OUR FIRST PANAMA CANAL CRUISE! Holland America Rotterdam First Impressions and Q & A

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7 ай бұрын

Civil unrest & protests! What is going on with cruises sailing to the Panama Canal? We're onboard Holland America Rotterdam cruise ship for our first Panama Canal cruise. However, things didn't exactly go as planned...
In this cruise vlog, I share information about the Panama cruise ports, itinerary changes & how our cruise has been impacted by the situation in the region. You'll find our first hand how cruise lines are dealing with the Panama Canal itinerary, any potential cancellations and changes to cruises.
I also go over info & cruise tips you need to know if you're going on a Holland America cruise. You'll find out about cruise food, as well as other Holland America cruise tips. In particular, we're talking about HAL Rotterdam, However there are similarities to HAL Nieuw Statendam and Koningsdam.
This cruise news will help you to stay informed about this popular cruise itinerary. If you're doing a Panama Canal partial transit, this is how Panama protests 2023 are impacting.
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ABOUT ME
Hi! I'm Ilana! I live in Montreal, Canada with my husband Frank. We can often be found dreaming about and planning future cruises, ideally to hot and sunny destinations! I believe in having fun, being kind and that you are never too old, or too young, to live the life of your dreams!
Please note that I do not sell cruises on Life Well Cruised. This and all other videos are for entertainment purposes only. I share my own opinions, personal experiences and information with other cruise travellers, which I hope can be helpful. Please contact your travel agent or the cruise line directly for advice and any information specific to your booking.
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Пікірлер: 331

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

Planning a cruise? Get The Ultimate Cruise Planner. It's a 47 page cruise travel planner with packing checklists, shore excursion planning forms and much more! ($10 off for a limted time). Details here: lifewellcruised.com/ultimate-cruise-planner/

@salut510 7 ай бұрын

As someone from Panama Im glad you enjoyed your experience. We are fighting against corruption at the moment (mining contract that does not benefit us at all) but soon enough we will continue to welcome tourists normally. Cheers, I love your channel. Gracias ❤

@willgaukler8979 7 ай бұрын

... this too shall pass ... until we meet again ...

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

I really appreciate hearing from you & your experience in Panama at the moment

@rossfortini1856 7 ай бұрын

Ilana, I hope this is taken in the right way, but you look like a *completely* different person when you are on a ship! My point is, you are clearly doing what you were meant to do, and you are a natural at educating us all to get the best out of our cruises. Thanks for your helpful, informative content!

@juliatarrel1674 7 ай бұрын

Ross is right: happiness shows in subtle expressions of face and voice, and you're happy on ships.

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

That’s super kind of you! It’s definitely relaxing/enjoyable on a cruise :)

@dorothywillis1 7 ай бұрын

I commented on our trip through the Panama Canal in 2003 under another video, but I want to add that I am glad we went through the original locks. My husband, who is interested in history, was thrilled to see how they worked and see how well they worked after all the years.

@icypeanutpolo 7 ай бұрын

I just finished a 14 day Panama Canal cruise on Royal Caribbean, I flew home Tuesday, and I’m writing this the following day. I found the canal itself to be very interesting, but I can see why some people would not find it to be to their liking. If you only look at the canal itself, it’s not especially exciting. Things happen, but it’s all very slow, and if you had the idea that things moved faster, you’ll inevitably be disappointed. On the other hand, if you take the time to read up on the canal ahead of time, or if you have a good “port” speaker, you’ll get a lot of the background information that’s hidden behind the scenes. An in-depth explanation of exactly how the canals work, how they were constructed in the first place, and what they mean for the whole worlds economy should easily take 3 hours, more depending on how in depth you want to get, and that should get you through the first set of locks. I want to stress that I did not personally get any of that experience, because the husband/wife duo that were our port experts really didn’t do a great job (though the husband seemed like a history buff, the wife was basically just reading off a script and would really have benefitted from a public speaking course). Anyways, I digress. I think this is a remarkable trip, and while I don’t feel the need to do it again any time soon, I could see going again someday if the stars aligned just right. It’s as interesting as you make it, and I think you can make it a VERY interesting experience :)

