Need some guidance on booking Panorama. New to West Coast sailing

[amanda219]

Need some guidance on a Panorama cruise please. All suggestions welcome 

 

Background: Platinum cruisers & have been all over the Western, Eastern & Southern Caribbean. Have 4 cruises booked between Sept 2021 & May 22. I have 1 more canceled cruise with OBC to book. I like the idea of something new/different & looking at booking Panorama in 2023 between May & Sept 30th (when offer ends.) Looking at a Havana interior. 

 

I'm most interested in info about weather in late August-Sept? Sailing out & ports. Never been on West coast so I'm unfamiliar. Over here in the Gulf/Caribbean that is hurricane season (& we always roll the dice & sail during that time.) When weighing out dates vs price..is late August much different than mid-Sept? 

 

How difficult/expensive is it to fly in day before sailing? Flights will be from airline miles so not an issue. More interested about how easy of a home port will it be to navigate? 

 

Any help will definitely be appreciated as we will likely book something within the next week. 
 

[IntrepidFromDC]

5 minutes ago, amanda219 said:

Need some guidance on a Panorama cruise please. All suggestions welcome 

 

I'm most interested in info about weather in late August-Sept?
 

The biggest difference between what you're used to and the Pacific is the Pacific is FRIGID.  Forget about those floating-in-the-sea days.

[amanda219]

Just now, IntrepidFromDC said:

The biggest difference between what you're used to and the Pacific is the Pacific is FRIGID.  Forget about those floating-in-the-sea days.

Good to know & glad I asked/you replied. Thanks.

 

I'm OK with not as much water activities in ports. I'm sure we can find local cultural experiences. This trip would be most about trying something new & the bonus is the cost of Havana is pretty cheap.

 

Any info on how hard airport to port will be to navigate? I'm good at this part...but definitely outside of my expertise with zero knowledge going in. 

[Wanna_Cruize]

You can fly into either LAX or Long Beach - both airports are about 25 miles away from the cruise port. There's no way to easily get to the port by public transportation, the Metro doesn't go that far, and you have to transfer to busses on multiple routes. Uber/Lyft (I've heard) is about 30 from the airport to the port. One other option is to find an airport that has both an airport shuttle and a cruise port shuttle. Of course, Carnival has their airport shuttle; some people stay at hotels near the airport and then take that. We live somewhat local, so we just drive. Also, make sure you are referring to the Long Beach Port, and NOT the Los Angles port. Carnival Panorama uses the Long Beach Port which is next to the Queen Mary.

 

We love this itinerary, and are booked on several cruises this fall on Panorama. We lucked out and are on the very first cruise out of California on August 21st. We're in a Havana Cabana (Shhh, DH think's it's an interior, so I'll have lots of comments/pics of the Havana area. Here's a link to the thread I started about that one, if you have any questions you'd like answered: 

 

We'll also be on Panorama in mid-September, and the end of November, so lots of chances to gather data. Just let me know.

[IntrepidFromDC]

In Cabo San Lucas there is an excursion where you take an ATV from town to a HUGE hole in the earth where a meteor struck and you get to go round and round the meteor hole like you are a pea being swished around in a bowl.  One of the most amazing experiences I've ever had.

[amanda219]

18 minutes ago, Wanna_Cruize said:

You can fly into either LAX or Long Beach - both airports are about 25 miles away from the cruise port. There's no way to easily get to the port by public transportation, the Metro doesn't go that far, and you have to transfer to busses on multiple routes. Uber/Lyft (I've heard) is about 30 from the airport to the port. One other option is to find an airport that has both an airport shuttle and a cruise port shuttle. Of course, Carnival has their airport shuttle; some people stay at hotels near the airport and then take that. We live somewhat local, so we just drive. Also, make sure you are referring to the Long Beach Port, and NOT the Los Angles port. Carnival Panorama uses the Long Beach Port which is next to the Queen Mary.

 

We love this itinerary, and are booked on several cruises this fall on Panorama. We lucked out and are on the very first cruise out of California on August 21st. We're in a Havana Cabana (Shhh, DH think's it's an interior, so I'll have lots of comments/pics of the Havana area. Here's a link to the thread I started about that one, if you have any questions you'd like answered: 

 

We'll also be on Panorama in mid-September, and the end of November, so lots of chances to gather data. Just let me know.

Thanks so much for the great info! Sounds like late Aug-mid Sept may be good timing for us. 

 

Congrats on having a 1st return cruise! I'm super jealous! I was soooo close to driving to Galveston for the July 3rd Vista! 

