Part Two: The Stops Along the Way
So summertime in London hasn’t really materialised (not for the first time). It’s been grey and not particularly warm for weeks and I’m missing waking up to blue sky and exciting new places. So I’m taking you back to my fabulous cruise last November. An American adventure that took us through the marvel that is the Panama Canal on the beautiful Oceania Vista.
You can read all about our beautiful ship, Oceania Vista, and learn some handy cruising tips from Part One of my story by clicking here.
Today I’m going to tell you about the places we explored on our 16-day voyage which began in Los Angeles and finished right on the other side of the States in Miami.
Our journey begins in Los Angeles where we spent four lovely days exploring, relaxing and getting our heads into the right timezone. You can read all about our fabulous time at the Pendry in West Hollywood by clicking here.
Embarkation Los Angeles
The most exciting cruise day of them all…embarkation day! I always get on board as early as I possibly can to make the most of every second. This gives us the afternoon to enjoy welcome drinks and lunch, get the feel of the ship, explore, unpack and settle in before heading up to the top deck for sail away.
Cruise Director Ray keeps us updated with regular announcements – he’s an endless source of information. And every evening in the Vista Lounge (after enjoying the nightly show) you can find out more about the next day’s destination. There’s also a channel on your TV dedicated to destinations. I like to view these before going ashore.
Top Tip
Each stop offers a good range of organised shore excursions. They will vary in subject matter, region and length so there’s something to suit everyone. I am usually a more go-my-own-way sort of person, although this cruise was a bit different because of the nature of some of the destinations. It’s easier to go on a group trip. You can get straight off the ship and join your group, you don’t have to think or organise anything (or pay as you have paid upfront). But it does mean you are obviously restricted to what the tour offers.
Next Stop San Diego
We wake up the next morning in beautiful San Diego. It’s the eighth-most populous city in the US and known for its mild year-round Mediterranean climate, lovely beaches, shops and restaurants. Today we can walk off the ship so we do just that and take an amble into the historic Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego. It’s famous for its stylish Victorian-era buildings, trendy restaurants and bars and unique shops. Perfect for a morning meander before returning to our ship for lunch.
Top Tip
On days when you’re docked right in the destination and can walk on and off, we often come back to the ship for lunch, sometimes returning ashore afterwards to explore further. The food on Vista is exceptional and it is all paid for (as are all drinks as we’ve upgraded to the full drinks package). It’s so convenient to come and go and we’re leaving port early today (a 3pm sail away) so after a morning’s walking the lovely streets it’s back home to Vista.
Down Mexico Way: Cabo San Lucas
Day three is spent cruising the Pacific Ocean before we arrive in Cabo San Lucas at 8am. Today we tender to the shore, a short trip in one of the tenders (small boats) which is something of an adventure today because of the huge swell which makes climbing onboard somewhat hazardous…but fun at the same time.
I’ve been to Cabo before so am confident to lead the way. There’s a fabulous market that sells everything you could possibly desire. We snap up some lovely bracelet bargains and I continue my quest for expanding my suitcase sticker collection. We stop for a local beer before enjoying an al fresco lunch of margaritas, shrimp tacos and ceviche…when in Mexico. Today we have another early departure (2.30pm).
Top Tip
On the days when tendering ashore, make sure you listen to the Cruise Director’s announcements to get your timings right. There’s an order to proceedings with people taking shore excursions generally going ashore first. Then there’s a period when you need to go down to the Vista Lounge to get a ticket and be allocated a tender to catch. In our experience, the wait is never that long. If you want to go ashore a bit later, there is a cut-off point where you can just head straight down to the tender without any need for a wait. The cruise director will announce when this is happening. I always pay close attention to any announcements to make sure everything can be achieved with the maximum convenience and minimum wait.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
We arrive early morning on day 5 in Puerto Vallarta. Today we were supposed to be spending the day in Acapulco and I’d even booked a shore excursion as we felt a bit intimidated about exploring this busy city on our own. However, a recent hurricane that devastated parts of the city meant that our cruise was diverted and we are visiting Puerto Vallarta instead.
