21 Day, Longest Cruise yet, help me plan

[RMLincoln]

This will be our longest cruise yet. I need a little help envisioning how it will be different from the 7- (Oosterdam) or 10- (Ryndam) or 11- (Maasdam) -day HAL cruises we've enjoyed.:D:D

 

It will be a round trip, from LA to Panama Canal (partial transit) and back, on Amsterdam Dec 2.

 

How many formals might there be?

Do they have the same menus repeated?

What about the shows - we love the shows - will there be new ones every week?

Lectures maybe?

 

Whatever else you can share is appreciated. Thank you all.

[leoandhugh]

Chances are very good that the menus will repeat on the return journey as will the shows. The production shows do not change from one cruise to the next. You are doing a back2back which in reality is 2 cruises and it is a small minority that do book 2 14day cruises back to back. You may find that some of the individual entertainers change from one cruise to the next:)

[RMLincoln]

Is it considered a B2B because it returns to LA, the departure port? It is 21 days, LA to Panama Canal and back.

 

If the shows repeat, I guess that's OK. It will give us a little flexibility, so if we miss it the first time we can see it later on.

Thanks, m--

[hartjanet]

We are booked on that cruise as well. I may well be wrong, but I don't agree with the previous post that this itinerary would be the same as a back to back. No one will be getting off or on in Panama, at least not in any numbers. It just wasn't marketed that way. I'm also thinking that, while there may be some entertainers who do more than one show... they will not be the same shows. There are enough stops that performers can board and depart the ship easily. Likewise, we may see some repeated dishes in the dining room, but not the same menus. Again, I may be wrong, but I just don't see them taking any chances of boring passengers with the entertainment or food. I'm guessing 3-4 formal nights. See you on board!

[luvcruisn']

I'm guessing 3-4 formal nights.

 

On our Alaskan 7 night cruise, we had 2 formal nights, so you could have as many as 6 formal nights on a 21 day cruise.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done a couple of the PanAmerican cruises -- ours were round trip out of San Diego.

It is not considered a back-to-back cruise. There is no disembarkation port half way through the cruise.

We have 6 formal nights.

The shows were different -- nothing repeated. A couple of the entertainers did shows solo -- then they got together to make up another show.

The menus were never repeated. You will see some items a couple of times. But the exact menus are mixed up.

[G&G]

I agree with Krazy Kruisers; no repeat menu's or entertainment. You will see more entertainers since the ship's singers & dancers only have three basic shows during your 21 day cruise. Last year we were on a 30 day South Pacific cruise and there was a different dinner menu every night with some entrees repeated. In fact I believe there were different soups for 30 days, no repeats !

[Krazy Kruizers]

Now you won't have these menus on your 21 day cruise -- but this link will show what our menus were for our 23 PanAmerican day cruise -- just to give you an idea of what was offered:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=676432&highlight=

[RMLincoln]

Thanks for the great tips.

 

Repeats of some dishes may be a wonderful thing! I will check out the menus you're sharing for an idea. Thanks for the info KK.

 

I suspected that the singers and dancers may only have a limited number of production shows in their study and sets/costums to go with them, so we will make a point to catch them when offered. I wonder what they do on even longer cruises, like the Grand Voyages and World cruises.

 

Could be 6 formals? Wow, that would be nice. Especially because there are usually special dinner selections on those nights.

 

I'm hoping there will be some guest lecturers on board. Any experience with that?

 

Thanks again and if you think of anything else, please let me know.

 

See you on board HartJanet! It's getting closer, especially as the autumn leaves fall here!

[Yaya&Papu]

We did 27 day Inca discovery cruise in Jan. - from Ft.Lauderdale to SanDiego. I think we had 8 formal nights. Menus did not repeat but some dishes did. Singers and dancers know only 3 or 4 shows, so they will be spread out over the course of the cruise. There will be several entertainers and some may do a second show or do a combined show with another person. You should have a lecturer giving talks about the Canal and possibly a different lecturer speaking on the history/culture of Mexico and Central America.

[debshomespun]

We did a 30 day South Pacific cruise in Jan/09 and the dinner menus were always different. As some stated, may be the same entree, but the menu is always different. The production shows will only be a couple. They will not repeat for your cruise. You will have different entertainment the entire cruise. Some of the entertainers may come and go during the cruise, and not be with you on the ship the whole time. We had many of the entertainers get off the ship in Tahiti, and new ones get on.

 

 

Also, I would assume you would have several different lectures while on the cruise. We were so busy, we didn't have time to go to these. Also, each morning they did an interview in the Crows Nest with someone of interest from the ship, captain, entertainers, head of hotel, etc. They were very interesting. Also, on the longer cruises, you may get to see more of the behind the scenes places of the ship. Take advantage of that. We missed the laundry one, and everyone got to go down below to see how the crew does our laundry, linens and stuff. Very interesting! You will love the longer voyages!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yes -- we had guest lecturers on both of our PanAmerican cruises.

 

One talked only about the Panama Canal and a second talked about the various ports in Central America.

 

There is no telling what your lecturers will talk about.

[RuthC]

I'm hoping there will be some guest lecturers on board. Any experience with that?

