10-Day Island Princess - Panama Canal Partial Transit - Chistmas Cruise Photo Review

[LittleMissMagic]

Day 8 - Limon, Costa Rica

 

Rachel had wanted to go to a beach today, but I managed to convince her that if we were in Costa Rica, we needed to see the rainforest. She saw the logic to that, but still wanted a beach, so we set out prepared for everything in search of a tour or taxi driver who would take us to the rainforest and the beach.

 

This was a cruise of many early nights and early mornings...

 

IMG_1700 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Ready for adventure!

 

IMG_1701 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6518 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6520 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6522 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

We got off the ship and talked to the guys at the end of the pier holding the laminated sheets and offering excursions. We were approached by a guy named Prince. I remembered his name because he introduced himself as Prince, and I doubted that was really his name, but the ID badge around his neck said Prince. Knowledge of this uncommon name would come in handy later.

 

Well, Prince was offering us a package taking us to the rainforest, boat tour through the canal, banana plantation, and the beach. $180 for the four of us. Sounded like a good deal, so we took it. I was under the impression that Prince was going to be our guide, but instead he sent us with another guy, Sam. Sam was really friendly, and he led us out to his car... a crappy little red car with a taxi sign on the top that was possibly the oldest and most beat up in the lot. I wasn't phased.

 

Sam was very friendly and knew a lot about the island. We also learned that everyone knows everyone there as he greeted everyone he passed by name. It was about an hour drive up to the rainforest on an unpaved road in a car that really shouldn't be off-roading. He took us to Veragua Rainforest. Whatever we did there wasn't included in the price of our package. We just wanted to do the aerial tram because we wanted to get a good view of the rainforest and weren't sure if we'd be able to do that zipping through. We'd also ziplined three times before, so it wasn't something we were really itching to do.

 

DSC_6526 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

This little guy was very chill...

 

DSC_6527 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6528 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6533 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6534 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

After purchasing the aerial tram tour, we waited... and waited. We were growing impatient. Finally, our tour guide came. We were paired with another family, also known as the slowest family on earth.

 

Before boarding the aerial tram, he took us to their entomology research area. This was particularly interesting and hit close to home for me because my final project of last semester was designing and entomology center in Mongolia. In order to learn about our project, they actually took us architecture kids bug hunting in the river, and we took them into the lab to sketch.

 

DSC_6535 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6536 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6537 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6538 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6540 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

I'm very tempted to email these bug photos to my architecture professor.

[LittleMissMagic]

We boarded the tram and began our descent into the rainforest.

 

DSC_6541 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6545 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

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DSC_6549 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

We felt ripped off. We were expecting a 10-15 minute aerial tram tour, but instead we got a 2.5 minute descent. Our guide then took us on elevated walkways on a tour through the rainforest. There were two trails.

 

DSC_6554 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6555 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6557 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

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[LittleMissMagic]

DSC_6562 by vshingl, on Flickr

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DSC_6566 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6569 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6573 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

DSC_6574 by vshingl, on Flickr

DSC_6575 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6579 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6581 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6583 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

DSC_6586 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6588 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6589 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6590 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6591 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

DSC_6592 by vshingl, on Flickr

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[LittleMissMagic]

The second trail was called the Trail of Giants. Possibly because of these giant leaves.

 

DSC_6595 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6597 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

At this point, Rachel was getting incredibly frustrated. We were with the slowest family on earth with the most annoying son who would interrupt the guide and ask questions while the guide would've answered his question, had he just waited. It was very frustrating. Not to mention, Rachel was looking at her watch and wanting to get to the beach ASAP.

[LittleMissMagic]

Last year, I did several case studies involving ecotourism. So naturally, I couldn't help but critique the Veragua Rainforest.

 

There are some things they did well. It's a good idea to have guests go with a tour guide and stay on a path. With ecotourism, you want to minimize the impact you put on the natural ecosystem, so if visitors are given free roam, that's a lot of area that gets unnatural travel. However, their wooden walkways bothered me. While it's important to stay on trails, it's also important to rotate the trails so that one area doesn't receive a heavy amount of human traffic for a long period of time. That causes wildlife to migrate away from that area and over a long period of time, it can ruin the natural ecosystem in that location. The guide told me that the paths were built about five years ago, and not surprisingly, the only wildlife we saw was insects and birds. Five years is much too long to have gone to allow daily visitors without alternating paths. I was trying to ask the guide more questions about their trails, but my mother straight interrupted me with a ridiculous question, asking him if they throw away the dead leaves. Really? This is ecotourism, not landscaping.

 

DSC_6598 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Mother was very concerned about this leaf...

 

DSC_6600 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6601 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6605 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6606 by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

DSC_6619 by vshingl, on Flickr

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We couldn't go all the way to the end of the second trail because we were limited 20 minutes per trail and were with the slowest family on earth. So we had to turn around.

[LittleMissMagic]

We took the 2.5 minute tram ride back to the top.

 

DSC_6631 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6634 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6636 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Their bathrooms were cool. They reminded me of the bathrooms that the Rural Studio designed for the park in Alabama...

 

DSC_6637 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

We went to Veragua Rainforest because it was the closest to the ship. I thought they were overpriced for the "ecotourism" that they offered, and this is not something that I would do again. I think next time, since this is something I apparently care so much about, I would research ecotourism in Costa Rica to make sure that the company I choose meets my beliefs. However, I would say that since we were so close to the port, it was pretty obvious that it was going to be some sort of tourist compromise. I would assume that Costa Rica is better explored when you have more time there, and that a cruise is not the best way to get a good look at the rainforest. However, with our procrastination, this was probably the best we were going to get.

