Panama Canal - Deja Vu

9-11 November, 2023

Serenade model

Our first port of call, Cozumel, was one we've visited at least a dozen times before. Given the length of the cruise before us, and our familiarity with the port, we didn't have any grand plans for shopping (not that we ever do) and we've pretty much run the gambit on offered shore excursions. There were a couple of specific t-shirts we wanted to procure, but that was all we were interested in. With so many new places to visit we didn't want to consume our "cargo space" in places that are so (relatively) easy to visit. I made a quick run to the stores in Cozumel, but came up empty and retreated to the ship to salve my failure with a fruity beverage or two. The ship was mostly empty, making it easy to claim a prime seat in the Viking Crown. We enjoyed the panoramic view, plentiful air conditioning, and beverages, as we listened to our respective playlists and read our books. Dinner was in Chops - and not to sound like a broken record, but it was solid, as usual. I almost always get the large filet - cooked rare. (By "almost always" I mean I've ordered something different about two times over the years.) I could almost cut it with a spoon, which is my usual test for tenderness. Service was top-notch, as it nearly always is.

I'm on a smaller boat!

The next morning, after another satisfying breakfast in the main dining room, I hopped a tender from the ship to the passenger terminal in Georgetown, Grand Cayman. There are no piers in Grand Cayman for cruise ships, so they each claim an anchorage spot in the harbor and tenders (think water bus) shuttle passengers back and forth to one of the terminals. In general terms the harbor serves a maximum of four ships per day, but in the event of something out of the ordinary (weather event, unrest, damage to facilities at another port) they may squeeze in more. As a cruise passenger I don't recall ever seeing more than two other ships, but I have seen as many as four ships when vacationing on Grand Cayman. A few live-aboard dive boats operate from Georgetown, but their impact is negligible when compared to a modern cruise ship. It was quite warm in the sun, but the breeze and shade made the short (5 minute) transit from ship to pier quite pleasant. Once ashore I made my way to the DelSol kiosk and picked up a color-change t-shirt for our grandson. I offer the observation that their selection was exceptionally slim as compared to all our previous DelSol shopping experiences. I don't know if this is a side-effect of the COVID fallout or just an indication that their product line is no longer as popular as it once was. 

Cayman Chicken

After I completed my business at DelSol I dodged a few of the local chickens and made my way to the Piraña Joe shop. In all my visits to Grand Cayman I can't say that I've ever encountered free-range livestock, much less in a bank parking lot - but there they were, a few hens with an assortment of chicks! I've been shopping in Piraña Joe stores for almost 30 years, and the first t-shirt I ever purchased is still quite wearable, just a bit faded. I browsed through their newest designs and found one to my liking. (I tend to lean heavily towards those that feature SCUBA diving in some  form or fashion.) A quick walk back to the terminal and I found myself waiting in the sun for my return tender. When it arrived I found a shady spot, which was quite comfortable, and I was back at my seat in the Solarium in no time, fruity drink in-hand!

Our sea day broke with weather a bit on the "nautical" side of the chart, which is to say we had wind, rain, and some decently sporty seas. Many of our fellow passengers were less than comfortable with the pitching and rolling, which ultimately meant that we enjoyed quicker service in the dining room and at the bars.

Emesis bag dispenser

Late in the morning, when we were enjoying the Schooner Bar, our Lady of Emesis was standing at the ready for anyone who felt the sudden onset of nausea. I've often seen emesis bags scattered around ships in the event of rough seas, mostly around the stairwells and near elevators. Having the figurehead in the Schooner Bar serve as a dispenser was quite humorous.

That evening we had dinner at Giovanni's Table. Based on the low density of diners I suspect that many people abandoned their reservations due to the sea conditions. The video included below gives a pretty clear illustration of the amount of motion being transmitted to deck 6. Our dinner was spot-on and the servings were generous beyond the norm, to the point that neither of us could finish our entrees. After dinner we moved out to the adjacent Schooner Bar and enjoyed the piano player for a while before heading back to our cabin, where the seas rocked us gently to sleep.