 

I will definitely be following along with your restart post!

[amanda219]

20 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

In Cabo San Lucas there is an excursion where you take an ATV from town to a HUGE hole in the earth where a meteor struck and you get to go round and round the meteor hole like you are a pea being swished around in a bowl.  One of the most amazing experiences I've ever had.

Sounds awesome..& right up our alley! Thanks so much for the recommendation!

[Applealex]

2 hours ago, Wanna_Cruize said:

You can fly into either LAX or Long Beach - both airports are about 25 miles away from the cruise port.

LOL Long Beach airport is like 10 miles from the port, ~15 minutes away by car. Not to mention WAY more convenient than the nightmare that is LAX. Just thinking about that dreaded horseshoe *shudders*

 

Fly into Long Beach if you can. For me, there are direct flights from Dallas to both LAX and LGB. LAX was $315 and LGB was $322 so it was a super easy decision. An Uber down to the cruise terminal from LAX will run $60 - $90, depending on traffic (which is always bad). I’ll be flying in a day early and just staying in an Airbnb right next to the 710 highway that takes you to the port.

 

I’ve done the 7-day Mexican Riviera run many items (though not on Panorama, yet, dang COVID) so let me know if you have any questions.

Edited July 26, 2021 by Applealex

[SNJCruisers]

Great decision regarding the Havana Inside cabin.  Did it twice on the Horizon, staying in 5205, which is a sideways interior that I would highly recommend.  The sailings starting from August 20th on should probably be cheaper since the earlier sailings the kids will still be in school, but of course you don't care since you made the wise decision to stay in the Havana area.

I would look into cashing in your miles on the very day that bookings open up.  This way you might have a chance at snagging a first class ticket at a reduced point rate.  We are going out of San Pedro next April on Princess doing the 7 day Mexican Riv, followed up by a 7 day California Coastal and instead of doing non stop coach out of Philly, we were able to snag connecting first class tickets through Houston, costing us about an extra hour of flight time, but we will be in first class.  Staying at an AirBnB in between LAX and San Pedro and will Uber it from the airport and to the cruise port.

[amanda219]

4 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Great decision regarding the Havana Inside cabin.  Did it twice on the Horizon, staying in 5205, which is a sideways interior that I would highly recommend.  

Great info! Thanks! Havana interior was pretty cheap. I think it was a $380 upcharge from regular interior so with the cost of cruise being fairly low, it's something we want to try. It was waaayyy more than that on Vista and an upcoming Horizon booking.

 

May I ask what you prefer about the sideways inferior? You have peaked my interest on that.

[amanda219]

5 hours ago, Applealex said:

LOL Long Beach airport is like 10 miles from the port, ~15 minutes away by car. Not to mention WAY more convenient than the nightmare that is LAX. Just thinking about that dreaded horseshoe *shudders*

 

Fly into Long Beach if you can. For me, there are direct flights from Dallas to both LAX and LGB. LAX was $315 and LGB was $322 so it was a super easy decision. An Uber down to the cruise terminal from LAX will run $60 - $90, depending on traffic (which is always bad). I’ll be flying in a day early and just staying in an Airbnb right next to the 710 highway that takes you to the port.

 

I’ve done the 7-day Mexican Riviera run many items (though not on Panorama, yet, dang COVID) so let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks so much for the info! Sounds like a home port I can easily navigate. Appreciate it!

[jsglow]

Great discussion.  We historically have flown to cruises from the midwest.  The Mexican Riv is a nice change of pace cruise.  We'e done it exactly once.  Would I do it again? Yes, but again, only as a change-up.  I cannot think of a 7 day Caribbean itinerary that isn't on par or better.   

Edited July 26, 2021 by jsglow

[Honolulu Blue]

Following.  I'm on one of the Panorama sailings in September.  I have a lot to learn, but don't mind picking up a few tips on the way.  Thanks all.

[californiatripman]

9 hours ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

The biggest difference between what you're used to and the Pacific is the Pacific is FRIGID.  Forget about those floating-in-the-sea days.

Although first day out might be cool on the sea I can assure you the ports will be smoking HOT in August-Sept.

Done this itinerary 20 plus times.  Best time to visit is Dec.-Feb.  cooler in the ports and this is when the whales are there in abundance.  No whales in Summer months.

Puerto Vallarta do Rythm of the Night for an outstanding excursion.

[jsglow]

I will add that I'm looking forward to a quickie on the Radiance that does Catalina and Ensenada from our winter home in Vegas.  I intend to break my record for a booking closest to sail time. 'Honey, wanna get out of town?'