It’s a stunning resort town made famous as a popular port featured on the television series The Love Boat. which aired from the late seventies to the mid-nineties. I can’t say I watched it much, clearly my cruise obsession hadn’t started yet. We catch a cab from the port to the beautiful, lively town set between the Sierra Madre mountains and Banderas Bay. We wander its cobblestone streets, browsing souvenir shops and art galleries before stopping at a beachside restaurant for a light lunch with our feet in the sand.
Top Tip
If you are going ashore independently there will often be occasions where you need to get a taxi from the port. Be prepared for some haggling and make sure you agree a final price with the driver before heading off. And establish exactly where your ship is docked so you know where to return to. Sometimes it’s possible to use Uber which tends to be cheaper than a taxi – today we ubered home after lunch.
Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala
When we booked this fabulous trip there was a stop in Nicaragua on the original itinerary. For some reason this was removed shortly before we were due to cruise. I’m not sure why and it was a disappointment as we’d booked another shore excursion – again I wasn’t certain I was brave enough to explore Nicaragua on my own. Itineraries do change, there’s just nothing that can be done about that. On the positive side this meant that we had two glorious days cruising the Pacific Ocean before docking at Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala on day 8.
Puerto Quetzal is Guatemala’s largest Pacific Ocean port and the gateway to the fabulous interior including the colonial capital of Antigua. The country is famous for its coffee (I buy it all the time in London) and traditional textiles. It also makes a selection of particularly good beer. I do love a bit of the local beer! Our decision today was to take the school-bus-style transport to a nearby market showcasing some stunning arts and crafts and home to bars and restaurants. A beautifully colourful scene where we met plenty of the friendliest of Guatemalans. It was a brief foray on Guatemalan soil that gave us a good feel of the country and we came back on board armed with some fabulous souvenirs. And of course I tasted some beer. Delicious.
Top Tip
Check the daily Currents newsletter which tells you everything you need to know about your destinations, including logistics, as well as onboard activities. It’s usually waiting for you when you get back to your stateroom after dinner and is an invaluable tool in planning your days. Also, make sure you read the shore excursions carefully before you decide to take one. Today we decided not to as they all left very early in the morning and involved spending a significant amount of time on a bus. Not that there’s anything wrong with any of those things, it just wasn’t what we wanted.
Day 10: Puntarenas, Costa Rica
After another day at sea we arrive early morning in Puntarenas. Costa Rica is one of Central America’s most visited international destinations with tourism as a main source of income. We dock right in town, so to speak, and it certainly doesn’t feel like a developed touristy sort of place. The town is small, rustic and simple with few shops and market stalls and some bars along the sea. We take a long walk to scope out the area and search for a pharmacy (which we found) and then sipped a chilled beer under the trees before hopping back on board for lunch on the terrace.
In the afternoon we disembarked again for what turned out to be the only shore excursion of our trip. We visited a local jaguar and macaw sanctuary where animals are brought for rehabilitation before being released into the wild. A short drive allowed us to view more of the beautiful countryside. It’s humid and lush and all the plants seem to be on steriods, they’re so ginormous. At the sanctuary we learn all about their work, marvel at all the colourful macaws and even see several magnificent jaguars.
Top Tip
Cruises are the absolutely best way to discover new countries without having to commit to a long holiday there. I take the opportunity to explore, and if I really love a place I put it down as somewhere to visit again for longer. It’s also great because if a stop is not particularly great you can get straight back on to your floating hotel and enjoy time there. While I am pleased I visited Costa Rica I was a little disappointed with Puntarenas and glad we went to the jaguar and macaw sanctuary. In retrospect, if I ever cruise here again (never say never), I would do one of the day-long excursions further into the jungle or into San Jose. Travelling is all a learning experience, after all.