[LittleMissMagic]

Sam was still there (thank goodness), and we began going back down.

 

DSC_6638 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6639 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Sam had the local beer for us.

 

DSC_6641 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

We were about halfway down when... the car broke down. We cruised to a stop on the side of the road, right in front of a little house. Sam kept cranking the car, but it wouldn't start. We were stuck.

 

DSC_6642 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6643 by vshingl, on Flickr

[trojangirl90066]

DH and I are doing this cruise on Feb. 6, 2013 so really enjoying your review and all the great pictures!

[Cupcrazy]

There was also a guy taking photos with an iPad. Don't be that guy.

 

This is definitely the best line of the review. I'm always laughing at those people.

[Coralc]

We were about halfway down when... the car broke down. We cruised to a stop on the side of the road, right in front of a little house. Sam kept cranking the car, but it wouldn't start. We were stuck.

 

DSC_6642 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

DSC_6643 by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Great Cliffhanger (photo)! :D:):D

[will773]

I loved your other reviews and this one is just as good! Can't wait for the rest!

[Eng23]

The architechture of this building reminds me of the Embassy Suites on 17th St. in Ft. Lauderdale.

 

[bubba98]

Great review!

Was that CD Richard Joseph I saw in your photo of Movies Under The Stars doing the Wake Show?

Also looked like him standing in the Atrium area in one of the above photos.

If it was him he is one of the best CD's. :)

I was on the island back in November doing this same cruise and he was our CD I thought he was one of the worse ones we ever had. Never seen him was never involved in anything he did not even show up the last night of the cruise for the finnal show he had his assistant do it. I read a lot about him on here being the best I thought he was the worse. Just my opinion.

[goodycruising]

It was during this part of the tour that Rachel and I started getting very annoyed. As an architecture major who has taken her fair share of awkward field trips where we stop in the middle of the streets to sketch buildings, you'd think I'd be used to traveling in a group of idiotic-looking tourists. However, it continues to bother me (maybe I'll get over this after four months in Italy). And it was even more annoying that Dad walk walking around with his iPhone taking pictures like a maniac. I thought briefly about taking the photos off of his phone, but later decided that I didn't want to bother with any of that. Just know that he took a million photos and looked like an idiot doing so. There was also a guy taking photos with an iPad. Don't be that guy. - edited the pics from the quote)

 

Loving your pics, and thanks for taking the time to post and comment, but just wanted to say how envious I am. My parents thought overseas, or even within country, holidays were for them, and I would get to stay with some friends. You are very lucky to have parents that like to take you with on so many holidays. They took me once with them to Sydney. I got to stay home with the horrible kids that bashed me up, while they went out each day. Holidays like yours are a very special thing, and I think the bond it will have created with your parents will be so much closer for it.

[BillB48]

I would bet that LMM would not mind being here today.... along with a lot of us looking from afar as well:).

 

Island Princess, today 1/3 on the East side of Gatun Locks.

 

[MJonTravel]

Awesome review! Love the pictures. Makes me want to sample Princess.

[johndru]

I'm so glad you posted on the Royal board that you were writing this review. I love your reviews, and the pictures you include with them. BTW, congrats to Clemson on their win over LSU at the Chick-Fil-A Bowl!

 

We did the partial transit of the Panama Canal on Coral Princess (sister ship to Island Princess - gotta love the jet engines on the top of these ships!) back in April of 2007. We took a train ride from Gatun Lakes to the Pacific side of the Panama Canal, so we got to see the Mira Flores Locks, as well. I highly recommend this for your next Panama Canal cruise, if you don't end up doing a full transit. We were in a dome car on the train, so got to see everything.

 

Can't wait for the next part of your review. Good Luck in Italy!

 

Dru

[LittleMissMagic]

Loving your pics, and thanks for taking the time to post and comment, but just wanted to say how envious I am. My parents thought overseas, or even within country, holidays were for them, and I would get to stay with some friends. You are very lucky to have parents that like to take you with on so many holidays. They took me once with them to Sydney. I got to stay home with the horrible kids that bashed me up, while they went out each day. Holidays like yours are a very special thing, and I think the bond it will have created with your parents will be so much closer for it.

 

There is actually a cute story as to why my parents have always taken us on vacation. When I was around a year old, my parents took a trip to Hawaii and left me with my grandparents. Well, while they were on vacation, I learned to walk. Apparently got really good at it. So when they got back home and we went to pick them up at the airport, I walked right up to them, and my mother burst out crying. (There is definitely some fault to my grandmother here - she thought it was hilarious that I had learned to walk while they were gone which is why she had me walk at the airport... I think a lot of people would understand how disappointed the mother would be if her baby learned to walk while she was gone and would carry the child to the airport and allow the mother to discover later that her daughter was walking now.) She vowed from then on that she would never, ever leave me at home while she went on vacation again.

 

I am very thankful that my parents have taken me on many vacations. I love visiting new places, and I enjoy visiting my favorites again. I actually learn so much while I travel, and it's also a great outlet for me to apply what I learn in school to the real world (like I've been nerdily doing in this report). I'm also extremely lucky that my parents actually allow my sister and I to have a large input on where we travel. Rachel and I actually chose this cruise - my Dad was looking at an 8-Day cruise on the Independence of the Seas, but we were able to convince him that we needed to go places we'd never been before.