@Binga7686 7 ай бұрын

I found the experience very intriguing especially knowing the blood sweat and tears of my ancestors who helped to build the canal and the mechanics of it. I wanted to see it as tribute to my father’s family who survived all kinds of physical and mental challenges during the canals construction. I agree you have to do some research before visiting all ports on a cruise to learn how others survive the impact countries like USA, Spain, France and England had on the natives and the islands resources. There are so many things to learn.

@DLiz2010 7 ай бұрын

My husband and I took a 21 day, full transit of the Panama Canal on the NCL Gem in January 2020 that started in San Francisco and ended in New York City. We were off the coast of Mexico while the mama whales were wintering with their babies. The snorkeling in both oceans was wonderful. The night before we entered the canal, I went out on the balcony and saw what looked like a parking lot of ships with lights on waiting for their turn the next day. The canal itself was an amazing feat of construction. This was definitely the best cruise I've taken. I appreciated it even more when I turned on the television for the first time while I was packing the day before we arrived home on Valentines' Day only to hear about a ship near Japan that was not being allowed to dock there because of sick passengers onboard. A month later, New York City shut down as well. The memories of this special cruise helped me get through the next 2 years of staying home and waiting for the pandemic to get under control.

@Judythe1 2 ай бұрын

We are going through the Panama Canal from and back to Miami in November 2024. Very excited about it. We have our own locks in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan but it will great to see them on a grander scale. Thanks for the video. I always enjoy what you share.

@jetstreek17 7 ай бұрын

All part of the adventure. Just being on a cruise is so perfect, and peaceful. Love this vlog.

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

It really is! Thanks for watching 😊

@willgaukler8979 7 ай бұрын

Travel = Adventure

@user-qi3yj6rq4e Ай бұрын

Going on a 14day cruise in January 2025 partially thru the canal, can’t wait thank you

@siabhann.wardw.6570 7 ай бұрын

I am from Panama and yeah getting off the cruise on Colon will be difficult at this very moment. Very thoughtful of the cruise to put in place a plan B for all guests. I hope you enjoyed the transit through the Canal!!

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing this, especially from the perspective of someone from Panama :)

@willgaukler8979 7 ай бұрын

...this is one of those reasons not to be wearing anything " camo "better to just wear red or blue shorts ... some smaller countries may relate " camouflaged garments of any type to be associated with the Military ... you look good in blue ...

@user-ml9uf5te9n 7 ай бұрын

We are going on a 14 day cruise through the Pamana Canal on Dec 23, 2023.

@sunseekermama 7 ай бұрын

We've done the Panama Canal cruise twice now and absolutely loved it! Hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise Ilana.

@willgaukler8979 7 ай бұрын

... older now myself but this sounds like the answer to my bucket list ...why not ? No real crowds and finer service and food ... question on room service and fees ... as I tend to use it ...

@billybenson3834 7 ай бұрын

The whole history and the building of the canal & locks is pretty amazing.

@prabjotgill7291 7 ай бұрын

Panama Canal cruise definitely on my bucket list

@jimescobar1127 4 ай бұрын

My wife and I did the Panama Canal on Princess, and we also had to stay on board due to the miners strike. This did not diminished the canal experience at all. We walked around the whole ship to get different perspectives and sights during the transit, as well as from our balcony.

@thomaseberle2818 7 ай бұрын

Looks like you got some sun! We loved this trip and HAL generally. Great service and food.

@teresaschiltz2905 7 ай бұрын

I am so glad to see that HAL surprised you in a positive way. It has been our experience that their food is exceptional. Enjoy. Following along.

@BeefromSC 7 ай бұрын

Wow, 12 days and half way through, so excited for you! Thanks for sharing 🛳🛳

@pataugustusgilbert6155 7 ай бұрын

My husband & I will be cruising the Panama the first week in December. I'm looking forward to it. We have been cruising on Holland American since the 70's. Thanks for the review.