 

Thanks again and if you think of anything else, please let me know.

I would expect there will be several lecture series, some of which will overlap others. There will be lectures in the mornings, and other speakers in the afternoons. The length of each series may vary.

Something that hasn't been mentioned is how life on this cruise will slow down in a way that it does not on shorter cruises. There is time to do things, and you can relax knowing that. There's just no rush to do something you enjoy, as there's always tomorrow.

You will get into a real rhythm, and enjoy it!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Having done the PanAmerican twice -- there was not overlapping of lectures.

[RMLincoln]

Thank you all for the great sharing.

 

I will plan on up to 6 formals and bring enough mix and match tops and sparkly overblouses.

 

The menus give a lot of insight. Thank you so much for send me to them KK, and for the work that went into getting them on the board. I can tell whcih nights were formal just from the menu options. And repeat special dishes is not a bad thing IMO.

 

It is nice to hear that we will be able to have a slower time. Thank you Ruth for that insight. I won't have to jump at every opportunity and that will be more relaxing, which is the goal of this cruise for us.

 

If there are lecturers that will be a great plus. Haven't done Panama Canal on HAL before so I"m hoping for a good experience on that feature. We enjoyed the lecturer on Maasdam which was 11 days.

 

I'm sure we'll enjoy the enteratinment but I have to admit that the singers and dancers are my favorite, so hopefully we'll see them at least once a week or so.

 

Someday we'd like to do a Grand Voyage, so how one this goes may tilt the scales in favor or against. But I know it can't be TOO against, as my attitude is that it's hard to have a bad day on a cruise ship:)

[Krazy Kruizers]

We loved the fact that we sailed from the Pacific into the canal and overnighted in Gatun Lake.

The first time we did this cruise we were able to do a couple of shore excursions once we anchored in Gatun Lake.

Then the next morning as we were heading back to the Pacific side -- enjoyed the Panama buns.

What is great -- if you have a balcony or verandah cabin -- you have different scenery!!

[hartjanet]

I know some people get into looking different each of the formal nights. But I gotta say that I really doubt most people notice - as long as you look nice. And if they notice - and you look nice - who cares? We did the 30 day South Pacific last fall. There were at least 6 formals. I brought 2 dresses, changed out my jewelry and scarfs and that was all I felt I needed. Hey... but that's just me :)

[RMLincoln]

Panama buns? OK.... Something special to look forward to. Thanks KK.

 

YaYa&Papu: I hadn't thought of internal tours! What a great idea. I usually seem to miss the galley tour, only saw one, Maasdam I think. Had a bridge tour once, that was pretty special!! And my husband seems to catch to backstage tour. But a laundry tour? Never heard of that one, so maybe that's one of those things they do on longer cruises. It'll be fun to see different things inside the ship. Thanks for that tidbit.

 

Not sure that we will have shore excursions from Gatun Lake:( There aren't any listed on HALs site for this cruise. I'm thinking that maybe later on we'll see something. It seems strange that we'd overnight there and they wouldn't try to make some extra money from excursions. I hope it shows up.

[RMLincoln]

HartJanet: I agree about not trying to look different every night. I'll have my basic set of mix and match. But when I pack for shorter cruises I usually think about how many ways I can mix and match that set; this time, and I agree with you, it's just doesn't really matter. In fact, out of 21 days, I'm not sure I could remember what combinations I've already worn:)

[ldog]

I agree that there is no need to take 6 or more different formal outfits. Unless you have something spectacular noone really notices. We all just like the "dressed up" atmosphere.

 

We were on the 26 day Amazon adventure last November/December. The dinner menus were varied and some things were repeated. When you are onboard for such a long time it stops mattering. We'd often just order salads for dinner as it was just too much food. We did get to meet a lot of great people and that was the joy of a longer cruise.

[RMLincoln]

Thanks Jan. I noticed on the menus that KK had posted there was always a maincourse salad. I think that's a great idea because if I eat everything, none of those mix and match clothes I'm bringing will fit by the end of the cruise! I really don't want to do that to myself. I will try to remember to go light on those off nights between the lucious formal fare.

[Krazy Kruizers]

There aren't any bridge tours any more.

Laundry room tours -- have never seen that offered on any of our cruises.

Have done the kitchen tours and backstage tours.

On our second PanAmerican cruise -- no tours were offered once we got to Gatun Lake -- it was just another sea day.

On both cruises there was the opportunity to "swim" in the Panama Canal.

Now don't count on those menus being the same -- those were from 2007. Each year HAL changes some of the items and does things differently.

[MYMOTHERSCHILD]

This will be our longest cruise yet. I need a little help envisioning how it will be different from the 7- (Oosterdam) or 10- (Ryndam) or 11- (Maasdam) -day HAL cruises we've enjoyed.:D:D

 

Wear yourself out if in port. Walk until you drop. Explore the side streets. Talk to strangers. Hug kids. Snorkel. Pick up a native and hang out at a cafe. When you return to the ship, you'll collapse. Lucky if you can make it to the dining room.

It's not where you go that counts. It's what you do when you get there that makes traveling memorable.

MMC