A Panama Canal cruise has always been on my bucket list, if it’s on your list just book it, you will not be disappointed, I can say we will definitely do this cruise again, was tentative at first about our port of calls but we enjoyed every one of them, I knew New Orleans would be a highlight and was not disappointed.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Due to the high amount of platinum & diamond cruisers, there was no priority boarding, took only 15 mins to board, very quick and smooth
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Had the early dinning time (5:30) at the MDR, food was consistently very good, Lido for breakfast & lunch was decent
Our MDR crew of Kadek, Pande & Vasha were absolutely fantastic, took care of us all cruise, we left them each a large cash tip on the last elegant night, they deserved it
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Activities were not crowded during the cruise, enjoyed the pools, hot tubs (could be hotter), fitness center. The actual Panama Canal Transit was crowded early in the morning but the crowds thinned out as it got closer to lunch
Entertainment
5 out of 5
My wife & I went to all the shows in the main theatre, had a great time, the playlist cast went out of their way to mix with the cruisers including taking photos with anyone that asked, this was the best interaction I have ever seen on all my Carnival cruises, direct reflection on the Spirit’s Senior Management, the comedian / magician Cody Fisher was great, really entertaining, there is a reason he is one of Carnival’s most popular act
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our MDR crew was fantastic, our room Steward Oka and his assistant Art took great care of us throughout our cruise, room was always great including our laundry service, always in a great mood and smiling, staff throughout the cruise was always smiling and greeting you as they saw you, had the best coffee barista ever with Kenette, always in a cheerful mood and knew your name and favourite beverage, she sang the last song on the Crew Talent night and she was fantastic, look for her on your future Carnival cruises
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
This was our 3rd time on the Spirit, like the smaller ships as there are less people and really no crazy lineups, ship was clean and staff where always keeping it neat and clean
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Had an inside stateroom, lots of room for just the 2 of us, everything worked, had no issues at all
Ship tip
Do your research and book your excursions, we did one at every port of call and loved each one, the service we received was fantastic, encourage all future cruisers to show your appreciation and tip extra, they really go out of their way to make your cruise a memorable experience
Took a sightseeing excursion that included seeing the Lands End (Arches) by boat, time at a beach side resort that provided great service with beverages and lunch, the beach area was cordoned off to keep the vendors away, if you want anything you had to go to them outside the roped off area, the time allocated for shopping was to short and really was way too hot to walk around in the heat so you really didn’t miss anything
Spent a full week in New Orleans after the cruise, our 1st time there, had a fantastic time, sightseeing, awesome dining experiences, great party atmosphere in the French Quarter, will definitely be back
Love the Port of Seattle, great seafood restaurants around Pike Market, despite what others say Seattle is very safe for tourists, lots of police and security are seen around the tourist areas
Need to spend more time here, did a highlight bus tour, so much history, the old city was amazing, our tour did not actually get to go into the old fort, that was disappointing, I will make sure I get there next time I do the Panama Cruise again
Spent all morning at the very front of the ship and took lots of photos, a bucket list sightseeing opportunity, amazing,
Highly recommend seeing the full Panama Canal transit from the Pacific to Atlantic (or from reverse)
We are never in a rush to get off the ship, have always grabbed a late zone, when it was finally called the mad rush to disembark is all done and we strolled right through, no issues even on the elevator, luggage was waiting in our zone pickup, US Customs was very straightforward
I was onboard as well. Was my birthday the day of the Canal Transit. Wasn’t feeling the best but somehow managed to make it to the Steakhouse for dinner.
I did the same tour in Puntarenas and enjoyed it. The low clouds and rain coming back made it even beautiful.
I did the full transit last year (Pacific to Atlantic) through the 2016 Locks. I was hoping for the Original Locks, but the Bliss was NOT small enough for that. It was a great experience, and we had a guy give us the history during the transit. I didn't know there were three Bridges.
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