2004 Panama Canal Saniago,Cabo, Aculpulco, Central America & Aruba

PANAMA CANAL ADVENTURE Legend of the Seas October 3- 20, 2004

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2

We left New Ulm with Irma and Mike for Minneapolis on Saturday night. Reservations had been made at the Baymont Inn for two rooms. The reasoning behind this two room arrangement is that we could park one car double time (two weeks instead of one). One room cost $94 (park & fly) and the other $64. We split the total cost between the four of us. Anita at the reception said we could park 18 days instead of just 14 at no extra cost. And all this included a nice breakfast with waffles.

We purchased the cruise portion of this trip on an earlybird special. I obtained airfare from Orbitz at $184 per person round trip via San Diago and Orlando. Good deals all around.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3

The hotel shuttle transported us from the Baymont (later changed to LaQuinta) to the airport at 7:15 am. We purchased airfare separately from the cruise line because we could get unbelievably low fares on our own

The American West flight 104 departed at 9:10am. It was a Boeing 737-300 that took 3 hr 22 min to cover 1299 miles. We arrived at LAS (Las Vegas) at 10:32 am. Our American West flight 738 departed Las Vegas at 11:42 am and took 1 hr 4 min for the 258 mile flight to San Diago,
We transferred to the ship via RCC 5 miles (15 minutes) to the pier. The Geberts,who arrived much earlier to visit their daughter Diane, would meet us on the ship. Registration did not take long because we and the McLeans had presented pre-boarding information via computer before we left home.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has always been the cruise line of choice for us. The Legend Of The Seas was used by RCL for this cruise because it size -- it could squeeze through the locks. Legend of the Seas boasts 70,000 tons of fun and adventure for up to 2,062 guests. One can relax in any one of six whirlpools, shop the many stores and boutiques, play a hand in the Casino Royale, and take in a phenomenal view atop the Observatory . The dinning room -Romeo and Juliet was on decks four and five. Deck five is actually a balcony accessed by an open stairway.


We signed up for early seating for the six of us, but there was apparently a mixup. With a little urging by Fred the dinning manager managed to find a table for us a that sat 10.

We were now together and joined by some friendly guests -- Betty, Carol, Art and Donna.

Betty Meddlebrooks 500 So. Willow Grain Valley, MO 64029  816-847-0496
Carol Stephenson 8885 W. 106th Terrace Overland Park, KS 66213  913-341-1479
Art and Donna Carlton 1404 N. Greenwich Rd Mulvane KS 67110

Our ship departed San Diego at 5 pm. Of course, there was the ubiquitous lifeboat drill whereby we donned life jackets and gathered at our designated station. AS we left the harbor passengers gathered on deck for the farewell festivities.

After we settled into our rooms and had dinner, then we took in the 7:15 pm Welcome Aboard Show in the Main Theatre.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 4

We spent the day at sea heading southward along the coast of Mexico. 

We played cards with the Geberts and made use of the exercise room. Mike and Irma had walking routines around the promenade deck.

At 4:45 pm we took part in the Captain’s Reception held in Anchor’s Aweigh Lounge. Music, little snacks and Champagne made for a pleasant evening.

After dinner the group was entertained by the 8:30 pm Production Showtime “Rhythm Nation”.




TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5

The Legend pulled into Cabo San Lucas at 9 am. This fabulous destination is located where the desert meets the sea at the tip of Baja, the world's longest peninsula.

"Los Arcos," the dramatic rock formations marking "Land's End," was a spectacular sight

8:30 pm Headliner Showtime with Mark Preston, former member of “ The Lettermens” and Vocal Group Hall of Fame Inductee














WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6

Today we were at sea. We played cribbage with the Geberts and explored the ship.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7

We reached legendary Acapulco, Mexico at 8:00 Am 

In the 16th century, Spanish explorers came across the Bay of Acapulco and were captivated by its naturally protected shores and beautiful surroundings. Today, Acapulco remains a stunning Mexican hideaway that caters to all the needs of the modern tourist. Acapulco is by far the largest, most opulent of all the resort cities in Mexico.

Our ship docked within the bay around Playa Tlocopanacha on the map above. All six of us took the City Tour and Cliff Divers Tour. The first site we came across was the 17th century Fuerte de San Diego (built to protect bay from pirates). On the photo below you can see the proximity of the dock to the star shaped fort.