[MzOhioLady]

I agree, that Rhythm of the Nights is an Excellent Excursion to do in Puerto Vallarta. You'll love the water in Cabo. It's gorgeous! When I did this itinerary, we flew into LAX and stayed by the Airport. Came in a few days early to do the sights and fun stuff in LA. Since I live in Cleveland, Ohio I don't get out to the West Coast too often. We went to Universal Studios while we were there, so there are things to if you fly in before the cruise. 

[Saint Greg]

I saw they're having some 8 day panorama cruises that adds a port called La Paz. Anyone familiar with that or if it's worth going to?

[sanmarcosman]

40 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

I saw they're having some 8 day panorama cruises that adds a port called La Paz. Anyone familiar with that or if it's worth going to?

Yes, it's a small town on the Sea of Cortez that Carnival shuttle buses take you to on a 25 minute ride from the industrial pier where the ship docks. We walked and shopped, there's even an old two story Sears store there with an escalator and it has the original glass cases on the showroom floors to display the merch. It was a throwback moment for us 🙂  We liked the town and are looking forward to booking an 8 day on Panorama to visit La Paz again.

[SNJCruisers]

10 hours ago, amanda219 said:

Great info! Thanks! Havana interior was pretty cheap. I think it was a $380 upcharge from regular interior so with the cost of cruise being fairly low, it's something we want to try. It was waaayyy more than that on Vista and an upcoming Horizon booking.

 

May I ask what you prefer about the sideways inferior? You have peaked my interest on that.

With a regular interior, the bed is against the short wall and then you have to enter the bed set up as a king size by shimmying sideways between the bed and the wall.

With the sideways set up the bed is against the long wall, giving you more space around the bed, especially on the left side.  When you enter the cabin, the bed is towards the right and on the left side of the cabin is where the bathroom is.  In the left side far corner is where the closet is located  and since it's tucked out of the way, you can easily set up a pop up hamper  in that area.  We had it for 16 nights over 2 cruises on the Horizon and loved it.

[SNJCruisers]

8 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

I saw they're having some 8 day panorama cruises that adds a port called La Paz. Anyone familiar with that or if it's worth going to?

I think I remember hearing about a swimming with sea lions tour there.   Not just an encounter that many places offer, but an actual swim.

[amanda219]

All of you have really stepped up and each of you has given me great info. I sincerely appreciate it. We will be booking late Aug-early Sept soon in a Havana interior (most likely 5205.) 

 

Thanks guys and best wishes on your return to sailings! For us it will be Mardi Gras Sept 25th. 60 days to go!

[SNJCruisers]

6 hours ago, amanda219 said:

All of you have really stepped up and each of you has given me great info. I sincerely appreciate it. We will be booking late Aug-early Sept soon in a Havana interior (most likely 5205.) 

 

Thanks guys and best wishes on your return to sailings! For us it will be Mardi Gras Sept 25th. 60 days to go!

Found a YouTube video of 5208, which is the comparable cabin in the portside hallway.  5205 will be the reverse of what you see in the video, with the bathroom and closet to the left and the bed to the right.

 

[klfhngr]

On 7/25/2021 at 9:02 PM, amanda219 said:

Need some guidance on a Panorama cruise please. All suggestions welcome 

 

Background: Platinum cruisers & have been all over the Western, Eastern & Southern Caribbean. Have 4 cruises booked between Sept 2021 & May 22. I have 1 more canceled cruise with OBC to book. I like the idea of something new/different & looking at booking Panorama in 2023 between May & Sept 30th (when offer ends.) Looking at a Havana interior. 

 

I'm most interested in info about weather in late August-Sept? Sailing out & ports. Never been on West coast so I'm unfamiliar. Over here in the Gulf/Caribbean that is hurricane season (& we always roll the dice & sail during that time.) When weighing out dates vs price..is late August much different than mid-Sept? 

 

How difficult/expensive is it to fly in day before sailing? Flights will be from airline miles so not an issue. More interested about how easy of a home port will it be to navigate? 

 

Any help will definitely be appreciated as we will likely book something within the next week. 
 

First of all, the water in Mexico will NOT be frigid! We've done this cruise many times, I can assure you that the weather will be HOT and humid. Flights should be a none issue, try to find a good price flying into Long Beach. If price is high, then stick to LAX (they're only about 30 minutes apart, but traffic by LAX is a lot worse).

 

Regarding what to do, I posted this a while back ago, hope it helps:

 

Have done this cruise many times. When my children were little, in their teens and when in their 20's.

