World "shakedown" cruise on Serenade starting next week (Semi-Live Review)

[lovesthebeach2]

4 hours ago, island lady said:

 

The internet country changing happened to us all the time on other ships, and same with cruising with Viking in Europe.  Even recent Wonder, cruising off the coast of Mexico...changed to Mexico.  

I was quick to delete cookies when we got back to the U.S. coast.  

That happened to us coming back on the Odyssey TA. They thought we were in Spain for the whole cruise back

[orville99]

14 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

That happened to us coming back on the Odyssey TA. They thought we were in Spain for the whole cruise back

That’s not bad, yesterday they thought we were in Micco, FL😱

[island lady]

35 minutes ago, orville99 said:

That’s not bad, yesterday they thought we were in Micco, FL😱

 

OH no!!  😄  Cows and Citrus groves....at least it is relaxing!  😉 

[Badatz2]

2 hours ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

 

We are on the December 5 four-nighter. We always expected to see last-minute work being done and don’t mind, but now I have a sliver of concern that we might be canceled to allow a last-minute surge of activity. 

 

It's hard to believe that at this stage they would cancel the cruise. Lots of people are already on their way to Florida.  It would be a logistic and financial nightmare for them.

[orville99]

18 minutes ago, Badatz2 said:

It's hard to believe that at this stage they would cancel the cruise. Lots of people are already on their way to Florida.  It would be a logistic and financial nightmare for them.

There are quite a few on this cruise that are also on that one as well.

[orville99]

Current ship conditions at the entrances to the canal:

Greens are freighters; reds are tankers; blue are passenger ships

 

Atlantic side:

 

 

Pacific side:

 

Edited November 28, 2023 by orville99

[Jimbo]

6 hours ago, marquisite said:

 

At least on Ovation the light above the bathroom sink partially stays on. 

 

But in terms of Serenade and nightlights, recently I saw a photo online somewhere showing a light installed near the wardrobe or something that illuminates the floor outside the bathroom door.

 

It'll be great if all rooms will get this lighting update. I may still pack a little USB nightlight for the small portion of the UWC that I'll be onboard for, though.... (If I don't forget).

 

 

5 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Oh...I like that idea!  

 

Bringing my little battery  "tap light" for the bathroom...but that still may be too bright.  My electric travel clock is the perfect night light for inside the cabin...and shows date, room temperature as well.  It goes with me everywhere we travel.  🙂 

What's the night lights for? Is it just to see your way to the bathroom in the middle of the night? Just leave light in bathroom on, close the  bathroom door, enough light will filter out under door so you can easily make your way to the bathroom.

 

Who cares about how much light filters out, every time I'm asleep my eyes are closed, do some of you   sleep with your eyes open?😎

[Badatz2]

54 minutes ago, orville99 said:

There are quite a few on this cruise that are also on that one as well.

Are you one of them?

 

[ZoeyVictoria]

2 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

 

What's the night lights for? Is it just to see your way to the bathroom in the middle of the night? Just leave light in bathroom on, close the  bathroom door, enough light will filter out under door so you can easily make your way to the bathroom.

 

Who cares about how much light filters out, every time I'm asleep my eyes are closed, do some of you   sleep with your eyes open?😎

We also leave the bathroom light on and close the door all the way. There is a strip of light at the bottom of the door that is not visible until we sit up and look towards the bathroom.  I cannot sleep with too much light in the room, but this has never bothered me. 

[orville99]

9 minutes ago, Badatz2 said:

Are you one of them?

 

No. We debark on the 5th.

[Another_Critic]

5 minutes ago, orville99 said:

No. We debark on the 5th.

@island lady's CC still being declined?  👎😉😁

[island lady]

3 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

@island lady's CC still being declined?  👎😉😁

 

Yeah it is...sigh.  Maybe I will try to open a Walmart CC.   Oh wait...I already have one.  😄 

[orville99]

We just sailed through this. At least one water spout and we were pushed off course for about an hour. It even knocked the sea birds out of the air.😱

[island lady]

1 hour ago, orville99 said:

We just sailed through this. At least one water spout and we were pushed off course for about an hour. It even knocked the sea birds out of the air.😱

 

OMG...yikes....hope you are all OK.  That looks really nasty!!  😯

[orville99]

Just picked up our first pilot, and now moving towards the canal. It is quite hazy out and you can cut the humidity with a fork,

[kernow]

Just entering the canal and back in the world of internet😆. We bought a worldwide sim card on Amazon before the trip and I just got the 'welcome to Panama' text.

 

We realised the work in the cabin 2 days ago was indeed installing a sensor controlled nightlight in the bottom of the wardrobe. We actually think it's pointless as it only comes on when someone stands directly in front of the wardrobe.  If you get out of bed in the dark you still cannot see anything until you get right to the bathroom door. For the last two nights we've still left the bathroom light on with the door closed as we've been doing all trip😃.

 

@orville99 that was some storm out of nowhere wasn't it. We were in the Schooner bar playing trivia right through it and barely felt a thing though😄. Loved the amazing lightning show last night too!

 

@heatherb1958we could certainly do with one of those kettles right now, woke up and straight out on the balcony and now don't want to leave and miss anything😂. Always wondered why they only put them out on cruises full of us UK folk.

 

Just waiting to enter the first lock😀

[Essiesmom]

Miraflores locks.

 

[kernow]

13 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

Miraflores locks.

 

Zoomed in you can almost see us on the balcony😄

[kernow]

Currently exiting the second lock in pouring rain.

[Essiesmom]

From the Cerro Luisa cam, which says it shows the Pedro Miguel locks and the Centennial Bridge, but at the moment is showing neither.  And yes, it looks a bit damp.  Everyone has left the bow…

 

[orville99]

17 hours ago, island lady said:

 

OMG...yikes....hope you are all OK.  That looks really nasty!!  😯

It came up so suddenly that we barely got off the balcony and back in the cabin before it started to blow. The noise was deafening. Turn up the volume on this one taken from safely inside of our open balcony doorway (and the noise had already started to subside):

 

[orville99]

4 hours ago, kernow said:

We realised the work in the cabin 2 days ago was indeed installing a sensor controlled nightlight in the bottom of the wardrobe

Did ours this morning. Whatever it is for is a mystery, but this is what it is:

 

[orville99]

Random shots of Mira Flora and Pedro Miguel locks:

 

[orville99]

The Culabra cut is certainly lush for a country in the midst of a drought:

 

 

[orville99]

Sailing down Gatun lake on our way to the last set of locks, then on to Caragena😇