successes that when all strung together, resulted in this achievement. Many extraordinary events and sensations will be seared into one’s memory bank on this cruise itinerary—the warm Caribbean waters washing over cold toes, the gentle breeze on the deck of the ship and happy feet nicely released from their winter protection and buried in soft white sand on one of the cruise line’s private islands enroute to Columbia. Visit the historic Fort of San Felipe de Barajas in Cartagena and envision the scenes from the movie “Romancing the Stone” where Michael Douglas wrestles with a giant croc on the stone walls of this fort. World Heritage status has been bestowed upon the port, fortresses and monuments in Cartagena and the pastel colored Spanish colonial buildings in Cartagena’s walled quarter are a pretty reminder of past times. Although each port of call will enliven some level of excitement, none will match the thrill of a passenger’s first approach toward the famous Gatun locks on the Atlantic side. With an early morning passage through the Limon Bay breakwater into calm waters, the ship will slide quietly toward the canal—jockeying to get in line for the pre-arranged transit time. Cruise passengers would be well advised to rise early and grab a spot in the outdoor viewing area opened up to the guests for this momentous event. In the quiet of the morning, as the mist is still lifting from the jungle tree tops nearby, the silence will only be broken by an overture of intoxicating bird song. Only once the cruise ship has been boarded by the mandatory specialized pilot (to work with the ship’s Captain) and the gargantuan tow cables have been strung from the ship to mules on land (locomotives used to assist in a safe
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passage) can the process of transiting the locks continue. Many cruise lines offer commentary delivered via loud speaker by a historian or trained guide—cruise line guests are immersed in the learning of interesting facts and details about the canal, from the first visions of the project, to the planning, cost, heartache and the final successful outcome that they are now experiencing. Excitement is fueled by the morning coffee stations set up on the outside decks of the ship and traditional Panama rolls are served. These delicious pastries are filled with a lemon cream filling and are lightly dusted with icing sugar and one is never enough of these little delights. So, with coffee in one hand and two Panama rolls in the other, passengers can witness this awe inspiring man made marvel as the cruise ship fits snuggly into the first lock and is raised 85 feet via three locks in total, and finally is delivered into
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the awe inspiring and beautiful Gatun Lake in the middle of a rain forest. And the journey doesn’t end there—the all day transit will take you past lush islands as you push toward the Culebra Cut, over the Continental Divide, through the Pedro Miguel Locks, Miraflores Lake and lastly to the exit down on the Pacific Ocean level via the Miraflores Locks and out to sea from under the Bridge of the Americas. As your cruise ship continues the journey northward, now in the Pacific Ocean, travellers should watch for whales and dolphins looking to perform for an audience. Central American stops on the Pacific side could include Nicaragua or Guatemala, however; almost all of the itineraries will visit Costa Rica and also enjoy stops along the Mexican Riviera before disembarking in San Diego or Los Angeles. Check one off the bucket list folks—this is one unforgettable cruise experience.