours, I was in the Dr. Nadine's words "Worse." My face had begun to swell, so I returned to the Medical Center where they put me on an IV.
Yes, it was unfortunate that I got sick on board, but what better place than on a cruise ship with a medical center right there.That didn't stop me from getting all dressed up before heading down for my final IV which was right before dinner.
We were very fortunate to have such compatible dinner partners each night. Above are Heather (Poconos in Pennsylvania) and her mother Esther (Florida). Below are Fay and Gus from Virginia who have a granddaughter in her 20's!
Barb and Gil [or "Gill" as I liked to think of him] from Staten Island added a zest to our table, we missed when they weren't there. Gil was like being on cruise with Dave's brother Tom.
Although not at our table (they were behind Barb and Gil), Bob and Carol were our first "friends" whom we met at the Ramada Inn outside in the courtyard where we were entertained by the stray cats. They were from Greensburg, PA which was our county-seat when we lived in the Pittsburgh area.All in all, the other passengers were friendly, up-beat despite this being the most "senior" cruise we have ever taken---the average age was around 70. We saw 6 children and about 6 adults under the age of 30. . . Another interesting observation was that almost everyone had already been on an Alaskan cruise and many had been through the Panama Canal on a previous cruise.

Gatun Lake through Panama Canal

The ships in Gatun Lake are waiting their turn to go back through the Panama Canal (I call it "treading water")

We are entering the Gatun Locks.


A new, larger cut is being made on the other side of the checkerboard towers.

Our Onboard Authority, Tom Ryan, said that the "mules" won't be needed to guide the ships through---new more powerful tug boats will be used.I felt like I was looking at a giant Thomas the Train when I saw the mules on the turntable.

Not all of the ships going through were cruise ships---some looked like rust buckets.


The people above were probably on one of the excursions---they reported back that it was very interesting watching from their perspective also.
When we went to lunch, we were seated by a window and could see the canal walls from a new angle.
Like an Alaskan Cruise, everyone should try to take a Panama Canal Cruise---the only way to see both of them is aboard a cruise ship.

Entering the Panama Canal

We woke up around 6:00 AM to watch us go through the Panama Canal. The cruise ships pay $100 per bed slept in and $80 for each empty bed making them the top-paying ships. The Island Princess paid around $250,000 to go half-way through the Canal. I think the ships above are waiting their turn because the "Big Spenders" go first.
Unfortunately, I had a sinus infection, so we didn't go on the upper deck for the prime Canal-watching spots (and we missed our $179 excursion all the way through the canal, too). So, all of these photos are from our balcony or the television screen.
Above is the "French Cut"---not bikinis or green beans, but the first (unsuccessful) attempt to build the Panama Canal. One of the documentaries we watched said, "The French tried to build the canal using calculations, but the Americans used innovation." I love that comment---it says so much about our philosophy of education.
(Television screen above) This shows us heading into the locks with the Maurodam beside us. According to the Onboard Expert (Tom Ryan), our captain was furious that the Maurodam took our spot---we were supposed to precede them.
The little locomotives are called "mules". Their job is to prevent us from bouncing off the sides. It's hard to believe that when this canal was built, they expected to fit 3 ships in each chamber. Today, ships like the Island Princess are built specifically to go through the canal and fill a chamber.
The Princess photography crew is taking photos of passengers going through the canal.

One of our days "At Sea", we were provided with poster board, paints and markers to make a sign---where are my creative, artistic daughters when I need them? After this photo, I folded the poster up and put it in the trash. On our way through again, I noticed they were filming AGAIN. I ran to get my folder up poster, hung it on the balcony and THAT's the one that made it on the souvenir video and television promos---I think they thought I'd done Origami with it and the textures were interesting. . .

(Television screen) This shows the Maurodam entering Gatun Lake (and off our balcony in the lake)
Gatun Lake is not a natural feature, but an integral part of the Panama Canal---the water from it fills the chamber allowing the "giant water elevator" to transport the ships. The water is from a dammed river but also the damned rain (it is in a rainforest).

At this point, I was glad we forfeited our money to ride in a tender in driving rain to a yacht club where we would board another boat for 8 hours through the canal.
I was more comfortable sitting on our balcony, sipping coffee, putting compresses on my swelling face. . .

Aruba and Colombia

We decided to stay on board the ship while we were in Aruba--it was like having our own private yacht.
I'm swimming and Dave's relaxing by the side of the pool.
The port was beautiful and if I'd known we were going to miss two "ashores", we would have seen more of Aruba
The next day, we were in Cartegena, Colombia---the fortress below withstood many attacks. If you look carefully you'll see red coral built into the walls. There was also a police presence everywhere we went.
It was a beautiful colonial city, but the rain in the streets reminded us that this was the rainy season and they have no storm sewers.
We watched folk dancers in the Naval Museum. . .
Went shopping. . .
(I didn't buy anything---we were told not to take credit cards or much cash---couldn't afford what I liked---only had $10 on us)
The Colonial streets were beautiful---some took horse and carriage rides, but it was very hot and humid.
Our air conditioned bus couldn't navigate the narrow streets, but he did pause for us to take photos out the window.
It was an Independence Holiday with decorated boats throughout the harbor.
Some were very colorful! Many came by the cruise ship waving and blasting music!
Cartegena, by the way, is the probable location of Love in the Time of Cholera---not one of my favorite books, but the setting was beautifully described.) It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site (our second one this Fall---Cahokia Mounds near St. Louis is another one.)

Island Princess Nov. 9-12

We flew into Ft. Lauderdale a day early and stayed at this Ramada Inn which had cheap rooms with free airport pick up and ship port drop off. It looked 1950's Florida but was not bad inside.

We boarded the Island Princess around 12:30 PM on Nov. 10, and were in our room an hour after we left the Ramada Inn.
We had our private "Sail Away" Party---that's the last bit of land in Ft. Lauderdale.
The next day, was spent "At Sea" cruising along the coast of Cuba.
That's Cuba off in the distance. Princess is in negotiations to take their first cruise ship to Cuba in 2011. We had a number of people who were originally from Cuba on the ship. They were very happy to hear that rumor.
On November 11, the Canadians out-shined us with their poppies to honor veterans.
November 12 was still "At Sea", but also my birthday!
We didn't really plan the vacation FOR my birthday, but it worked out that way.
Olena (Ukraine) was very generous with our desserts each night. In addition to the above, we had key lime pie and creme brulee.
Here she is pretending not to hear our protests.
We attended several shows on board but this was the best one!
The best show was the Adrian Zmed Show---wonderful. The staging was very interesting with them three sets going up and down on bellows---the seating was at tables, but the balcony had very few good seats. He was a TV star in the 1980's and was amazingly buff for 55 (we saw him as he was transferring from our ship to the Coral Princess). He was the ORIGINAL Danny Zucko on Broadway's Grease. Click here for more on his television career.