@camilledextraze7104 7 ай бұрын

About 5 years ago, we were on a HAL cruise through the first lock then people were dropped off in Gatun Lake to de a “from sea to sea” excursion. The ship waited for these passengers at a nearby town who were supposed to return before 5pm. Well, their excursion didn’t go as planned. Every imaginable misfortune happened to them. At the pick-up hour, the Captain announced that we would wait for them a bit longer! Since this was an excursion sponsored by HAL, the crew exactly what was going on with the passengers. Finally, they returned to the ship at close to 11 pm. The kitchen staff had kept the Lido open for the passengers and we went on our way! Thank you HAL for taking care of your passengers!

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

Wow!! What an ordeal but thankfully it ended well

@kathrynblack9152 7 ай бұрын

As a retired engineer, I find the Canal absolutely fascinating. The towing engines are especially interesting. My husband and I are booked on Oceania in January for a Canal cruise (Miami to Panama City). Looking forward to it and hope things are quieter then.

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

I’m sure it must be! Your cruise sounds great

@davidszakacs6888 7 ай бұрын

The engines do not tow the ships. They only keep the ships centered in the canal.

@kathrynblack9152 7 ай бұрын

@@davidszakacs6888 Okay, it's still really interesting.

@willgaukler8979 7 ай бұрын

the more history about the Canal ...the more understanding of the time it took ... and way it was made can only add to the enjoyment you both are due BONVOYAGE ... Ain't retirement grand ...

@jeffreyblanding2623 7 ай бұрын

We are going on this cruise, our first with Holland, mid-january, with another couple. Looking forward to more information from you ...

@sherholubowich9627 7 ай бұрын

We were at the Panama Canal the same time as you. It was so disappointing that we could not disembark as we had a full day excursion booked that I was looking forward to. But at the end of the day we made the best of it!

@davidszakacs6888 7 ай бұрын

I tend to agree with you. The canal is a bit boring but it’s a bucket list sort of thing.

@MikeMiasuki-vy3xx 7 ай бұрын

Thank you for another great video. You always tell it like it is and for that alone, I thanks. Please be careful.

@janlabbate3277 7 ай бұрын

We leave tomorrow for a Disney Panama Canal cruise and I’m so looking forward to it. My husband has looked forward to it and read all about the history and we definitely want to relax!

@MrKn1214 7 ай бұрын

It’s so good to know that your Panama Canal cruising went well without any low water level issues due to the drought , since we are going there in few days onboard of NCL’s 15 days journey all the way from Miami to LA. Really can’t wait to enjoy the FULL TRANSIT of the canal.😅

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

Have an amazing time! I’m sure the full transit is going to be great

@janetkubas-furnish9253 7 ай бұрын

We r going in January through the Panama Canal as well on NCL. I can’t wait.

@MrKn1214 7 ай бұрын

@@janetkubas-furnish9253 Good choice !! I believe NCL currently has one of the best prices for Panama Canal cruises ☺️👍

@MrKn1214 7 ай бұрын

@@LifeWellCruised Thank you ! Looking forward to watching your visit to Port of Limón, Costa Rica~ my second homeland, also the happiest country on earth. Hope you like it !😎😊

@ChiChi-ic6ye 7 ай бұрын

We will be on the same NCL cruise too! Any news if they cancel the Acapulco port due to hurricane?

@troytravels 7 ай бұрын

Going on the Rotterdam in Feb! Cannot wait. This was super helpful. Looking forward to the next videos!

@peggy2429 7 ай бұрын

I loved our Panama cruise. We went on Holland America as well. It was Statendam in 2015. One of my favourite cruises. Didn’t find the locks boring at all, was quite interesting.

@thiennganielson1588 7 ай бұрын

Looking forward to hear about your cruise port excursions! Thank you!