From here we went to the Mirador Hotel viewing station for watching the La Quebrada divers plunge 148 feet into the Pacific. On the map above this site is the red dot furthest on the left. We entered the Mirador and were led to an overlook balcony situated for viewing the divers.

The hotel itself would probably rate two stars (out of five), but this great for observing the divers. Afterwards we meet the divers in the lounge area.

We drove southward around the Bay past famous residences of New Acapulco and out to a five star resort

... where walked around the grounds.

The Legend of the Seas departed the port around 6 pm as we were about to eat dinner. After dinner we experienced a wonderful “Mexican Folkloric Festival” at Show Time.

We had put in a pretty long day and retired early. The room Steward had our towels shaped like animals and left little packages of chocolate on our pillows.

Sleep came easy (easily).







FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8

Next port of call was Huatulco (pronounced who-tool-co), Mexico ) where we arrived around 10:00 am. Guidebook: Possibly one of the last undiscovered, truly luxurious spots on earth. We docked at Santa Cruz. A new full-service pier was under construction to handle the increasing influx of cruise ships to this scenic coastal region.

Bahias de Huatulco is located on the gorgeous coast of Oaxaca in Mexico. This region is beautiful and bursting with activity, and the bays of Huatulco encompass over thirty tropical beaches. The McLeans and Geberts signed up for shore excursions, which were a little pricy.

Fred and Annette made use of the Solarium.









With everybody back on board, the ship departed at 5 pm. 

Our 8:30 evening entertainment: Headliner Showtime with the “dangerous comedy” of Wilde & Haines

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9

At Sea - -

More cribbage with Geberts

Show time 8:30 with the music and comedy of Blair Shannon (pictured right with his daughter; his wife had died earlier of cancer).

Postscript:  On Thursday, January 19, 2006, Cincinnati based comedian Blair Shannon, 46, was awakened by a noise in his hotel room at the Best Western Carib Beach Resort located in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. When he got up from his bed, he was confronted by a burglar who demanded money. The burglar then shot Blair once in the abdomen, killing him. Mr. Shannon's girlfriend witnessed the shooting. The burglar immediately fled and is still at large. He has not been identified. Blair was in St. Thomas because he was performing on a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship.

After the show we went to the Atrium where Charles Brunner tried to break the Guinness Record for playing the piano for over 50 straight hours.

Brunner wrote later:  “I was planning to retire from R.C.I. until two years ago when I completed a new Guinness World Record which has totally changed my life. I went through something I would never have imagined before. Physically, mentally and emotionally. Believe it or not, during the 58 hours and 26 minutes I realized that I have some special power inside of me being able to achieve an extremely difficult record as it is.

And just a year later starting on October 9, 2005.... another world record......and well, the latest one in December, 2006, here in Trinidad and Tobago at the Hilton hotel.... the one finally made it to the book! Post script:  His new world record is 101 hours and 7 minutes.








SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10

The ship pulled into Puntarenus at 7 am before we had breakfast. The Holland American Vollendam, which seemed to be following us since we left San Diego, parked along side. We were docked at a long, long pier with a walking distance to the shore. We posed for pictures along the way.

We had decided to avoid the over-priced shore excursions offered by the cruise line, opting instead for on-pur-own exploration. When we reached the cab/van area where guides offered trips, we found a ten person van, a guide and a driver who offered a full six-hour tour for $20 a head if we had 8 people. Irma and Mike preferred to just walk around the immediate area so the 2 Wulffs and 2 Geberts needed to find four more companions. Fred approached four people who were investigating taxis and he told them they could get a better deal if they joined us. They did, and we were off on one of the best shore excursions I have ever taken

Our van headed off down the roadway through Puerto Caldera on the Gulf of Nicoya. The first stop was at an animal reserve with various birds and odd looking Coati (raccoons) with long snouts and tails.
These long-tailed members of the raccoon family have a highly developed sense of smell to localize their food which ranges from fruit to mice, tarantulas, lizards and whatever campers left unguarded. Coatis are even able to unscrew boxes or glasses.




From here we moved on down to a river that opened into the sea. On this side of the bridge was a restaurant where could obtain cold drinks. We then walked over the bridge, stopping along the way to observe crocodiles sunning themselves on the beach. We were told they liked it when dogs roamed the beaches.