Panama Canal Daylight Transit
After another day at sea – yes we are loving our sea days chilling aboard our beautiful ship – we are waking up to what we all agree afterwards is the highlight of the trip. It’s an early start as we approach the Panama Canal at sunrise – with the glitter of Panama City in the distance. There’s a buzz about the ship as everyone grabs their early morning coffee and decides where to watch our transit through the Panama Canal.
A brief history. The first effort to build the canal through Panama came from the French in 1880, but financial problems and tropical disease meant the initiative collapsed. Construction began again in earnest in 1904 under US control and workers excavated millions of cubic yards of earth, built massive locks, and created an artificial lake, Gatun Lake, to facilitate the canal’s operations. Completed in 1914, the Panama Canal transformed global trade by providing a direct maritime route between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, significantly reducing the travel time for ships. This magnificent feat of engineering was not achieved without cost, as over 25,000 people died during the construction.
Our transit took the whole day, one of the most beautiful and tranquil days I’ve ever spent. From the ingenuity of the operation of the locks and watching our ship move up and down by the force of the water to our long cruise through the middle along man-made Gatun Lake, it’s an experience that will stay with me forever. Gatun dazzles in shades of blue and green, with the sound of birdsong and mirror flat waters.
The locks are extremely tricky to negotiate as they are incredibly narrow. A pilot expert in this negotiation had to board Vista and take charge of the ship over our captain for the duration. He also talks us through the process, history and surroundings. His main job, though, is to ensure the ship doesn’t emerge from the other side with the shame of a ‘Panama Stripe’ – a dreaded scrape along the ship’s side which proves that the navigation has not gone as smoothly as it should! The next port of call, Cartagena, Colombia is known for its painters ready to quicky cover the evidence! I think it’s virtually impossible to get through totally unscathed and yes, Vista did sport its own little stripe by the time we emerged.
It’s hard to put this incredible experience into words. Perhaps this helps put it into perspective. As I was going up in the lift to bag a space on deck first thing that morning, I chatted to a lady who had transited the canal 15 times. And her husband had been up since before sunrise to watch the approach and make sure he didn’t miss a second. Yes, I did say 15 times, and I have a feeling that wouldn’t be their last. What a day for the memory banks.
Day 13: Cartagena, Colombia
So once we come out of the other end of the mind-blowing Panama Canal we reach the northern coast of Colombia and the city of Cartagena. My impression of Cartagena stems mainly from the 1984 movie Romancing the Stone starring Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas which was set in the cities and jungles of Colombia. And of course Narcos (though that’s not set in Cartagena at all) and other scary drug-cartel-related tales. Okay so it’s fair to say I had limited knowledge and somewhat inaccurate expectations but for me luckily a couple of friends had recently visited there so I got their advice. Always handy to ask people who’ve been before you.
Based on this and our usual discussions, we decided we would explore the Old Town and adjacent Getsemani areas under our own steam. Arrival in Cartagena is a fairly chaotic, while also beautiful experience. It’s got to be the best port welcome I’ve ever experienced with a small lake and jungle-like garden teeming with flamingos in shades of pink, tapirs, anteaters and, of course, the inevitable birdlife in all colours of the rainbow. As we come out the other side of this tropical oasis, we are greeted by beeping traffic and shouting taxi drivers. A somewhat shouty confrontation with several drivers and we eventually negotiate a price we think is fair and hop into a somewhat beaten up taxi to head into the old town.
Cartagena is vast and there’s so much to see…I always have to tell myself to calm down on these occasions and focus on a small area. Which is what we did. I fell in love with the city – could be the winner of favourite destination of the trip for me. We’d been warned that we would be constantly hassled and would find it exhausting but once the taxi-related shouting was over, our Cartagena odyssey was remarkably peaceful.