@Ccdurko 7 ай бұрын

You look fabulous and I love that you are filming from the ship! Great video. I hope y'all have fun in Costa Rico!

@burningisis 7 ай бұрын

I'll be doing the Panama Canal at the end of February on Princess. I'm super excited to go, the Panama Canal and its history has always fascinated me so I'm really looking forward to it. Definitely a little concerned about missing my excursion due to the civil unrest there, but, the big thing for me is the transit itself.

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

I agree. It’s the reason for most people who are doing the cruise

@jennifergieszl7139 7 ай бұрын

We had an aft veranda on our HAL Panama Canal cruise, deck 5. Perfect! We could watch the locks up close and personal.

@jeanettereilly4040 7 ай бұрын

We’re off on a World Cruise next year and Panama Canal is something we’re quite excited about. We’ll look forward to your continued vlog to , as usual , guide us on our way. Very appreciative of your work. Always learn something or just enjoy being entertained by you.

@KathyInTheKitchen 7 ай бұрын

We will be on this same cruise and ship in January so I really appreciated your post and am looking forward to your future videos about your Rotterdam experience.

@arl4945 7 ай бұрын

I'm on this cruise this winter, my concern is what I have been hearing about the drought. Looks like you are having a fabulous time! Thank you for these videos :)

@tiffanyh.3348 7 ай бұрын

Thank you for your informative videos! I will be cruising with my family and friends on the Ruby Princess through the Panama Canal on Christmas. Looking forward to the experience!

@Honolulu-Blue 7 ай бұрын

I'm glad you're enjoying the cruise so far. I will be going on a cruise that's going to Colon, Panama in January. I haven't heard of any recent changes to the itinerary, but I'm on alert.

@chuckmeadows1581 7 ай бұрын

The Rotterdam is a magnificent ship!! I sailed on her last Thanksgiving (2022), and was thoroughly impressed with the entire experience. HAL is a world-class operation and I highly recommend the line to all cruisers. Great video, by the way!

@karla5845 7 ай бұрын

I am going on the same cruise next month. Thanks for another great video.

@LoreeVanderWerf-si8sn 7 ай бұрын

Going on an 18 day Panama Canal cruise, in April. Super excited!

@leem153 7 ай бұрын

Been on many cruises and Panama was one of my favorites amazing engineering and god bless all Those who were apart of that.

@carriecadieux7745 7 ай бұрын

I love watching your channel. Thank you so much for giving us tips and reviews. We are going on a 15 day Panama Canal cruise with Princess in February. Please tell us all about the ports you visit especially Costa Rica ! It’s on my bucket list. Hope you’re having fun and look forward to your review!🤗🇨🇦

@michaeltoma1023 7 ай бұрын

Awesome update. I am on the Ruby Princess sailing over Christmas holiday next month. Actually go thru the locks on Christmas morning. Bucket list for us. Even more exited now!

@05181959 7 ай бұрын

Hi Ilana! My wife Sandy, daughter Clara Grace, and I are thankful to you for putting together your Ultimate Cruise Planner. We used it a year ago when we cruised on the Zuederdam for a 7 day Caribbean Christmas Cruise. While we were well prepared with most items we needed for our vacation, the cruise ship was far under par. We were a bit disappointed in the lack of interesting activities. But our biggest dissatisfaction was with the quality of the food. We have previously cruised on Princess and numerous sailings on Carnival. The food on both those cruise lines was far superior to that of Holland America. We do not plan on cruising with them again until we hear that their standards match those of other lines. Oh, and by the way, we really enjoy your videos. Quite often, I will go to your channel and click "Play All" while I am doing work around the house. We also appreciate all the research you have done on the many items we all need (or just want) for a more enjoyable cruise. . Again, Thank You !!! Jeff, Sandy & Clara Grace . P.S. This year, we will be on a Christmas cruise aboard the Ruby Princess for a 10-day sailing, including a partial transit of the Panama Canal. Hopefully, the civil unrest will subside by then. Happy Sailing !!! 😀

@wtaffle 7 ай бұрын

Quite looking forward to hearing your trip review. We are taking my 81 year old mom on Rotterdam on December 15! I used to think that HAL was for older people...but ive changed my thinking. I think HAL is for those people who loke a more traditional cruise without the waterslides, go karts and such. I know we like the more laid back vibe on HAL!