Our next activity was driving along winding roads that took up into the mountain region through little villages toward San Jose.

As we neared the capitol city it began to rain. Our guide said it rains almost daily because of the high elevation. Although the rain did not let up we did visit the church service being held at Parroquia Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes

From this mountain village of Grecia we headed for Sarchi to see a coffee plantation and gift shop. In the courtyard fresh fruit was offered and we choose bananas because we felt they could be eaten safely. The gift shop had many beautifully decorated carts (see above photo). In the middle of the 19th century, when coffee was first being cultivated in the surrounding countryside, oxcarts provided the only method in which to transport the handpicked beans over the mountains and to the coast. In many cases, oxcarts where a family's only means of transportation, and at times even served as a status symbol. Thus, the tradition of painting and decorating the carts commenced in the early part of this century.

We now were ready for the return trip and headed for the famous Pan American Highway. This is the highway we would have taken on the way up if we had signed up for the cruise line tour. Not long after we entered this highway we pulled over for a visit to a Butterfly Garden and bird/snake house
At the end of the tour we paid our guide the agreed upon price (although we had to remind him of the negotiated discount) and presented an extra tip for the good service.

We rejoined Irma and Mike and proceeded to re-board the Legend of the Seas.

After the usual substantial dinner we attended Show Time 8:30 “Film to Footlights” starring the Royal Caribbean Singers & Dancers

MONDAY, OCTOBER 11

At sea and more cribbage. Marge recorded the results.

8:30 pm Show Time starring “Los Pampas Gauchos” -





TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12

This was the day for which we had been waiting Throughout the preceding days there had been informational session on the canal. We arrived earlier and were put in a holding pattern. The entire portion of the canal venture will take place during the daylight hours.

We witnessed an unbelievable sight as we became one of 12,000 vessels every year that pass through the narrow waterway known as the Panama Canal. Stretching from Panama City on the Pacific Coast to Colón on the Atlantic side, the Panama Canal remains to this day, one of the world's most significant waterways. 

This engineering marvel reverted to Panamanian control at the end of 1999, but it still draws crowds of passengers fascinated by its history and mechanics. Construction on the massive project to connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans began in 1904 and was completed 10 years and $387 million later. The passageway crosses the huge, man-made Gatun Lake and the amazing Gaillard Cut, blasted out of solid mountainside. Six immense locks raise your ship from sea level up to 85 feet, then gently lower it --sometimes with only inches to spare on either side.

When it came time to transit the canal, passengers poured out onto the decks to watch, and a canal historian boards the ship to explain the workings of the locks and point out sights along the way. Our ship is one of the largest to transit the canal. At some points there is only 6 inches between the ship and the locks. Gatun Lake was once the largest made-made fresh water lake in the world.

We made it through the canal and reached Cristobal Pier, Panama by 6:00 pm. The cruise line gave us until 11:00 pm to visit.

The Geberts and the Wulffs went ashore and were treated to Panamanian music and folk dances by costumed dancers.

Shops offered all kinds of crafts from Panama, Columbia and Peru.

One of the busiest stalls was one operated by topless rain forest Indians with interesting tattoos.











WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13

At Sea Cribbage Socializing

Celebrity Show Time at 8:30 pm featured the voice of the #1 single “Since I fell for you,” entertainer Lenny Welch

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14

The Legend of the Seas arrived at Oranjestad, Aruba at 8 am, On the map at the right this capitol city is located at the lower side of the country and towards the upper center

History of Aruba:Starting with the arrival of explorer Alonzo de Ojeda in 1499, Spain claimed Aruba but did little to cultivate it, deciding the island lacked attractive resources. After a long war with the Netherlands, Spain relinquished Aruba to the Dutch in 1642. Dutch and indigenous cultures have combined to give Aruba its unique atmosphere.


Aruba is an island of contrasting terrain, from its white-sand shoreline to its cactus-dotted interior. The charming Dutch island is known for its superior snorkeling and duty-free shopping. The language spoken here is Dutch and the currency is the gilder; however US dollars were accepted everywhere.