 

We like to have fun, lol. So these are our suggestions:

 

Cabo: This is where I would jet ski (besides MZ). Also shopping, tacos Gordo Lele. Bar/Brewery hopping. We did a party snorkel boat once to the arches, we had a blast on the way back! My kids like hanging out at the pier area during the last hour or so before it's time to head back to the ship. Usually Cabo is a short stay, hence the less options.

 

Mazatlan: I highly suggest Stone Island, we all loved it. We've been there on 4 or so cruises and have taken others there. They have all loved it. Hang out at Lety's (Victor's used to be the spot, but word is that he's no longer open, he comes and goes). At Stone, you can do a lot of water sports and ATV. ATV's here are cheap, and you can ride all over the beach! Waiters at Lety's can hook you up. You can also do a banana boat here, jet ski, parasail, etc.! Very active place and also a great place to chill. Food is the BOMB and cheap!!! Head back to the ship an hour or so early and hang out at the bars by the ship or shop!

 

PV: Our favorite place in the MDR. So much to choose from. We've done this cruise about 10 times, so we've done many things. The ship is in port for a long time. I usually rent a van/driver. We do some shopping. We head up to El Eden (tourist trap, so don't eat here, just enjoy the sites and water) or somewhere up in the jungle. There's a tequila outdoor shops up there, have some samples. If you really want to ATV, I'd do it here in PV. Lot's of mud and water and jungle! Do not book on ship, bargain once you get off the ship. You can also zip line, drivers usually get you a good deal! BEWARE: They might get you a better deal, but it might not include ALL of the zip lines (some places might have 15, but you'll get to only do 10 or so). So ask before you pay. Los Muertos Brewery is a cool hangout, good beers and GREAT pizza! In my opinion, going with an affordable driver (NEGOTIATE!) is the way to go, cuz they can take you all over PV and get you on a schedule. But you tell him where YOU want to go! Sometimes they'll want to take over, don't let them do that. They'll take you to their buddies restaurant, stores, etc. They get a kickback. So figure out what you want to do and tell him! Trust me on this. 9/10, they'll do as you asked.

[MT_Sea_Cruisers]

On 7/26/2021 at 1:07 AM, Applealex said:

LOL Long Beach airport is like 10 miles from the port, ~15 minutes away by car. Not to mention WAY more convenient than the nightmare that is LAX. Just thinking about that dreaded horseshoe *shudders*

 

Fly into Long Beach if you can. For me, there are direct flights from Dallas to both LAX and LGB. LAX was $315 and LGB was $322 so it was a super easy decision. An Uber down to the cruise terminal from LAX will run $60 - $90, depending on traffic (which is always bad). I’ll be flying in a day early and just staying in an Airbnb right next to the 710 highway that takes you to the port.

 

I’ve done the 7-day Mexican Riviera run many items (though not on Panorama, yet, dang COVID) so let me know if you have any questions.

Totally agree with you Applealex!  We've sailed out of Long Beach many times and  flying into and out of  Long Beach is much, much easier.  Travel time from airport to port via Uber or Lyft generally runs about $25 - $30.  Also the Long Beach airport is very pleasant . . . .We fly home to Montana so we always have a long wait at the airport on debarkation day, so the pleasant atmosphere is nice.

[madera cruiser]

On 7/26/2021 at 7:57 AM, sanmarcosman said:

Yes, it's a small town on the Sea of Cortez that Carnival shuttle buses take you to on a 25 minute ride from the industrial pier where the ship docks. We walked and shopped, there's even an old two story Sears store there with an escalator and it has the original glass cases on the showroom floors to display the merch. It was a throwback moment for us 🙂  We liked the town and are looking forward to booking an 8 day on Panorama to visit La Paz again.

 

On 7/26/2021 at 7:10 AM, Saint Greg said:

I saw they're having some 8 day panorama cruises that adds a port called La Paz. Anyone familiar with that or if it's worth going to?

La Paz is the capital of Baja California Sur. Population is 250k+. The city is in an ancient river wash that looks like a huge arena when you look up from the shore. You can see how eons ago the water came to the sea. The malecon must be about 5 miles long. La Paz is not really a tourist trap city. If I remember correctly, there is a distinguished medical school there.

The water in the Sea of Cortes is the closest you will get to the Carribbean look. It is really clear and SHALLOW! The water is only mid calf deep for at least 100 yards off the beach. Maybe more.

I want to take a land trip there, as the airport that serves Cabo is really just outside of La Paz. Fishing is supposed to be really good there.

Guess I should say that we were there about ten years ago when Carnival Spirit called there.