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

That’s a great point. Enjoy!

@astridmann3592 7 ай бұрын

Have fun and happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. God bless.

@janismccabe3622 7 ай бұрын

We did a back-to-back Panama Canal a few years ago. We loved it!

@juliemkphotography9279 7 ай бұрын

Ilana, thank you for showing this to us. My husband was stationed at Ft Clayton in Panama and we used to love seeing the cruise ships pass by. From our view it looked like they were cutting through the mountains.We had a wonderful time seeing all of Panama while living there. I am looking forward to taking a cruise through the Panama Canal at some point.

@rickk6700 7 ай бұрын

Thanks for the pictures of the Canal. Brings back great memories from our Canal cruse exactly a year ago. We were on the Celebrity Ege and in the Retreat class so on o 10:35 ur way back out spent time there which was deck 14 or 15 at the bow. Got great pictures for sure. We also had breakfast on our balcony ascwe were going in. Enjoy the remainder of your cruise Ilana!!

@michellewilson6137 7 ай бұрын

We just got off the Carnival Conquest on November 19th. Our Panama Canal stop was cancelled due to the Civil Unrest. This was quite the adventure 2 medical emergencies and we arrived to Miami 4 hours late and missed our flight home. Carnival honestly did their best but wowsers what an adventure with lots of lessons learned

@tduck828 7 ай бұрын

Oh wow!

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

Oh my!! Thanks for sharing

@momsstuff9386 7 ай бұрын

We were on that cruise as well......we also missed our flight home, we arrived at the airport at 4:30 and our flight left at 4:15.....overall we had a great time on the cruise and while we missed going to the Panama Canal we still had a great adventure. Carnival very quickly gave us our port fees, charges, etc back very quickly for the missed stop.

@cicelylocks4579 7 ай бұрын

I was on that Carnival cruise as well. It's interesting to see how other lines handled the cancelation. My prayers go out to those involved in the 2 medical emergencies. 🙏🏾

@sandiarms4719 7 ай бұрын

I’m going on that same cruise in February. Thanks for the info

@sheilagraves7638 7 ай бұрын

On January 4th, we will be heading on a 80 day cruise with Seabourne, We will be circumnavigating South America, with stops at Antarctica, The Falkland and South Georgian Islands, and the Amazon. We are looking forward to our trip through the Panama Canal, and hope everything has settled down by then, and we are able to go on our planned excursions. We haven't sailed with Holland America yet, but it looks lovely, I hope the rest of you cruise went by without any unexcepted interruptions.

@danm6695 7 ай бұрын

Had to watch this twice. I was fixated on watching the background rise while the ship descended in the lock. 😃

@crazy4dariver 7 ай бұрын

There is nothing as beautiful as losing track of what day you are on because you have more

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

So true

@willoughby2010 7 ай бұрын

I was on this cruise with family (including 93 yo MIL) and friends. At 63 yo, I felt like a baby compared to most passengers. It was very relaxing and service from cabin stewards and MDR servers was wonderful. We had a great trip ❤

@TheDennisTodd 7 ай бұрын

We are sailing on the Dec 3rd departure. We appreciate the information on the changes. Now we won't be blindsided on the cruise.

@tomlane2390 7 ай бұрын

Just on the bucket list for now

@ladydi8376 7 ай бұрын

I did 15 day on NCL Joy in Feb/Mar this year. Instead of going out on deck, I stayed in my balcony cabin and enjoyed the transit. The cruise TV channel had the view from the front and all the announcements, so I missed nothing. This was a full transit and was beautiful.