We all took a tour of the interior of the island with its fabulous destination known as Arikok National Park. Covering nearly 20 percent of Aruba, the park is a desert ecological preserve, featuring wonderful hiking trails, migratory birds nests, Indian art and artifacts, and wild goats and donkeys. A true Desert in the Caribbean, Arikok is a great place to spend the day in Aruba.

The tour bus stopped by a business that promoted products made from aloe. First planted on Aruba in 1850, aloe thrived in its desert conditions. With a healthy demand for aloe products, it became an important part of Aruba's economy. In fact, for many years, the country was aloe's top exporter.

But over the years, many aloe fields were replaced by buildings, diminishing its production. Exports declined.

The oldest company on the island, Aruba Aloe, has recently instituted changes in the hopes of becoming Aruba's leading product manufacturer.
They built a new, modern facility, an aloe museum, and designed new packaging. Although most of their product line sells in the national market, a 2005 exporting deal with a U.S. company and sales through their website have increased their international market.

On the other (northern) side of the island Venezuela was visible because it was only fifteen miles away. Our driver made a pit stop so we could stretch. Here it was possible to sample Aruba mini-size bottles of beer. Other sites of interest included gold mine ruins and a natural bridge. The bridge was still standing strong while we were there, but the following year (2005) it collapsed. To the right are photos taken after the collapse.

We arrived back on ship in time for dinner. At 9:30 pm we watched the Love and Marriage game show.



Show Time was on by 10:30 pm featuring The Comedy of Kelly McDonald. Kelly McDonald is a performer who personifies "classy" humor. In a business filled with "shock comics" who rely on material of questionable taste, Kelly remains a refreshing exception. He proves it's possible to create humor without taking cheap shots for easy laughs.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15

The Legend of the Seas departed Aruba at the wee hour of the morning -- 1 am. We spent the morning and the day at sea. Naturally we played cribbage.

After dinner we attended 8:30 pm Celebrity Showtime starring international recording artists The Happenings singing their hit song “See You In September.” The band still exists and continues to perform with lead singer Miranda as the only remaining original member.

Then at 11:10 pm Headliner Showtime: “Hungarian Rhapsody in Blue” starring Charles Brunner. He had by now recovered from his his exhaustive marathon music competition.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16 .... AT SEA

More cribbage...
4:00 pm we watched the Guest Talent Show
5:30 pm we ate The Last Supper with Stan (our waiter) the Bulgarian
Tip vouchers were distributed; and the staff gathered in the dinning hall.

8:30 pm Farewell Show with RCC Family of entertainers including the traditional comedy skit “If I Were Not Upon the Sea”.

We placed our large luggage outside the cabin door with the color coded labels attached.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17

Our ship docked in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 8:30 am. We packed our “carry-on” luggage -- including RCC shoulder carry-ons that we had won (first place) with our skill from the Liars competition. 

When we left the ship the Geberts grabbed a taxi to the Fort Lauderdale airport while the McLeans and Wulff took a van ($6 a head) to the Alamo car rental agency. We could have saved this fare by using the Alamo shuttle service. Our plans included a stay in Florida to visit friends in Florida.

To have more luggage space, we upgraded from a reserved mid-size Pontiac Grand Am to a nice white Caddie.

After a drive across Florida (and a stop at Sonny’s) we arrived at Land O Lakes (just above Tampa) for a visit with the Anderson's. Nice visit with old friends for two nights.

Then we headed to Orlando for a night at the comfortable Clarion Hotel on McCoy Road (total cost for 2 rooms was $151.56).

On Wednesday, October 20th, we had a nice complimentary breakfast at the Clarion and dropped off the car at the airport. Alamo car rental agent tried to overcharge us, but after a brief discussion they reverted back to the charge as agreed upon.

We took Midwest Airlines 891 departing at 11:45 am
Arrived: 1:30 pm Milwaukee General Mitchell (MKE)
McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (M82) 2 hr 45 min
Midwest Airlines 2016 departed 4:20 pm from Milwaukee (MKE)
We arrived 5:40 pm at Minneapolis, MN
Fairchild 328 (FRJ) | Snack | 1 hr 20 min | 297 miles

We summoned the shuttle bus from Baymont Inn and were transported to our parked Mercury van.
Irma and Mike treated the Wulffs for dinner at Dennys in exchange for gasoline costs. We drove home to New Ulm.

GREAT TRIP IN EVERY ASPECT !