The city is a perfect mix of a colonial past and a contemporary spirit. The quaint Old Town is circled by centuries-old stone walls and the cobblestone streets are lined with an eclectic mix of bars and restaurants. Nearby Getsemani is packed with colourful street art and signage, trendy restaurants and bars and more unique shops. Now this is a city (and country) I’d love to return to.
On our return to the port we meandered through the market and then the flamingos to board our free shuttle bus back to the ship. Only to notice that we could see our ship just a five-minute walk away. So we walked back on board, full of the joys of a truly stunning Colombian city.
Top Tip
If you have a later arrival at a port, it’s fun to find a good spot near the front of the ship and watch your arrival and the docking process. It’s quite an impressive performance. Today we only arrived at 11.30am so we find a spot in Horizons and watch our approach to beautiful Cartagena.
Remember, calm negotiation is key. So when we were getting the price for a taxi we had to simply walk away from the first guy who seemed to just be shouting the same price louder and louder. We eventually found a great driver for a price we were happy with, though we could still hear our initial guy yelling, his price having dropped three times. It can be chaotic stepping into this kind of situation, so just stay calm and say no until you are happy.
And finally…George Town, Cayman Islands
After a day cruising the Caribbean Sea we arrive at our final stop, and our only one in the Caribbean, George Town in the Cayman Islands. Today we tender ashore in calm waters (do love a calm tender trip). The Cayman Islands was first sighted by European explorers on May 10 1503 when a chance wind blew Christopher Columbus’ship off course. These days the Cayman Islands are known as a sophisticated financial and business centre.
Grand Cayman is the home of George Town, the capital city, which boasts shiny shops (lots of diamonds twinkling temptingly here) and bars and restaurants. It’s also home to our friend Denise, who we went to school with in Zimbabwe and haven’t seen since those days. So we reconnect and she very kindly meets us at the port. We take a drive to the stunning Seven Mile Beach with sands stretching as far as the eye can see and watch a turtle being released back into the sea. It’s like it was organised just for us. Denise produces bubbles and beers and picnic chairs and we toast in the sunshine with our feet in the sand to the beautiful Caymans and rediscovered friendships. We visit a local restaurant on the sea to try their conch specialities and exotic cocktails before finishing with a bit of shopping. It is our last stop after all. And one made all the more special by Denise.
Sail away is at 4pm so we head straight for the Waves Bar at the top of the ship to toast our last sail away of this unforgettably magical trip. And yes, I did have tears in my eyes. It’s well-documented how much I hate leaving a cruise and that day was looming.
Those Dreamy Days at Sea
As luck would have it, although our ports of call were done, we still had one more glorious day at sea, cruising the Straits of Florida. We cruised past Cuba before heading out into the sea towards Miami. This voyage (partly due to itinerary changes) had a lot of days at sea (eight in total, including the Panama Canal Transit), so half of the 16-day voyage. That’s not a complaint. Days at sea are days to be treasured and there’s plenty to do and plenty of places to do nothing.
I went to educational talks in the Vista Lounge, took long walks along the sports deck, watched movies, chilled, and listened to the live band by the pool. Loved that band – they were called Sync Session and they came from the Philippines. I read books borrowed from the magnificent library, drank cocktails, and ate lunches with superb sea vistas. And just relaxed. You can’t not relax on board a luxury cruise ship where your every need is taken care of and the service is superb.
Don’t Cry on Disembarkation
The day has come and today we’re getting off our luxurious home-from-home in Miami, often referred to as the cruise capital of the world. It’s a huge cruise ship harbour and from our balcony, I can see several other ships in town.
It’s a hard thing getting off a cruise. And yes, I know that’s a stupidly spoilt thing to say. But I hate it, you feel (at least briefly) that something has been snatched away and your life will never be the same again. Of course, the feeling passes and soon you’re left with those fabulous memories.
And a desire to plan another cruise asap! Here’s a good place to start for some inspiration.