@marilynnkadan7948 7 ай бұрын

I had planned Panama canal cruise 2020, we know what happened. Now sail Feb2024 21dy , i have read Panama history! I sail HAL Rotterdam 29th Dec! Glad i saw this video. Tks

@lindadunham286 7 ай бұрын

We will be doing the full transit from Miami to LA in April 2024 on the NCL Encore.

@jlawrence0181 7 ай бұрын

We want to eventually book a Los Angeles - Fort Lauderdale Panama Canal Cruise. Once we get over a couple of medical issues, we will do it. HAL is an older line but not as old as some people believe. We really enjoy the entertainment more than anything else. The food and service is also very good.

@akaurora1 7 ай бұрын

Sixty years ago, I took a cruise on P&O Oriana through the Panama Canal. At that time we were the largest ship to make the transit. It was a very special day for me and all my friends. Our trip was from Southhampton via Bermuda, Port Everglades, the Canal to Long Beach.

@hettytravels 7 ай бұрын

You are on my favorite Holland America line ship. I celebrated the 150th anniversary on her last October. I’m so pleased that you’ve been enjoying your cruise and it’s absolutely no surprise to me that the crew were able to compensate you with some free drinks. Holland America is the best! I’ll be on the Nieuw Amsterdam next month for a Christmas cruise in the Caribbean. I hope the rest of your cruise goes as well as it has so far.

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

I can see why it’s your favorite!!

@user-yd6ms9id4k 7 ай бұрын

My wife and I are on the December 3 sailing of the Rotterdam 12 day cruise including the Panama Canal. Keeping a close eye on your news as you complete your cruise. Hoping for the best for you!

@user-uf5nv4zh4n 4 ай бұрын

We cruised on the NCL Viva this past September in Europe & it was Amazing!!!!!!

@kellyporter905 7 ай бұрын

We had booked 21 day Panama Canal cruise for March 24 on the Rotterdam. We cruised Norway this past July on the Rotterdam and loved it! But in August they had dropped our stop in Bonaire. Then later in August we were told our ship had been denied access through the canal. We canceled.

@Friendswoodhappenings 7 ай бұрын

We are doing this same cruise on the Rotterdam departing Dec. 3! I love HAL and look forward to being on Rotterdam for the first time.

@gerrydearing1401 7 ай бұрын

We are considering a Panama Canal cruise and trying Holland America. Perhaps this is the one to try next year. Thanks for the review and nice to hear you are enjoying the ship.

@borg1964 7 ай бұрын

They served complimentary drinks on Rotterdam too while cruising through the fjord near Leirvik😊Enjoy the rest of your cruise!🫶🏻

@arsenalofwords 7 ай бұрын

I'll be heading through the Panama Canal for a 3 week cruise on Eurodam in April. Really looking forward to the adventure, no matter what may be in store. I love HAL

@guachatierna 7 ай бұрын

Happy Thanksgiving, Ilana and Family!🙏🏼💐

@user-sp2rp4ey2x 7 ай бұрын

I plan on a Panama Canal Cruise in the future! Great video! Thxs

@marystolz-yo9uj 7 ай бұрын

We leave in 3 days on the NS from Rome to ft. Lauderdale. First time with club orange. Our 3rd HAL cruise too

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

Have an amazing time! CO is amazing

@shelleydavis9956 7 ай бұрын

I'll be doing the same cruise Jan 24 & appreciate your update.

@JaniceM0908 7 ай бұрын

Cruising a repositioning from Tampa to LA full transit through the Panama Canal with Royal Caribbean in 2024. We are very excited!! Thank you for all the information!!!

@cathyspicer6375 7 ай бұрын

Can’t wait to hear more about Club Orange! We really liked HAL last summer in Alaska and are considering Club Orange for our next one in a couple years.

@AspireToInspire_22 7 ай бұрын

Great video! Panama Canal is my next cruise to book. I like the partial transit as it departs and returns at Ft. Lauderdale. I am willing to give the Rotterdam a try, but only based on your review. Our last Holland America cruise was on the Oosterdam. Hated that ship and it felt like a geriatric cruise. Waiting for your other videos about both the ship and excursions. Thanks for posting!!

@erobbins1653 7 ай бұрын

I have not found any really good coverage of Club Orange so I’m excited to see your video and hear your thoughts!

@boysrus61 7 ай бұрын

We went thru on Royal at the end of April. Our ocean view cabin was on the 4th deck and it was fascinating to run down and watch thru our window the walls which were literally inches away. We could see the gates if we timed it right. Our cruise had a lot of older passengers, I am 62 and hubs is 63 and we felt pretty young! Remember to have sunscreen ready. You will spend a lot of time outside!

@SheriSmiles22 7 ай бұрын

I have only been on one HAL cruise to Alaska in 2018 on the Eurodam. The food was delicious. I'm excited to hear that is still the case!

@francesgill8621 7 ай бұрын

I was on the Rotterdam last December. Really enjoyed it. I'm doing a Panama Canal cruise on windstar leaving December 2. We disembark in Panama city. Will mot stop in Colon. Should be interesting. Being on a smaller ship we'll do the historic locks.

@lamasbonita3679 7 ай бұрын

Hello Ilana! My husband and I also took a cruise thru the Panama Canal three days after yours; but with Princess. We had a great time as well, 😄, even though we couldn’t disembark in Colon either. BTW, we also very much enjoyed Limón, CR. Thank you for all your tips, ideas and advices. I started following you in preparation for this cruise, exactly! Happy cruising 💕🛳️💕

@teethankyoutee6041 7 ай бұрын

We are going on Panama Canal November 30th we are looking forward to it 😀 thank you for sharing your experience 😀

@tamaradrudy5269 7 ай бұрын

Thank you for this informative commentary. So excited to be boarding the Rotterdam in January for a Caribbean cruise. The ship looks BEAUTIFUL!!!!

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

Lucky! Amazing ship

@debjohnson9848 7 ай бұрын

We are doing a full transit on the Zaandam in January 2024. So excited. Will totally enjoy hearing the rest of your experiences on HAL.

@ranellmueller2972 7 ай бұрын

We leave in a month for a similar cruise on Celebrity Beyond. We booked this cruise prepandemic and rescheduled it three times! I am going even if I'm bleeding out of my toes. The itinerary for the canal on our cruise makes a lot more sense after watching this, so thank you Ilana!

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

Glad this was helpful! Enjoy your cruise

@snh_lname 7 ай бұрын

We went through the Caribbean locks on HA a few years ago. We docked in the Gatun Lake we took a bus through Panama and boarded a smaller ship through the Pacific locks and then a bus back to the ship. The cost, inconvenience and lack of available a/c made it less than great. The HA cruise was very nice. Next month we are going on Regent Seven Seas Grandeur (brand new ship) from Miami through the canal (all the way) to LA. Much more costly but we think worth it. Enjoy your cruise.

@tcmw779 7 ай бұрын

We just finished a cruise from Seattle to Port Canaveral on the NCL Sun going thru the "old locks", we went from Miami to LA on the NCL Joy thru the "new locks". It was a great experience each way. The Sun cruise was 20 days, and 15 days on the Joy.

@meddyven 7 ай бұрын

Illana, very impressed with you doing submissions during points in the cruise. I have not seen anyone else do this. It adds a touch of being up close, and getting the vibes first hand, versus post cruise. I have not been on a Holland America cruise, to date, but the Pananal canal cruise is on my list, and it sounds like my first HAL voyage, be on that itinerary. I also enjoyed your critique on the ship size, and the age range on board. I love the mid size ships, which have plenty of amenities, but not sooo crowded that you can't enjoy them all! Luv your channel. Thank you!

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

I really appreciate your comments & feedback! I think you’ll enjoy this ship :)

@paulineflahive6815 7 ай бұрын

Love your videos. We've been through the Canal twice, both times with Holland America. You are right, Holland America has the best food!

@susancurtis6305 7 ай бұрын

We are doing a full transit December of 2024 on the Coral Princess. I guess a a lot can change between now and then. Thank you for your information. I always look forward to your videos

@monikaliebold4225 7 ай бұрын

Thanks a lot for the video. I feel sorry for you not going through the old historic locks and instead going through the new locks, opened in June 2016. We had been going on a full transit through the old historic locks with Norwegian Gem on 10. January 2019. It was simply amazing with the little trains on both sides getting the ship through canal. For all to know: Only smaller ships are going through old historic canal/locks. Ask cruiseline/travel agent when booking.

@user-hy8zj1qj3u 7 ай бұрын

We are booked on a 17 day Holland America full transit on the Niew Amsterdam in April. Excited!

@vmarney 7 ай бұрын

We were on the Nieuw Amsterdam for a back to back through the Mediterranean in Oct. Our negatives included: 1. Being in an inside cabin for 29 days while having an Upper Respiratory Infection (we needed fresh air badly & a sm. fan provided by HAL did NOT help). We likely won’t do an interior cabin again-especially for such a long cruise). 2. We docked in Haifa (Tel Aviv), Israel ON OCT. 7th!😮 HAL handled it well, & we left the area ASAP (as soon as passengers who had headed towards shore excursions B4 the captain was alerted of the problem & after waiting for an ambulance evacuation of a passenger) we left Haifa at about 9-9:30 PM. 3. Overall food was fairly tasty, but the 1st several days our food was NOT served hot! After several days of one of our table mates complaining & sending plates back, we got special attention by a head kitchen person and our food was hot the rest of that 1st half of our trip. The 2nd portion of our trip, we decided to change our scheduled dinner time & the attention from our server was very disappointing-he was very ‘rushed’ & did not seem attentive (aka didn’t get our orders correctly & didn’t come back to make sure we were happy with our meal) while we noticed he was much more attentive & jovial to his other tables near us. Also, we noticed that the menu’s tended to NOT vary much, day by day & we got bored with the food. Between being sick & getting bored by our choices-my husband LOST 10 lbs during this cruise (I lost too, but not nearly as much 😊). A week later we boarded Ruby Princess for 14 days thru the Caribbean & it was one of the most FUN cruises we have gone on! 1st dinner after disembarkation was totally chaotic, & despite having a regularly scheduled reservation, we ended up volunteering to ‘share a table for 10’ (our reservation was for a table of 6). After that the chaos was not there, but we still ended up being at a different table w/different servers & different table mates. This was disappointing but overall we had mostly great food (but still too many repeats) & we met several great guests. ☺️ Oh, part of our ‘fun’ was we upgraded to a balcony-fresh air all we wanted. One highlight was my husband spotting a SHARK 🦈 swimming below our balcony 😮 B4 departing Ft. Lauderdale-yes, we got a video…

@vmarney 7 ай бұрын

We STILL enjoyed our HAL cruise-despite all the negatives-after all, we were on a cruise! We were seeing new countries and new places in countries we had been to b4! I really believe that being sick for most of that trip, made those negatives more impactful. Thanks for listening to our thoughts… 🥰 Oh, & we celebrated my hubby’s 70th birthday too, & being in Haifa most of that day made it a birthday we will NEVOR forget. 😮😅😮

@StowawayDuckDuck 7 ай бұрын

I have been to Panamá multiple times and on canal tours before on non cruise ships. I absolutely want to go again in a cruise ship. I absolutely love Panamá. Highly recommend it!

@CowgirlSailor17 7 ай бұрын

We leave for that itinerary on rotterdam sunday! Thank you for this video

@LifeWellCruised 7 ай бұрын

So exciting!! Enjoy

@Zippitybippity 7 ай бұрын

We are scheduled on a 14 day Panama Canal cruise in April. We will be on Radiance of the Seas. Crossing my fingers for a good experience. This cruise was scheduled for ‘21 and we are finally able to go next year.